Sports billion in Schleswig-Holstein: Opportunities or bureaucratic nightmare?

Sports billion in Schleswig-Holstein: Opportunities or bureaucratic nightmare?

There is great anticipation in Schleswig-Holstein about the federal funding program “Sports Billion”, but there are critical voices even before the official start. The program will start on November 10, 2025, when municipalities can submit expressions of interest for urgently needed renovation projects. The deadline ends on January 15, 2026. A total of 333 million euros are available nationwide in a first tranche to reduce the renovation backlog at sports facilities. But the hurdles are high, as kn-online reports.

The program aims to modernize both municipal sports facilities and facilities of national importance. In order for the projects to be recognized, the municipalities must submit draft plans and a council or district council resolution. The deputy managing director of the Schleswig-Holstein Association of Municipalities, Thorsten Karstens, is concerned: The short deadline and the demanding requirements could mean that some municipalities cannot submit their applications in time.

Hurdles and possible support

Kiel itself sees the two-stage process as a sensible approach, but also criticizes the deadline. The personal contribution for funding is 55 percent, but can be reduced to 25 percent in cases of budget emergency. The question remains how the municipalities will deal with this own contribution. Admittedly, the state capital Kiel has high hopes, but sees difficulties in providing this contribution.

Neumünster is also active and working on suitable projects. However, city planning officer Sabine Kling has mixed expectations and is excited to see what contracts the city will receive. The municipalities know that the investment requirement for sports facilities in Schleswig-Holstein is extremely high - the city of Lübeck estimates the need for the renovation of municipal sports halls at a total of 150 million euros. Karstens emphasizes: “The existing investment needs cannot be covered by the funding.” This assessment clearly shows that, despite government support, there is still a lot to be done.

The big goal of the sports billion

The Institute for Building, Urban and Spatial Research explains the objectives of the funding package in detail: In addition to the renovation and modernization of municipal sports facilities that are of infrastructural relevance, The focus is on energy-efficient renovations. The project is also part of a larger plan to promote sustainable urban development.

Not only municipalities and districts are eligible to apply; passing on the funding to third parties is also permitted. The funding amount ranges from 250,000 euros to 8 million euros. In the event of budget emergencies, the funding rate can even be up to 75 percent. This still makes submitting an application attractive.

A hotline and a digital information event will be available to all interested municipalities from November 3, 2025 to clarify questions about the program. The Federal Institute for Building, Urban and Spatial Research wants to ensure that as many communities as possible set out to make their sports facilities fit for the future.

The question remains whether the necessary bureaucracy will meet the high expectations. A lot now depends on how the municipalities accept the challenge and submit the necessary documents in a timely manner.