IWA OutdoorClassics 2026: "Made for Trade"

October 10, 2025 - 4:21pm

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Events

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With the "Made for Trade" initiative, the 2026 edition of IWA OutdoorClassics will continue to be the home of specialist retailers

IWA OutdoorClassics 2026: Made for Trade

The 2026 edition of IWA OutdoorClassics will be held next year, February 26 thru March 1st, at the Nuremberg Fair Center in Germany. Accreditation is now open with numerous exciting announcements.

Over 750 companies have already signed up for the 2026 edition and about 1,000 overall are slated to participate to the 2026 edition, including 85% international manufacturers and numerous important returnees that were absent from previous post-COVID editions.

Most notably SIG Sauer – the most prominent absentee from the past several editions – will be back with its own booth, thus remarking IWA's central meeting place for the hunting and target shooting industry.

In the words of Daniele Palmieri, Managing Director, Global Commercial Sales at SIG Sauer:

In recent years, we joined forces with our German distributor and shared the space, but our company strategy – coming closer to international consumers after having established SIG Sauer as the undisputed US leader in the military, law enforcement and commercial markets – calls for a different choice. IWA offers the ideal platform to connect directly with existing and prospective customers, introduce our growing international team, and showcase the latest innovations, including the P211 pistol. For us, the event marks an important milestone to strengthen relationships, explore new market opportunities and discuss future strategies.

The optimized hall layout for the 2026 edition will sharpen the exhibition concept and ensure an even clearer structure in line with the needs of the trade: a total of eight halls covering over 72.000 square meters will be available for IWA OutdoorClassics next year.

Based on product range developments, individual segments will be grouped together in halls. Overall, this will create more space for the core segment of hunting and sporting firearms; in the future, knives and cutlery will be exhibited together with hunting accessories and clothing in Hall 4. Hall 5 will be open for the firearms segment and will also house tactical equipment in the future.

In its effort to continue providing targeted responses to the increasing political challenges that are putting pressure on the international specialist retail trade – from regulatory uncertainties to economic pressures – IWA is also launching the new "Made for Trade" campaign, positioning itself as a strategic partner to the trade by providing guidance, promoting networking, creating safe spaces for product range development and innovation, and helping specialist retailers to identify trends early on and exploit them in a targeted manner, thus creating real added value.

Michael Blendinger, President of the Association of German Gunsmiths and Gun Dealers (VDB) and owner of the specialist retailer "AimZone", explains:

Current political developments are causing complex challenges for specialist retailers – from regulatory uncertainties to economic risks; this makes a platform like IWA OutdoorClassics even more important, as it not only provides a stage for the trade, but also an opportunity for confidential exchange. With its "Made for Trade" campaign, the exhibition is sending a strong signal: it is committed to focusing on the trade, is geared towards its needs, and creates an environment in which innovations, trends, and business models can be developed in a targeted manner.

For further information, to register as a visitor or an exhibitor, or to buy a ticket, VISIT THE OFFICIAL IWA WEBSITE.