Spiel occupies all exhibition halls in Essen for the first time in 2026

SPIEL Essen will use the entire exhibition grounds in Essen for the first time in 2026. It is no longer possible to expand the exhibition space. Nevertheless, Essen will remain the location.

SPIEL Essen continues to grow: Hall 8 will open for exhibitors in autumn 2026. This will increase the exhibition space by 3,700 square metres to a total of 81,200 square metres.

With the opening of Hall 8, SPIEL Essen will reach its spatial limits. “For pure exhibition space with stands, the trade fair is now full. Hall 1A or the Grugahalle are only suitable for special uses such as the new releases showcase, Catan Connect or as a waiting area,” says Robin de Cleur from SPIEL Essen. A move to another city is still not up for debate. “We really like Essen as a location and city and have no plans to change it. For the foreseeable future, SPIEL Essen will remain in Essen.”

An alternative could be growing upwards. In 2025, there was already a two-storey stand by Blackfire in Hall 1.

North entrance to open

“More space also means new routes,” says Carol Rapp, managing director of SPIEL Essen. The core hall structure will remain, but will be adjusted so that large publishers and small new exhibitors benefit equally. The new Hall 8 will be part of the family area, which also includes the neighbouring Halls 5, 6 and 7. It is not yet clear which publishers will exhibit there. Previously, Hall 8 was used on Wednesday for the new releases showcase and from Thursday to Sunday as a waiting area. Swap events such as the “Math Trade” also took place there.

A new waiting area will be created in Hall 1A, which is located under Hall 1. It offers protection in bad weather and is accessible via the Congress Center Süd. “We have received feedback and realised that 1A is not an attractive exhibition hall for publishers and visitors. That’s why – and because a waiting hall is a nice addition – we have removed 1A from the planning,” explains SPIEL Essen on Facebook.

For the first time, SPIEL Essen will also open the north entrance. It leads into Hall 5. The opening will relieve pressure on the east, west and south entrances and distribute visitor flows more evenly.

Exhibitor and visitor records likely

In addition to the record space, a new exhibitor and visitor record is likely to be achieved. Demand is exceptionally high. Long-standing exhibitors are expanding their stands, while numerous new ones are joining. “However, we are not yet sold out in terms of stand space,” says de Cleur.

In 2025, 948 exhibitors from 50 nations presented themselves in Essen. The trade fair was sold out on all days and counted 220,000 visitors. “Thanks to the new hall, we can let a few more visitors onto the grounds. However, we cannot yet estimate the exact number, as this will only be determined after the final hall planning. At the same time, we can assure you that we will continue to approach visitor numbers with caution,” says de Cleur.

The ticket shop is set to go online in early summer. “We have not yet finalised the prices, but due to additional costs and general price increases, we will not be able to avoid a price adjustment with a light touch,” says de Cleur.

From reader meetup to leading trade fair

SPIEL Essen began in 1983 as a reader meetup of Spielbox under the name “Deutsche Spielertage” at Essen Adult Education Centre. In 1985, it moved to the exhibition grounds, where it initially used the eastern halls. In 2013, the trade fair relocated to the southern Halls 1, 2 and 3, covering 48,000 square metres.

From 2016, the exhibition grounds were rebuilt and completely restructured. From the previous 18 halls, eight halls emerged with new numbering. Today’s Hall 8 is located in the area around the former Hall 12. Since the rebuild, a glass foyer with a canopy has formed the new east entrance, which leads directly into Hall 8, now also used by exhibitors. In 2023, SPIEL Essen introduced thematic hall focuses, such as for family, expert and role-playing games. In 2025, a large stage in Hall 4 offered a supporting programme, the “SPIEL. talks”.

SPIEL Essen is one of several important events for Messe Essen. “In principle, Messe Essen thrives on a broad mix of different formats, from internationally leading trade fairs such as IPM Essen or ‘Schweißen & Schneiden’ to public events from various fields. SPIEL Essen fits into this diverse trade fair portfolio as an established event with international reach,” says Tom Kraayvanger from Messe Essen.

Global Industry Awards for Trading Card Games
SPIEL Essen 2026 will not only have a new hall but also a new award. For the first time, the TCG Awards will be presented, recognising achievements in the international trading card game industry. The award was initiated by Card Sports League, Hana Sports & Entertainment and Merz Verlag. In a total of 13 categories, both community-driven awards and industry awards decided by a panel of experts will be presented in the future.