The International Congress of Mathematicians 2026

The International Congress of Mathematicians 2026 The International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM) took place in Philadelphia, USA, from July 23rd to July 30, 2026! The ICM is held every four years at varying locations throughout the globe. It's one of the biggest and most prestigious conferences in mathematics, drawing thousands of participants from around the world. A major attraction are the awards of a host of prizes. There are the famous Fields Medals, awarded to up to four mathematicians up to the age of forty for "outstanding mathematical achievement for existing work and for the promise of future achievement." Then there's the Abacus Medal, also awarded to researchers up to the age of forty, for "outstanding contributions in mathematical aspects of information sciences". The Carl Friedrich Gauss Prize, which honours "scientists whose mathematical research has had an impact outside mathematics". The Chern Medal is a lifetime achievement award, honouring "accomplishments that warrant the highest level of recognition for outstanding achievements in the field of mathematics". And last but not least, the Leelavati Prize recognises "outstanding contributions for increasing public awareness of mathematics". We attended the ICM and produced a range of articles and podcasts, including articles on most of the prizes. Enjoy! ICM 2026: A postcard from Philadelphia Hot weather, cold air conditioning, and fantastic mathematics — we report on our experience at this year's International Congress of Mathematicians. Breaking news from the ICM! The Fields Medals 2026: Yu Deng Yu Deng won a Fields Medal for work that addresses a grand mathematical dream. The Fields Medals 2026: John Pardon John Pardon won a Fields Medal for work in geometry that sheds a light on the nature of our Universe. The Fields Medals 2026: Jacob Tsimerman Jacob Tsimerman has won a Fields Medal for taming wild mathematical structures in algebraic geometry. The Fields Medals 2026: Hong Wang What do sound waves, snow flakes and spinning needles have in common? The answer is the mathematics of Hong Wang, who has just won a Fields Medal at the 2026 ICM. The Chern Medal 2026: A conversation with Graeme Segal Segal has won a Chern Medal for his "visionary mathematical insights that have had an enduring influence in a wide range of fields." The Leelavati Prize 2026: Hannah Fry Hannah Fry has won a Leelavati Prize for her creative and powerful approach to communicating that mathematics. You can listen to the podcast or read our interview with Hannah. Ulrike Tillmann: A view from the incoming IMU President The new IMU President tells us why it's important to have an International Congress of Mathematicians and about the role of the IMU. Scotland and Ireland to host the international maths community We talk to the team behind the Glasgow and Dublin bid about their plans for the 2030 International Congress of Mathematicians. Podcasts The Leelavati Prize 2026: Hannah Fry How do you make people care about mathematics? We asked Hannah Fry, winner of this year's Leelavati prize. Richard Samworth: The ICM 2026 Richard Samworth explains how statistics is simultaneously very theoretical and very applied, and what he most values about being part of the mathematical community. Julian Sahasrabudhe: The ICM 2026 Julian Sahasrabudhe tells us how he got into maths, combinatorics, and finding connections to other areas of maths. This content was produced as part of the collaboration between plus.maths.org and the London Mathematical Society and with kind support of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications.