Budapest turns CEV Beach Volley Nations Cup Final 2026 into lasting legacy

What happens when a major international sporting event is designed with its life after the final whistle in mind? In Budapest, where the CEV Beach Volley Nations Cup Final was contested this past July, the answer was built into the venue, the materials, the mobility plan and the partnerships from the very beginning.

A four-day international Beach Volleyball tournament in an urban environment is, by nature, temporary. Courts are built, teams arrive, the competition takes place, and shortly afterwards most of the infrastructure disappears. The Hungarian Volleyball Federation (MRSZ) and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) wanted to approach the CEV Beach Volley Nations Cup Final 2026 differently. Sustainability was considered from the outset, not as a separate communications exercise, but as a principle that could influence practical decisions throughout the project. There was no standalone sustainability policy or checklist. Instead, the organisers looked at the event as a whole and asked a simple question: could the things needed for four days of competition create value for longer?

Building a venue with a future 
The tournament was staged in Városliget, in the heart of Budapest, close to Heroes’ Square. Five Beach Volleyball courts were set up: three for competition and two for the warm-up. Two remain permanently in the park. The courts are located in a public area and will be managed by the City of Budapest. They will be freely accessible to the public and can also provide space for youth and amateur competitions. No trees were removed to create the venue, and after the tournament the MRSZ covered the cost of restoring and landscaping the surrounding area. The legacy was therefore considered before construction began, rather than added afterwards.

2,000 tonnes of sand, used twice 
The same principle applied to one of the most substantial materials required for a Beach Volleyball event: sand. Around 2,000 tonnes were used in Budapest. The sand was sourced from Dabas, approximately 45 kilometres from the venue, keeping the supply within Hungary while meeting the technical requirements for international competition. Samples were sent to a laboratory to verify that the material met the required competition standards. Once the event was over, the sand from the dismantled courts did not become waste.
The entire quantity is being transferred to a different location, where it is being used to create a new permanent Beach Volleyball facility in Hungary. The facility is expected to be available for use during 2026 and will contribute to the development of the sport.
Meanwhile, mobile stands were dismantled and removed, container-based infrastructure could be taken away and reused. The temporary nature of the tournament did not have to mean a short life for the materials used to stage it.

Partners chosen for a purpose 
The organisers applied a similar logic to partnerships. Rather than building the commercial structure around conventional Gold, Silver or other sponsorship categories, the MRSZ and LOC first considered what the event actually needed and then looked for partners whose products or services fitted those functions.
Mobility was one example. The organisers specifically wanted an electric mobility solution and approached BYD for that reason. The company provided a fleet consisting of fully electric vehicles alongside two hybrids, used for players, VIPs, international guests and airport transfers. The vehicles were in operation for around three weeks, including the preparation period.
Guests and athletes were also encouraged to use Budapest’s public transport network, while accommodation for approximately 120 international guests was arranged in a hotel around 15 minutes’ walk from the venue. A cheaper accommodation option was available, but the closer location was considered the better choice.
It was a relatively small decision with a practical effect: fewer daily transfers and easier access on foot or by public transport.

Reduce first, recycle what remains 
Water management followed the same thinking. Eight refill points connected to the public drinking-water network were installed across the venue, thus encouraging spectators to bring reusable bottles. Bottled water and soft drinks were not positioned as the default solution for visitors. Athletes, however, were required to receive one-litre bottled water under the applicable CEV/FIVB competition requirements. The event received 1,800 one-litre PET bottles of MIZSE water, with the product marketed by its manufacturer as carbon neutral and containing recycled plastic.
All PET bottles used during the event were collected, and according to the organisers, none went into conventional waste bins. The bottles were returned through Hungary’s official deposit-return and recycling system.
Physical branding was also planned with a longer life in mind. Signage, boards, branded parasols and other materials were designed to remain usable for another one or two years, while LED screens and perimeter systems reduced the need for additional single-use physical branding.

What the organisers would measure next time 
There is an important limitation to the Budapest approach: the event did not produce a formal sustainability report or a full carbon footprint calculation.
Energy consumption was not measured as a dedicated environmental KPI, although the venue operated from the electricity grid, no generators or diesel aggregates were used, and LED lighting was employed. There is also no quantified calculation of emissions avoided through electric mobility, nearby accommodation or public transport.
The organisers see this as an area for improvement. The next step is not simply to introduce more measures, but to measure their impact properly.

The event did, however, generate measurable digital reach. According to the company responsible for communications measurement, it recorded more than 4.7 million digital impressions and 110,000 engagements only among the domestic audience.
Those figures are useful, but the more lasting numbers are found on the ground: two permanent courts in Városliget, 2,000 tonnes of sand being reused in another sporting facility, and event materials designed to continue serving a purpose after the tournament.

The MRSZ is already working on its next step, including the development of volleyball nets made entirely from recycled materials. That project was not ready for the Nations Cup Final, but it reflects the same principle: sustainability should be built into how sport is organised, rather than added to the story once the competition is finished.
The Budapest experience offers a simple lesson for other event organisers. Think about the venue’s second life before building it. Source locally where possible, reuse materials, make walking and public transport practical, and choose partners for what they contribute to the event rather than only for their branding value.
A major sporting event will always be temporary. Its legacy does not have to be.