Overview
About this event
San Diego Comic-Con is the premier event for comics and related popular art, spanning movies, television, gaming, interactive multimedia and cosplay. Held nearly every year since 1970, the convention has called the San Diego Convention Center home since 1991 and remains the largest pop culture gathering in North America, drawing well over 130,000 attendees each year.
The convention combines an expansive Exhibit Hall featuring merchandise and displays representing all fandoms with unique programming, exclusive previews and presentations across dozens of rooms. Hall H, the convention's largest venue at more than 6,500 seats, remains the epicentre for major studio panels, though recent years have shown the show does not depend on any single studio's presence to draw crowds and energy.
Organisers have confirmed Comic-Con will remain in San Diego through at least 2027, continuing a partnership the city has described as central to its cultural identity and annual tourism economy.
What Usually Happens at Comic-Con?
Preview Night on the Wednesday before the main show gives four-day badge holders, professionals and exhibitors early access to the Exhibit Hall. The main convention then runs Thursday through Sunday, combining panels, seminars and workshops with comic book professionals, previews of upcoming feature films, portfolio review sessions, an Independent Film Festival, the Masquerade costume contest and an extensive Autographs programme.
Beyond the convention centre, the Gaslamp Quarter and other downtown venues host free brand activations, pop-up experiences and off-site events throughout the week, drawing hundreds of thousands of additional participants who may not hold a convention badge.
When Is Comic-Con 2026 Taking Place?
San Diego Comic-Con 2026 runs Thursday, July 23 through Sunday, July 26, 2026, with Preview Night on Wednesday, July 22, at the San Diego Convention Center. All attendee badges for 2026 have sold out. Full details are available at comic-con.org.
San Diego Comic-Con 2026: Latest Updates
5 topicsBadge sales have closed and the Special Guests list and studio panel schedules are confirmed. Everything below is sourced directly from comic-con.org, official studio newsrooms and the convention's official Toucan blog.
All Attendee Badges Sold Out
Comic-Con confirmed that all attendee badges for 2026 have been sold. Badge sales followed a two-phase structure: Returning Registration for prior-year attendees on October 4, 2025, followed by Open Registration for the general public on November 15, 2025 at 9:00 AM Pacific Time.
First Group of Special Guests Announced
Comic-Con's official Toucan blog confirmed the first group of Special Guests for 2026: cartoonist Peter Bagge, cartoonist and author Stephan Pastis, writer Pornsak Pichetshote, cartoonist Mimi Pond, and author Victoria V. E. Schwab. Special Guests are typically featured in dedicated Spotlight panels throughout the weekend, giving attendees direct access to some of comics' most influential voices.
Marvel, PlayStation and Disney Entertainment Television Confirm Panels
Marvel confirmed a full slate of panels and booth activities for SDCC 2026. PlayStation confirmed panels including Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls, Marvel's Wolverine, and God of War Laufey. Disney Entertainment Television confirmed panels and activations for Percy Jackson, American Horror Story and Animayhem, alongside returning series.
Preview Night Remains Bundled with Four-Day Badges
Comic-Con confirmed Preview Night is not available as a standalone purchase and can only be obtained by buying all four main-show daily badges, which are then automatically converted into a 4-Day badge.
Masquerade Confirmed for 2026
The annual Masquerade costume contest is confirmed as part of the 2026 programme, continuing one of the convention's longest-running traditions.
Main Programming Areas at Comic-Con 2026
4 topicsComic-Con's programming spans comics, film and television, gaming, cosplay and fan culture, with Hall H remaining the primary venue for the highest-profile studio presentations.
Hall H Studio Panels
Hall H, seating more than 6,500 attendees, hosts the convention's biggest studio presentations. Confirmed 2026 activity includes panels from Marvel, PlayStation and Disney Entertainment Television, with Apple TV and Fox's Animation Domination also confirmed to have a major presence this year.
Comics and Creator Spotlights
Special Guests are featured in dedicated Spotlight panels discussing their careers, creative process and latest projects. The 2026 slate includes veteran cartoonists, graphic novelists and comics writers spanning alternative comics, newspaper strips and major publisher work.
Exhibit Hall and Artists' Alley
The Exhibit Hall features an expansive range of exhibitors, small press publishers, fan tables and exclusives, alongside Artists' Alley, where independent creators sell and showcase original work directly to attendees.
Film, Gaming and Cosplay Programming
The convention's Independent Film Festival, Children's Film Festival, Games programming, Art Show, Portfolio Review and the Masquerade costume competition round out the non-Hall H programming across the four-day show.
Special Guests
Comic-Con invites select individuals to serve as Special Guests each year, honouring writers, artists and creators shaping comics and pop culture. The confirmed 2026 Special Guests below are sourced from Comic-Con's official Toucan blog announcement, with additional names cross-verified through Comic-Con's convention directory. The full Special Guests list is published on a rolling basis.
| Special Guest | Known For |
|---|---|
| Peter Bagge | Neat Stuff, Hate, Woman Rebel, Fire!!, Credo |
| Stephan Pastis | Pearls Before Swine, Timmy Failure, Trubble Town, Looking Up |
| Pornsak Pichetshote | Writer and former editor |
| Mimi Pond | Cartoonist, humorist, author |
| Victoria V. E. Schwab | Author |
| Jim Lee | President, Publisher and Chief Creative Officer, DC Comics |
| Frank Miller | Comic book writer, screenwriter |
| Kelly Sue DeConnick | Comic book writer |
| Paul Levitz | Comic book writer, former President of DC Comics |
| Jeff Smith | Comic book writer |
Event Experiences
4 topicsComic-Con 2026 runs across the San Diego Convention Center and citywide venues, combining ticketed convention programming with free public activations throughout downtown San Diego.
Preview Night
Preview Night on Wednesday, July 22 gives four-day badge holders, professionals and exhibitors early access to walk the Exhibit Hall floor before the main show opens, alongside evening events including awards ceremonies and early Independent Film Festival screenings.
Hall H
Hall H is the convention's flagship panel venue, seating more than 6,500 attendees for the highest-demand studio and franchise presentations across all four main days.
Masquerade
The Masquerade costume contest is one of Comic-Con's longest-running traditions, giving cosplayers a formal stage competition judged by craftsmanship, presentation and creativity.
Off-Site Activations
Studios and brands run free activations throughout the Gaslamp Quarter and other downtown venues during the convention week, drawing hundreds of thousands of additional participants beyond ticketed badge holders.
Why Comic-Con 2026 Matters
4 topicsComic-Con remains the definitive launch venue for major entertainment franchise news, drawing more press coverage than almost any other fan convention in the world. Its Hall H announcements routinely become the year's biggest entertainment headlines regardless of which studios choose to attend.
For Entertainment and Studio Watchers
Hall H panels from Marvel, PlayStation, Disney Entertainment Television and other major studios give industry watchers a direct, real-time view of upcoming franchise strategy, casting reveals and release timing.
For Comics Professionals and Creators
The Special Guests programme and Artists' Alley give working comics professionals recognition and a direct sales channel to one of the largest concentrated comics audiences in the world.
For San Diego's Local Economy
City officials have confirmed Comic-Con generates well over $100 million in regional economic impact each year, with tens of millions in direct attendee spending, making it one of San Diego's most significant annual events.
For Fans and Cosplayers
The Masquerade, Artists' Alley, Exhibit Hall exclusives and citywide off-site activations give attendees a full week of programming that extends well beyond any single studio panel or franchise reveal.
Agenda
Comic-Con does not publish a single master schedule given the volume of concurrent programming across dozens of rooms. Times shown in Pacific Time (PT, UTC-7). Full daily room-by-room schedules are published at comic-con.org.
| Date | Programme | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday, July 22 | Preview Night: early Exhibit Hall access for 4-day badge holders, professionals and exhibitors; evening events | San Diego Convention Center |
| Thursday, July 23 | Main convention opens; Hall H panels; Exhibit Hall; Artists' Alley; Independent Film Festival | San Diego Convention Center |
| Friday, July 24 | Hall H panels; Exhibit Hall; Artists' Alley; Portfolio Review; Games programming | San Diego Convention Center |
| Saturday, July 25 | Hall H panels; Masquerade costume contest; Exhibit Hall; Artists' Alley | San Diego Convention Center |
| Sunday, July 26 | Final Hall H panels; closing programming; Exhibit Hall final day | San Diego Convention Center |
Registration and Access
All attendee badges for Comic-Con 2026 have sold out. Badge purchases were subject to a $15 handling fee per member, with children 12 and under admitted free with a paying adult. Badge sales for Comic-Con 2027 open in fall 2026. Full badge information is at comic-con.org/cc/badges.
| Badge Category | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4-Day Badge (with Preview Night) | Sold out | Preview Night only available bundled with all 4 main days |
| Single-Day Badges (Thu-Sun) | Sold out | Auto-converts to 4-Day if all four are purchased |
| Junior (13-17) | Sold out | Reduced pricing tier |
| Military / Senior (60+) | Sold out | Reduced pricing tier; veterans and dependents not included |
| Children 12 and Under | Free | Must be accompanied by a paying adult |
| Returning Registration | Closed (Oct 4, 2025) | For prior-year badge holders only |
| Open Registration | Closed (Nov 15, 2025) | General public sale |
Want updates on San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) 2026?
Get our recap, key takeaways and analysis delivered to your inbox the moment the keynote ends.
Venue
San Diego Convention Center
The venue sits in downtown San Diego adjacent to the Gaslamp Quarter. Complimentary official shuttles run from downtown hotels, Mission Valley and airport-area hotels on Shelter Island and Harbor Island. The Green Line trolley stops near the Convention Center, and Harbor Drive sees partial closures during the show, so advance transportation planning is recommended.
Date & Time
Jul 22–26
Starts 5:00 PM PDT
Location
San Diego
San Diego Convention Center, United States
Format
In-person
On location only
San Diego Convention Center
111 Harbor Dr, San Diego, CA 92101, San Diego, United States
Recap: 2025 & 2024
The biggest announcements from the last 2 San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) editions.
San Diego Comic-Con 2025 Recap
Comic-Con has run in San Diego nearly every year since 1970. The two most recent editions show how the convention's identity has evolved even as individual studios choose whether or not to bring major presentations to Hall H.
San Diego Comic-Con 2025 took place July 24 to 27, 2025, drawing more than 135,000 attendees and generating over $160 million in regional economic impact, according to San Diego's mayor's office, as reported by NBC 7 San Diego.
A full recap is available at Den of Geek.
Main announcements included:
- Marvel and DC both skipped Hall H panels for the first time in nearly two decades, yet the 6,500-plus seat room remained frequently packed to capacity throughout the weekend
- Star Wars creator George Lucas made his first-ever Comic-Con panel appearance, discussing the upcoming Lucas Museum of Narrative Art alongside Guillermo del Toro, moderated by Queen Latifah
- South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone made a rare Hall H appearance, their first in nearly a decade, drawing significant pre-panel buzz
- Disney's Tron: Ares panel featured Jared Leto and returning Tron: Legacy star Jeff Bridges, alongside an extended preview of an original Nine Inch Nails score
- Amazon MGM's Project Hail Mary panel brought Ryan Gosling, directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller, screenwriter Drew Goddard and author Andy Weir for an exclusive first look
- Approximately 300,000 people took part in free off-site activations across the Gaslamp Quarter and Petco Park Interactive Zone, including brand experiences tied to Twisted Metal, Alien: Earth and King of the Hill
- City officials confirmed Comic-Con organisers have agreed to remain in San Diego through at least 2027
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