RIYADH: The third edition of the World Defense Show, scheduled to take place in Riyadh from Feb. 8-12, 2026, has secured a record number of participants, with more than 100 companies from China confirmed to take part. Notably, the China Pavilion has already filled 88 percent of its exhibition space, making it the second-largest national presence at the event, surpassing even the host nation, Saudi Arabia. This strong participation underscores the growing global appeal of the show. Since its debut, WDS has seen impressive growth, with exhibition space expanding by 54 percent between 2022 and 2026, more than doubling its size. As of now, over 50 percent of the total floor space for WDS 2026 has already been sold. The announcement follows the successful conclusion of the second edition of WDS, which hosted 773 exhibitors from 76 countries, facilitated SR 26 billion ($6.9 billion) in deals, and attracted 106,000 trade visits. “The significant interest and commitment from Chinese exhibitors is a testament to the prominence WDS holds in the global defense space,” said Andrew Pearcey, CEO of World Defense Show. “Our goal is to bring together global and local stakeholders to advance networking opportunities, strengthen global knowledge-sharing, and shape the future of defense technology,” he said. The high level of interest from Chinese firms was also evident at the 15th Airshow China in Zhuhai, held from Nov. 12-17. Senior WDS representatives attended the event to engage with potential exhibitors, offering them the opportunity to secure their space at WDS 2026, which is rapidly filling up.