SimRacing Expo Frankfurt Draws 29,580 Visitors, Confirms September 2027 Return

SimRacing Expo has closed out its 2026 Frankfurt event with a record attendance figure of 29,580 people across three days. Held at Frankfurt Messe, the show covered more than 14,000 square metres and brought together sim-racing hardware companies, game developers, motorsport names, display vehicles and a sizeable community of players who treat virtual driving as far more than a casual pastime.

Organisers have also confirmed that the event will return to the same city in 2027. The next SimRacing Expo is scheduled for the weekend of 17-18 September 2027, making the newly announced edition a two-day event based on the dates currently provided.

The attendance total is notable for an exhibition dedicated to a focused corner of gaming. Sim racing has long sat at the intersection of PC gaming, specialised peripherals and real-world motorsport, but events such as this demonstrate how broad that audience has become. It is a space that includes newcomers using entry-level wheels, competitive online racers, creators, engineering-minded enthusiasts and teams looking for tools that can support serious practice or promotional activity.

A larger stage for virtual racing

Frankfurt Messe gave the 2026 Expo room to present that breadth. More than 14,000 square metres were used for exhibitors and displays, creating a setting where visitors could move between hardware demonstrations, software announcements and automotive exhibits. For a category built around the feeling of being in a cockpit, physical events remain especially useful: pedals, steering wheels, rigs, motion systems and seating are products people often want to try before making a major purchase.

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That hands-on quality helps distinguish a sim-racing show from a conventional game showcase. Screens and trailers can explain a new circuit, physics system or update, but the differences between wheel bases, force-feedback settings, pedal resistance and cockpit ergonomics are felt rather than simply seen. A large venue also allows exhibitors to build full driving stations and gives attendees a chance to compare approaches from different manufacturers in a single visit.

The show's automotive displays reinforced the connection between the virtual and real racing worlds. Participating names included Aston Martin, the BWT Alpine Formula One Team, Manthey-Racing, Mercedes-AMG, Porsche and Porsche Motorsport. The National Car Museum by Loh Collection was also represented, alongside the Dacia Logan built by Ollies Garage, described as a Nordschleife fan favourite.

Those appearances matter because sim racing increasingly draws on motorsport culture as well as game culture. For visitors, seeing cars and racing brands alongside simulator rigs can make the link more tangible. For manufacturers and teams, the environment provides a direct way to reach an audience already deeply interested in driving technique, circuits, vehicle behaviour and competition.

For another perspective on this story, read SimRacing Expo Frankfurt draws 29,580 across three days, confirms 17-18 September 2027 return.

Premiere Friday puts announcements in focus

One of the defining additions for 2026 was the Expo's first Premiere Friday. The opening-day programme was built around on-stage product reveals, with organisers describing it as the event's biggest concentration of new announcements to date. That approach gives the Expo a role beyond being a trade-floor gathering: it can also serve as a moment when the wider sim-racing audience looks to Frankfurt for news.

Among the companies and projects represented in the reveal programme were Assetto Corsa, ImSim, Fanatec and Simucube. The information announced does not provide a full rundown of individual products or updates, so it is too early to treat the event itself as confirmation of specific release plans. Even so, their presence illustrates the range of the sim-racing ecosystem, spanning simulation software and the specialist equipment used to control it.

More than 35,000 viewers watched the Expo's YouTube coverage over the weekend to follow those presentations. That digital audience is significant alongside the in-person total. It means the announcement programme extended beyond the people able to travel to Frankfurt, allowing the event to speak to sim-racing players and hardware followers internationally.

The combination of a packed venue and streamed reveals is a useful model for a hobby with a global audience but highly physical products. Not every fan can attend an exhibition, and not every viewer needs to be there to learn about a new wheel base, game feature or partnership. At the same time, the people on the floor get the advantages of live demonstrations, direct conversations and the communal atmosphere that online coverage cannot fully reproduce.

Why the attendance milestone matters

A total of 29,580 attendees gives SimRacing Expo a clear benchmark for future editions. It reflects the momentum around racing simulators at a time when the hobby is supported by increasingly sophisticated hardware and an expanding range of competitive and social ways to participate. Sim racing can be played with a controller, but its dedicated audience continues to invest in setups that may include direct-drive wheels, load-cell pedals, purpose-built frames, ultrawide or multi-monitor displays, virtual reality headsets and detailed audio equipment.

That investment makes an event like SimRacing Expo valuable to both visitors and companies. Buyers can assess products that are difficult to understand from specification lists alone, while brands can receive immediate reactions from an unusually informed customer base. Developers, meanwhile, are able to present simulations in front of people who may care closely about handling, track detail, multiplayer infrastructure and long-term support.

It is also worth noting that the show's scale does not rest on one part of the market. The 2026 programme mixed manufacturers of specialist peripherals with game and simulation names, while the automotive exhibitors brought a separate but closely aligned audience. That mixture makes the Expo relevant to people who arrive for different reasons: a player may be researching a first rig, a longtime enthusiast may be comparing premium components, and a motorsport fan may be there to see racing machinery and brands represented on the show floor.

Frankfurt return set for 2027

The 2027 dates give visitors and exhibitors an early target for the next gathering. SimRacing Expo will return to Frankfurt on 17-18 September 2027. No additional information on exhibitors, showcase plans or announcement programming has been detailed yet, so attendees should not assume that any particular brand or title from 2026 is automatically confirmed for the next edition.

Still, the 2026 result establishes a strong foundation. The event has a new attendance high, a proven livestream audience and a format that has now incorporated a dedicated announcement day. Whether Premiere Friday returns in the same form is not yet known, but its debut showed an ambition to make the Expo a destination for headline news as well as product trials and networking.

SimRacing Expo organiser South West Vision thanked exhibitors, visitors and partners following the event, with Michael Wamser, Director of Business Development, saying the team is already looking ahead to 2027.

For the sim-racing community, the takeaway is straightforward: Frankfurt remains an important meeting point for the sector, and the next opportunity to attend is now on the calendar. The 2026 Expo's 29,580-person turnout suggests there is substantial demand for a dedicated space where virtual motorsport, specialist technology and real racing culture can meet face to face.

As September 2027 approaches, the most important details to watch will be the exhibitor list, the status of livestream coverage and any plans for another major reveal programme. For now, SimRacing Expo's record year has set the bar for its return.