---
type: "event"
title: "WCOA 2026 - World Congress of Accountants, Nov 17-19"
description: "Nov 17-19, 2026, Seoul. The World Congress of Accountants, hosted by IFAC, brings together accounting professionals from around the globe."
resource: "https://accounting.events/events/wcoa-world-congress-of-accountants/"
tags: ["event", "National professional bodies", "South Korea", "2026"]
timestamp: "2026-09-03"
---

# WCOA 2026 - World Congress of Accountants

WCOA 2026 - World Congress of Accountants runs Nov 17-19, 2026 in Seoul, South Korea.

The World Congress of Accountants, hosted by IFAC, brings together accounting professionals from around the globe. Four days of sessions on global accounting standards, ethics, technology, and the future of the profession.

- **When:** Nov 17-19, 2026 (dates published)
- **Where:** Seoul · South Korea
- **Organiser:** International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), hosted by the Korean Institute of CPAs (KICPA)
- **Format:** Hybrid
- **Type:** National professional bodies
- **Attendance:** More than 600 professional accountants and stakeholders in person (2026, organizer target, IFAC)
- **Official site:** https://www.ifac.org/wcoa

## Why it matters

The World Congress of Accountants is IFAC's global flagship event for the accounting profession, hosted jointly with the Korean Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Seoul from November 17-20, 2026, after the last edition drew over 9,000 delegates to Mumbai in 2022. From 2026 the congress shifts from a roughly four-year cycle to a biennial one, and in-person attendance becomes invitation-only for more than 600 professional accountants and stakeholders, with select sessions livestreamed to the wider profession.

## Who attends

Invited leaders of IFAC member bodies and professional accountancy organizations, Forum of Firms representatives, and officials from global standard-setting boards, alongside regulators, government and multilateral agency representatives. IFAC describes the congress as a leadership forum for strategic dialogue on financial reporting, governance and economic development.

## Programme

- AI and digital transformation
- Talent attraction and retention
- Global standard setting
- Audit quality and innovation
- Sustainable development
- Corporate reporting
- Women in leadership

## Past editions

- 2022: Nov 18-21, 2022; Jio Convention Centre, Mumbai; Over 9,000 delegates from more than 100 countries (2022, ICAI post-event report); Theme: Accountancy profession: Trusted partner in sustainability and society. Hosted by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), the first WCOA held in India. IFAC President Alan Johnson called it the largest gathering in the congress's history.
- 2018: Nov 5-8, 2018; International Convention Centre, Sydney; 6,000+ delegates from 130 countries (2018, IFAC); Theme: Global Challenges. Global Leaders. 20th WCOA, co-hosted by Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand and CPA Australia.
- 2014: Rome, Italy; Listed by IFAC as a past WCOA host city. No attendance or venue figure found on an organizer source in this research pass.
- 2010: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; 6,000 delegates from 134 countries (2010, per Wikipedia, not corroborated on an organizer source); 18th WCOA. Listed by IFAC as a past WCOA host city.

Source: https://www.ifac.org/wcoa (checked 2026-09-03)