Sport Ireland Announces Record 33 Million Euro Funding for Irish Sports Bodies in 2026
Sport Ireland has announced a record 33.36 million euros in core funding for 2026, representing an 87.4% increase since the National Sports Policy was introduced in 2018 — with a new multi-year funding model designed to give sports organisations greater stability and long-term planning capacity.
The investment will be distributed among 57 National Governing Bodies (NGBs) and 29 Local Sports Partnerships (LSPs), with 19.5 million euros allocated to NGBs and 12.66 million euros to LSPs. A new three-year multiannual funding model is being introduced to replace the previous year-by-year approach, providing greater certainty for sports organisations as they plan coaching programmes, facilities, and competitions.
Background
Sport Ireland was established in 2015 as the statutory body responsible for the development of sport in Ireland, with a mandate covering everything from elite performance to grassroots participation. The organisation distributes government funding to national governing bodies, local sports partnerships, and other sporting organisations, and plays a central role in shaping Ireland's sporting landscape.
The National Sports Policy, introduced in 2018, set ambitious targets for increasing participation, improving facilities, and developing elite performance pathways. The 87.4% increase in core funding since 2018 reflects the government's commitment to those targets, though advocates for sport have consistently argued that investment levels still fall short of what is needed to match Ireland's ambitions as a sporting nation. The shift to a three-year multiannual funding model is a significant structural change that has been welcomed by governing bodies, who have long argued that annual funding cycles make long-term planning extremely difficult.
The 2024 Irish Sports Monitor report found that 49% of adults now participate in sport at least once a week — a 2% increase from the previous year. However, the report also raised a significant concern: the widening gap in sports participation between individuals with and without disabilities. This disparity grew to 22 percentage points in 2024, up from 17 points in 2017, prompting calls for targeted action to address one of the most persistent inequalities in Irish sporting life.
Key Developments
A pilot initiative will see 390,000 euros in targeted strategic investment allocated to NGBs with high growth potential, including those for boxing, rowing, and basketball. This reflects Sport Ireland's ambition to develop a broader range of competitive sports in Ireland, moving beyond the traditional dominance of Gaelic games, football, and rugby.
The funding announcement comes alongside a planning application for a national cricket centre at the National Sports Campus in Abbotstown, which is projected to generate a 93 million euro tourism dividend for Ireland between 2026 and 2030. The centre will play a key role in the 2030 men's T20 Cricket World Cup, which Ireland will co-host, with the tournament expected to contribute nearly 40 million euros to the Irish economy. The proposed stadium will have a permanent capacity of 4,240, expandable to 20,000 for the World Cup — a facility that would transform Ireland's capacity to host major international cricket events.
A separate report on gender balance in Irish sports media found that women's sport received 18% of overall media coverage in 2025 — a year-on-year increase, but still far short of parity. Print media provided the highest representation at 21.4%, while online platforms offered the lowest at just under 16%. Sport Ireland has signalled its intention to address this imbalance through targeted media engagement programmes in the coming years.
Why It Matters
The record funding announcement reflects a growing recognition in Ireland that investment in sport delivers returns far beyond the sporting arena. Regular physical activity reduces the burden on the health service, improves mental health outcomes, builds community cohesion, and develops the discipline and teamwork skills that benefit individuals throughout their lives. The shift to multiannual funding is particularly significant: it allows governing bodies to plan coaching pathways, recruit staff, and develop facilities with a degree of certainty that annual funding cycles simply cannot provide. For elite athletes, the funding supports the performance programmes that have delivered Ireland's most successful Olympic and Paralympic campaigns in recent years. For grassroots participants, it funds the local sports partnerships that make sport accessible in communities across the country.
Local Impact
Across Ireland, the record funding will be felt in sports clubs, community facilities, and local sports partnerships from Donegal to Cork. The 29 Local Sports Partnerships, which receive 12.66 million euros of the total, are the primary vehicle for delivering sport at community level — running programmes for older adults, people with disabilities, children, and those from disadvantaged backgrounds. The widening disability participation gap identified in the 2024 Irish Sports Monitor is a particular concern for LSPs, many of whom have been working to develop inclusive programmes but have been constrained by limited resources. The new multiannual funding model will give LSPs the stability they need to develop and sustain these programmes over time, rather than scrambling for annual renewals.
What's Next
Sport Ireland has indicated that the new multiannual funding model will be reviewed after the initial three-year period, with a view to extending it further if it proves effective. The organisation has also signalled its intention to address the disability participation gap through targeted programmes in the coming years. Read the full announcement at The Irish Times and further details at Sport Ireland.
