French Sports Coalition Demands Urgent Clarity on "Pass Sport" for Young Children

A broad coalition of French mayors, local elected officials, and sports organization leaders is demanding urgent clarification on the reinstatement of the "Pass Sport" initiative for younger children. The program, designed to subsidize sports club memberships for low-income families, is set to be re-evaluated for the 2026 season.

Initially launched in 2021, the "Pass Sport" offered a 50-euro grant to individuals aged 6 to 17 to help cover the cost of sports licenses or club memberships. However, the Ministry of Sports announced plans in the summer of 2025 to eliminate the subsidy for the 6-13 age group, reserving it exclusively for 14-17 year olds with a slight increase.

Despite this announcement, a collective of approximately 300 signatories, including representatives from the French National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSF) and the French Judo Federation, expressed concern over the lack of concrete details. They are calling on the government to "without delay" publish the specific terms and conditions for the "Pass Sport" for the 6-13 age bracket.

"A few weeks before the start of the school year, it is unacceptable that families, clubs, and the entire sports movement still do not know the modalities for attribution and use of the device," the signatories stated in a public release. They emphasized that clear guidelines are essential for families and clubs to adequately prepare for the upcoming sports season. Among the prominent signatories are Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, president of the CNOSF, and Stéphane Nomis, president of the French Judo Federation.