SOF Week 2026 will be held in Tampa, Florida in May. This premier special operations event is heavily attended by members of the U.S. and international special operations community as well as industry representatives. The 2025 event attracted over 19,000 in-person attendees. The event, co-hosted by the Global SOF Foundation (GSOF) and U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), runs from May 18 to 21, 2026.
The event is held at the Tampa Convention Center located on the waterfront. Some parts of the event will be in adjacent venues as well as at the Peter O. Knight Airport, a local airport in the Tampa vicinity. The exhibition hall is open from May 19 to 21.
- SOF Week 2026 runs May 18–21 in Tampa, Florida
- Hosted by USSOCOM and GSOF, it is the premier global SOF gathering
- Brings together operators, policymakers, and defense industry leaders
- Focus areas include emerging technology, capability development, and partnerships
- Serves as a critical venue linking operational requirements to acquisition
The exhibition floors will provide the opportunity for attendees to view displays by companies that are showcasing their products – whether services, communications solutions, weapons, maritime applications, software, drones, AI, and much more.
SOF Week 2026 is a global gathering of special operators, industry leaders, academics, and defense professionals that come to view the exhibits and demonstrations that are showcasing the capabilities and technologies of modern special operations.
The 2026 event will kick off with a series of sessions held on Monday that are industry-related, with introductions to several aspects of how industry can work with USSOCOM. Topics included the SOF acquisition, technology, and logistics process; an overview on how SOFWERX can help businesses work with USSOCOM; and other related areas of USSOCOM and business collaboration. In addition, as series of seminars are offered to veterans and service members who are transitioning into civilian life.
On Monday evening the SOF Week Welcome Reception will be held at the Sparkman Wharf in Downtown Tampa. For many attendees, this is an opportunity to meet up with old friends not seen in many years. Bumping into acquaintances long past is one of the special things about SOF Week that makes this event so rewarding. The reception includes sponsored free drinks and food. Several whiskeys with a special operations theme will be available for sampling.
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday will feature a series of presentations, speeches, panel discussions, and demonstrations on a variety of SOF related topics. Throughout these three days speakers will be addressing the attendees on current conflicts, irregular warfare, advances in special operations techniques, and more. Many of these events are held concurrently at different locations, so a careful examination of the detailed agenda is necessary to catch the events that are of importance to the individual attendee.
There are numerous speakers providing presentations or participating on discussion panels. Just a few of the speakers are mentioned below:
- Mr. Derek Anderson, Assistant Secretary of War for Special Operations & Low Intensity Conflict
- Admiral Frank M. Bradley, Commander United States Special Operations Command
- General Gregory M. Guillet, Commander U.S. Northern Command
- General Francis L. Donovan, Commander U.S. Southern Command
- Command Sergeant Major Andrew J. Krogman, SEL United States Special Operations Command
- Mr. Stu Bradin, President and CEO of Global SOF Foundation
- Lieutenant General John Brennan, Dep Cdr U.S. Africa Command
- General “Scott” Miller, former JSOC, CFSOCC-A, and ISAF Commander
Throughout the week – on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday – the exhibits of hundreds of vendors are available for viewing. According to the “Exhibitor List” on the SOF Week website, there are 850 exhibitors. It will take all of the 2 1/2 days that the exhibitions halls are open to walk through the various locations where vendors are displaying their products and services. To help those interested in special topics, the exhibits are grouped into functional areas. These include maritime, information systems, non-profits, small businesses, biometrics, SOF Warrior, EW, mobility, special air warfare, SOF services and support, digital applications, and others. A detailed floor plan is available to find the exhibits that interest the attendee.
SOF Week Outpost at Peter O. Knight Airport. On Tuesday through Thursday (19-21 May 2026), there will be aviation-related static displays and live multi-domain demonstrations at the SOF Week Outpost at Peter O. Knight Airport presented by Northrop Grumman. This venue gives attendees an opportunity to see an expanded Special Air Warfare Zone in the convenient air-conditioned tent! Multiple transportation options are available to access the SOF Week Outpost. Parking is not available at The Outpost. Shuttles run approximately every 20 minutes, take about 20 minutes to travel. The airport is located just minutes from the main convention campus. Some of the attractions at The Outpost include:
- Live aerial operations showcasing advanced air capabilities
- Ground-based demonstrations highlighting next-generation systems
- Aircraft displays and aviation technology up close
- Operational scenarios demonstrating real-world applications
- Direct interaction with the innovators developing these capabilities
The USSOCOM Capability Demonstration is conducted at SOF Week every two years and this year it will take place on the Tampa Waterfront on Wednesday, May 20 at mid-day. A special operations demonstration with boats and aircraft will provide the latest advances in the special operations field. Watch a video of the 2024 SOF Week Capability Demonstration (GSOF, YouTube, May 2026).
Thursday, the last day of SOF Week, the sessions wind down by early afternoon. Everyone is getting ready for the big event held on Thursday evening. The USSOCOM Awards Ceremony and Dinner is a long-standing highlight of USSOCOM’s annual conference. The reception and dinner is a formal affair with many well-known personalities in the special operations community.
SOF Week 2026 will be providing the attendees an informative and interesting experience. There are many networking events, affiliate events, and industry demonstrations, that take place throughout the week. The overall event will be an opportunity to learn about new capabilities and technology that SOF is currently or may soon be employing around the world.
As special operations forces adapt to contested environments defined by unmanned systems, AI-enabled targeting, and great power competition, SOF Week serves as a key venue where operational requirements meet emerging capabilities.
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SOF Week 2026
https://sofweek.org/
Global SOF Foundation
https://gsof.org/
