Sport policy and politics in Europe

Jürgen Mittag, Iain Lindsey and Till Müller-Schoell

Chapter 4 in Research Handbook on Sport in Europe, 2026, pp 32-44 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: While initially shaped by the case law of the European Court of Justice on the Common Market, EU sport policy underwent a turning point with the Lisbon Treaty in 2009, which introduced Article 165 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). This gave the EU a legal basis to support and coordinate sport activities without harmonising national regulations. As a result, EU sport policy relies on soft instruments such as promoting values, cooperation, and the European dimension of sport, mainly through funding programmes and voluntary initiatives. Despite limited formal powers, the policy field has grown significantly, involving an increasing number of actors and sectors. A key element remains the autonomy of European sport federations, which continue to play a central role in organising and regulating sport independently. These developments reflect both the expansion and growing complexity of sport governance in Europe. In sum, EU sport policy has evolved into a distinct, multi-level field shaped by institutional and procedural growth.

Keywords: Sport autonomy; Common Market; Article 165 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU); Direct and indirect sport policy; Multi-level governance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035338382
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