CES 2026 Audit: 148,392 Attendees Confirm Largest Post-Pandemic Turnout

The numbers are in, and they are bigger than last year. Independently audited figures for CES 2026 confirm 148,392 participants walked the Las Vegas show floors, a 4% rise year over year and the strongest turnout of the post-pandemic era. For an event of this scale, audited verification matters: the count met UFI standards, the global benchmark exhibition organisers use to keep their attendance claims honest.

The internationalism remains the headline for anyone in the global events trade. CES drew 55,841 international participants from 141 countries, regions, and territories, roughly 38% of the total. More than 4,100 exhibitors filled over 2.6 million net square feet, with around 1,200 startups packed into the Eureka Park showcase, the early-stage zone that has become a reliable barometer of where the next wave of products is forming.

Where that wave is heading is no mystery. AI-focused attendance jumped to 39,929, up 22%, while robotics engagement climbed to 19,605, a 26% increase. Both categories outpaced the show's overall growth by a wide margin, a signal that the buyers, builders, and capital flowing into Las Vegas are concentrating around automation and machine intelligence.

The seniority of the room reinforces the point. The audit counted 307 Fortune 500 companies and 189 government leaders and policymakers, alongside thousands of investors and media. For event professionals, CES 2026 is a useful case study in how a flagship show sustains scale: rigorous third-party measurement, a genuinely global delegate base, and programming that tracks the technologies actually pulling crowds.

Full audited figures and the complete category breakdown are available in the official CES press release at ces.tech.