The 2026 International Franchise Association (IFA) Annual Convention concluded in Las Vegas on February 25. L’Express Franchise attended the event, connecting with franchisors, franchisees, and industry leaders. The convention, which attracted thousands of decision-makers, sparked conversations about growth, innovation, and the future of franchising.
Industry Trends and Key Priorities
From February 22 to 26, the IFA Annual Convention brought together the global franchise community for three days of high-level networking, immersive learning, and strategic discussions. These sessions were designed to help brands evolve, scale, and build meaningful partnerships across the franchise ecosystem.
Centered around the theme “Evolve,” the event explored key priorities for the franchise industry, including expansion, digital transformation and AI, leadership, and advocacy. Last month, the IFA’s 2026 Franchising Economic Outlook, conducted by FRANdata, projected:
- 12,479 new units
- 150,000 new jobs
- $14.1 billion in additional economic output
This data reinforced the optimism felt throughout the event. High-growth regions and sectors were highlighted, creating opportunities for collaboration and expansion among attendees.
L’Express Franchise on the Ground: Connections, Conversations and Collaborations
At stand #953, our team engaged in dynamic exchanges with the franchise community. We hosted our US Franchising Immersion Program in partnership with Global Franchise. Through curated roundtables, delegates heard directly from Alan Catlett, Senior Vice President of Programs and Operations at the IFA. They also gained insights from multi-brand operators, franchise executives and consultants, and legal experts.
Building on these exchanges, L’Express Franchise also had the pleasure of bringing a delegation of European franchise leaders, providing a unique opportunity to meet and collaborate with industry leaders in the U.S. This inaugural edition of our U.S. Immersion Program was an enormous success: the first of what we hope will be a long series of initiatives to connect Europe and North America in the franchise world. We were particularly proud to see several of our European partner brands receive awards during the Convention, which marked a fantastic milestone for our presence in the U.S. market.
Key focus areas included gaining a deeper understanding of the U.S. franchising landscape, multi-brand scaling strategies, U.S. market entry and expansion pathways, and legal and compliance frameworks. We also met Andrew Titus, President of United Franchise Group, and Matthew Haller, President and CEO of the International Franchise Association, to discuss international growth and share perspectives on the evolving franchise market.
The event served as a powerful platform to facilitate strategic dialogue between international brands and the U.S. market. L’Express Franchise strengthened existing relationships while building new ones across the industry.
The 2026 IFA Annual Convention confirmed that franchising is not only growing, it is also becoming more structured, data-driven, and globally connected.
