WordCamp Europe 2026 once again brought together thousands of WordPress professionals, contributors, agency owners, developers, marketers, and open-source enthusiasts from across the globe. This year’s event took place in Kraków, Poland, where 2,458 attendees from 81 countries gathered to learn, connect, contribute, and help shape the future of WordPress.
For our team at WPM, WordCamp Europe has become much more than a conference. It is an opportunity to reconnect with friends from the community, meet new people, exchange ideas, discover new technologies, and gain insights that help us improve both our work and the solutions we deliver to our clients. This year, four members of our team attended the event, making the most of everything WordCamp Europe has to offer—from Contributor Day and educational sessions to networking events and countless conversations throughout the week.
Starting with Contributor Day
The week traditionally began with Contributor Day, where 778 contributors joined 23 different Make WordPress teams to help improve the platform and its ecosystem. Jurij and David spent the day contributing to the Marketing Team, collaborating with contributors from around the world on initiatives that help promote and strengthen the WordPress project. Matej joined the Meta Team, helping support the infrastructure behind WordPress.org and many of the tools used by the global community.
Contributor Day remains one of the most unique aspects of WordCamp. It reminds everyone that WordPress is not built by a single company but by thousands of contributors who voluntarily dedicate their time and expertise to making the platform better.
Learning from the Best
Over the following days, attendees could choose between more than 60 speakers and a wide variety of sessions covering development, accessibility, business growth, performance, security, and artificial intelligence. One of the most discussed topics throughout the event was the future of WordPress and the growing role of AI within the ecosystem. Several sessions explored how artificial intelligence can support developers, marketers, content creators, and businesses while still keeping people at the center of the process.
Another highlight was hearing how organizations such as CERN, the birthplace of the World Wide Web, are adopting WordPress at scale. Seeing institutions of that size place their trust in WordPress is a powerful reminder of how far the platform has evolved. Beyond the talks themselves, some of the most valuable lessons often come from conversations in hallways, coffee lines, and between sessions. Those unscripted discussions frequently provide the most practical insights and spark ideas that continue long after the event ends.
The Real Value: People and Connections
While technology evolves rapidly, one thing remains constant at every WordCamp: the community. Throughout the week, we had the opportunity to connect with agency owners, product creators, plugin developers, hosting companies, contributors, and WordPress professionals from across Europe and beyond. We discussed everything from agency growth and client expectations to emerging technologies, AI adoption, and the future of the open web.
These conversations are often the most valuable part of the entire event. They provide fresh perspectives, create opportunities for collaboration, and strengthen relationships that continue throughout the year.
We also discovered several interesting products, met new companies, and had the chance to exchange experiences with people facing many of the same challenges and opportunities that agencies encounter every day.
The Social Side of WordCamp
Of course, no WordCamp Europe would be complete without the social events. Alongside the official conference program, we attended several community gatherings and partner events hosted by companies including Patchstack, Woo, and Yoast & Bluehost. These events offered even more opportunities to meet people, continue conversations from earlier in the day, and strengthen connections within the community. As always, some of the best discussions happened long after the final session ended.
A Special Milestone for WPM
This year’s event was particularly special for us because our CEO, Jurij Oblak, was a part of the official WordCamp Europe Website Team. He helped support the digital experience behind the event, contributing to the platform used by attendees, speakers, sponsors, and organizers.
People Like Seeing the Humans Behind the Agency
This year’s event was also a small experiment for us. During WordCamp Europe, I took over the WPM Instagram account and shared a more spontaneous, behind-the-scenes look at our experience. Instead of focusing exclusively on business updates, we showcased the people, moments, conversations, and atmosphere that make events like WordCamp special.
The response was fantastic. In fact, when we asked our audience whether they would like to see this type of content again in the future, 87% voted yes. It was a good reminder that while expertise and results matter, people also appreciate authenticity.
Sometimes showing the humans behind the agency creates stronger connections than any polished marketing campaign ever could.
Looking Ahead to Málaga
As WordCamp Europe 2026 came to a close, the community’s attention quickly shifted to next year. The organizers officially announced that WordCamp Europe 2027 will take place in Málaga, Spain. With a new organizing team already preparing the event and applications open for future contributors and organizers, the next chapter of Europe’s largest WordPress event is already underway.
A huge thank you to everyone we met, learned from, collaborated with, and shared conversations with throughout the week. WordCamp Europe continues to prove that the strength of WordPress has never been just the software. It’s the people behind it.
See you in Málaga.
