Italian Exhibition Group – the organiser behind industry events Dubai Active and Dubai Muscle Show – has been appointed to deliver the Health and Wellness Expo and Fire and Safety Expo at the 16th World Firefighters Games.

The events will take place at Dhahran Expo in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia, from 6 to 8 November 2026 with the games happening from 5 to 13 November.

The World Firefighter Games is expected to attract more than 7,000 competitors, 200,000 spectators and participants from 70 countries to compete in 56 sporting disciplines.

For the commercial fitness sector, the appointment highlights the growing role of health, fitness and wellness expertise in adjacent performance markets. It also reflects the increasing popularity of large-scale participation events built around physical challenge and community.

While aimed at firefighters rather than consumers, the games demonstrate the commercial potential of combining sport with an exhibition ecosystem – a model aligned with events such as Hyrox and Athx.

The Health and Wellness Expo will showcase products and services spanning functional fitness, occupational health, recovery, healthcare technology, nutrition and specialist training programmes designed to support firefighter health, performance and resilience.

Alongside the Fire and Safety Expo, it will create opportunities for networking, business development and knowledge exchange between firefighters, health professionals, equipment manufacturers and technology companies, while promoting best practice in occupational health and wellbeing.

For suppliers serving the commercial fitness market, the event also represents another route to market beyond traditional health clubs, reflecting growing demand from emergency services and other sectors where physical capability is fundamental to job performance.

Corrado Peraboni, CEO of Italian Exhibition Group, said: "IEG Arabia's partnership with the World Firefighters Games 2026 reflects our ambition to expand internationally and consolidate our presence in strategic growth markets. The Middle East is a key priority for us, and trade fairs also have an important role to play in supporting Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, creating platforms for investment, knowledge exchange and industry development."

Francesco Santa, CEO of IEG Middle East, added: "The Firefighter Health and Wellness Expo at the World Firefighters Games 2026 is one of the most important global events for the firefighting community and a platform that aligns with our experience in organising large-scale events dedicated to health, fitness and wellness.

"We'll bring together the world's leading brands, organisations and innovators to support the health, performance and wellbeing of firefighters, while creating a dynamic environment that promotes collaboration, innovation and industry connections."

Preparations are already underway, with the organisers expecting the exhibitions to attract tens of thousands of visitors, including industry professionals, athletes and delegates from around the world.

More: www.wfg26.com/about