New Delhi [India], August 18 (ANI): IAMGAME 2026 will bring the business of sport and the culture of sport together for the first time with the introduction of the Sports Fest alongside its industry-focused Sports Conclave.

Scheduled to be held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, on August 21-22, the expanded two-day format will connect athletes, sports leaders, investors, brands and innovators with sports enthusiasts and emerging sporting communities, according to a press release from IAMGAME.

While the Sports Conclave will focus on the commercial, institutional and technological forces driving Indian sport, the Sports Fest will open the platform to sporting experiences, emerging disciplines and wider fan participation.

Together, the four formats will examine how India can build a stronger sporting ecosystem beyond cricket by connecting investment and industry dialogue with participation and sporting culture.

Olympic champions and Commonwealth Games gold-medallist boxers will be among the sporting personalities participating in the event. IAMGAME 2026 is expected to host more than 700 delegates, 50 speakers and 20 sporting legends, along with representatives from 10 state sports federations and six international sports federations. More than 20 sporting brands, sports-tech companies, broadcasters and investors are also expected to participate.

Conceptualised by ESP 360 Degree Solution, IAMGAME 2026 will be presented through four key pillars: The Sports Conclave, the newly introduced Sports Fest, the IAMGAME Sports Awards and The Game Plan, a dedicated platform through which sports-tech startups can pitch their ideas and connect with investors, mentors and prospective partners.

Karan Singh Chettri, Founder and CEO, ESP 360 Degree Solution, said, 'The business of sport cannot grow in isolation from the culture of sport. Sustainable growth requires investment, infrastructure and technology, but it also depends on participation, communities and a deeper connection between people and sport. By introducing the Sports Fest alongside the Sports Conclave, IAMGAME 2026 will bring these two dimensions together on one platform for the first time.'

'India's sports economy is projected to reach USD 40 billion by 2030, but realising this opportunity will require stronger collaboration among athletes, federations, policymakers, brands, investors and technology innovators. IAMGAME aims to enable these connections while making the conversation around India's sporting future accessible to a wider community,' he added.

Discussions at the Sports Conclave will focus on attracting sustained investment beyond established disciplines, strengthening pathways from grassroots participation to elite performance, improving sporting infrastructure and accelerating the adoption of technology across training, performance, sports administration and fan engagement.

The Sports Conclave will complement these conversations by showcasing emerging sports and creating interactive experiences for sports enthusiasts. The Game Plan will provide sports-tech startups with access to investors and mentors, while the IAMGAME Sports Awards will recognise contributions across athletic performance, innovation, governance, technology and grassroots development.

Building on its previous editions, IAMGAME has expanded from a thought-leadership forum into an integrated platform connecting the commercial and institutional stakeholders in Indian sport with the athletes, communities and enthusiasts who sustain its culture.

Through its expanded format, IAMGAME 2026 will seek to bridge the gap between how sport is funded and developed and how it is played, experienced and embraced across India. (ANI)