Michael Jordan to headline SBC Summit 2026

• Michael Jordan, Carsten Koerl and Jason Robins will open SBC Summit 2026 in Lisbon on 29 September.
• The keynote, titled Leadership in Sports Business, will be hosted by broadcaster Kirsty Gallacher.
• SBC Summit 2026 is expected to draw more than 40,000 industry professionals to Lisbon.

SBC Summit 2026 will open with a keynote session bringing together basketball icon Michael Jordan, Sportradar founder and chief executive Carsten Koerl, and DraftKings co-founder, chief executive and chairman Jason Robins.

The session, called Leadership in Sports Business, takes place on Tuesday 29 September, the first day of the Lisbon event, and will be hosted by former Sky Sports News presenter and broadcaster Kirsty Gallacher.

A landmark session

SBC, the summit’s organiser, has billed the panel as one of the most high-profile keynote sessions ever staged in Europe. Jordan brings decades of experience as an athlete, investor and philanthropist. Koerl and Robins lead two of the most influential companies in sports data and sports betting respectively.

The discussion will trace the evolution of sports, technology, media, data and fan engagement, filtered through the perspectives of three leaders who have shaped the modern sports business landscape.

Betting meets iGaming

Organisers said the panel will also examine the growing connection between sports betting and iGaming, highlighting how the two sectors increasingly operate in parallel and collaborate.

Broader leadership themes are also on the agenda, including building global businesses at scale, decision-making under pressure, and navigating change across fast-moving sports and technology markets.

Rasmus Sojmark, chief executive and founder of SBC, said:

“This is the kind of conversation that transcends our industry. To have Michael Jordan, Carsten Koerl, and Jason Robins on stage together is something truly special. These are individuals who have each changed the way people engage with sports and business in completely different ways — through performance, technology, innovation, and vision. Bringing them together at SBC Summit reflects both the scale of where this industry is today and where it is heading.”

A growing summit

SBC Summit 2026 is expected to welcome more than 40,000 industry professionals from sports, betting, gaming, payments, marketing, affiliation, technology and media when it opens in Lisbon.

The keynote lineup adds to a packed schedule already announced for the event. Organisers have unveiled new pass tiers for this year’s edition, alongside a dedicated Sports Betting Innovation track and a Global Regulations track covering Poland, Finland and Canada.

Lisbon’s agenda also includes a Player Protection Symposium, a Latin America track focused on Brazil, Peru and Mexico, and the First Pitch competition for early-stage betting and gaming startups.

The Affiliate Leaders Summit, previously folded into SBC Summit, now runs as a standalone co-located event. Entertainment programming has also been confirmed, with Tiésto headlining INFINITY Lisbon on the closing night.

Further details on timing and attendee access for the keynote are expected in the coming months. With Jordan’s involvement confirmed, SBC Summit 2026 arrives in Lisbon carrying a level of mainstream attention its organisers have rarely commanded before September even begins.