Investing In Sports and Physical Activity Conference 

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​Manchester Conference Centre.  

12th November 2026

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Investment is one of the biggest issues facing the sport and physical activity sector, but the conversation can no longer begin and end with funding alone. As expectations rise and delivery pressures intensify, the real challenge is how to build a sector that is economically stronger, more investable and better positioned to contribute to national priorities around health, productivity, place and community wellbeing. 

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The House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee’s Game On: Community and school sport report reinforces the urgency, warning that current funding is insufficient and increasingly unstable, while also highlighting the wider social and economic returns generated by investment in community sport and physical activity. 

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The Investing In Sports and Physical Activity Conference 2026 will bring together leaders from across sport, physical activity, health, education, local government, facilities, investment and the wider active economy to explore what a more resilient future could look like. The conference will examine where the next opportunities for investment, commissioning and partnership are likely to come from, how organisations can reduce dependence on fragile grant cycles, and what it takes to become a more credible, commercially aware and investment-ready sector. 

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This is not simply a conference about raising money. It is a conference about building the case for sport and physical activity as a serious contributor to healthier communities, stronger local economies and long-term public value. With the sector facing growing demand, ageing infrastructure, widening inequalities and increasing pressure to deliver more with less, the need for smarter models, stronger partnerships and clearer economic thinking has never been greater. 

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Through keynote presentations, panel discussions and practical masterclasses, delegates will hear from senior decision-makers, policy leaders, investors, commercial partners and sector experts who understand both the pressures and the possibilities ahead. 

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Whether you are looking to strengthen your organisation’s financial resilience, unlock new partnerships, shape future commissioning opportunities or better position your work within a changing national landscape, this conference will provide the insight, challenge and practical direction needed to move forward with confidence. 

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