EICMA 2026 with more than 600,000 visitors: It is mainly the industry that is growing

• More than 600,000 visits, 6 percent more than in 2025
• More than 51,000 trade visitors from 168 countries, with 30 percent more from abroad
• 764 exhibitors with 2,150 brands in ten halls for the first time

EICMA 2026 is over, and the organizers are presenting a review full of record figures. From November 3 to 8, the show occupied ten halls with a combined 300,000 square meters on the Fiera Milano grounds in Rho for the first time. That made the 83rd edition the largest ever held at this venue. As every year, the focus was on the world premieres for the 2027 motorcycle season. But the figures also show where the show is heading: it has long since become more than a meeting point for fans and is now a key date for the international motorcycle industry.

How many visitors came to EICMA 2026?

The organizers report more than 600,000 visits, 6 percent more than the previous year. EICMA does not give an exact figure.

One detail matters for putting this into context: in its review, the show speaks of “presences,” meaning admissions. The figures do not say whether repeat visits are excluded. How many different people actually came to Milan therefore remains open. On top of that, EICMA had also only reported “more than 600,000” visitors for 2025. The 6 percent increase therefore cannot be converted into an exact visitor number.

The first two days, November 3 and 4, were reserved for the press and trade visitors. From November 5 to 8, the show was open to everyone.

Where did EICMA grow compared to 2025?

Most clearly among trade visitors from the industry. More than 51,000 came to Rho from 168 countries, and the number of trade visitors from abroad rose by 30 percent. A year earlier, there were 43,000 trade visitors from 167 countries, with international growth at 28 percent at the time.

President Pietro Meda and CEO Paolo Magri see the two sides of their show reflected in the figures: a public event that draws hundreds of thousands of motorcycle fans, and an international business platform that companies can hardly afford to miss. According to the two, they were particularly pleased that many young visitors and dozens of school classes from all over Europe made their way to Milan.

The key figures for 2025 and 2026 compared

• Halls: 9 (2025) and 10 (2026)
• Exhibitors: more than 730 from 50 countries (2025) and 764 from 52 countries (2026)
• Brands: more than 2,000 (2025) and 2,150 (2026)
• Trade visitors: 43,000 from 167 countries (2025) and more than 51,000 from 168 countries (2026)
• Accredited media representatives: 8,200 from 67 countries (2025) and 8,700 from 67 countries (2026)

Of the 2,150 brands, 74 percent came from abroad. 30 percent of the direct exhibitors were companies attending for the first time or returning after a break.

What problems did the large crowds cause?

The organizers themselves admit that so many visitors also bring difficulties. “Sappiamo che un afflusso così importante comporta anche criticità e disagi” (We know that such a large influx also brings problems and inconveniences), Meda and Magri explain. They do not say exactly which problems they mean.

Instead, they name where the show intends to improve. More visitors are to arrive by public transport, there is free parking in the city, and the aisles in the halls are getting wider. Dedicated hall maps and an app are being added to help with orientation. The topic is not entirely new: back in 2025, EICMA had already launched a mobility concept with transport partners, including free parking, more public transport and discounts for rail travelers, to better cope with the crowds.

What attracted visitors most at EICMA 2026?

Apart from the new models, the biggest crowd-puller was the MotoGP exhibition Speed Legends in Hall 22. Created in cooperation with MotoGP, it showed the history of the premier class over more than 70 years, including machines ridden by Giacomo Agostini, Kevin Schwantz, Mick Doohan, Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo, Marc Márquez and Francesco Bagnaia. The exhibition counted more than 150,000 visits, even though access was limited to respect capacity and protect the motorcycles on display. It was opened by Agostini and Franco Uncini.

Also part of the MotoGP partnership was a Gaming Arena in which real motorcycles served as simulators. There were also prize draws for visits to the 2027 Grands Prix at Mugello and Misano with paddock access.

In the outdoor area, the MotoLive arena celebrated its 21st anniversary. On more than 60,000 square meters, there was freestyle motocross, trials and duels with large adventure twins. Trials star Toni Bou performed, and Troy Bayliss, Marco Melandri, Stefan Everts, Chicco Chiodi, Christophe Pourcel and Rubén Xaus were also on site. In the Champions Charity Race, the stars rode models from 17 manufacturers, and the program ran live on television for a total of eight hours.

Rally racing also had its moment: Dakar organizer ASO presented the route of the 2027 Dakar at EICMA, with race director David Castera unveiling the course. In the Y.U.M. area for urban mobility, visitors used the opportunity more than 4,000 times to test scooters, mopeds and light vehicles with electric or combustion engines free of charge.

How important is the motorcycle industry to the European economy?

According to a study by Oxford Economics, the motorcycle industry in the EU and the UK contributes 35.1 billion euros (approx. 39.4 billion US dollars) to economic output. It was presented during the trade days at the “Motonomics” conference held by the associations ACEM and ANCMA.

According to the study, 481,600 jobs depend on the industry, and tax revenues amount to 20.6 billion euros (approx. 23.1 billion US dollars). The study also addresses climate protection: on average, a motorcycle emits 95 grams of CO2 per kilometer, a car around 250 grams, more than twice as much. How seriously the show is taken politically was shown by the visit of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

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