EASE recently travelled to Cyprus for a series of meetings and exchanges aimed at deepening its understanding of the national sport ecosystem, strengthening relationships with local stakeholders, and reinforcing the role of social dialogue in sport employment across Europe. This visit combined field-based meetings in Nicosia, participation in the 2026 EU Sport Forum in Paphos, and a dedicated exchange with the Cyprus Football Association, offering EASE a valuable opportunity to connect European priorities with national realities.
The first stage of the trip took place in Nicosia, where EASE met several organisations active in the fields of sport, innovation, education, and social development. These discussions included exchanges with the Center for Social Innovation (CSI), UCLan Cyprus, INQUIRY FUSE LTD, and PASYPEFAA. Together, these meetings provided a broad and insightful overview of the Cypriot landscape and highlighted the diversity of actors involved in shaping sport policy, education pathways, and employment-related challenges on the island.
These conversations were especially useful in helping EASE better understand the structure of the Cypriot sport ecosystem, the role of the organisations involved, and the challenges they currently face. Among the key points raised were questions related to the situation of physical education teachers, as well as broader reflections on the European regulatory framework surrounding coaching professions. For EASE, such discussions are essential: they help ensure that European-level work remains connected to realities on the ground, while also identifying concrete entry points for future cooperation and exchange.
The visit then continued in Paphos, where EASE took part in the 2026 EU Sport Forum, one of the key annual gatherings for European sport stakeholders. Over the course of two days, the Forum offered a rich programme of interventions, peer-learning activities, and discussions on the future of sport in Europe. EASE particularly welcomed the opportunity to hear a diversity of voices and perspectives, including inspiring contributions from athletes and participants involved in the peer-learning sessions. These moments once again illustrated how sport is not only a matter of competition and performance, but also a field with strong implications for employment, education, inclusion, and governance.
For EASE, the Forum also reaffirmed a core conviction: social dialogue has a central role to play in the structuring and long-term development of the sport sector. As the European representative of sport employers, EASE continues to advocate for a stronger recognition of employment-related issues in sport, and for a model in which employers, workers, and institutions can collectively contribute to the sector’s sustainability. Participating in the EU Sport Forum therefore represented not only an opportunity to stay connected to key European debates, but also a way to reinforce EASE’s mission within the broader European sport policy landscape.
Beyond the official sessions, the Forum also created space for informal dialogue, networking, and renewed exchanges with partners and stakeholders from across Europe. It allowed EASE to gain a better sense of how Cyprus positions itself within European sport discussions, while also observing the specific opportunities that emerge from the country’s location and institutional environment. Such moments are particularly valuable for an organisation like EASE, whose work depends on building bridges between European-level ambition and national-level implementation.
Another important moment of the trip was the meeting with the Cyprus Football Association, which offered a more focused discussion on the local sport economy and possible avenues for future cooperation. This exchange helped EASE better understand the national football context and the wider ecosystem in which it operates. It also opened a constructive conversation on shared interests and the potential for stronger collaboration in the future. Engaging with national federations and representative bodies remains a key part of EASE’s approach, as these actors are essential to understanding how sport employment and governance are shaped in practice.
More broadly, this visit to Cyprus confirmed the importance of being present on the ground, listening to national stakeholders, and creating space for meaningful exchange. Whether through institutional meetings, European events, or sector-specific discussions, every step of the trip contributed to a better understanding of the challenges, priorities, and opportunities that define the Cypriot sport landscape today. It also showed once again that strong European cooperation in sport must be rooted in dialogue, mutual understanding, and long-term relationship building.
For EASE, Cyprus was not simply another stop on the map. It was a chance to consolidate new connections, learn from local actors, and continue promoting a more structured, inclusive, and collaborative vision of sport employment in Europe. By combining local engagement with participation in a major European forum, this visit perfectly reflected EASE’s way of working: connecting national ecosystems to European dynamics, and ensuring that the voice of sport employers remains part of the conversation on the future of sport.