A new grant of 300,000 euros for major sporting competitions in the Basque Country has been published.

How and when it was published

The Department of Culture and Language Policy of the Basque Government has established a new grant of €300,000 for organising major international sports competitions in the Basque Country. This is an Order signed by Ibone Bengoetxea Otaolea, First Vice-Lehendakari and Minister of Culture and Language Policy, on 7 July 2026, and it has been published in issue 156 of the Boletín Oficial del País Vasco (BOPV) today, 18 August 2026. The official document reference is 2026/3641.

This Order has been created with the aim of promoting the organisation of major international sports competitions in the Basque Autonomous Community, taking into account the importance of such competitions for promoting sports practice, their capacity to create competitive frameworks for athletes, and their ability to generate economic activity.

Regulatory framework and legal basis

This Order is developed within the framework established by Law 2/2023 on Physical Activity and Sport in the Basque Country (of 30 March). That law considers sport to be a significant public activity, both because it is a key driver for sports development in the Basque Country, because it is essential for promoting sports development, and as a representative of the national and international sports scene.

Furthermore, this Order falls within the Strategic Grants Plan (2025-2028) of the Department of Culture and Language Policy and the 2025 General Grants Plan, and was approved by means of an Order adopted on 17 February 2026, published on the department’s website.

Financial resources and grant limits

• Total: €300,000.
• Credit for payment in 2026: €150,000.
• Commitment credit for 2027: €150,000.
• Maximum grant per activity: €20,000.

If the maximum limits are not fully used, the surplus funds may be distributed among other applications, redistributed according to scoring.

Who can apply

• Sports federations, sports clubs, sports associations and commercial companies whose purpose is sport.
• Other legal entities that organise periodic or occasional activities in the sports field.
• They must be registered in the registers of the Basque Autonomous Community; otherwise, they must prove their legal incorporation and statutes.

Entities that engage in discrimination, those in any of the situations provided for in Article 13 of Law 20/2023 (of 21 December), or those receiving nominative grants from other public administrations for the same competition, may not receive funding.

Which competitions are taken into account

As regards subsidies, the following competition categories will be eligible:

• They must be included in the official calendar of an International Federation, European Federation or Professional League.
• In world-level competitions, athletes from at least two continents must participate.
• Participants must be from at least two different countries.
• In competitions with a circuit or league format, they must be organized in two different countries.

In addition, there are special rules for three specific modalities:

• Tennis: Competitions included in the calendar of the European Federation, ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) and the International Adapted Sports Federation will be considered.
• Surfing: Competitions included in the calendar of the International Association, European Federation and ASP (Association of Surfing Professionals) will be considered.
• Boxing: Competitions where an official international title can be obtained will be considered.

How points will be distributed: maximum of 110 points

The Evaluation Committee will score each application up to 110 points, based on six criteria:

• Competition level (maximum 50 points):
  • World Championship: 50 points.
  • European Championship: 45 points.
  • World Cup: 35 points.
  • World Championship (circuit/league format): 30 points.
  • International events at the highest level: 20 points.
• Absolute category (10 points): Yes or no, 10 points or 0.
• Being part of the Olympic program (10 points): Yes or no, 10 points or 0.
• Number of editions (maximum 20 points): More than 50 editions: 20; 41-50: 15; 31-40: 10; 16-30: 5; 1-15: 0.
• Complementary lower-level activities (5 points): If the main competition includes complementary lower-level sports competitions.
• Women’s participation (maximum 15 points): Competitions made up exclusively of women: 15; more than 50%: 10; less than 50%: 5; no women: 0.

Deadlines and method for submitting applications

Applications must be submitted within one month from the day after publication in the BOPV. Submission must be fully electronic, through the Electronic Headquarters of the Basque Government. The application may be submitted in Basque or Spanish, at the applicant’s choice, and all communication throughout the procedure will be in that language.

The order has immediate effect: it comes into force the day after its publication in the BOPV, and applicants must pay tax commitments, Social Security obligations and equality plans.

Resolution and appeals

The resolution will be issued within six months from the entry into force of the Order. Appeals: a potestative appeal may be filed within one month before the Minister of Culture and Language Policy, or within two months before the High Court of Justice of the Basque Autonomous Community for contentious-administrative appeal.

Source: Official Gazette of the Basque Country (BOPV), issue 156, August 18, 2026, Other Provisions section (official reference: 2026/3641).