CSD-Forma't Agreement 2026: Training and Employment for Elite Athletes

Key data

High-level and high-performance athletes in Spain now have a reinforced institutional framework to combine their sports career with vocational training and future labor market integration. The agreement signed on 23 March 2026 between the Consejo Superior de Deportes and Forma't en Formació Professional, SL, published in the BOE on 26 March (reference BOE-A-2026-7012), establishes the basis for developing joint actions within the Programa de Atención al Deportista.

The distinguishing element of this agreement is the scheduling adaptation of training to the needs and availability of athletes, which removes the main obstacle that has historically prevented these athletes from training while competing at a high level.

What does this regulation establish?

The agreement defines a collaboration framework between the Consejo Superior de Deportes and Forma't en Formació Professional, SL, to carry out joint actions in two main areas:

• Adapted vocational training: specifically designed to fit the needs and scheduling availability of high-level and high-performance athletes, allowing them to pursue training without interfering with their sporting commitments.
• Labor market integration: actions aimed at improving the future employability of these athletes, facilitating their transition to the labor market once their competitive stage has ended or been reduced.

All of this falls within the Programa de Atención al Deportista of the Consejo Superior de Deportes, which aims to support the so-called dual career: the combination of an elite sports trajectory with the professional and academic development of the athlete.

The agreement also explicitly opens the door to the participation of other training organizations wishing to collaborate with the elite sports sector, and acknowledges the interest of companies in attracting profiles trained under this scheme.

Economic and operational impact

This agreement does not generate direct costs for companies nor does it establish economic obligations for employers or external training organizations. Its impact is primarily one of opportunity, not compliance.

The specific operational effects are as follows:

• For employing companies: access to a new segment of candidates with accredited vocational training and a high-performance profile. Athletes who complete the program will have acquired recognized professional competencies, reducing the cost of recruitment and internal training for profiles with high discipline, resilience, and the ability to work under pressure.
• For training organizations: the possibility of collaborating institutionally with the Consejo Superior de Deportes within the framework of the Programa de Atención al Deportista, which may provide access to a specific and differentiated group of students and visibility within the elite sports ecosystem.
• For the athletes themselves: reduction of the opportunity cost of training, by having itineraries adapted to their actual scheduling availability.

Who is affected?

• High-level and high-performance athletes: the direct beneficiary group of the agreement, with access to adapted vocational training and labor market integration pathways.
• Training organizations: centers and organizations wishing to collaborate with the elite sports sector within the framework of the Programa de Atención al Deportista.
• Employing companies: especially those interested in attracting profiles with high discipline, performance, and accredited professional competencies from elite sport.
• Consejo Superior de Deportes: the promoting body of the agreement and responsible for the Programa de Atención al Deportista.
• Forma't en Formació Professional, SL: the collaborating entity responsible for coordinating vocational training actions.

Practical example

A company in the logistics sector is looking to recruit profiles with a high capacity to work under pressure, discipline, and results orientation. Until now, high-level athletes who ended their competitive career arrived on the labor market without a recognized professional qualification, which made it difficult to hire them for positions requiring formal accreditation.

With the agreement in force, a high-performance athlete who has participated in the Programa de Atención al Deportista and completed adapted vocational training through Forma't en Formació Professional, SL, arrives at the selection process with accredited professional competencies and a demonstrable track record of performance under pressure. The company reduces its internal training costs and gains access to a differentiated profile that it would not otherwise have considered.

For a training organization looking to expand its student base, the agreement offers an institutional framework to design specific pathways for this group and collaborate directly with the Consejo Superior de Deportes.

What should companies do now?

1. Assess whether the high-performance athlete profile fits your workforce: identify positions where discipline, resilience, and working under pressure are key competencies. This agreement broadens access to candidates with that profile and accredited vocational training.
2. Contact the CSD's Programa de Atención al Deportista: if your company is proactively interested in attracting these profiles, the Consejo Superior de Deportes is the point of contact to explore collaboration channels for labor market integration.
3. If you are a training organization, analyze the collaboration conditions: the agreement explicitly opens participation to training organizations. Contact the CSD to learn about the requirements and the framework for action within the Programa de Atención al Deportista.
4. Update HR selection criteria: include a high-level sports career as an indicator of transferable competencies in selection processes, especially for high-demand positions.

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-2026-7012