Members of the press are invited to the world’s most prestigious mathematics conference, which will take place at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia from July 23 to July 30, 2026. Held every four years, the International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM) includes the announcement of the field’s top prizes — including the Fields Medals — as well as top talks from leading mathematicians on cutting-edge developments in the field.
Staff reporters and freelance journalists can register to attend the conference free of charge through June 22. Media registration includes access to a press conference with the Fields Medalists and other honorees following their announcement during the July 23 opening ceremony. A press room will also be available during the conference. Discounted hotel room rates are available to attendees.
For more information, visit the ICM 2026 website or email icmpressinquiries@simonsfoundation.org .
The conference’s opening and closing ceremonies, as well as the media conference, will also be livestreamed for free on the Simons Foundation’s YouTube channel .
In addition to the awards announcements and scientific lectures, this year’s ICM includes outreach events for members of the public to explore the beauty and ubiquity of mathematics.
Additional details about the announcement timing of the Fields Medals and other prizes will be provided at a later date.
The ICM is hosted by the International Mathematical Union (IMU). The first official congress took place in Zurich in 1897, though the idea for the conference originated during the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair.
This year’s conference is supported by the American Mathematical Society and the Simons Foundation , and marks the first ICM in the United States since 1986. Thousands of mathematicians will attend the event, with hundreds from developing countries receiving travel support grants . The 2026 meeting comes at an important time for the field, as international collaboration and cooperation are critical for mathematical progress.
A highlight of each ICM since 1936 has been the presentation of the Fields Medals , often called the “Nobel Prize of mathematics.” At each conference, two to four mathematicians under 40 years of age are honored for making major contributions to the field.
The IMU will also present the Abacus Medal for achievements in mathematical aspects of information science, the Carl Friedrich Gauss Prize for contributions that have found significant applications outside of mathematics, the Chern Medal for outstanding achievements in mathematics, and the Leelavati Prize for public outreach.
This year’s ICM will feature talks and lectures on exciting research across virtually every mathematical discipline, from the Kakeya conjecture to orthogonal projections to the axiomatization of fluid dynamics.
A topic that will be top of mind for many attendees is artificial intelligence , which is sparking debate over the humanity of mathematics and promising to fundamentally change how many mathematicians conduct their research. Famed mathematician and Fields Medalist Terence Tao will give a public lecture on “Mathematics in the Age of AI” on July 24, and other speakers will discuss the relationship between math and AI and the impact of AI on math education.