Not-for-profit European sport events

The EU Funding & Tenders Portal has announced a call for proposals under the Erasmus+ Programme targeting not-for-profit European sport events for 2026. This initiative is designed to provide financial support in the form of lump sum grants, specifically focusing on organizing sport events with significant European dimensions. Eligible applicants encompass a wide range of public bodies and organizations active in the field of sport from EU member states and associated countries.

Funding is allocated based on event categories. The financial support for European local events (Type I) is set at €200,000, while Type II events receive €300,000. European-wide events are allocated €450,000, and large-scale European events can receive between €1.5 million and €2 million. The total budget for this call is €9.5 million, structured around three specific topics.

The consortium requirements vary depending on the event type, necessitating a collaborative approach with a minimum number of organizations from different countries. Overall, the opportunity encourages projects that promote volunteering in sport, social inclusion, discrimination combatting, and healthy lifestyle initiatives.

The application process operates on a single-stage model. Submission opens on December 18, 2025, and closes on March 5, 2026, at 17:00 Brussels time. Evaluations will occur from March to August 2026, with grant agreements expected to be finalized by late 2026.

While co-funding is not required for most event categories under the lump sum model, large-scale events do necessitate a funding rate of 80%, meaning beneficiaries must cover the remaining 20%. The evaluation criteria for proposals include relevance to EU priorities, project design quality, partnership strength, and potential impact.

Importantly, the call explicitly excludes funding for regular sport competitions unless linked to broader social activities. This initiative aligns with EU values promoting social cohesion, health, and inclusion through sport, aiming to enhance the role of sports in fostering community development across Europe. For assistance, applicants can reach out to the European Education and Culture Executive Agency.

The EU Funding & Tenders Portal presents a call for proposals under the Erasmus+ Programme, specifically the Sport 2026 initiative (ERASMUS-SPORT-2026). This call focuses on Erasmus Lump Sum Grants (ERASMUS-LS) and utilizes the ERASMUS Lump Sum Grant [ERASMUS-AG-LS] Model Grant Agreement. The deadline model is single-stage. The planned opening date for submissions is December 18, 2025, and the deadline for submitting applications is March 5, 2026, at 17:00 Brussels time.

The scope of this action is to support the organization of sport events with a European dimension. The specific fields of focus include: volunteering in sport, social inclusion through sport, the fight against discrimination in sport (including gender equality), and encouraging healthy lifestyles for all. Projects prioritizing healthy lifestyles should focus on the implementation of the three pillars of the HealthyLifestyle4All initiative, the implementation of the Council Recommendation on health-enhancing physical activity and the EU Physical Activity Guidelines, support for the implementation of the European Week of Sport, the promotion of sport and physical activity as a tool for health, the promotion of all activities encouraging the practice of sport and physical activity, and the promotion of traditional sport and games.

The admissibility conditions require adherence to the proposal page limit and layout guidelines, which are described in the call document and in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System. The eligibility of countries, other eligibility conditions, financial and operational capacity, and exclusion criteria are all detailed in the call document. The submission and evaluation processes are also described in the call document. The evaluation criteria, scoring, thresholds, and the overall evaluation process are specified in the call document.

The indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement includes the publication of the call on November 12, 2025, a submission deadline of March 5, 2026, an evaluation period from March to August 2026, information to applicants in August 2026, and the signature of the grant agreement between November and December 2026. The legal and financial set-up of the grants is described in the call document.

The call document and annexes include the call document itself, application form templates (Standard application form (ERASMUS LSI) and Calculator (ERASMUS LS SPORT)), guidance documents (ERASMUS Programme Guide), and Model Grant Agreements (MGA) including the Lump Sum MGA. Additional documents include the ERASMUS+ Work Programme, ERASMUS Regulation 2021/817, EU Financial Regulation 2018/1046, 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 the Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement. There is also a newer version of the EU Financial Regulation listed as 2024/2509.

The budget overview for the year 2026 includes three specific topics: ERASMUS-SPORT-2026-SCP with a budget of 38,136,000 EUR, ERASMUS-SPORT-2026-SNCESE with a budget of 9,500,000 EUR, and ERASMUS-SPORT-2026-SSCP with a budget of 10,000,000 EUR. All three topics are Erasmus Lump Sum Grants and follow a single-stage submission process. The opening date for all three is December 18, 2025, and the deadline is March 5, 2026.

There are partner search announcements available, allowing LEARs, Account Administrators, and self-registrants to publish partner requests for open and forthcoming topics. The submission system is planned to open on the date stated in the topic header.

For help related to this call, applicants can contact EACEA-SPORT@ec.europa.eu. Additional support resources include the Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ, 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 (ERASMUS-SPORT-2026) provides funding for projects that organize European sport events, focusing on areas like volunteering, social inclusion, fighting discrimination, and promoting healthy lifestyles. The funding is provided as lump sum grants, and the application process is single-stage. Applicants need to carefully review the call document and related annexes for detailed information on eligibility criteria, evaluation processes, and the required legal and financial setup. The call aims to promote European values and initiatives within the sports sector, aligning with broader EU goals of social inclusion, health promotion, and equality.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. The text refers to "Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment" which suggests that a variety of legal entities are potentially eligible, pending further details in the call document. The mention of "LEARs, Account Administrators or self-registrants" indicates that organizations with established roles within the EU's funding and tender system are likely candidates.

Funding Type: The funding type is ERASMUS Lump Sum Grants (ERASMUS-LS).

Consortium Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. However, the presence of "Partner search announcements" suggests that collaboration and consortia are possible and perhaps encouraged.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The eligible countries are described in the call document, but not specified in the provided text. Given that it is an ERASMUS+ call, it is likely that EU member states and potentially other countries associated with the ERASMUS+ program are eligible.

Target Sector: The target sector is sport. The action aims to support the organisation of sport events with a European dimension, focusing on areas such as volunteering in sport, social inclusion through sport, fight against discrimination in sport (including gender equality), and encouraging healthy lifestyles for all. Specific priorities include the implementation of the HealthyLifestyle4All initiative, the Council Recommendation on health-enhancing physical activity, the European Week of Sport, and the promotion of traditional sport and games.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned in the provided text. The call has a European dimension, suggesting that it is targeted towards EU member states and potentially other countries participating in the Erasmus+ programme.

Project Stage: The project stage is the organisation of sport events. This suggests that the projects should be at the stage of implementation and execution, rather than initial research or idea development.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary by topic:
ERASMUS-SPORT-2026-SCP: EUR 38,136,000
ERASMUS-SPORT-2026-SNCESE: EUR 9,500,000
ERASMUS-SPORT-2026-SSCP: EUR 10,000,000

Application Type: The application type is an open call, as indicated by the "Call for proposal" designation and the availability of application forms and related documents. The deadline model is single-stage.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in the form of lump sum grants.

Application Stages: The application process is single-stage.

Success Rates: The indicative number of grants is mentioned, but the exact number of grants to be awarded under each topic is not specified. Therefore, the success rate cannot be determined from the provided text.

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not explicitly mention a co-funding requirement. This information would likely be detailed in the call document.

Summary:

This opportunity is a call for proposals under the ERASMUS+ program, specifically targeting sport events with a European dimension. The call aims to support projects that promote volunteering, social inclusion, fight against discrimination, and healthy lifestyles through sport. The funding is provided as lump sum grants, and the application process is single-stage. The call is structured around three main topics: ERASMUS-SPORT-2026-SCP, ERASMUS-SPORT-2026-SNCESE, and ERASMUS-SPORT-2026-SSCP, each with a distinct budget allocation. The call document and annexes provide detailed information on eligibility criteria, evaluation processes, and the legal and financial setup of the grants. The indicative timeline includes the publication of the call in November 2025, a submission deadline in March 2026, an evaluation period from March to August 2026, information to applicants in August 2026, and the signature of grant agreements between November and December 2026. Applicants are encouraged to consult the ERASMUS Programme Guide, Model Grant Agreements, and other additional documents for comprehensive guidance. Partner search announcements are available to facilitate the formation of consortia. The call is managed by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, and support is available through the EACEA-SPORT email address and the Funding & Tenders Portal helpdesk.