The Oceania National Olympic Committees (ONOC) has confirmed Auckland as the host city for its XLVI Annual General Assembly from 17–23 May 2026, a meeting now set to be notable for the inaugural visit to Oceania by International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry. ONOC and the New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) say Coventry will formally address the Assembly, marking a milestone engagement between the region and the IOC at a critical moment ahead of LA2028 and Brisbane 2032.
ONOC President Baklai Temengil welcomed Auckland as the venue, saying the gathering comes at a time of “strong momentum” as the region transitions learning from Paris toward future Games cycles. The organisation issued an official Preliminary Notice to Member NOCs in December 2025 in line with governance requirements, and the Assembly is being positioned as a key deliverable under ONOC’s Strategic Plan to strengthen governance, capability and athlete-centred development across Oceania.
The week-long programme, running from 17–23 May, has been expanded beyond the core governance business. Highlights include a LA28 Pre-Games Forum and delegate registration on 17–18 May, an ONOC Executive Board meeting and Commonwealth Sport Regional Forum on 19 May, and a full day of ONOC workshops on 20 May focused on capability development and shared operational solutions. The XLVI Annual General Assembly itself is scheduled for 21 May, followed by the ONOC President’s Dinner.
For the first time, the Oceania Athletes’ Forum will attend the Assembly as observers, ONOC said, and will immediately follow the Assembly with a two-day workshop on 22–23 May. ONOC framed this as a tangible step toward embedding athlete voice in regional leadership and governance, reinforcing the body’s stated commitment to athlete-centred decision making. Other scheduled meetings over the fortnight include the ORADO Annual General Meeting and Oceania Impact Network gatherings addressing integrity and sustainable impact.
NZOC will host the ONOC family in Auckland, providing venues and receptions intended to foster regional collaboration and knowledge exchange, ONOC said. The expanded agenda is designed to give National Olympic Committees, athletes’ representatives and strategic partners opportunities for one-on-one meetings and targeted forums that feed into ONOC’s long-term objectives of organisational sustainability and collective leadership.
The announcement comes as Pacific NOCs step up preparations for upcoming Games cycles, with ONOC signalling the Assembly will help regional bodies align on governance standards and Games readiness. Coventry’s planned appearance — her first trip to Oceania as IOC President — underlines the IOC’s increased engagement with Pacific nations and offers a high-profile forum for discussing support, capacity building and athlete development across the region.
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