The Mobile attracts 109,000 visitors and recovers record attendance levels
The technology congress held in Barcelona equals its historical record of 2019
BarcelonaThe Mobile World Congress (MWC), the world's largest technology congress, held this week in Barcelona, has closed the 2025 edition by equaling the record of attendees achieved in 2019, with a total of 109,000 visitors from 205 countries and territories, according to data from the GSMA. During the four days of the event, the corridors of the Hospitalet venue of Fira de Barcelona have witnessed large crowds of professionals from the connectivity and telephony sector.
With artificial intelligence as its flag and under the motto Converge. Connect. Create.The technology fair hosted 2,900 exhibitors, sponsors and partners. More than 1,200 speakers and opinion leaders also appeared on the fair's stages, 41% of whom were women.
Hall 8, dedicated to start-ups, has hosted more than 1,000 Start-ups exhibitors, nearly 380 speakers and more than 900 investors with collective funds worth 60 billion euros.
The big surprise was the Talent Arena, organized by Mobile World Capital Barcelona (MWCapital) and located in the Montjuïc venue of Fira de Barcelona, which managed to host more than 20,000 attendees with talks by gurus such as the co-founder of Apple Steve Wozniak or the world chess champion Garry Kasparov.
The General Manager of the Fair, Constantí Serrallonga, has given a "very positive" assessment of this edition of Mobile and explained that adding the 109,000 attendees of the MWC and the 20,000 of the Talento Arena, this edition "far exceeds" the attendance figures of the event.
"We are very pleased that it has happened," Serrallonga said. "Once again, it has been a privilege for Barcelona, for Fira, for the country to be able to hold this event in our home. It is the result of a lot of work done," he said. Asked about holding the event in Barcelona beyond 2030, he said that the contract with GSMA "will remain in Barcelona."
A "new era" for the industry
GSMA CEO Mats Granryd, who is entering his final year in office this year, welcomed the figures, saying the congress was evidence of an evolution in the sector: "The industry is embarking on a new era, and I am deeply grateful to have played a small part in its development." "Each MWC builds on the previous one, and this one has been truly groundbreaking," Granryd said. He will be succeeded at the GSMA by Vivek Badrinath.
Likewise, GSMA CEO John Hoffman said that this year had seen "clearly the speed at which technology is reshaping the world" and said that the debates held there would set the tone for next year.
The fact is that what started out as a fair to show off the latest developments in the world of mobile phones has gradually turned into a macro-congress in which connectivity and new technologies are the protagonists, and curious devices and the latest innovations are the main focus. gadgets have been relegated to a secondary role. This year, at the fair's stands, the avatars and goals and robotics have begun to take flight, but the protagonists have undoubtedly been the conferences on AI – in all its forms – and the world that is beginning to be designed.
Looking ahead to next year, the GSMA and Fira de Barcelona have explained that Mobile will be held between March 2 and 5. It remains to be seen whether the format of the Talent Arena of the MWCapital in Montjuïc will be repeated, but Serrallonga has explained that from this Friday they will begin to work for the next MWC.
