SPIEL Essen 2026

SPIEL Essen 2026 Fair Tour — Public International Board Game Fair

SPIEL Essen 2026, organized by Merz Verlag, is a public international board game fair held from October 22‑25, 2026 at the Messe Essen exhibition grounds in Essen, Germany’s Ruhr region. According to the organizer, the fair has been taking place in Essen since 1983, and following founder Friedhelm Merz’s principle, anyone can try and purchase games at the booths. In the 2025 edition, 220,000 visitors attended, 948 exhibitors from 50 countries presented more than 1,700 new games, the exhibition area reached 77,500 m², and tickets for the four days sold out. In 2026 Hall 8 will open for the first time; the organizer announced that the fair will use all eight halls of Messe Essen, expanding to 81,200 m². Doors are open on October 22, 23 and 24 from 10:00 – 19:00, and on Sunday, October 25 from 10:00 – 18:00; tickets are sold online only, with no on‑site box office. Messe Essen is reachable from Essen Central Station by the U11 metro line in about five minutes, and Düsseldorf Airport is a 20‑minute drive away. Because Germany is in the Schengen area, Turkish citizens require a Schengen visa.

Delta Expo Travel Agency plans your trip to Essen with flight, hotel, visa file, transfer and fair ticket.

You can visit the page of the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Foreign Affairs (mfa.gov.tr) for the latest rules.

Information	Detail
Fair Name	SPIEL Essen 2026
Date	22-25 October 2026
Date and Time	22, 23 and 24 October (Thursday – Saturday) 10:00 – 19:00; 25 October (Sunday) 10:00 – 18:00
City	Essen (Ruhr region)
Country	Germany
Venue	Messe Essen exhibition centre, Messeplatz 1, 45131 Essen
Organizer	Merz Verlag; according to the organizer, a small team handles all fair operations from hall planning, ticketing, to game prizes without direct participant work; the organizer states that respect, harmony and inclusivity are as important as the games
Fair Type	Public consumer fair; visitors can experience and purchase games at the stands. Bilet seçenekleri arasında çocuk, aile ve iş ziyaretçisi kategorileri bulunuyor
Sektör	Board games and tabletop games; the 2026 program also includes a separate award for collectible card games (TCG)
Product Groups	Newly released board games, family and adult games, children's games, card games and miniature games (Deutscher Spiele Preis categories and Golden Demon miniature competition)
Visitor Profile	Game enthusiasts from around the world according to the organizer; families, children, educators (Educators Day) and business visitors
Participant Profile	Major game publishers together with independent developers; the organizer reported that for 2026 the long‑term participants have expanded their booth spaces and that the number of new companies attending for the first time is high
2025 Data	220,000 visitors (exceeding the 2019 record), 948 participants from 50 countries, more than 1,700 new games, 77,500 m² exhibition area; Hall 7 opened for the first time and tickets for the four days sold out
2026 Area	With the addition of Hall 8, all eight halls are utilized, total area 81,200 m²; the North Entrance opens for the first time and a new waiting area is being built in Hall 1A, accessed via the Congress Center South
Program	The winners of the Deutscher Spiele Preis (German Game Award) are announced at the press conference at the fair; the TCG Awards are presented for the first time at SPIEL Essen 2026; the program menu includes SPIEL.TALKS, Educators Day, Artist Alley, Lasertag, Golden Demon, Meet & Play and Essen Spiel. The Deutscher Spiele Preis is a community award determined by the votes of gamers living in Germany, Austria and Switzerland; the top ten games are announced in August
Transportation	Approximately 5 minutes from Essen Main Station by line U11: the Messe Ost stop leads to the East Entrance (Hall 8), the Messe West/South stops lead to the South (Hall 1) and West (Hall 3) entrances; Düsseldorf Airport is 20 minutes by car, Essen/Mülheim Airport 10 minutes; motorways A52, A3, A40 and A42; bicycle parking areas are located next to the foyer on the left side of the West Entrance stairs and at the East Entrance
Registration	Tickets are sold only through the organizer’s online ticket shop; there is no box office on the fairgrounds; visitors who leave the area during the day must obtain a wristband at the exit for re‑entry. The ticket shop interface can be switched to English from the top‑right corner; the organizer announced that, due to increased visitor flow, the entrances have been reorganized together with Messe Essen
Visa	Germany is in the Schengen area. A Schengen visa is required for Turkish citizens; applications are made with the fair invitation and accommodation documents.
Official Website	spiel-essen.de
Tour Scope	Airfare to Essen, hotel accommodation, airport and fair transfers, visa file, fair registration, and 24/7 support throughout the trip.

What Does Our Tour Package Include?

We are planning your daily transportation between the airport – Essen and the hotel – Messe Essen.

[ AIRFARE ] We arrange your Istanbul – Düsseldorf flight according to which days of the four‑day fair you will attend.	[ HOTEL ACCOMMODATION ] In Essen and the Ruhr region, we reserve your room in hotels that are easily reachable to Messe Essen via line U11.
[ TRANSFER ] Düsseldorf	[ VISA ] We prepare your Schengen visa application and manage the documentation and tracking process.
[ FAIR ACCREDITATION ] Since there is no ticket booth on site, we purchase your day tickets in advance from the organizer’s online store.	[ 24/7 SUPPORT ] Throughout your Essen trip, our Turkish support line remains open around the clock from departure to return.

Frequently Asked Questions

From Thursday to Saturday the doors open at 10:00 and close at 19:00, and on the final day, Sunday, they close at 18:00.