When is the 2026 Autumn Canton Fair?

The 140th Autumn Canton Fair will be held in Guangzhou in three phases from October 15 to November 4, 2026. Phase 1 runs from October 15 to 19, Phase 2 from October 23 to 27, and Phase 3 from October 31 to November 4. Overseas buyers do not necessarily need to attend all three phases. Instead, you should select the corresponding phase based on your sourced products before arranging your registration, accommodation, and sourcing itinerary.

What are the exact dates of the 2026 Autumn Canton Fair?

The 140th China Import and Export Fair takes place at the Canton Fair Complex in Guangzhou, with transition days scheduled between each phase. The offline exhibition daily negotiation hours are from 9:30 to 18:00.

The three phases are:

• Phase 1: October 15 – 19, 2026
• Phase 2: October 23 – 27, 2026
• Phase 3: October 31 – November 4, 2026

If an overseas buyer's purchasing scope is relatively concentrated, there is no need to attend all three phases just to see more suppliers. A more efficient approach is to first determine the procurement category and then choose the most relevant phase.

What is Phase 1 best for sourcing?

Phase 1 mainly focuses on advanced manufacturing and industrial products.

Exhibition categories include industrial automation and smart manufacturing, processing machinery, general machinery, construction machinery, agricultural machinery, vehicles, auto parts, new energy, lighting, electronics and electrical appliances, hardware, and tools.

If buyers are looking for machinery, production equipment, construction machinery, vehicles, components, or industrial goods, Phase 1 is typically the most important phase to prioritize.

For these types of products, it is not enough to simply look at the exterior at a booth. Buyers should prepare technical parameters, capacity requirements, operating conditions, and target quantities in advance to directly confirm equipment configurations and factory capabilities on-site.

Which project buyers is Phase 2 suitable for?

Phase 2 is closely related to architecture, home decor, and project procurement.

It mainly covers building and decorative materials, bathroom equipment, furniture, ceramics, household items, gardening products, and related goods.

If buyers are working on hotels, apartments, villas, commercial spaces, real estate projects, or engaging in long-term import of building materials and furniture, Phase 2 is well worth attention.

For these buyers, the Canton Fair allows rapid contact with a large number of suppliers, but the exhibition is not the entirety of procurement. Guangzhou is very close to Foshan. Clients sourcing tiles, sintered stone, sanitary ware, doors, windows, furniture, hardware, and lighting can continue to Foshan after the exhibition to visit showrooms and factories for a deeper comparison of products and suppliers.

What products are mainly featured in Phase 3?

Phase 3 focuses primarily on consumer goods and lifestyle products.

Products include apparel, shoes, bags, home textiles, office stationery, medical and health products, food, sports and leisure, personal care, pet supplies, and maternal and infant products.

If buyers mainly source these categories, Phase 3 will be much more targeted.

Therefore, when choosing Canton Fair phases, do not just look at your travel availability; check which phase your target products belong to first. Otherwise, even after arriving in Guangzhou, you may find that your target suppliers are not present during that current phase.

What should overseas buyers start preparing now?

When there is still some time before the Canton Fair, the most valuable preparation is not immediately contacting a massive number of suppliers, but organizing your procurement list first.

The clearer your product names, images, specifications, quantities, target prices, destination countries, and purchasing timelines are, the higher your on-site sourcing efficiency will be.

The official Canton Fair website already provides overseas buyers with portals for pre-registration, invitation letter applications, buyer badge applications, and exhibitor/product searches. Overseas buyers can complete these preparations in advance to avoid last-minute hassles upon arriving in Guangzhou.

For clients sourcing multiple categories, you can also screen a batch of target suppliers based on the exhibition zones in advance. This way, once you enter the exhibition halls, you do not need to wander around randomly from scratch, but can reserve your time for suppliers truly worth in-depth communication.

Do you need a sourcing agent during the Canton Fair?

If buyers are simply exploring the market and checking out new products, visiting the Canton Fair independently is sufficient.

However, if you have a clear procurement list and want to compare suppliers within limited time, record quotations, verify factory conditions, and continue with factory visits and order progression after the fair ends, having a local China procurement team will add significantly more value.

Easysail China can assist overseas buyers based on your product list with pre-fair product and supplier orientation, Canton Fair accompaniment, business communication, and supplier data logging. After the exhibition concludes, we can further arrange factory inspections, supplier verification, sample follow-ups, and quotation tracking in Guangzhou, Foshan, and across the Pearl River Delta.

If you plan to attend the 2026 Autumn Canton Fair, you can send your product list, purchasing quantities, planned phases, and travel dates to Easysail China in advance. We can help you determine which phase to prioritize and how to make your Canton Fair and subsequent China sourcing itinerary as effective as possible.