Sports clubs and Erasmus+: the funding route most clubs miss
Of the three sectors Global Horizons works with, sports clubs are the most consistently surprised that Erasmus+ is open to them at all. Most coaches and chairs assume the scheme is for universities, schools and the odd big college. It isn't — and clubs that figure this out before their neighbours do are quietly funding the kind of coach development and youth exchanges they used to fundraise hard for.
What sports clubs can actually apply for
Two funded routes matter most. The first is mobility for staff and coaches — short structured visits to clubs or training organisations overseas to develop coaching practice. The second is small-scale partnerships and group mobility for young people, particularly where the activity links to grassroots sport development, inclusion, or healthy lifestyles.
Both run on the same per-participant unit-cost model as the rest of Erasmus+. Travel by distance band, subsistence per day, organisational support per head. For a constituted club sending two or three coaches abroad for a week of structured CPD, the maths usually works.
Who counts as a "sports club"
You need to be a constituted organisation — that means a written constitution, a committee or board, and a bank account in the club's name. National-governing-body affiliation isn't required but is helpful evidence of credibility.
Strictly informal groups (a few mates running a Sunday league out of a pub WhatsApp) won't pass the eligibility check. Established community clubs, youth sport organisations, and disability sport groups generally do.
Why most clubs miss it
Three reasons, in our experience. First, clubs assume the scheme is academic-only. Second, the application form is built for organisations rather than individuals, so a coach reading it on their phone tends to bounce off. Third, the partnership requirement — you need at least one credible overseas club or organisation to host or partner — feels harder than it actually is once you start asking.
The 2026/27 Funding Map we've put together has a section specifically on the sport strand: who's eligible, what's funded, indicative budgets and the partnership routes that work best for grassroots clubs. Download it below or book a 30-minute discovery call and we'll tell you, honestly, whether your club is a candidate this round.