Latvia's Ministry Allocates 500,000 Euros for Mass Sports Events in 2026

The Ministry of Education and Science (MoES) has approved 500,000 euros in state co-financing for 16 mass sports events to be held in 2026. This amount is more than double the 250,000 euros allocated in 2025. A total of 63 project applications were submitted by sports federations and organizations, totaling over 1.69 million euros.

The supported events cover a variety of sports and activities, including orienteering, cycling, running, hiking, team sports, dance sports, and family activities. Special emphasis is placed on engaging children, youth, and families, as well as promoting a healthy lifestyle.

Among the funded events are the Latvian Orienteering Federation's "Latvian Orienteering Night" and "Riga Indoor Orienteering Cup," the Latvian Athletics Union's "Running Series 'Run Out Riga'" and "Trail Running and Hiking Series 'Stirnu buks 2026,'" as well as the Latvian Cycling Federation's "Toyota Riga Velomarathon" and "Vivus.lv MTB Marathon."

Aleksandrs Samoilovs, Director of the MoES Sports Department, emphasized that mass sports events are an effective way to promote physical activity and healthy habits. He noted that the doubling of funding allows for supporting more events and reaching more participants across Latvia.

Each event can receive up to 40,000 euros in co-financing, covering no more than 50% of total costs. Projects were evaluated based on accessibility, participation fees, projected number of participants, and sustainability.

On May 26, the government additionally allocated 338,985 euros for mass sports support, raising the total funding to over 830,000 euros. This will allow additional events to be supported, including those that initially did not receive funding, thereby expanding opportunities for residents, especially children and youth, to engage in sports.