IWG Global Summit Confirms Major Speaker Line-Up and Global Partners

Stage Set As World Comes To Birmingham For Gender Equality In Sport

The 9th IWG Global Summit has confirmed the speakers and partnerships that will shape the world’s foremost gathering on gender equality in and through sport when it opens at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham this July.

Kirsty Coventry OLY, Dame Denise Lewis OLY, Lord Sebastian Coe OLY, Baroness Katherine Grainger DBE, Amanda Staveley and Kelly Beaver MBE are among the headline speakers, with Procter & Gamble, Standard Chartered, Sky and This Girl Can among major global partners aligned behind the mission.

The announcement comes at a pivotal moment for gender equality in sport and physical activity worldwide. While women’s sport is experiencing unprecedented growth in some markets, progress remains uneven. Across the globe, women and girls continue to face barriers ranging from gender-based violence and harmful stereotypes to unequal investment, representation and access.

The Summit will bring together global leaders, policy makers, academics and practitioners committed to accelerating progress and driving meaningful, lasting change, sharing what works and how.

Confirmed speakers include:

• Kirsty Coventry OLY, President of the International Olympic Committee

• Dame Denise Lewis OLY, President of UK Athletics

• Lord Sebastian Coe OLY, President of World Athletics

• Michele Kang, President of OL Lyonnes and Olympique Lyonnais

• Baroness Katherine Grainger DBE OLY, Chair of the British Olympic Association

• Amanda Staveley, one of the most influential figures in global sports investment

• Kelly Beaver MBE, Chief Executive of IPSOS UK & Ireland

• Professor Laura McAllister CBE, UEFA Vice President

• Richard Allcroft OBE, President World Wheelchair Rugby

• Fabio Azevedo, President Int Volleyball Federation

• Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson PLY, British life peer and multiple-time Paralympic Champion

Staged from 9–11 July 2026, the Summit will bring together up to 1,000 delegates from over 80 countries across the globe, including government ministers, international federation leaders, grassroots change-makers, global corporations, academics and athletes.

Across three days, the conversations, relationships and ideas formed in Birmingham will help shape what comes next for women and girls in sport and physical activity worldwide.

Major global partners announced today include Procter & Gamble, Standard Chartered, Sky and This Girl Can, reflecting the growing commercial and institutional investment in women’s sport and gender equality and equity worldwide.

Procter & Gamble joins as Official Insight Stage & Hive Partner, bringing its long history of championing women and girls in sport through brands such as Always, Olay and Venus to support the Summit’s research and knowledge exchange agenda.

Allison Tummon Kamphuis, Vice-President, Communications, Global Citizenship, P&G, said:

"For decades, P&G brands like Pantene, Tampax, Olay and Venus have championed women and girls in sport, removing barriers and increasing their visibility and participation. We've seen firsthand how sport builds confidence, teaches invaluable leadership skills – like teamwork, resilience, and discipline – and creates opportunities for women and girls to thrive. We also recognise the significant cultural impact of women in sport today, helping us authentically connect with and champion more women and girls through our brands and partnerships such as with the WNBA. Our collaboration with global leaders at the 9th IWG Global Summit is another important way we will continue to inspire the next generation of sporting champions and leaders, both on and off the court."

Standard Chartered joins as Official ‘Leadership’ Theme Partner, alongside Sky as ‘Visibility’ Theme Partner, and This Girl Can as a funding partner of IWG, with funding provided by the National Lottery via Sport England.

Erica Kerner, Standard Chartered’s Head of Brand Partnerships and Sponsorships, said:

“Standard Chartered is committed to driving shared prosperity across our markets, especially for women and girls. This is reflected across our business and network, including through our mentorship for women-led SMEs, through our SC Win programme designed to empower women entrepreneurs, and through our sports partnerships – both as Main Club Partner with Liverpool FC Women and now as Official Partner of the F1 ACADEMY™. We believe that championing the next generation of female talent is a cornerstone of growth and development and as Official Leadership Theme Partner at this year’s IWG Global Summit, we look forward to driving discussion in this space, with the ultimate ambition of helping girls to play on.”

Kate Dale, Director of Marketing and This Girl Can at Sport England, said:

“The visibility and momentum of women’s sport over the past decade is to be celebrated. But we cannot be complacent; progress can be fragile, the stubborn gender activity gap still persists and many women still face major barriers to being active. IWG is a moment to reflect on how far we have come but to look unflinchingly at the journey ahead to achieve true gender equality in sport & physical activity.”

Jo Osborne, Head of Women’s Sport at Sky, said:

"Visibility plays a critical role in driving progress in women’s sport - but it only delivers if it’s sustained. Sky has championed women's sport for over thirty years, and as the UK's leading investor in women's sports rights we’ve seen that consistent, high-quality coverage builds audiences, shifts perceptions and creates the conditions for long-term growth.As the IWG Global Summit's Visibility Partner, we’re proud to help move the conversation beyond breakthrough moments: bringing together the partnerships and ideas needed to build visibility that lasts, and unlocking greater opportunity for women and girls in sport.”

The Summit’s five themes - Leadership, Innovation, Participation, Visibility and Investment - will explore what it takes to move “beyond the breakthrough” and create lasting systemic change for women and girls in sport and physical activity.

Annamarie Phelps CBE OLY, Chair of IWG UK, said:

“This line-up reflects the extraordinary momentum behind women’s sport globally, and the once in four years opportunity to be part of a global exchange to accelerate progress. When leaders of this calibre choose to come to Birmingham in July, they do so because they know this is where the conversations will happen to shape what comes next for women and girls in sport worldwide. The IWG Global Summit is a catalyst for the systemic change the sector demands.”

Tickets for the 9th IWG Global Summit, which only convenes once every four years, are on sale now at iwgglobalsummit2026.org.