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MIPCOM Cannes 2026 drew 10,100 delegates, 3,150 buyers and participants from 104 countries. Those totals were below the organizer’s 2025 figures, yet RX used the October 2026 market to widen MIPCOM beyond conventional television rights into brand-funded entertainment, artificial intelligence, vertical storytelling, microdramas and creator-led businesses. The result is a smaller event by headcount but a broader one in the kinds of companies and deals it is designed to serve.
How many people attended MIPCOM 2026?
RX’s 2026 results counted 10,100 delegates, 3,150 buyers and 104 represented countries. MIPJUNIOR, the children’s content event held alongside the market, recorded 600 participants, including 165 buyers.
| Measure | MIPCOM 2025 | MIPCOM 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delegates | More than 10,600 | 10,100 | About 500 fewer, or 4.7% |
| Buyers | 3,340 | 3,150 | 190 fewer, or 5.7% |
| Countries represented | 107 | 104 | Three fewer |
| MIPJUNIOR participants | 940 | 600 | 340 fewer |
| MIPJUNIOR buyers | Not stated in the 2025 release | 165 | 2026 figure only |
The buyer comparison uses RX’s annual releases: 3,340 in 2025 versus 3,150 in 2026. Some trade reports described the decline as roughly 115 or 150 buyers, but those estimates do not match the organizer’s published totals. The 2025 release also listed 350 exhibiting companies and 88 first-time exhibitors; RX did not provide equivalent 2026 figures in the results cited here.
Why was MIPCOM attendance down?
The available figures show a modest reduction in volume, not an abandonment of MIPCOM’s central business. RX says international buying and selling, co-production and content development remained the market’s foundation while the event recruited additional communities around that core.
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Several factors can coexist with a lower registration total. A delegate count measures people in the venue, not the number or value of rights negotiations, partnerships or licensing discussions. The 2026 strategy also put more emphasis on attracting categories that do not necessarily register in the same way as traditional broadcasters, distributors and production companies. RX characterized the change as a shift in mix and commercial scope rather than a retreat.
What changed in MIPCOM’s expansion plan?
RX built four expansion lanes into the 2026 edition. They were intended to feed new investment, intellectual property and distribution routes into the established international content market.
Brand entertainment through MIP BrandWorks
MIP BrandWorks connected brands and agencies with producers, studios and creators. Dentsu was the first headline partner, while Meta participated in programme elements. The proposition is to develop entertainment and commercial partnerships in which brands are part of the financing, commissioning or distribution conversation rather than simply advertising around finished programmes.
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The MIP AI Entertainment Forum
The MIP AI Entertainment Forum combined a conference with a marketplace for AI innovators, studios, streamers, producers, creators, brands and intellectual-property owners. The launch programme named Versos AI and Protege as initial partners and covered AI applications in creation, production workflows, licensing and distribution. That positioning treats AI as both a set of production tools and a business category seeking investment, rights and customers.
Vertical storytelling and microdramas
Short-form vertical series and microdramas were presented as production and distribution models attracting established entertainment companies as well as specialist firms. Their inclusion acknowledges viewing patterns and commissioning routes that sit outside the traditional television schedule, while still requiring development, financing, rights management and international sales.
Creators and digital platforms
YouTube returned with a larger presence, alongside Meta, TikTok and creator-led businesses. RX said these participants bring new buyers, distribution models, sources of intellectual property and commercial partnerships. Their presence gives MIPCOM a route into creator economies where a channel, audience and production operation can be combined in one business.
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Is MIPCOM still mainly a TV rights market?
Yes, rights trading remains the anchor, but the market is no longer limited to a broadcaster-to-broadcaster model. RX says buying and selling international content, co-production and development are still at the heart of MIPCOM. The expansion adds brand-funded content, AI services, vertical formats, creator-led IP and platform relationships around that activity.
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For attendees, the practical difference is the range of counterparties available in one place. A distributor can still discuss territorial rights, while a producer might also seek a brand partner, an AI workflow provider, a creator collaboration or a short-form outlet. The event’s success therefore has to be judged by deals, partnerships, licensing, distribution and matchmaking as well as by footfall.
How does MIPCOM 2026 compare with MIPCOM 2025?
2025 was larger on the organizer’s reported attendance measures. It recorded more than 10,600 delegates, 3,340 buyers, 107 countries, 350 exhibiting companies, 88 first-time exhibitors and 940 MIPJUNIOR delegates. In 2026, the headline totals fell, but the programming and positioning expanded into more sectors.
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- Scale: 2026 had fewer delegates, buyers, represented countries and MIPJUNIOR participants.
- Audience composition: the newer edition placed more visible emphasis on creators, platforms, brands and AI companies alongside broadcasters and distributors.
- Commercial breadth: the agenda extended from rights and co-production to brand entertainment, AI-enabled services, vertical storytelling and creator-led IP.
- Ecosystem: MIPCOM’s Cannes flagship was linked to MIPJUNIOR, new specialist forums and the parallel MIP London event.
- Outcome measure: the strategic objective is business generated across the ecosystem, not simply a larger registration number.
What is MIP London’s role in the expansion?
MIP London is a parallel track in RX’s broader market strategy. Its second 2026 edition registered almost 2,000 delegates from 74 countries, including 750 buyers, in a concentrated three-day format.
Programming covered the creator economy, brand entertainment, microdramas, podcasting, AI, country showcases, screenings and matchmaking. RX had announced after the initial edition, which attracted more than 2,800 delegates, that the event would evolve with a revised layout and more networking opportunities. The 2026 wrap positioned MIP London as a complementary meeting point before attention moved to the Cannes flagship.
What happens next for MIPCOM?
MIPCOM Cannes is scheduled to return to Cannes from 18 to 21 October 2027. RX says it will continue strengthening the international content business while developing opportunities across the wider entertainment industry. The key question for the next edition is not only whether attendance rebounds, but whether the added communities generate measurable rights, financing, licensing and distribution activity for the core market.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When is the next MIPCOM Cannes?
The next edition is scheduled for 18–21 October 2027 in Cannes. RX has not indicated in the supplied figures that the dates or location will change.
How many buyers attended MIPJUNIOR in 2026?
RX reported 165 MIPJUNIOR buyers in 2026. The 2025 release cited for comparison did not state a buyer total for MIPJUNIOR.
What kinds of deals are handled at MIPCOM besides programme sales?
The expanded agenda supports co-production and development, brand-funded entertainment, AI services, creator partnerships, licensing, distribution and matchmaking. These activities can involve agencies, platforms, brands and technology companies as well as traditional rights buyers.
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Why can attendance fall while a trade market becomes more important?
Registration totals count people, not the commercial value of meetings. A smaller delegation can still represent focused buying teams, new categories of participants or higher-value negotiations, so attendance should be read alongside deal-making and the mix of companies present.
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