RIPE NCC opens the call for a CAPIF 6 host

What changed

The RIPE NCC has opened the call for a local host for CAPIF 6, the next Central Asia Peering and Interconnection Forum. The meeting is planned for September 2027. Applications close on 30 November 2026. The page asks interested organisations to email regional@ripe.net.

CAPIF is a two-day annual meeting for network engineers, peering coordinators, providers, cloud operators and data-centre staff. The RIPE NCC expects around 300 participants and depends on a local host for venue, connectivity, staffing and local promotion. Host benefits listed on the page include opening and closing mentions, logo placement and a short welcome speech that is not a sales pitch.

Host responsibilities include helping find a plenary venue (at least 250 theatre-style seats), coffee-break space for 250-300 people, three boardrooms, lunch capacity for at least 250 people, evening social venues, Internet connectivity of at least 250 Mbps (IPv6 is listed as a plus), visa invitation letters, printing of participant t-shirts and two roll-up banners, and three to five staff for setup and meeting days.

One later paragraph on the same page still says “host CAPIF 5”. The page title, heading and deadline all refer to CAPIF 6. Applicants should treat the meeting as CAPIF 6 and ask RIPE NCC if a line on the form is unclear.

Why it matters for BYOIP teams

CAPIF is where Central Asia peering, interconnection and routing-security work is discussed. Our earlier coverage of Kazakhstan's ROA coverage and the ROV gap came from measurement work presented around CAPIF 5. A host in the region shapes where that conversation continues in 2027. This is not a November 2026 calendar item; the meeting itself is a year away.

What to check

• Whether your organisation can meet the venue, connectivity and staffing list before 30 November 2026.
• Whether the proposed city has visa or permitting rules that would affect a 300-person international meeting.
• The address regional@ripe.net for questions, and confirmation that the application is for CAPIF 6 rather than the CAPIF 5 wording still present on the page.