PQ Media Forecasts 15.3% Global DOOH Growth in 2026 on Elections, Olympics, World Cup
2026-08-06 · via DailyDOOH
Global digital out-of-home ad spending grew 12% in 2025, a slowdown from 15.5% growth in 2024, according to PQ Media's Global Digital Out-of-Home Media Forecast 2026-2030. The research firm projects growth will accelerate again to 15.3% in 2026, driven by federal elections in 13 of the top 20 markets plus the Winter Olympics and FIFA World Cup.
For operators and media owners, the numbers matter because they show DOOH holding double-digit growth for a fourth consecutive year since the pandemic-driven 26% decline in 2020, according to PQ Media. That's a signal to anyone selling inventory or planning network expansion that the category has stabilized well above pre-pandemic trajectories.
PQ Media splits the market into digital place-based networks (DPNs), which grew 12.4% to $18.20 billion in 2025, and digital billboards and posters (DBBs), up 11.3% to $9.28 billion. The firm credits growth to a stronger film slate lifting cinema screens, brands adopting retail media in both DPN and DBB retail venues, expanded concert touring boosting sports and entertainment venues, and office return-to-work patterns lifting roadside, transit and corporate venues.
PQ Media CEO and founder Patrick Quinn said brands and agencies increasingly view DOOH as core to omni-channel campaigns because it reaches consumers near the point of decision, citing gas stations and malls as examples. He also pointed to AI and programmatic buying as tools DOOH operators are using to sharpen targeting, simplify national buys and improve ROI reporting for clients.
Supply chain and cost pressure
The report flags headwinds that will concern anyone budgeting for new screens: global tariff disputes and the Iran conflict have pushed inflation back up, and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has disrupted supply chains for DPN and DBB hardware. PQ Media says this has delayed signage deliveries and made ordering new digital screens more expensive, a detail operators planning network builds in 2026 will want to factor into procurement timelines.
Market rankings
China is now the largest OOH market globally at $16.65 billion in 2025, with the US second at $14.64 billion, ranking only 10th in growth at 6.2%. Australia posted the fastest growth at 9.7% and leads the world in DOOH's share of overall OOH spending, at 60.6%. Consumer exposure to DOOH globally rose 6.7% in 2025 even as traditional OOH exposure fell 3%, PQ Media says, reinforcing the shift toward digital formats industry-wide.
The announcement does not detail methodology or country-level DOOH growth figures beyond the highlights given. A free executive summary and sample datasets from the full forecast are available through PQ Media.
The announcement in full
Reproduced from DailyDOOH for reference. Digital Signage Magazine did not write the text below.
Global digital out-of-home (DOOH) media spending, including digital place-based networks and digital billboards & signage, grew at a decelerated rate of 12% in 2025, down from a 15.5% increase in 2024. Federal elections in 13 of the top 20 markets, as well as the Winter Olympics and FIFA World Cup will fuel a 15.3% gain in 2026, according to new research from PQ Media .
PQ Media CEO & Founder Patrick Quinn told us “Increasingly, brands and agencies are telling us that DOOH is an integral part of omni-media campaigns as it drives engagement near the point of decision, such as gas station and mall DPNs when one is shopping. Aiding that sentiment are DOOH operators using technology, like AI and programmatic buying, to help develop stronger messages, make national media buying easier, and to track results more efficiently to provide ROI metrics for their clients. It’s become a convincing story that DOOH media has evolved to an extent that clearly indicates its positive impact on brand equity, company reputation and emotional connections with target consumers throughout the day” .
The pandemic, which caused a 26.0% decline in 2020, is now firmly in the rear mirror, with global and US DOOH posting its fourth consecutive year of double-digit growth in 2025, according to PQ Media’s Global Digital Out-of-Home Media Forecast 2026-2030.
Global digital place-based ad networks (DPNs) posted slightly stronger growth rates, rising 12.4% to $18.20 billion in 2025, compared with digital billboards & posters (DBBs) that increased 11.3% to $9.28 billion. Among the drivers of growth during the year was an increase in film releases that fueled growth in the cinema venue; brands embracing the concept of retail media propelling growth in the both DPN and DBB retail venues; musical acts expanding concert tour dates to fuel growth in sports & entertainment venues; and employees returning to corporate headquarters from home offices pushing growth in the roadside, transit and corporate & education venues, according to PQ Media. In 2026, the elections and international sporting events will drive a surge of growth in many of the same venues.
Despite all the positive trends, the DOOH industry worldwide is concerned about the negative headwinds that have been caused by the global tariff battles and the Iran War that have caused inflation to rise once again. The Iran conflict has also caused the closing of the Hormuz Strait, which has led to significant supply-chain issues for operators attempting to expand DPN and DBB networks, meaning signage deliveries have been delayed and ordering new digital screens has become more expensive.
PQ Media’s new research shows that nearly all key indicators and drivers of overall OOH and DOOH media growth are showing strong growth signals. Among these are the following:
Consumers are shopping at brick-and-mortar stores again, as monthly foot traffic has risen in each of the last two years;
People are taking mass transit again, with trains, subways, and buses reporting higher passenger counts;
However, miles driven by car and flown in airplanes flattened for a short period in mid-2026 due to rising gas prices, but there is an anticipated increase during the summer vacation months and beyond;
Movie theaters are reporting their highest admissions in 2026, although still lower than pre-pandemic 2019, with highest number of blockbusters in seven years;
Attendance at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy and FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada & Mexico has surpassed admissions at the 2022 Winter Olympics in China and FIFA World Cup in Qatar, with many official sponsors offering real-time stats and results via DOOH nets and signage.
China has become the largest OOH market in the world, reaching $16.65 billion in 2025, while Australia was the fastest growing, up 9.7% during the year. Fourteen of the 20 leading OOH markets with post double-digit growth in 2026, led primarily by the countries hosting the international sporting event. Australia also is the leading market in DOOH’s share of overall OOH spending, where it accounted for 60.6% in 2025, one of four countries that exceeded a 50% share.
The United States is now the second largest overall OOH market at $14.64 billion in 2025, ranking 10th in growth at 6.2%, according to PQ Media. The largest venue categories were Cinema in DPNs, Roadside in both DBBs and Static BBs, and Foot Traffic in Ambient OOH. Transit was the fastest-growing venue category in all four OOH platforms – DPNs, DBBs, Static BBs and Ambient OOH.
Global consumer exposure (or time spent with) OOH rose 0.7% to 1.12 hours per week (HPW) in 2025, according to PQ Media. Consumer exposure to DOOH accounts for 40.6% of time spent engaged with OOH, growing 6.7% in 2025. Traditional OOH exposure fell 3%. Taiwan consumer exposure is the highest worldwide at 6.33 HPW, while Germany posted the fastest growth, up 3.8% in 2025. Netherlands leads in traditional OOH exposure, at 3.54 HPW, while Russia posted the fastest growth, up 1.1%. Australia leads in DOOH exposure and share of DOOH to overall OOH exposure at 3.40 HPW and a 73.3% share, while Germany registered the fastest DOOH exposure growth in 2025, rising 11.1%. The United States ranked 12th in total OOH exposure at 3.12 HPW in 2025, according to PQ Media’s Global Digital Out-of-Home Media Forecast 2026-2030.
To download a FREE Executive Summary, Table of Contents and Sample Datasets from the new Forecast, click here .
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