Partners from across Europe gathered in Budapest for the kick-off meeting of Good Governance Game, a new Erasmus+ project focused on the key theme of good governance in sport.

In practice, the clearest way to explain good governance is to focus on everything that happens off the pitch to make sport possible on the pitch.

From organising training schedules to ensuring safe environments for young players, from managing finances to involving volunteers, there’s a whole world of work behind every match or training session. And for many players, especially younger ones, that work often goes unseen.

Turning Governance into a Game

The main goal of this project is to change that. Together, the participating partners are developing an interactive and engaging game that helps club members – players, coaches, volunteers, and management – better understand how a club really functions.

The idea is to make learning about governance simple, fun, and accessible.

Through this game, participants will:

• Discover the different roles within a club
• Understand the variety of tasks needed to keep things running
• Recognize the importance of both visible and behind-the-scenes contributions
• Explore how different stakeholders work together

Some people operate in the spotlight, others in the background—but all are essential.

Building the Concept Together

During the meeting, partners worked on defining:

• What “good governance” should include
• Key design principles for the game
• How to facilitate sessions with clubs and schools
• Ways to keep the experience interactive and meaningful

This was very much a starting point, an opportunity to align ideas and begin shaping the concept together.

Strong International Partnership

The project brings together a diverse group of partners:

• EuroHockey (project lead)
• BAIS (Hungary)
• Armenian Hockey Federation
• Georgian Hockey Federation

This collaboration ensures a mix of perspectives and experiences, enriching the development process.

What’s Next?

The project runs over two years. In the coming months, partners will work on developing and testing the game with selected groups. The aim is to create a tool that can eventually be used by clubs all across Europe.

Next year, the group will meet again in Yerevan and Tbilisi to continue the work and share progress.

Supporting Growth in the Region

Alongside this initiative, Armenia and Georgia are also involved in EuroHockey’s organisational health programme. By linking both efforts, the project aims to strengthen the overall development of hockey in the region.

Get Involved

The long-term vision is clear: to create a practical, engaging tool that helps clubs everywhere open up conversations about how they operate—and how they can improve.

If you’re interested in learning more or getting involved, feel free to reach out:
gino@eurohockey.org