No funding to host sporting events beyond Ryder Cup and Euro 2028

Some €22m has been set aside within Budget 2027 for both events

Culture minister Patrick O’Donovan said he will need to seek further funding if Ireland wants to host other major sporting events next year.

No funding has been provided to hosting major sporting events beyond the Ryder Cup and Euro 2028, the culture minister has confirmed.

Patrick O’Donovan said he will need to seek further funding if Ireland wants to host other major sporting events next year.

Asked about the prospect of hosting the likes of the NFL and women’s Champions League Final, Mr O’Donovan confirmed funding had only been provided for events where contracts have been signed.

He said this means he only received funding for both the Ryder Cup and Euro 2028, with €22m set aside within Budget 2027 for both events.

“Anything beyond those will require government decision, and obviously a government decision will require resource allocation,” Mr O’Donovan said.

He said the funding would be divided, with 2/3rds going towards hosting the Ryder Cup next year and the final third to the Euros.

Mr O’Donovan said further large-scale events would need to be appraised by his Department’s major sports division.

Asked if the lack of funding meant major events like the NFL in Dublin were dead in the water, Mr O’Donovan denied this was the case.

He pointed to previous criticism of the Government for providing funding to allow the NFL host a match in Croke Park, which took place in September 2025.

“There was a lot of people saying this is an absolute catastrophic waste of money and shouldn't be going ahead and have they anything better to be doing in the Department of Sport,” Mr O’Donovan said.

“It showed in the economic appraisal done after the fact, that there was a 10 times return on investment from the decision we made.”

He said any funding allocated in future would stem from a memo being brought to Government.

Separately, Mr O’Donovan confirmed the Basic Income for the Arts scheme would be fully funded in 2027, with €34.4m allocated.

The scheme provided 2,000 artists with €325 per week, with Mr O’Donovan highlighting that Ireland is the first country in the world to develop such a scheme.