Geneva Motor Show: Date and Program
David Chelly, January 15, 2026
Where things stand for 2026
The Geneva International Motor Show, historically held at Palexpo, has no Geneva edition planned for 2026. After a comeback in 2024, organizers announced the end of the Geneva editions starting in 2025, citing waning interest from many manufacturers and an unfavorable market environment in Europe. The project continues in the form of an edition in Doha, Qatar, with an edition announced for November 2025, which now replaces the idea of an annual event in Geneva. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
What is the Geneva Motor Show?
The Geneva Motor Show, often shortened to GIMS, was long one of Europe's most high-profile auto shows, valued for offering an international showcase in a country without a dominant domestic car industry. In its "classic" form, it was a launch show, featuring world and European premieres, a press-only start to the week, followed by the opening to the public at Palexpo.
Origin and history
The first edition took place in 1905, and the show gained international standing from the 1920s onward, building the momentum that firmly established it among the major fixtures of the automotive calendar. That standing was built up over more than a century, despite interruptions, particularly during periods of crisis, and more recently following the cancellations linked to the pandemic between 2020 and 2023.
Tickets and program
For 2026, there is no "Geneva" ticketing to plan for, since the Geneva edition is no longer on the program. If your goal is to follow the show under its historic name, the source to check is the official gims.swiss website, which centralizes announcements related to the Qatar edition, confirmed dates, ticket sales opening, and the format adopted. If you were mainly looking for an automotive event in Geneva in February 2026, Palexpo hosts other events, but they are not the Geneva Motor Show as it existed before 2020.