Last updated: October 27, 2026. This explainer describes how the 2026 G20 summit is organized and what has been reported. It does not take a position on any country’s policy or on the host’s decisions. Summit plans, guest lists and attendance can change quickly, so check official U.S. government and G20 pages for the latest. This guide is not affiliated with any government.
The Group of 20 leaders will meet in the United States this December, and the run-up has already been unusual: a resort owned by the host president as the venue, a full G20 member left off the guest list, and doubts about whether some leaders will show up. This guide explains the basics in plain terms: when and where the summit is, who is coming, what the U.S. says it wants to discuss, and what to watch before and after December 14.
The Short Answer
- When: December 14-15, 2026.
- Where: Trump National Doral Miami, a golf resort in Doral, Florida, owned by President Donald Trump. The White House has said the resort will host "at cost," with no profit from the State Department or a foreign government (CBS News).
- Who hosts: The United States holds the 2026 G20 presidency.
- Who is not invited: South Africa, a full G20 member. The U.S. announced it on November 27, 2025.
- What the U.S. says it wants: a "back-to-basics" agenda focused on economic growth, lighter regulation, affordable energy and new technology.
- Biggest open question: who will actually attend, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose attendance was unconfirmed in reports this year.
What the G20 Is and Why It Matters
The G20 is a forum for the world’s major economies. It began in 1999 as a meeting of finance ministers and central bank governors after the Asian financial crisis, and it has held leaders’ summits since 2008. Its members include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States, plus the European Union and the African Union. Together, these members account for most of the world’s economic output, which is why G20 decisions on trade, debt and financial rules carry weight even though the group has no treaty or enforcement power.
The presidency rotates each year, and the host sets the agenda and decides which guests to invite. That is why the host’s choices, from the venue to the guest list, shape the whole year.
Dates, Venue and the Ethics Debate
President Trump announced the Doral plan in the Oval Office on September 5, 2025. The resort has four golf courses and a ballroom of more than 24,000 square feet, according to CBS News. Trump planned to host a 2020 G7 summit at the same property but dropped the idea after criticism that a major gathering at his own business would generate revenue for him. This time, the White House says the venue will be used at cost. Critics have raised ethics concerns about holding an official summit at a property owned by the host, while supporters point to the resort’s size and security setup. The article you are reading takes no side, but it is a point to watch in coverage.
Who Is Invited, and Who Is Not
The G20 members are the core participants. In addition, the U.S. has reportedly invited a smaller group of guest countries. According to Wikipedia’s page on the summit, which may be updated, the invited guests are Azerbaijan, Finland, Ireland, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Qatar, Singapore, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. The administration has said it wants a smaller, more streamlined event than recent G20 summits.
South Africa. Trump announced on November 27, 2025 that South Africa would not be invited. He cited its treatment of Afrikaners and a dispute over South Africa’s refusal to hand the G20 presidency to a U.S. embassy representative at the end of the 2025 Johannesburg summit. South Africa’s government has said it is prepared to wait out the decision. Because South Africa is a founding member, its absence is unusual. For background on South Africa’s economic ties with China, see our article on China’s "Made in Africa" strategy.
Poland. Poland is not a G20 member, but its president, Karol Nawrocki, has been reported as an invited guest.
What the United States Wants From the Summit
When the summit was announced, the administration described a "back-to-basics" approach tied to the G20’s original goals of economic growth and financial stability. Reported priorities include reducing regulatory burdens, affordable energy and new technologies. At that time, National Economic Council director Kevin Hassett was described as the point person for the summit, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was said to be organizing the agenda. Roles may have changed since, so check current government sources.
A streamlined agenda also means fewer of the climate, development and debt-relief topics that featured in recent years, though what actually appears on the final program is not confirmed. Compare this with the climate-focused diplomacy around COP31 in Antalya, which takes place within weeks.
Will Everyone Show Up?
Attendance is the main uncertainty.
- Vladimir Putin: A Reuters report in April 2026 said the Kremlin was unsure whether Putin would go to Miami. A later Bloomberg report, cited on Wikipedia with a September 2026 retrieval date, carries the headline "Putin plans to skip G20 This year." His attendance is not confirmed. Any Russian participation would be shaped by the state of the war in Ukraine, which we cover in our piece on the Russia-Ukraine peace talks.
- Xi Jinping: Our earlier article on APEC 2026 in Shenzhen notes that Xi is expected at the G20 in Miami, and APEC, held November 18-19, comes first. The meeting would follow the leaders’ talks covered in our report on the Trump-Xi summit in Washington. Attendance can still change.
- Other leaders: Heads of state sometimes send ministers instead. Watch the official delegation lists in the days before the summit.
Will There Be a Joint Declaration?
G20 summits traditionally end with a leaders’ declaration, but this is not guaranteed. Agreeing on shared language among 20 economies with sharp disagreements on trade, Ukraine and the Middle East is difficult, and a host can instead issue a chair’s summary. No declaration is confirmed for Miami. When the final text appears, check whether it is signed by all members or only some, and which topics were dropped. The United Nations offers a useful comparison for how consensus can break down; see our explainer on how the UN Security Council veto works.
Key Dates to Watch
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| November 18-19, 2026 | APEC leaders’ meeting in Shenzhen, China |
| Late November to early December | Final guest lists, ministerial and Sherpa preparations (dates not confirmed here) |
| December 14-15, 2026 | G20 leaders’ summit at Trump National Doral Miami |
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the 2026 G20 summit?
December 14-15, 2026, near Miami, Florida.
Where is the G20 summit being held?
At Trump National Doral Miami in Doral, Florida, a resort owned by the U.S. president. The White House says it will host at cost.
Why was South Africa not invited to the 2026 G20?
President Trump said so on November 27, 2025, citing South Africa’s treatment of Afrikaners and a dispute about the handover of the G20 presidency at the end of the 2025 Johannesburg summit. South Africa disputes the reasoning.
Is Putin attending the G20 in Miami?
It is not confirmed. Reports in 2026 said the Kremlin was undecided, and a later report said he planned to skip the summit.
What is on the G20 agenda in 2026?
The U.S. has described a back-to-basics agenda focused on economic growth, deregulation, affordable energy and new technology. The final program had not been confirmed at the time of writing.
Which countries are invited as guests?
Reported guests include Azerbaijan, Finland, Ireland, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Qatar, Singapore, Spain, the UAE, Uzbekistan and Vietnam, according to Wikipedia. The list may change.
Sources: CBS News, "Trump announces plans to host 2026 G20 summit at his Doral resort" (September 2025) for the venue, dates, ethics background and stated priorities; Wikipedia, "2026 G20 Miami summit" (accessed October 27, 2026), which cites Reuters (April 24, 2026), Bloomberg (September 2026) and the South Africa decision of November 27, 2025, for the guest list and attendance reports. Wikipedia is a secondary source and some details may be unsourced, so confirm key facts with official U.S. government announcements.
