Elite Athletes Agreement 2026: Training and Labour Market Integration

Key data

High-level and high-performance athletes in Spain have had access since 23 March 2026 to a new training and labour market integration resource. The Consejo Superior de Deportes has signed an agreement with the Centro Superior de Formación Europa Sur within the framework of the Programa de Atención al Deportista, with the aim of facilitating joint actions to help these athletes develop a professional career alongside or following their sporting career.

This agreement responds to a real and documented need: elite athletes dedicate most of their time and energy to their sporting performance, which hinders their academic training and access to the labour market on equal terms with the rest of the active population. The agreement seeks to reduce this gap.

What does this regulation establish?

The resolution publishes the collaboration agreement between the Consejo Superior de Deportes and the Centro Superior de Formación Europa Sur. The agreement defines a framework for joint action with three main pillars:

• Guidance: Personalised advice to high-level and high-performance athletes on training and professional pathways compatible with their sporting activity.
• Academic and professional training: Training activities adapted to the schedules and demands of elite athletes, facilitating the attainment of qualifications or certifications that improve their employability.
• Job search support: Labour intermediation services and accompaniment throughout the process of entering the labour market, taking into account the competencies acquired during their sporting career.

The agreement falls within the Programa de Atención al Deportista, the public programme of the Consejo Superior de Deportes that centralises institutional support for elite athletes in Spain. With this agreement, the Centro Superior de Formación Europa Sur becomes part of the network of collaborating entities of that programme.

Economic and operational impact

This agreement does not generate direct costs for private companies nor does it modify existing tax or labour obligations. Its impact is primarily institutional and social, although it has practical implications for several actors in the sporting and business ecosystem:

• For the beneficiary athletes: Free access to guidance, training and employment support services through a collaborating entity of the public programme, at no additional cost.
• For companies hiring elite athletes: Greater availability of candidates with accredited professional training and transferable competencies developed in high-performance sport (leadership, discipline, teamwork, pressure management).
• For the Centro Superior de Formación Europa Sur: Incorporation into the official network of the Programa de Atención al Deportista, which entails institutional recognition and access to a specific group of users.

No data has been published on the financial value of the agreement or on the number of athletes expected to benefit under the available resolution.

Who is affected?

• High-level athletes: Those officially recognised by the Consejo Superior de Deportes on the basis of their results in top-level international competitions.
• High-performance athletes: Those who, without reaching the high-level category, carry out their activity in officially recognised technical centres or performance programmes.
• Sports entities and federations: Which can refer their athletes to the services covered by the agreement as part of their institutional support.
• Companies interested in hiring sporting talent: Which will be able to find candidates with specific training and validated competencies through this programme.
• Training and career guidance centres: Which compete or collaborate within the ecosystem of services for elite athletes.

Practical example

A 26-year-old high-performance athletics athlete who has been competing at national and international level for several years but has been unable to complete their university education due to scheduling conflicts can approach the Centro Superior de Formación Europa Sur as a collaborating entity of the Programa de Atención al Deportista.

Through the agreement, they will receive:

1. A professional guidance session that identifies their transferable competencies (discipline, leadership, stress management) and links them to specific career opportunities.
2. Access to academic or professional training with schedules adapted to their training sessions and competitions.
3. Active job search support when they decide or are required to reduce their sporting activity, with intermediation with private sector companies.

This pathway, which previously depended on the individual initiative of the athlete, is now institutionalised and backed by a public agreement between the Consejo Superior de Deportes and a recognised training entity.

What should companies do now?

1. If you manage human resources in a company: Identify whether your recruitment policy considers the profile of high-level or high-performance athletes. This agreement expands the pool of candidates with accredited training and distinctive competencies.
2. If you lead a sports entity or federation: Inform your high-level and high-performance athletes about the existence of the Programa de Atención al Deportista and the new services available through the Centro Superior de Formación Europa Sur.
3. If you are a labour or HR advisor: Add this agreement to your map of available institutional resources for clients in the sports sector or for companies looking to diversify their talent sourcing.
4. If you are the athlete concerned: Contact the Consejo Superior de Deportes or the Centro Superior de Formación Europa Sur to find out about the specific services available under this agreement and the access requirements.

Official source

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, please consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-7276