Europe’s leading grounds management exhibition, SALTEX, returns to the NEC in Birmingham on 11–12 November 2026, celebrating a milestone 80th edition under the banner “Rooted in History. Driving Progress.” Organised by the Grounds Management Association (GMA), the free-to-attend show is expected to welcome well over 7,000 professionals and volunteers, alongside more than 400 exhibiting brands and around 80 industry speakers across the two days.
Professional development continues to sit at the heart of the event. The show’s Learning LIVE programme will once again deliver upwards of 30 hours of free, CPD-accredited education spread across three stages, bringing together voices from professional and grassroots sport, education, local authorities, estates management and the wider amenity sector.
New for 2026, the Spotlight Stage will host a series of specialist industry takeover sessions, giving visitors deeper, more focused insight into some of the sector’s fastest-moving issues. Confirmed topics include synthetic turf management, weed, pest and disease control, and landscaping best practice, with one industry body already lined up to lead sessions covering player-surface interaction research and the responsible handling of end-of-life synthetic turf. Organisers say additional takeover partners and session details will be confirmed in the run-up to the show.
A more hands-on show floor
This year’s exhibition is also promising to be its most interactive yet, with an expanded programme of live machinery demonstrations on the show floor. The extra floor space for equipment in action is designed to give attendees a closer look at how different products perform in real working conditions — a useful opportunity for anyone planning a significant machinery investment or reassessing their maintenance approach ahead of next season.
Exhibitor floor fills out
The exhibitor list for 2026 is now live, with stands confirmed across Hall 1 covering natural turf care, synthetic surfaces, irrigation and drainage technology, and broader landscaping equipment and services. Visitors can browse the full list alphabetically ahead of the show and plan their route around the hall, with stand numbers already allocated to confirmed exhibitors.
Building on recent momentum
The 2026 edition follows a well-received show in 2025, which introduced new interactive features to the floor and drew strong engagement with its Learning LIVE sessions covering everything from sustainability and technology to workforce wellbeing and career development. Organisers have described the approach to the 80th edition as building on that momentum, with an ambition to make this year’s show the biggest yet for both education content and exhibitor numbers.
With registration now open, grounds professionals are being encouraged to secure their free place early ahead of what is shaping up to be a packed two days at the NEC this November.
Sportsfields.Magazine is a media partner to Saltex. Visitors can collect our upcoming Grass/Hybrid issue for free at the entrance.
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