Albania increases funding for elite athletes, coaches

The government of Albania approved the decision to increase funding for elite athletes and coaches.

Following the government meeting, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sports of Albania Blendi Gonxhja appeared in a briefing to say that, “Effective April 2026, this decision establishes a more equitable reward structure across multiple sporting disciplines”.

Gonxhja explained that according to the decision, rewards for non-Olympic sports will nearly double, increasing from 40% to 70%, CE Report quotes ATA.

“Likewise, coach rewards for elite athletes will increase by 25%, while daily food allowances rise 43%—from 3,500 to 5,000 lekë”, said Gonxhja.

Minister Gonxhja emphasized that by this decision, “We are implementing a fairer, improved support structure to boost the pride of Albanian sports, boost our global image and empower athletes to reach the pinnacle of performance.”

Further on, Gonxhja said that, “We are also increasing special style awards by up to 65% and doubling the award for the final result”.

According to him, athletes achieving top-tier results under the evaluation scheme are eligible for bonuses up to 230%.