Matching last year's exhibition footprint, the 240,000-square-meter event took over eight halls of the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai ("NECC (Shanghai)"), making it Asia's largest ACGN convention to date. According to data from Bilibili, the event recorded 400,000 attendee visits from more than 30 countries and regions over three days, an even wider geographic reach than in 2025. This year, 170 exhibitors from around the world took part, nearly a thousand itasha vehicles decked out in anime-themed wraps were on display, and over 60,000 cosplayers brought the halls to life.
Notably, 2026 marked the first time BilibiliWorld offered tickets for purchase outside mainland China. Fans from around the world turned out in force.
BW's impact, however, extends well beyond the ACGN community, generating significant benefits for participating brands and Shanghai's local economy. Every July, the convention gives a major lift to the city's tourism, hospitality and restaurant sectors. Travel platform data shows that during the event, flight bookings to Shanghai by international travelers increased 35 percent year-on-year, citywide hotel bookings rose 126 percent from the previous month, while hotel bookings within a 5-kilometer radius of the NECC (Shanghai) surged 600 percent.
Since its launch in 2017, BW has evolved from a gathering of like-minded enthusiasts into a global ACGN event - a trajectory that mirrors the growth of the global industry. For the young generation, ACGN content has become a shared cultural language that transcends borders. From online communities to offline experiences, ACGN-related consumption is fueling the global cultural economy. BW provides a platform where enthusiasts from around the world can connect through their shared passion, transcend language barriers, and build the open, inclusive offline community they have always imagined.
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