GSMA MWC26 Barcelona closes 20th anniversary edition

MWC26 Barcelona marked its 20th year in the city by drawing nearly 105,000 attendees to Fira de Barcelona’s Gran Via, despite ongoing global travel disruption. Billed as the world’s largest connectivity event, it brought together exhibitors, startups, policymakers and industry leaders for a week focused on artificial intelligence, network innovation and policy debate.

This year’s edition added several new physical showcases, including an “Airport of the Future,” a “New Frontiers” area and demonstrations of robots in multiple forms. The programme underlined how telecoms, AI and emerging technologies are converging, while positioning MWC as a central meeting point for companies and regulators shaping the next phase of digital infrastructure.