Council of States calls for CHF 15 million for Women’s European Football Championship 2025
Published: Thursday, Mar 14th 2024, 10:00
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The Council of States wants to support next year's European Women's Football Championships with CHF 15 million. This is almost four times the amount proposed by the Federal Council.
On Thursday, the small chamber adopted a corresponding motion from its Committee for Science, Education and Culture (WBK-S) with 39 votes in favor and 3 abstentions. There were no votes against. The motion will now go to the National Council.
In January, the Federal Council decided to support the European Championships with only four million francs. One of the reasons it gave for this was the Confederation's strained financial situation.
Consternation over Federal Council decision
The Federal Council's decision caused consternation among those affected. Critics argued that the amount was just one twentieth of the CHF 80 million that the Confederation had spent on the 2008 European Men's Football Championship in Switzerland and Austria.
The Federal Council pointed out that the Women's European Championship was different from the men's event in 2008, as the audience was made up differently. A large part of the federal contributions at that time would have been used to finance the security costs.
The Education Committee of the Council of States unanimously approved her proposal. The major women's sporting event opens up opportunities for Switzerland to present itself to an audience of millions, said spokesperson Flavia Wasserfallen (SP/BE).
16 European women's football teams would play for the title in eight Swiss cities. Around 700,000 spectators are expected and half a billion people will be watching on television. The WBK-S also wants to use part of the CHF 15 million it has requested for national communication.
Money demanded for combined tickets
However, the commission also wants to use federal funds to sustainably improve the structures in women's football and promote the use of public transport, for example through combined tickets.
Cities and cantons have so far donated CHF 65 million to the Women's World Cup, reported Wasserfallen. The federal government should therefore also make an appropriate contribution.
The Federal Council is focusing on promoting sport, replied President and Sports Minister Viola Amherd. The four million francs should be compensated for in the Federal Office of Sport. The Federal Council rejects contributions to discounted tickets for public transport and specific national communication.
©Keystone/SDA
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