Global city leaders and mayors to attend World Cities Summit 2026 in Singapore

What’s happening? 

The World Cities Summit (WCS) is a biennial event that is jointly organised by Singapore’s Centre for Liveable Cities (CLC) and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA).

Themed ‘Liveable and Sustainable Cities: ACT Now!,’ the event will be a six-track programme that convenes global public and private sector leaders who will address issues and opportunities related to urban development. 

This year marks the 10th edition of the event, and will focus on the role of cities in tackling pressing challenges such as climate change, housing and sustainable infrastructure. 

The six tracks are: 

1. Cities for People: Focus on people-centred transformation 

2. Resilient & Regenerative Cities: Focus on climate change and rapid urbanisation 

3. Smart Cities: Focus on AI and emerging tech 

4. Financing for Cities: Focus on green and climate financing 

5. Future Cities: Focus on urban foresight and scenario planning 

6. WRLDCTY Connections Stage: Focus on unconventional approaches for urban innovation 

Delegates can expect high-level leadership plenaries, panel discussions and roundtables, practitioner-led masterclasses, as well as site visits.  

The sessions have been co-curated with other Singapore government agencies and global partners, including the World Bank Group, C40 Cities, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and more. 

Why it matters?  

WCS is the Singapore government-led event that has been serving as a global platform for government leaders, industry experts and academia to come together further knowledge sharing and collaboration between cities. 

The discussions are centred around addressing urban liveability and sustainability challenges, sharing integrated urban solutions, and forging new partnerships. 

Over the past nine editions since 2008, WCS has been attended by 140,000 delegates from more than 250 unique cities. In the 2024 edition, the event hosted over 3,500 delegates from close to 100 cities, including 115 ministers, mayors, and governors. 

Delegates can expect a focus on implementable outcomes and stronger city-to-city collaboration across the world in the 2026 edition, with the official release framing the event as “a rallying call for the urgent need to Accelerate, Collaborate, and Transform urban environments.” 

What’s new? 

Delegates can attend practitioner-led masterclasses within the different tracks found here.  

Some examples include one led by the World Association of the Major Metropolises introducing urban foresight tools to help cities anticipate change and plan confidently for long-term resilience, as well as one led by URA on using tech in developing congested subterranean spaces. 

Secondly, the summit will also open up delegate site visits involving local government agencies such as the Housing Development Board (HDB), NParks, National Heritage Board (NHB), and more. 

Thirdly, there is a new focus on social aspects of urban infrastructure through the new WRLDCTY Connections Stage, as well as topics like 24-hour city, placemaking, architecture, and heritage and culture embedded within the different tracks. 

Who is speaking? 

Notable speakers confirmed for WCS 2026 include: 

• Adele Tan, Deputy CEO & Chief Planner, URA, Singapore 

• Abdulla Al Blooshi, Director General, Urban Planning & Permit Centre (UPPC), Abu Dhabi City Municipality, UAE 

• Chaudhary Muhammad Ali Randhawa, Chief Commissioner, Islamabad Capital Territory, Pakistan 

• Inmaculada Sánchez-Cervera, General Coordinator of the Mayor’s Office at Madrid City Council, Spain 

• Say Sam Al, Deputy Prime Minister, Kingdom of Cambodia 

Full list of 2026 speakers can be found here. 

When is the conference? 

The event is happening from June 14 to 16, 2026, at Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre. 

The conference pass is S$2,500 (before the nine per cent Goods and Service Tax). You can register here.  

<Find out more about the event here>