BilibiliWorld 2026 Draws 400,000 to Shanghai in Record-Breaking Turnout
A sea of 60,000 cosplayers and a thousand anime-themed vehicles transformed Shanghai’s National Exhibition and Convention Center this week, as BilibiliWorld 2026 concluded its three-day run. The event drew 400,000 visitors from over 30 countries, cementing its status as the largest ACGN convention in Asia by footprint and attendance.
Spanning 240,000 square meters across eight halls, the convention hosted 170 global exhibitors. This year marked a strategic shift for the platform, which opened ticket sales to international fans outside mainland China for the first time. The influx of global attendees significantly impacted Shanghai’s local economy, with hotel bookings within a five-kilometer radius of the venue spiking by 600 percent compared to the previous month. Citywide, international flight bookings to Shanghai climbed 35 percent year-on-year.
Since its inception in 2017, the gathering has moved from a niche fan meetup to a pillar of the global cultural economy. The event highlights how ACGN content functions as a universal language for younger generations, bridging cultural divides through shared digital and physical experiences. By facilitating these large-scale offline interactions, Bilibili has turned a platform-specific convention into a primary driver for regional tourism and international brand engagement.
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