Sport and Suburbs 2026

2. Strategic Guide to the 2026 Call: Entry Requirements

Formal compliance is the first obstacle: any error in uploading or documentation can nullify months of work. Our analysis starts from the certain data of the ISTAT census as of 1 January 2025 and from full compliance with the Legislative Decree 36/2023 (Contract Code).

Our Strategic Vision: Beyond Simple Eligibility
It's not enough to participate. The announcement is categorical: pursuant to Art. 3.8, the Municipalities that have already benefited from the fund in the years 2020-2025 can apply only if the previous interventions have already been completed and tested. Furthermore, the total absence of pending disputes on the area (Art. 6.1.c) is an "in or out" requirement. Our consultancy certifies these constraints in advance, protecting your application from formal exclusions.

A3. Multidisciplinarity with the inclusion of disabled people (Max 7 points)

The evaluation system rewards the qualitative density of the project. Although the territorial indicators (presence of young people aged 11 to 25, economic hardship, crime, school dropouts) are fixed data, the Municipality has full control over the planning and management choices, which can determine the decisive difference in the ranking.

To get the maximum score, it is not enough to list multiple disciplines. Criterion A.3 assigns 7 points only to those who design a "multipurpose field or gym" that includes at least one competitive discipline and one classified by CIP.

The sports disciplines that can be practiced in the facility among those recognized by CONI and CIP with CONI Resolution no. 1691 of 07.07.202, the competitive practice of the latter must be certified through the transmission of specific documents that reveal the actual registration for the holding of tournaments, championships etc.;

In our opinion, based on previous experience, it is necessary that amateur sports associations, regularly registered for the carrying out of competitive activities, even outside the municipal territory, have expressed an interest in using the sports infrastructure covered by the works, even for the sole purpose of training.

For example, an 11-a-side football pitch made of natural grass can withstand a limited number of hours of play, while a POWERgrass hybrid grass pitch can be used up to 30 hours a week with reduced maintenance and has no fixed playing lines because the natural grass is dominant, thus allowing more sports to be played by changing the playing lines every weekend and even during the week. As the grass grows, it "blows out" the previous lines and with the help of effective markers the field can be marked in less than an hour.

We propose the sports disciplines that we believe also satisfy the next point D, involving the most fragile part of the population:

1. Football at 11, 7 and 8 is the most popular sport in the world.
2. Rugby which in the "tag" version is ideal for schools because it is without physical contact.
3. American Football which in the "flag" version is ideal for schools because it is without physical contact.
4. Lacrosse a North American sport enjoyable for women.
5. Cross-country running which involves all citizens and barefoot training.
6. Tug of War ideal for little ones without particular skills.
7. Baseball - Softball a very popular sport in the United States that has not yet been sufficiently developed.
8. Bocce on the grass "lawn bowl" which is ideal for the elderly.

Below, we list some also referring to the Paralympic sports that can be played on the grass or occupying modest spaces around the main field:

1. Hunting archery.
2. Table tennis
3. Wheelchair tennis
4. Badminton
5. Fencing
6. Wheelchair rugby
7. Football for disabled people
8. Table football
9. Wheelchair basketball
10. Athletics
11. Horse riding

B2.5. Sustainability and Restoration of the Water Cycle (2 points)

Energy efficiency is a priority. In addition to photovoltaic (3 points) and relamping (2 points), the rainwater recovery system (B2.5) guarantees 2 fundamental points that are often missing in standard projects.

In the hybrid field, the recovery of rainwater is almost total. Natural grass absorbs the first rain in its tissues and in the sandy substrate, which retains water thanks to capillary forces. Furthermore, cracks filled with sand are created in the existing soil which favor the infiltration of water into the deeper layers, stimulate the development of roots in depth and increase the resilience of the entire system, also improving its ability to retain water in subsequent drier periods. In recent years, in fact, there has been no shortage of abundant rainfall and this method allows the water to be conserved in the substrate, making it directly available for the vegetation. In the days following the rain, light irrigation is often enough, both while the surface dries and to reduce thermal stress when the temperature exceeds 30°C, with a water saving of 30-40% thanks to the direct return of the water.

C1.2 Free use of the hybrid pitch

Accessibility and social use of the facility

The free use of the facility by the weakest sections of the population for over 25% of the opening hours is rewarding. This provision must be included in the management plan and/or included in the concession to the manager, or in the relevant concession deed if already in place.

Evaluation of the management plan

The Commission gives 5 points to the credibility of the management plan, but the project also requires a playing surface suited to the intensity of use, capable of withstanding these loads without degrading and, in the worst case scenario, easily renewable.

In the case of a football pitch, for example, sporting activity is often concentrated between 4pm and 8pm. For this reason, it is not sufficient to declare the availability of the system between 08:00 and 14:00, since schools are generally busy with educational activities in the morning hours.

Opportunities for using the hybrid field

It is instead easier to organize events during the holidays, aimed at activities:

• fun;
• sports;
• musical, including concerts.

These initiatives preferably take place in the summer, on natural or hybrid grass pitches, because they are cooler, and can involve all segments of the population, both as participants and spectators.

I4. Design Level (Max 6 points)

The difference between a Guideline Document (1 point) and an Executive Project (EP) is 5 points. Presenting a PE on the date of application is the most powerful lever for climbing the national ranking.

Strategic Asset: The Value of Regeneration. A plant that has been abandoned for over 5 years is not a burden, but a procedural resource: Criterion F.1 assigns 7 automatic points. Transforming a degraded area into a sports hub is the mission rewarded by the Department for Sport. In the event of a tie in scores, we remind you that the second tie-breaker after population is the highest score obtained in the territorial criteria (Art 9.1). Consequently, excelling in planning is the only defense for smaller municipalities.

Candidates can submit an application by declaring the level of design possessed on the date of submission. If they are eligible in the provisional ranking, they will have 10 days to upload the available project.