[Source: SportAccord] Today’s announcement is especially exciting as tomorrow marks the three-year countdown to the start of the Ekaterinburg 2023 FISU World University Games in the Sverdlovsk Region of Russia.

As a SportAccord 2021 Gold Partner, FISU is playing a key role in supporting preparations for the sports industry’s most influential global gathering at the IEC Ekaterinburg-Expo from 23-28 May next year. For FISU, SportAccord 2021 will provide a timely signpost in the build-up to the FISU World University Games. The FISU World University Games are the largest global multi-sports events for university athletes and the Ekaterinburg 2023 edition will take place from 8-19 August 2023, about seven months after the winter edition that will be held in Lake Placid, USA, in January the same year.

The city was awarded the World University Games following a unanimous vote by the FISU Executive Committee a year ago, underlining the sporting pedigree of a dynamic destination that bridges the continents of Europe and Asia. As part of its growing portfolio of international sports events, Ekaterinburg hosted FIFA World Cup 2018 matches and the 2019 AIBA World Boxing Championships, and will also stage games during the 2022 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship.

Situated on the banks on the Iset River, Ekaterinburg is Russia’s fourth-largest city by population, and is a hotspot for tourism and business, as well as sport, as the home to numerous professional teams.

“When Ekaterinburg was awarded the World University Games, FISU described the city as one of Russia’s most vibrant hubs, and we agree with those sentiments,” SportAccord Managing Director, Nis Hatt says.

“Ekaterinburg is a wonderful city that has sport at its heart and will provide plenty of attractions and interests to keep delegates entertained and engaged for what I’m sure will be an outstanding SportAccord next year. Today is a significant milestone for our valued Gold Partner, and we wish our friends at FISU well as their preparations ramp up ahead of the Ekaterinburg 2023 FISU World University Games.”

FISU President, Oleg Matytsin said: “FISU is pleased to continue the partnership with SportAccord, one of the most important events in the world of international sports. As a founding member of GAISF and an active member of ARISF, the International University Sports Federation continues to strengthen its position within the international sports movement and looks to lead the way in many areas. Moreover, this next edition of SportAccord will be special for us, as it is being held in the host city of our summer edition of the FISU World University Games in 2023.”

The annual World Sport & Business Summit is a six-day event attended by leaders of the global sports community. As the only global sports industry event attended by all International Sport Federations and their stakeholders, SportAccord also brings together organising committees, hosting cities and regions, governments and administrations, rights-holders, agencies and athletes, as well as top-level experts and organisations from the sports media, technology, investment, medical and legal sectors.

Registration is open for the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit 2021 in Ekaterinburg, the 19^th edition of SportAccord’s flagship annual event. Organisations interested in becoming an official partner or exhibitor can contact SportAccord to discuss these investment opportunities by emailing sales@sportaccord.sport, with SportAccord also offering an interactive exhibition floorplan and 3-D flyover of the SportAccord 2021 exhibition space.

You can follow SportAccord’s portfolio of events via Twitter @sportaccord or keep up-to-date via LinkedIn and Facebook, YouTube and Flickr.

[Source: SportAccord] The movement’s most influential global gathering will reunite the international sporting community with an unmissable event from 23-28 May 2021.

As the only global sports industry event attended by all International Sport Federations and their stakeholders, SportAccord will also bring together organising committees, hosting cities and regions, governments and administrations, rights-holders, agencies and athletes, as well as top-level experts and organisations from the sports media, technology, investment, medical and legal sectors.

With 2,000 of the sporting world’s most influential decision-makers set to congregate in a stunning city that bridges Europe to the west and Asia to the east, SportAccord 2021 will offer a unique and exclusive networking environment for exhibitors who are seeking to make new connections and strengthen relationships.

A range of stand options, ranging from 9m² to 27m², are available within the engaging exhibition hall at the state-of-the-art IEC Ekaterinburg-Expo convention centre, flanked by SportAccord Stakeholder offices and meeting rooms situated on the mezzanine just a short distance away. Visit the website to view the SportAccord exhibition interactive floor plan or click on the following to view a 3-D flyover of the SportAccord 2021 exhibition space.

The hall itself will be a natural hub of activity at the heart of the event, and the vast majority of organisations that had planned to exhibit at SportAccord this year have already confirmed that they are committed to having a presence at the event in Ekaterinburg.

The exhibition space will feature a significantly larger SportAccord Café than in previous years, as well as a Network Zone (Including speakers’ corner), Meet & Greet Zone, Recharge Zone and a Media Zone, enabling even better networking opportunities.

Ekaterinburg, Russia’s fourth-largest city by population and GMP (Gross Metropolitan Product), is home to numerous professional teams across a wide range of sports and will host games during the 2022 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship before staging the 2023 FISU Summer Universiade, having previously hosted 2018 FIFA World Cup matches and the 2019 AIBA World Boxing Championships.

With more than 40% of exhibitors at recent editions of SportAccord being cities and regions interested in hosting sporting events though, numerous cities – inside and outside Russia – will have a highly visible presence in the exhibition hall.

“With the sporting world looking forward to coming together again in a stunning setting, we are anticipating strong interest in exhibiting at this hugely significant edition of SportAccord in 2021,” SportAccord Business Development Manager Malcolm Hardman said.

“We have a range of stand options available and, as there has been a very positive response since the delegate registration process opened for SportAccord 2021 last month, we would advise those interested in benefiting from such tremendous exposure in the exhibition hall to get in touch soon.”

Head of Directorate of the Local Organising Committee Dmitry Putilin said: “SportAccord 2021 represents an outstanding opportunity for cities that are seeking to boost their event-hosting portfolios to enjoy unparalleled access to International Sport Federations and the global sports industry’s most important figures and organisations.”

Organisations can also become an official partner or exhibitor and discuss these investment opportunities by emailing sales@sportaccord.sport .

You can follow SportAccord’s events via Twitter @sportaccord or you can keep up-to-date via LinkedIn and Facebook, YouTube and Flickr.