Hungary orders audit of major state-funded international sporting events

The Hungarian government has ordered a comprehensive audit of large-scale, state-funded international sporting events held in the country between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2025. The investigation will examine the preparation, procurement, financing, and accounting processes of these events.

The Ministry of Interior, in cooperation with the Ministry of Finance, is tasked with the review. The Minister must submit a proposal for the necessary budgetary resources by the end of November 2024, with the full audit scheduled for completion by the end of March 2027. The review will also evaluate findings from previous external expert audits conducted on major events held in 2025 to determine the scope of further targeted investigations.

Significant expenditures identified include the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, which cost 50.1 billion HUF, and the 2024 Short Course Swimming World Championships in Budapest at 18.4 billion HUF. Other high-cost events include the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Budapest (19.1 billion HUF) and the 2025 motorcycle racing event in Balatonfőkajár (10.6 billion HUF).