At the 2026 European Sport Platform, hosted by the Croatian Olympic Committee, ENGSO’s longstanding partner, The European Lotteries (EL), highlighted the essential role of national lotteries in providing sustainable, long-term funding for grassroots sport and supporting the European Sport Model.

During the session, EL Senior Policy Officer Leandro Pereira Mendes shared that, in 2024 alone, EL members contributed a record €29.4 billion to society, including more than €2 billion to sport. Drawing on examples from Norway, the United Kingdom and Croatia, Leandro demonstrated how lottery funding supports sport at all levels — from local clubs and community facilities to national federations and the Olympic and Paralympic movements. You can read more about the funding here. 

ENGSO and EL have been collaborating since 2009, joining forces through several initiatives, including ASPIRE, SPIRIT and EQUIP, as well as the Youth Integrity Ambassadors Programme. These initiatives reflect both organisations’ shared commitment to strengthening grassroots sport across Europe and promoting and protecting the integrity and values of sport, including fair play, democracy, good governance and equality.