Join us in Toronto for the fifth anniversary of the UNMATCHED: Gender Equity in Sports Conference presented by Tennis Canada and National Bank.
CBC Sports Host Anastasia Bucsis will host the conference. The former long-track speed skater represented the Maple Leaf at two Olympic Games (Vancouver 2010 and Sochi 2014) and is a leading advocate for gender equity in sport in Canada.
In celebration of the fifth anniversary of the conference, the 2026 UNMATCHED program will be structured across five sections:
- Context: The State of Equity in Sport Format: Interactive panel and live audience engagement. The programming will begin with a panel discussion about where equity stands today, what has changed since 2018 and where progress still needs to be made to reach the Government of Canada’s gender equity target in sport at every level by the year 2035.
- Friction: What We’re Still Not Seeing Format: Athlete story and expert panel. Hear from a panel of experts about one of the most overlooked gaps in sport systems: women’s health. Experts will discuss their experience on the topic and provide assessment on where research falls short, how training is structured under the current system and the lasting impact on athletes’ performance, safety and longevity.
- Solutions: What’s Working Now Format: Case-based conversations with facilitated table discussions. Engage in facilitated table discussions based on case studies that examine real-world models. The case studies range from community-led access models, athlete leadership and influence, coaching and leadership pathways and designing more inclusive sport environments.
- Equity Lab Spotlights (Throughout the Day) Format: Rapid presentations. The Equity Lab is a new initiative designed to spotlight the next generation of leaders advancing equity in sport. These spotlights will be short and impactful presentations held throughout the day that will introduce attendees to the leaders who are already advancing equity in sport. The presentations encourage real-time conversation and collaboration about how we as a community can drive progress towards equity.
- Conversation: What Happens Next Format: Leadership dialogue. The conference will conclude with a final discussion looking towards the next phase of the equity goal for 2035. The conversation will explore questions such as what needs to shift in leadership, investment, and accountability, how to move from momentum to measurable, lasting change and what it will take to build more equitable and sustainable sport systems.
Panelists and speakers for the 2026 UNMATCHED Conference will be confirmed over the coming weeks. Past speakers have included iconic sports figures such as Billie Jean King, Maria Sharapova, Venus Williams and Dawn Staley.
