23.02.2024
Major event grants support the organisation of top-level sports and athletic events
Minister of Youth, Sport and Physical Activity, Sandra Bergqvist, has decided on the grants for top-level sports competitions and major events. Grants were awarded to 35 competitions and other sports events that will be organised this and next year. The total sum of the grants is two million euros.
According to the program of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s government, Finland will further increase its role as an international organiser of sports events.
The purpose of the grant is to create the conditions to apply for and support the organisation of top-level sports competitions and other significant events related to sports culture in Finland for the years 2024–2026. Primarily, the grant is awarded for the costs of preparations of the sports’ World Championships or European Championships.
In recent years, the Ministry of Education and Culture has directed financial support to the bidding for, preparation of, and execution of events. This way, it has been ensured that the events are successful and that their planning and implementation can happen in full force.
Between the years 2025–2027, Finland will annually organise at least two major World or European Championship level competitions, which will have significant regional economic and functional importance.
International level event expertise developed in a network
The Ministry of Education and Culture and the network of sports event cities have been cooperating on a national level for several years, promoting Finnish event expertise internationally. The ministry has supported the Sport Event Management Finland activity founded by event cities.
“Our aim is to support this cooperation network so that the activities become established and expand to cover all the key event cities and the organisers involved. This way, both national and Scandinavian coordination and expertise in bidding for, organising, and evaluating the impact and verification of major sports events are developed,” Minister Sandra Bergqvist outlines.
“The goal is that through cooperation, Finland’s reputation and appeal as a leading Nordic country in organising sports, physical activity, and wellness events, as well as in expertise in related areas, are enhanced,” Bergqvist continues.
Through event cooperation, the research methods for evaluating the impact of events are also developed for use by event organisers, event cities, ministries, and other stakeholders.
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Source: Press release of The Ministry of Education and Culture, February 22, 2024. Original press release (in Finnish) here.