Riyadh will host the 25th WPC Energy Congress from 11 to 15 October 2026, a global event that gathers leaders, decision-makers, experts and specialists to discuss the changes sweeping the energy system, the future of supply and emerging technologies.
The 2026 edition carries the theme "Pathways to an Energy Future for All". Riyadh's hosting is a landmark for a congress with more than nine decades of history that convenes every three years, and it is the first time the Kingdom stages the event.
Registration and visiting hours
Visitor registration is free, while delegate registration is paid. Access and benefits vary by registration category. See the official registration page for current details and prices.
The visitor pass covers the exhibition, Technical Programme, Special Programme and Synergy Pavilion. Late delegate registration costs USD 3,450 including VAT until the congress ends, with a 10% discount for groups of more than five delegates. Delegates also receive Executive Programme access, reception and closing ceremony access, tours subject to availability, and meals.
The welcome reception takes place on 11 October 2026, 18:30–20:30, while the congress programme and exhibition run from 12 to 15 October 2026.
According to the official schedule, exhibition visitor hours in Riyadh time are 12 October, 11:00 AM–6:00 PM; 13–14 October, 9:00 AM–6:00 PM; and 15 October, 8:00 AM–3:30 PM. Delegate and exhibitor access hours differ. Check the official visiting schedule before attending for any updates.
International participation and a specialist exhibition
According to its official website, the congress aims to attract more than 25,000 participants from the global energy community, alongside an exhibition of industry technologies, services and solutions. Government officials, CEOs, investors, engineers, researchers and academics join companies and institutions from every part of the energy industry for a dialogue on the forces reshaping the sector worldwide.
Five themes charting the future of energy
The executive and technical program centers on five themes: primary energy supply; energy infrastructure; fuels; energy technologies; and energy leadership. The 31 technical forums cover oil and gas, hydrogen, carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS), renewables, nuclear energy and petrochemical value chains, letting specialists debate the future global energy mix, technologies that raise production efficiency and cut emissions, and the role of digital innovation in operations and facilities.
Global energy leaders gather in Riyadh
Participants include Saudi Minister of Energy HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, WPC Energy President Pedro Miras and OPEC Secretary General Haitham Al Ghais, together with senior executives from some of the world's largest energy and industrial companies.
Programs for innovation and young professionals
Beyond the sessions and forums, the congress runs hackathons, a best-paper award and a dedicated Young Professionals track, giving emerging talent a place in the debate on the industry's future and a platform for new ideas and solutions.
The Special Programme also features World Café group discussions, a VR Zone, short learning sessions and interactive energy games, alongside the Synergy Pavilion programme.
The congress coincides with Riyadh Energy Week from 11 to 15 October, which brings together a series of energy meetings and events and places the capital at the heart of international discussion on markets, policy and investment. It is the first WPC Energy Congress held in Saudi Arabia and only the second in the Middle East after Doha in 2011. WPC Energy organizes the congress in partnership with the Saudi Ministry of Energy, making the five-day event an international platform for sharing expertise, building partnerships and mapping the pathways that will guide the energy sector in the years ahead.
