Affiliate Leaders Summit to launch as standalone event in Lisbon in 2026

The Affiliate Leaders Summit will become a standalone global event in 2026, expanding from its origins as a dedicated zone within SBC Summit to focus exclusively on affiliate and performance marketing.

The event will be held alongside SBC Summit in Lisbon from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1 and is expected to attract more than 10,000 delegates from over 150 countries.

The move reflects growing demand for dedicated affiliate-focused events as customer acquisition strategies increasingly incorporate creators, artificial intelligence, first-party data and multi-channel traffic models.

The Affiliate Leaders Summit was launched in 2024 as a dedicated area within SBC Summit. According to organizers, its exhibition floor expanded by 40% in 2025, while affiliate registrations rose by nearly 50% year-over-year, prompting its evolution into a standalone event.

The 2026 edition will feature its own exhibition, conference programme, academy sessions, awards and networking experiences.

At the centre of the event will be a 15,000-square-meter exhibition floor with more than 150 exhibitors and sponsors. The event will bring together affiliates, media groups, creators, influencers, affiliate networks, operator acquisition teams and technology providers.

The three-day conference programme will focus on affiliate strategy, marketing technology, advertising technology and changing customer acquisition models. 

Topics will include expansion into new markets, regulatory compliance, artificial intelligence-driven optimisation, attribution and first-party data strategies.

A new Affiliate Leaders Academy will debut in 2026, offering three days of skills-based training focused on search engine optimisation, emerging traffic channels and data management.

Attendees will also have access to SBC Summit's wider conference programme, including sessions across six conference stages and keynote presentations at Lisbon's MEO Arena Super Stage.

The Affiliate Leaders Awards will return as a standalone ceremony recognizing achievements in affiliate marketing and traffic acquisition.

In addition, delegates will gain access to the Affiliate Leaders Summit SBC Connect app, scheduled to launch on Aug. 24, allowing attendees to arrange meetings and manage business connections before, during and after the event.

The Affiliate Leaders Summit will remain co-located with SBC Summit, which attracts more than 40,000 delegates, combining a specialist affiliate-focused programme with access to the wider gaming, sports, business and technology industries.

Affiliates will be eligible to apply for complimentary passes, while non-affiliate attendees can purchase tickets at an early-bird price of €419 ($484) until June 5, after which the price will rise to €599 ($692).