ExpoCatólica 2026 releases official results for its 19th edition and confirms growth in qualified attendance

The organizers of ExpoCatólica have released the official figures for the 19th edition of the trade fair, held from July 23 to 26 at the Pro Magno Event Center in São Paulo. The final report shows a total attendance of 69,978 visitors from all regions of Brazil as well as from other countries, confirming an increase in participation from groups representing key segments for the Church’s mission and the development of the Catholic market.

Beyond recording a significant number of attendees, the data reveal an important shift in the profile of visitors. The 2026 edition saw notable growth in the number of religious figures, pastoral leaders, and industry professionals, demonstrating that ExpoCatólica is increasingly strengthening its position as an environment dedicated to professional development, institutional networking, and the creation of business opportunities.

Among the visitors, 22,050 were priests, bishops, deacons, and members of religious orders—an increase of 27.3% compared to the previous year. This growth highlights the presence of Church leaders at the trade fair, where they find an opportunity to discover new solutions, strengthen partnerships, and keep up with trends that contribute to their evangelizing mission.

Another relevant indicator was the presence of 26,628 lay pastoral agents, representing a 36.6% increase. This result demonstrates the growing, proactive role of the laity in the organization of communities, pastoral groups, and movements—a fact that is directly reflected in the technical and participatory profile of the fair’s attendees.

The business sector also showed growth. ExpoCatólica welcomed 6,500 retailers and specialized professionals—an increase of 16.9% compared to the previous edition. This figure confirms the event’s significance as a key business hub for the religious sector, bringing together manufacturers, distributors, purchasing managers, and companies that develop products and services for churches, institutions, and Catholic organizations.

Meanwhile, the number of non-engaged laypeople—totaling 14,800 visitors—saw a 21.5% decrease. According to the organizers, this shift aligns with a trend observed in recent editions: an increase in the participation of individuals directly involved in the management, evangelization, and decision-making processes within religious institutions.

The figures also highlight ExpoCatólica’s capacity to drive activity across various economic sectors. Over the four-day event, hotels, restaurants, transport companies, and providers of services—ranging from event setup, technology, and communications to security, cleaning, catering, and specialized professional services—all benefited from the fair. The event generates temporary jobs, fosters business opportunities, and strengthens the entire supply chain linked to event tourism and the religious market.

At the trade fair, hundreds of exhibitors launched products, secured new contracts, expanded their distribution networks, and presented solutions in areas such as technology, communication, religious tourism, sacred art, liturgical furnishings, architecture, education, music, parish management, and innovation. The diversity of the sectors represented highlights the scope of the "faith economy"—a range of economic activities linked to the Church’s mission—which continues to grow and increasingly demands greater professionalization.. 

Official data for the 2026 edition reinforce that ExpoCatólica is not merely a meeting point for the Catholic community, but an environment where evangelization, formation, institutional networking, and development go hand in hand.

Far beyond the fair: connections that strengthen the Church’s mission

With nearly 70,000 visitors, ExpoCatólica reaffirmed its leading position as the world’s largest trade fair for products and services for the Catholic Church, bringing together 260 exhibitors across sectors including Devotionals and Liturgy, Architecture and Decoration, Technology and Communication, Religious Tourism, and Vocations.

Over the course of four days, the program featured dozens of simultaneous events—including congresses, forums, business matchmaking sessions, cultural showcases, and activities at the Carmo, Arcanjo, and Fino Tom arenas—fostering encounters among the Church, businesses, institutions, experts, and visitors from various regions of Brazil and abroad.

Highlights included the 2nd Congress of Catholic Entrepreneurial Women, the 3rd Religious Tourism Meeting, and the Acutis Summit—which hosted Brazil’s first Catholic Hackathon, focused on innovation and the development of solutions for the Church’s mission—as well as the ExpoCatólica Forum and Cinema, and various other initiatives centered on formation, education, culture, and evangelization.

Religious tourism held a strategic position in the event’s program. In addition to the Religious Tourism Meeting, the trade fair brought together states, municipalities, sanctuaries, and both domestic and international destinations—both through the "Destinations Meeting" (Meeting Destinos) and at various exhibition booths—fostering the exchange of experiences, the promotion of pilgrimage routes, and the development of the sector. The presence of the Museum of Sacred Art of São Paulo, alongside various cultural expressions, reinforced the integration of faith, heritage, culture, and tourism.

As a host city, São Paulo distinguished itself not only by welcoming the trade fair but also by showcasing its potential as a premier Latin American hub for business, tourism, and innovation, while highlighting the richness of its historical, cultural, and religious heritage. The partnership with ExpoCatólica reinforced the capital’s standing as a strategic destination for major events, religious tourism, culture, and economic development.

Internationalization expands ExpoCatólica’s connections

The 2026 edition marked a new step forward in the internationalization process of ExpoCatólica, strengthening its role as a meeting point between the Brazilian religious market, Latin America, and Europe.

The fair hosted Sacro Expo—one of Europe’s most significant trade shows for the religious sector, based in Poland—and featured international exhibitors such as Poland Tour and Visit Poznań. Portugal was once again represented by the "Raízes de Fátima" (Roots of Fátima) and "Visit Fátima" projects, with a stand promoted by ACISO (Ourém-Fátima Business Association). Representatives from these initiatives, as well as from the Camino de Santiago (Way of St. James), also took part in the Religious Tourism Meeting.

ExpoCatólica also welcomed the Patriarch of Lisbon, Dom Rui Valério, and, for the first time, featured the participation of European companies—Italy’s DOLFI and Poland’s Organeria Kaczmarczyk—thereby strengthening its role as a meeting point between the Brazilian religious market and international partners.

Partnerships strengthen culture, tourism, and development

The realization of ExpoCatólica was bolstered by an extensive network of institutional partners, who helped to expand the event’s ecclesial, cultural, tourism, and economic dimensions.

The Arquidiocese de São Paulo, through Cardinal Archbishop Dom Odilo Pedro Scherer, he offered institutional support, helping to ensure that the entire program remained in line with Church guidelines, and supporting the realization of the 2nd Archdiocesan Congress on Initiation into the Christian Life and the 3rd Forum on Organized Charity.

Also part of this network of partners are Visite São Paulo Convention Bureau, encouraging the promotion of religious tourism; and APAA – Associação Paulista dos Amigos da Arte, in conjunction with the Secretariat of Culture, Economy and Creative Industries of the State of São Paulo, and the Association of Museums of Sacred Art of São Paulo (SAMAS) and the Museu de Arte Sacra de São Paulo (MAS-SP), the realization of the cultural activities of ExpoCatólica, among them the Cinema ExpoCatólica  fair.

Another highlight was the support from the São Paulo — Capital of Business, Tourism and Innovation program, an initiative of São Paulo Negócios, which promotes the São Paulo brand as a destination for business, tourism, innovation, and economic development. The partnership resulted in the panel "São Paulo: A Latin American Hub for the Economy, Business, Tourism, and Innovation," as well as a business matchmaking session at ExpoCatólica—featuring dedicated spaces for meetings between exhibitors, buyers, and speakers—and an institutional booth showcasing the opportunities that the city of São Paulo offers to companies, investors, and institutions.

With the 19th edition now concluded, ExpoCatólica renews its commitment to fostering encounters, strengthening partnerships, and advancing initiatives in support of the Church’s mission.

In 2027, São Paulo In 2027, São Paulo will once again host the 20th edition of ExpoCatólica—a milestone in the journey of an event that began in 2003. After more than two decades of connecting evangelization, business, culture, religious tourism, and innovation, the organizers are already preparing a historic edition, one that will celebrate this legacy while looking toward the future of the Church’s mission. 

Exhibitors interested in participating in ExpoCatólica can secure their spot by reserving a booth in advance. The date, venue, and new features that will define this next chapter of the world’s largest trade fair for products and services for the Catholic Church will be announced soon.

Leia também: ExpoCatólica 2026encerra 19° edição e fortalece o mercado católico mundial