Shanghai kicked off the one-year countdown to the 48th WorldSkills Competition, scheduled to take place from Sept 22 to 27, 2026, with an event held at the Shanghai Exhibition Center on Monday.

During the ceremony, officials from China's Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and the Shanghai municipal government jointly unveiled the executive bureau for the upcoming competition.

As the world's premier vocational skills competition, WorldSkills, which is held biennially, showcases cutting-edge standards and innovations across various professional fields.

The competition in Shanghai will occupy approximately 360,000 square meters at the National Exhibition and Convention Center and is expected to draw more than 1,400 participants from over 60 countries and regions.

This upcoming edition will feature 64 skill events, including 57 traditional categories from major sectors such as construction and building technology, manufacturing and engineering technology, creative arts and fashion, information and communication technology, social and personal services, and transportation and logistics.

To reflect the evolving landscape of global industries, new categories, such as rail vehicle technology and smart security technology, will also be introduced, potentially making this the largest WorldSkills Competition to date in terms of event variety, according to the competition organizers.