Press releases

At the close of the 2026 Frankfurter Buchmesse (7-11 October 2026), Guest of Honour Czechia hands over the traditional GuestScroll to Chile, Guest of Honour 2027.

In an era of political polarisation and technological upheaval, Frankfurter Buchmesse brings together the international book industry as an actionable public forum.

During the first two trade visitor days of the 78th Frankfurter Buchmesse (7-11 October 2026), attendance remained at the same strong level as in the previous year. A total of 65,000 trade visitors from 130 countries attended the fair on Wednesday and Thursday (7-8 October 2026) alone; the fair continues to run til Sunday evening.

Opening press conference with Sebastian Guggolz, Juergen Boos and Jill Lepore

Sonia Draga, founder, president, and CEO of the eponymous publishing house in Katowice, Poland, is the winner of the Cesare De Michelis International Award for Publishing 2027.

From Jill Lepore and Philippe Sands to the inaugural IPA Freedom of Expression Defenders Award and the launch of the Young Voices Network: Frankfurter Buchmesse brings together international voices to examine who creates knowledge, whose voices are heard and how free expression can endure.

Over 3,000 events, new routes through the halls, and a packed weekend at the fair: Frankfurter Buchmesse has compiled the most important information for visitors. This ranges from tickets and travel arrangements to book signings and waiting areas, as well as safety and accessibility options.

Which literary works have the potential to become films or TV series? What trends are shaping the European adaptation market? And how can ideas be developed into successful cross-industry projects? On Friday, 9 October 2026, Frankfurter Buchmesse (7–11 October 2026) will once again focus on film and television adaptations with its Book-to-Screen Day.

From romance to manga, from crime fiction and children’s books to the programme for the general public in the Guest of Honour Pavilion, Frankfurter Buchmesse will be creating new spaces for stories and their communities in 2026. At the weekend from 9 to 11 October, readers can meet up with authors, content creators and other fans as they enjoy readings, book signings, a cinematic atmosphere, music and hands-on activities.

The “Who’s Who” of international publishing will gather in Frankfurt in October to discuss the future of the industry.

As the annual gathering of the international book and media industry, the book fair in Frankfurt serves as a marketplace, a literary festival and a forum for debate. Jill Lepore, Colson Whitehead, Jenny Erpenbeck, Robert Habeck, Gisèle Pelicot, Mariana Mazzucato, Volker Schlöndorff, Wolf Biermann and many other prominent figures from the worlds of literature, film, academia and politics have announced their participation in the 2026 fair.

The 2026 Aficionado Award goes to the global translation project Words Without Borders. The digital magazine publishes international literature in English translation, helping to make literary voices from around the world more accessible, with a particular focus on Indigenous, endangered and otherwise overlooked languages.

Driven by artificial intelligence, developments in copyright standards, sustainability requirements and many other factors, the publishing world remains in a state of flux. This is particularly evident in Frankfurter Buchmesse’s Hall 4.1, where international academic publishers, the library and information sector, education providers and publishing service providers come together.

From audiobooks to podcasts – audio continues to be an area of growth in publishing markets worldwide. Frankfurter Buchmesse (7-11 October 2026) brings all major players of the international audio markets together: from big platforms like Audible and Spotify to smaller market players. At the fair's Frankfurt Audio area audio publishers, service providers, tech companies and streaming platforms present their latest audio productions and technologies, connect with business partners and talk about current trends.

The professional programme, Frankfurt Global Network and Comic Business Centre are strengthening international exchange. On the public days, manga, cosplay and Japanese pop culture will bring people together.

Frankfurter Buchmesse will be represented at the Feria Internacional del Libro en Guatemala (FILGUA) for the first time in 2026 and, together with the German Embassy in Guatemala and the Goethe-Institut Mexico, will organise Germany’s participation as Guest of Honour.

Frankfurter Buchmesse will bring the international publishing industry together. For five days, Frankfurt will become the place for rights trading, business meetings and new partnerships. The book fair’s ticket shop is now open.

Children’s and young adult media will gain significantly greater visibility at Frankfurter Buchmesse (7–11 October 2026): Hall 4.0 will become the central hub for the sector.

Czechia, Guest of Honour at this year’s Frankfurter Buchmesse, presented its literary and cultural programme and the design of the Guest of Honour Pavilion at a press conference in Frankfurt, Germany.

Under the motto “Rights Then. Rights Now” the leading conference for rights and licensing in international publishing celebrates its 40th anniversary.

Authors from the genres of fiction, poetry, comics, children’s and young adult literature, and non-fiction, as well as theatre authors, will be travelling to Frankfurt in October.

From mid-May onwards, Frankfurter Buchmesse will be bringing the international publishing community together through its digital professional programme. The schedule includes practical Masterclasses as well as new events within the online networking format “The Hof.” Both formats are free of charge for participants.

Publishers, authors, industry experts and creative professionals worldwide are invited to submit their ideas for the stage programme of Frankfurter Buchmesse 2026 (7-11 October).

Frankfurter Buchmesse is expanding its activities with the new project ‘Book-to-Screen at KVIFF’. On 7 July 2026, books from Central and Eastern Europe will be pitched to international producers for the first time at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

Under the slogan “Czechia: A Country on the Coast”, this year’s Guest of Honour at the Frankfurt Book Fair (7–11 October 2026) is presenting itself. At today’s press conference in Leipzig, Czechia announced that there will be numerous new publications. In addition, around 70 authors will be travelling to Frankfurt in October, and a new partnership has been established with the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

US historian and author Jill Lepore will speak at the Opening Press Conference of Frankfurter Buchmesse 2026. Lepore is one of the most influential voices in American historiography. In the year marking the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence, she reflects on the history and present of democracy.

Frankfurter Buchmesse is once again inviting professionals from the publishing and book trade to participate in its international fellowship and grant programmes in 2026. Participants can look forward to a professional training and networking programme organised by Frankfurter Buchmesse with the support of national and international partners.

Romania will present its literature and culture as the Guest of Honour of the 80th book fair (11-15 October 2028). Today, the Guest of Honour contract was signed in Bucharest.

The winners of the Frankfurter Buchmesse Wildcard for Publishing Partners have been announced: the award goes to the software company Garage51 from Frankfurt and the technology start-up Druid Learning from Dublin. They will each receive a free 8 m² exhibition stand at the upcoming Frankfurter Buchmesse.

Frankfurter Buchmesse is setting the course for the future: internationally experienced publishing executive Joachim Kaufmann will become President and CEO of Frankfurter Buchmesse in autumn 2026.