If you are working anywhere near the modern game—whether in the boardroom, coaching staff, recruitment department, or performance lab—mark your calendars. TGG Live 2026 is officially back, taking place at the iconic Old Trafford in Manchester on September 29th and 30th, 2026.

Following a record-breaking 2025 event, Training Ground Guru’s flagship annual conference is gearing up for two days packed with elite insight, debate, and networking. It has rapidly become an unmissable fixture in the European football calendar for anyone looking to stay ahead of the curve.

📅 Event Snapshot

• Event: TGG Live 2026
• Dates: September 29th – 30th, 2026
• Location: Old Trafford, Manchester
• Who Should Attend: Sporting Directors, Head Coaches, Academy Directors, Data Analysts, Recruitment Leads, Performance Specialists, and Football Executives.

🎙️ Staggering Keynotes & Industry Heavyweights

The 2026 speaker lineup brings together some of the most influential minds across football and elite sports:

• Merijn Zeeman (General Manager, AZ Alkmaar): The mastermind who built Team Visma–Lease a Bike into a cycling superpower—winning all three Grand Tours in 2023—explains how he is applying his culture-first, data-driven principles to football
• Neil Bath (Ex-Director of Football Development, Chelsea): Bringing 30 years of elite academy leadership experience to discuss influence, culture, and building world-class youth pipelines.
• Dr. Claire-Marie Roberts (Director of Human Performance, McLaren Racing): Drawing on her background across Olympic sport, McLaren Racing, and her pivotal role as Performance Director during Coventry City’s rise.

👥 Unmissable Panels Include:

• The Sporting Director Panel: Featuring Ross Wilson (Newcastle United), Simon Wilson (Sheffield Wednesday), and Leigh Bromby (Derby County).
• The Academy Director Panel: Deep-diving into talent development with Stephen Torpey (Manchester United), David Rainford (Brentford), and Jonathan Hunter-Barrett (Wolves).
• The Leadership Triangle: A real-world breakdown of how the CEO, Director of Football, and Head Coach operate together, featuring Stephen Pearce (Derby County), David Fox (Plymouth Argyle), and Steven Schumacher (Bolton Wanderers).

💡 What’s New for 2026?

Training Ground Guru is raising the bar again with several brand-new features:

1. Dedicated Break-Out Sessions: Deep-dive tracks focused on your specific area of expertise—Sporting Directors, Recruitment, Analytics, Coaching & Academies, and Performance.
2. Applied AI & Next-Gen Analytics: Experts from Ludonautics, Genius Sports, SkillCorner, Teamworks, and Orreco will reveal how modern AI is reshaping everything from video analysis to injury prevention and load monitoring.
3. Expanded Networking & Dinner: Day One wraps up with an exclusive networking drinks reception and dinner inside Old Trafford, giving delegates dedicated time to connect with peers from across Europe.

More info: https://trainingground.guru/tgg-live/