Special Session - Cities as playing fields (WUF…

What if sport became a core driver of inclusive and resilient cities?

Cities as Playing Fields reframe sport not as a leisure activity but as an essential urban service that supports adequate housing and healthier, more inclusive, and more resilient cities. Just as cities plan for housing, mobility, and public space, they must also ensure accessible opportunities for movement, recreation, and play. Sport is a powerful accelerator of the Sustainable Development Goals, improving health and wellbeing, strengthening social cohesion, and creating pathways for economic participation and safer communities.

This session will bring together city leaders, financing institutions, sport organizations, and community actors to explore how sport can be integrated into urban policy, planning systems, and SDG localization. Through city stories, interactive dialogue, and new financing perspectives, the discussion will highlight practical ways to embed sport into urban development strategies. The session will also present new commitments and launch the Cities as Playing Fields Playbook, providing cities with practical guidance to plan, finance, and deliver accessible sport infrastructure and programs.

Guiding questions

1. How can cities integrate sport and physical activity into urban planning systems alongside housing, mobility, and public space?
2. What financing mechanisms can support accessible and long-term sport infrastructure beyond major sporting events?
3. How can sport be embedded within urban monitoring frameworks and SDG localization processes?
4. How can sport programs contribute to safer, healthier, and more inclusive communities?

Expected outcomes

The session will contribute to a shift in mindset by positioning sport as a core urban service that supports health, inclusion, and sustainable city development, and is associated with adequate housing. It will highlight practical examples showing how sport can be embedded within neighborhoods, housing environments, and public space systems. The session will generate commitments to advance sport based urban initiatives and strengthen partnerships across sectors. A key milestone will be the official launch of the Cities as Playing Fields Playbook, providing cities with practical guidance to design, finance, and implement accessible sport infrastructure and programs.

The session aims to promote sport and physical activity as essential urban services that contribute to health, inclusion, and resilient city development. It will showcase how cities can integrate sport into planning systems, housing environments, neighborhood design, and public space strategies while exploring innovative financing approaches. The session also seeks to build partnerships between cities, development finance institutions, and sport organizations to accelerate the implementation of sport based urban development initiatives.