On 27 November, under the theme of A Sport for All Future: International and National Sport Federations Team Up for Impact, the INTERACT+ webinar brought together international and national sport leaders for a focused conversation on how federations at all levels can work together to advance Sport for All. Though the Sport Movement widely embraces Sport for All as a value, turning global ambition into meaningful local action remains a shared challenge. This webinar explored how closer cooperation, shared tools, and clear role alignment can help bridge that gap.
TAFISA Secretary General Jean-François Laurent opened the session with a warm welcome to the speakers and audience from TAFISA, highlighting the importance of collaboration across governance levels and the role of INTERACT+ in helping organizations transform principles into practical, community-level initiatives. He underscored that Sport for All requires not only commitment, but coordination.
The webinar continued with an evidence-informed impulse presentation from Dr. Aurélie Van Hoye of the University of Limerick and University of Lorraine, who emphasized that successful Sport for All strategies begin with identifying barriers and leverages and changing organization mindsets and visions. She encouraged federations to rely on research, evaluation, and continuous learning to design more flexible, progressive, and adaptable programs and pathways to participation.
A dual case study featuring the International Floorball Federation (IFF) and the Spanish Floorball Federation offered a concrete look at how this plays out in practice. Speaking for the IFF, John Liljelund outlined how the federation has embedded Sport for All principles into its development strategy, prioritizing accessible formats, broad engagement, and strong support for national partners. He introduced the IFF’s new 3×3 Floorball format—an initiative designed to lower barriers, reduce facility constraints, and open the sport to new communities.
From the national perspective, Carlos Lopez described how Spain has grounded its Sport for All work in grassroots outreach, school programs, and community partnerships. He emphasized the value of simplified, flexible formats like 3×3, noting that their success depends on clear guidance and resources from the international level. Together, the two perspectives illustrated the importance of continuous dialogue and the mutual benefits that IF–NF collaboration can generate.
The panel discussion expanded the conversation, bringing in voices from floorball, tchoukball, quadball, and flying disc. Panelists spoke candidly about the challenges facing their sports, from limited resources and visibility to the difficulty of translating global frameworks into local realities. Yet they also pointed to the growing potential of Sport for All to strengthen membership, foster inclusion, and ensure the long-term sustainability of their sports. A recurring theme was the need for greater access to practical tools, capacity building, and partnerships with schools, municipalities, and community organizations in order to embed their sports into local communities at all ages. Panelists also mentioned that they need IFs to create simpler events, change policies to better align with Sport for All principles. An interesting idea was also collaboration with other sports to enhance the impact and visibility of both sports.
In the final portion of the webinar, Rachel Mait, TAFISA Project Impact Manager, presented the INTERACT+ Label and Training, two key tools designed to help international and national federations strengthen their Sport for All strategies and implementation. Their impact was reinforced by a testimonial from Dillon Richardson of the World Flying Disc Federation, who shared how participation in INTERACT+ has supported WFDF in organizing its development work, building internal capacity, and approaching inclusion more systematically.
If you are interested in bringing the INTERACT+ Sport for All Capacity Building Training to your organization, you can apply here: [LINK]
If you are interested in applying for a Sport for All Certification for your national or international sport federation, you can register here: [LINK]
More information about the INTERACT+ Sport for All Capacity Building Training and the Sport for All Certification can be found on the INTERACT+ website here.
The webinar concluded with a reminder that Sport for All is a collective endeavor, one that depends on shared understanding, coordinated action, and a commitment to learning together. Through initiatives like INTERACT+, federations can continue building the connections and competencies needed to ensure that sport truly becomes accessible for everyone, everywhere.
TAFISA extends its sincere thanks to all speakers for their valuable insights and to the many attendees who joined the discussion and contributed to its success. Your engagement, questions, and shared experiences reflect the collective commitment needed to advance Sport for All across the globe. As INTERACT+ moves into its next phase, we look forward to continuing this journey together, deepening collaboration, strengthening capacities, and ensuring that every federation, community, and individual has the opportunity to thrive through sport.
