Federal Building Minister Verena Hubertz has given the green light for another funding round of the federal programme for the refurbishment of municipal sports facilities. In the business plan of the Special Fund for Infrastructure and Climate Neutrality, EUR 333 million is once again available for this purpose. The initiative aims to provide financial support to towns and municipalities for the structural modernisation of their sports properties.
Verena Hubertz, Federal Minister for Housing, Urban Development and Building, emphasised the fundamental importance of local sports facilities for society. She noted that all of today's top athletes took their first sporting steps in local clubs. To secure such achievements for future generations as well, modern and sustainable infrastructure must be available for club and grassroots sports. The federal government is therefore once again supporting municipalities with upcoming refurbishment projects.
Deadlines, eligibility and forwarding of funds
Expressions of interest are to be submitted digitally to the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development. Eligible participants include cities, municipalities and administrative districts, which can submit their applications until the deadline on 1 February 2027. Forwarding approved funding to third parties, such as local sports clubs, is expressly permitted under the guidelines.
Funding is provided for the comprehensive structural refurbishment of publicly accessible sports halls, outdoor sports facilities, as well as indoor and outdoor swimming pools. The federal programme links financial support to defined requirements: while binding energy standards must be met for the refurbishment of enclosed buildings, sustainability is the primary focus for outdoor sports facilities and open-air swimming pools.
- —Comprehensive structural and energy refurbishment of publicly accessible sports halls
- —Modernisation of municipal indoor and outdoor swimming pools in compliance with energy standards
- —Sustainable repair of publicly usable outdoor sports facilities
Decision by the Budget Committee
The final project selection from the incoming expressions of interest is made by the Budget Committee of the German Bundestag. As a result, the allocation of the multi-million investment funds remains in parliamentary hands.
