Michael Jordan to headline major sports summit in Lisbon

Basketball icon Michael Jordan is set to visit Portugal later this year as the headline speaker at the SBC Summit 2026, one of the world’s largest conferences dedicated to the sports, betting and entertainment industries.

The six-time NBA champion will open the event with a keynote session on September 29 at Lisbon’s Feira Internacional de Lisboa (FIL) and MEO Arena, where organisers expect more than 40,000 industry professionals from around the world to attend the three-day summit.

Jordan will take part in a discussion entitled “Leadership in Sports Business”, reflecting on his career both as one of the greatest athletes in history and as a successful businessman, investor and philanthropist.

He will be joined on stage by Carsten Koerl, founder and CEO of sports technology company Sportradar, and Jason Robins, co-founder and CEO of DraftKings. The panel will explore how technology, data and changing fan expectations are reshaping the global sports industry.

Running from September 29 to October 1, the SBC Summit will bring together senior executives, regulators, operators and technology companies from across the international sports and entertainment sectors.

The conference will feature dedicated stages covering topics including artificial intelligence, sports marketing, innovation and regulation, reinforcing Lisbon’s growing reputation as a host city for major international business events.

Jordan’s appearance is expected to be one of the highlights of the summit, offering delegates the opportunity to hear first-hand from one of the most influential figures in sporting history.

Michael Bruxo

Journalist for the Portugal Resident.