Born in a Moment That Changed the World
The first Sport Positive Summit was set to launch in March 2020 at Wembley Stadium. After more than a year of planning, we were ready to welcome a global community from 23 countries. But the world had other plans. On 3 March 2020, we made the difficult decision to postpone, putting the health and wellbeing of our community first. Just weeks later, the UK entered its first national lockdown. What could have been a setback became a defining moment.
Turning Challenge into Opportunity
Rather than pause, we “pivoted” (yes we can hear ourselves). In 2020, there was only one option – reimagining the Summit as a fully virtual experience, bringing together the hundreds of attendees and speakers from across the globe that had signed up to join us. It worked. More than that, it thrived. In 2021, we did it again, expanding our reach, strengthening connections, and continuing to support progress during a time of global uncertainty. What we learned was powerful: community doesn’t depend on location. It depends on purpose.
A Return to Connection
In 2022, 31 months after our original planned dates, we finally came together in person at Wembley Stadium. The energy was unforgettable. It felt like a global reunion, an industry reconnecting, re-energised, and ready to move forward together. That sense of connection has defined every Summit since. From 350 attendees in our early days to nearly 600 in 2025, the Sport Positive Summit has grown into a cornerstone event for the global sports sustainability community.
More Than an Event
Over the years, we’ve continuously evolved to meet the needs of our audience. From interactive sessions and topic-driven roundtables to debates, networking formats, and our Awards programme, every element is designed to drive meaningful connection and real progress. Because this has never been just about content.
As one attendee put it (thank you!): “Sport Positive isn’t just an event. It’s a catalyst for change.”
Resilience Behind the Scenes
In 2024 and 2025, we faced some of our most challenging times. Our CEO and Founder, Claire Poole, underwent over 18 months of brutal treatment following a breast cancer diagnosis. Thanks to the dedication of the Sport Positive team, both permanent and temporary, we continued to deliver world-class events to keep our industry pushing forward. In fact, in 2024, most attendees had no idea what was happening behind the scenes. That resilience is part of who we are.
Listening to Our Community
As we enter our 7th year, we’re continuing to question the status quo, listen to what our community is telling us, and pushing ourselves to evolve in a changing world.
We know our in-person events are valued really highly. They create impact, foster relationships, and deliver results. As well as listening to people who attend our Summit, we’ve been listening to:
- Those who haven’t got the budget to attend.
- Those who haven’t got the budget for travel and accommodation.
- Those who get that this is important, but it’s tangential to their role, so taking two days out of the office is too difficult
- Those who work in our sector as their main role, but still can’t take two days away from the organisation
- Those whose native or primary language is not English
- Organisations working within carbon budgets that they need to stretch across a year
- Voices that need to be part of the conversation if we are to progress
- ….and to the growing urgency of the climate crisis itself.
A Defining Realisation
In November 2025, Claire attending a National Emergency Briefing in Westminster brought this into really sharp focus for her. Hearing global experts speak about climate change through the lens of national security, food systems, biodiversity, and the economy was confronting. It raised a critical question: How can we continue to drive progress, while also reducing our own impact?
A New Model for Greater Impact: The Best of Both Worlds
Our answer is simple and ambitious. We will now host the Sport Positive Summit in person every other year (still with the virtual option) delivering the high-quality experience you know and love. In the years between, we’ll go global in a new way, and support in-person, low-carbon, local gatherings.
A Truly Global, Interactive Experience
Our virtual Summits will be dynamic, interactive, and designed for real engagement, wherever you are in the world.
- A “follow-the-sun” format ensures you can join our live sessions from any time zone across the world
- Fully interactive sessions, no passive one-way webinar style content
- Debates, case studies, screenings, and expert clinics
- The most topical and incisive content for every level, from newcomers to industry leaders, professional to grassroots, across the whole sport ecosystem
- Specific content for parts of the sport community who don’t have roles or expertise already in sustainability, but who are critical to progress: commercial, communications, CXO
And crucially…
- Live translation in multiple languages, so many more people globally can truly be part of our community
More Access. More Flexibility. More Value.
The Summit experience will extend far beyond the event dates:
- Join us live on 6–7 October 2026
- Connect with attendees via the app for 14 days
- Take part in ongoing discussions for 30 days
- Access content on demand for a full year
- We’ll connect you with local colleagues who are joining the Summit, to meet up in-person too.
A Catalyst for What Comes Next
Sport Positive Summit has always reflected the needs and ambitions of our global community. Now, it’s evolving to meet the moment.
More inclusive. More accessible. More sustainable.
And more impactful than ever.
