Large scale not-for-profit European sport event

The Erasmus+ Programme has announced a call for proposals titled "Large scale not-for-profit European sport event" with the call identifier ERASMUS-SPORT-2026-LSSNCESE. The opening date for the call is November 13, 2025, and the submission deadline is January 22, 2026, at 17:00 Brussels time. This opportunity aims to support the organization of large-scale European sport events that promote various objectives, including volunteering, social inclusion, the fight against discrimination, and the encouragement of healthy lifestyles through sport.

Eligible applicants include legal entities, both public and private, established in EU Member States or third countries associated with the Erasmus+ Programme, and active in the field of sport. The proposals must involve a minimum consortium of 15 organizations representing different EU Member States or associated countries.

Funding for this initiative ranges from €1.5 million to €2 million, covering 80% of project costs through a budget-based grant mechanism. Projects are expected to last between 12 to 18 months, emphasizing social impact, inclusion, and the implementation of multiple sports events throughout the year.

The evaluation process consists of two stages: an admissibility and selection criteria assessment followed by an award criteria evaluation, requiring a minimum of 60 points for consideration. Co-funding is not mandatory but organizations must cover 20% of eligible costs.

The call targets the sport and physical activity sector, emphasizing initiatives that align with the EU's health and sports policies. Evaluative criteria include project relevance, design quality, partnership quality, and overall impact.

The proposal must be submitted electronically, with detailed guidelines available in the call documentation. Overall, this is a significant funding opportunity aimed at promoting large European-scale sports initiatives with measurable societal benefits.

The EU Funding & Tenders Portal presents a call for proposals for a Large scale not-for-profit European sport event under the Erasmus+ Programme (ERASMUS). The call identifier is ERASMUS-SPORT-2026-LSNCESE. The type of action is ERASMUS-PJG ERASMUS Project Grants, utilizing an ERASMUS Action Grant Budget-Based [ERASMUS-AG] Model Grant Agreement. This is a forthcoming call with a single-stage deadline model.

The planned opening date for the call is November 13, 2025, and the deadline for submitting applications is January 22, 2026, at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

The scope of this action is to support the organisation of sport events with a European dimension in the following fields: Volunteering in sport; Social inclusion through sport; Fight against discrimination in sport, including gender equality; Encouraging healthy lifestyle for all. Projects under the healthy lifestyle priority will mainly focus on: a) the implementation of the three pillars of the HealthyLifestyle4All initiative, b) the implementation of the Council Recommendation on health-enhancing physical activity and the EU Physical Activity Guidelines, c) the support to the implementation of the European Week of Sport, d) the promotion of sport and physical activity as a tool for health, e) the promotion of all activities encouraging the practice of sport and physical activity, f) promotion of traditional sport and games.

Regarding the conditions for application, the proposal page limit and layout are described in the call document and in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System. The eligible countries, other eligible conditions, financial and operational capacity and exclusion criteria, submission and evaluation processes, award criteria, scoring and thresholds, and the legal and financial set-up of the grants are all detailed in the call document.

The indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement is as follows: Publication of the call: November 12, 2025; Deadline for submitting applications: January 22, 2026, 17:00 (Brussels time); Evaluation period: Feb-March 2026; Information to applicants: April-May 2026; Signature of grant agreement: May-June 2026.

The call document and annexes include the call document itself, standard application form templates (ERASMUS BB and LSII), the ERASMUS Programme Guide, and the ERASMUS MGA Model Grant Agreement. Additional documents include the ERASMUS+ Work Programme, ERASMUS Regulation 2021/817, EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment, EU Grants AGA Annotated Model Grant Agreement, Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions, and Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement.

The budget for the topic ERASMUS-SPORT-2026-LSSNCESE ERASMUS Project Grants is EUR 1,500,000 for the year 2026. The submission process is single-stage. The opening date is November 13, 2025, and the deadline is January 22, 2026.

There are 8 partner search announcements available for collaboration on this topic. LEARs, Account Administrators, or self-registrants can publish partner requests for open and forthcoming topics, as well as any user having an active public Person profile.

The submission system is planned to be opened on the date stated on the topic header.

Applicants are advised to read all provisions carefully before preparing their application. For help related to this call, contact ERASMUS-SPORT@ec.europa.eu. Additional support resources include the Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ for submission of proposals, the IT Helpdesk for technical issues, and the Online Manual for a step-by-step guide through the Portal processes.

In summary, this Erasmus+ call seeks to fund large-scale, non-profit European sport events that promote volunteering, social inclusion, fight against discrimination, and encourage healthy lifestyles. The application process involves a single stage, with a deadline in January 2026. Applicants should consult the call document and related annexes for detailed instructions on eligibility, proposal format, evaluation criteria, and financial regulations. The EU provides various support resources, including a dedicated email address, an IT helpdesk, and an online manual, to assist applicants throughout the process. The total budget allocated to this topic is 1.5 million EUR.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, the call is for "Large scale not-for-profit European sport event", which suggests that eligible applicants could include not-for-profit organizations, NGOs, public bodies, and other entities capable of organizing large-scale European sport events. The mention of LEARs (Legal Entity Appointed Representatives) also suggests that established organizations are likely to be eligible.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically an ERASMUS Project Grant (ERASMUS-PJG) under the ERASMUS program. The Type of MGA (Model Grant Agreement) is ERASMUS Action Grant Budget-Based [ERASMUS-AG].

Consortium Requirement: The text doesn't explicitly state whether a consortium is required. However, the presence of a "Partner search announcements" section suggests that collaborative projects involving multiple partners are possible and potentially encouraged. It is possible to apply as a single applicant, but the partner search functionality indicates that consortia are welcome.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The call is for "European sport event," implying that the beneficiary scope is within Europe. The "Eligible Countries" condition is mentioned but the specific countries are described in the call document.

Target Sector: The target sector is sport, with a focus on events with a European dimension. Specific areas of focus include: Volunteering in sport; Social inclusion through sport; Fight against discrimination in sport, including gender equality; Encouraging healthy lifestyle for all, with emphasis on the HealthyLifestyle4All initiative, the Council Recommendation on health-enhancing physical activity and the EU Physical Activity Guidelines, the European Week of Sport, sport and physical activity as a tool for health, activities encouraging the practice of sport and physical activity, and promotion of traditional sport and games.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned in the provided text, but the call is focused on Europe, implying that EU member states and potentially other European countries are eligible.

Project Stage: The project stage is focused on the organisation of sport events, suggesting that the projects should be at the implementation or execution stage. The call supports the organisation of events, not research or idea development.

Funding Amount: The budget for the topic ERASMUS-SPORT-2026-LSSNCESE is EUR 1,500,000. The text also mentions "Indicative number of grants" but does not specify the number.

Application Type: The application type is an open call, with a single-stage submission process.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a grant to support the organisation of sport events.

Application Stages: The application process is single-stage.

Success Rates: The success rates are not mentioned in the provided text.

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not explicitly mention a co-funding requirement.

Summary:

This opportunity is an ERASMUS Project Grant (ERASMUS-PJG) under the ERASMUS program, aimed at supporting the organisation of large-scale, not-for-profit European sport events. The call, titled "Large scale not-for-profit European sport event (ERASMUS-SPORT-2026-LSNCESE)", has a budget of EUR 1,500,000. The key areas of focus are volunteering, social inclusion, fighting discrimination (including gender equality), and promoting healthy lifestyles through sport. The call encourages projects that align with the HealthyLifestyle4All initiative, the Council Recommendation on health-enhancing physical activity, the EU Physical Activity Guidelines, and the European Week of Sport.

The application process is a single-stage open call, with a deadline of January 22, 2026, at 17:00 Brussels time. The call was published on November 12, 2025. The evaluation period is scheduled for February-March 2026, with information to applicants expected in April-May 2026, and the signature of the grant agreement in May-June 2026.

While the specific eligible applicant types and countries are not detailed in this excerpt, the call targets European entities capable of organizing large-scale sport events. The presence of a partner search function suggests that consortia are welcome. Applicants should consult the call document and related annexes for detailed information on eligibility criteria, proposal guidelines, and evaluation procedures. The provided contact email ERASMUS-SPORT@ec.europa.eu and links to the Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ, IT Helpdesk, and Online Manual offer further support for applicants.