Dear Colleagues,

On behalf of the SICOT Board of Directors and the Congress Site Committee, we are pleased to invite formal bids to host the SICOT Orthopaedic World Congress (OWC) in 2027 and 2031.

To ensure geographical diversity and global representation, the Executive Committee, Board of Directors, and International Council have agreed that the Congress will rotate annually between Europe, Africa and the Middle East, North and South America, and the Asia-Pacific region.

While the 2027 Congress is currently designated for the Africa and the Middle East region, this allocation may need to be reviewed in light of the political situation in the Middle East. We are therefore advertising for 2027 as a back-up venue and will only be utilised in case Dubai does not proceed.

The Congress locations for the coming years are as follows:

• 2027 – Middle East or Africa and Europe as a back-up
• 2028 – Panama City, Panama (confirmed)
• 2029 – Brussels, Belgium (confirmed)
• 2030 – Mumbai, India (confirmed)
• 2031 – Europe

We are pleased to invite formal bids from National Representatives, supported by their respective National Orthopaedic Associations, to host these prestigious events. The SICOT Orthopaedic World Congress is the Society's flagship scientific meeting, bringing together orthopaedic surgeons, researchers, trainees, and allied healthcare professionals from around the world to promote scientific exchange, education, innovation, and international collaboration.

Please find a link to the SICOT Congress Guidelines (July 2026) above, which outline the requirements and expectations for hosting the Congress. The guidelines include detailed information on venue requirements, financial planning, the scientific and social programme, and the organisational structure expected of the host.

All proposals will be evaluated by the Congress Site Committee in consultation with the KIT Group using the criteria set out in the guidelines, including:

• the proposed organising body;
• the host country and city;
• the congress venue;
• the financial proposal and budget; and
• the level of local support.

The Committee's primary objective is to recommend venues that provide a safe and secure environment for SICOT members while minimising the financial risk to the Society. Following its evaluation, the Congress Site Committee will recommend up to two candidate destinations for each Congress year to the Executive Committee and Board of Directors for endorsement. The shortlisted candidates will then be invited to present their proposals to the International Council, where the final host city will be selected.

A template budget spreadsheet is available upon request.

We encourage all interested National Representatives to review the guidelines carefully and begin preparing their proposals. The deadline for the submission of full bids is 15 August. To assist you in finalising your proposal, please contact Jocelyne Mülli at jmuelli@kit-group.org.

Should you have any questions or require further information, please do not hesitate to contact the SICOT Head Office at congress@sicot.org.

We look forward to receiving your proposals and to continuing to advance SICOT's global mission through its flagship Congress.

Kind regards,