Web Summit 2026 Cancels Day 2 in Lisbon as Storm Charles Hits

Web Summit has cancelled the second day of its 2026 conference in Lisbon because of Storm Charles. The organisers told attendees on the evening of Tuesday, November 10, that Wednesday’s programme would not go ahead after Portugal’s government formally advised against it, and said they plan to reopen on Thursday, November 12, for the final day.

What happened?

Web Summit 2026 opened on Monday, November 9, at the FIL exhibition centre and the MEO Arena in Lisbon’s Parque das Nações district. On Tuesday evening the organisers sent attendees an email headed as an important event update, saying Day 2 on Wednesday, November 11, was cancelled.

According to the email, reported by Business Insider and The Next Web, the Portuguese government formally advised Web Summit that the second day should not take place. That advice followed discussions between the government, the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC) and the Public Security Police (PSP). Web Summit said it would comply.

“The safety and security of our attendees, staff and contractors is always our absolute priority,” the Web Summit team wrote.

Prime Minister Luís Montenegro had recommended earlier on Tuesday that the event suspend Wednesday’s activities as a precaution, while saying the final call belonged to the organisers, according to ECO and Jornal de Negócios. Lisbon mayor Carlos Moedas also said that closing for the day was the sensible choice, ECO reported.

Why did Portugal ask Web Summit to close?

The government pointed to three specific risks from Storm Charles:

• Tidal flooding, a concern for the riverside Parque das Nações area where the venue sits.
• Severe disruption to public transport, which tens of thousands of attendees rely on to reach the site.
• High winds that could affect outdoor and temporary structures.

The storm led to wider measures across Portugal. The government announced that schools and non-essential public services would close on Wednesday, and access to coastlines, riverside areas and other flood-prone places was restricted, Euronews reported. The Next Web, citing The Portugal News, said Lisbon planned to close its tunnels, parks, gardens and cultural venues from midnight, and that the weather service IPMA forecast gusts of up to 120 km/h.

Jornal de Negócios also reported that part of the roof of one FIL pavilion failed on Tuesday afternoon, letting water inside.

How many people are affected?

Web Summit expected close to 70,000 attendees this year, along with about 900 speakers and more than 2,000 startups, according to Euronews. Moedas said more than 60,000 people had been at the venue, The Next Web reported, citing The Irish Times.

The organisers have not said how sessions planned for Wednesday will be handled, whether any talks will move to Thursday, or what the cancellation means for tickets. Web Summit said it would communicate directly with those affected.

Jornal de Negócios noted that this is the first time the conference has been suspended while it was already under way. Web Summit has been held in Lisbon since 2016, and this is its 11th edition in the city.

Why it matters

Web Summit is one of the largest technology conferences in the world, and a full day lost is a real blow for the startups, investors and speakers who travelled to Lisbon. For many early-stage companies, the event’s four days are a rare chance to meet investors and customers in person.

It is also a costly moment for Lisbon. Just before the event opened, an EY study estimated Web Summit’s economic impact on Portugal at €2.5 billion, as PFM Today reported in its story on Web Summit 2026 opening in Lisbon. Day 1 had featured humanoid robots and a strong presence from Chinese companies, covered in our Web Summit 2026 Day 1 recap.

The decision also shows how extreme weather is becoming a planning risk for large in-person events. Organisers usually prepare for crowd safety and transport, but a storm serious enough to close schools nationwide leaves little room to carry on.

What happens next?

Web Summit said it intends to run Day 3 on Thursday, November 12, as planned, once Storm Charles has passed. It said it will keep working with the authorities and emergency services, monitor conditions and share confirmed updates.

Attendees should watch their email and the official Web Summit app for the latest information before travelling to the venue on Thursday. For other upcoming conferences, including Slush in Helsinki and AWS re:Invent in Las Vegas, see the PFM Today tech events calendar.