On 2 February 2026, the YOULEAD Research Committee held its first meeting, focusing on the development of the research framework for the project.

The discussion centred on the guidelines for analysing youth involvement in sports governance, with particular attention to systemic barriers, gender balance, inclusion and good practices. Partners exchanged views on the methodology, the structure of the national reports and the development of a benchmarking tool to support data collection and comparison across countries.

A key part of the meeting was dedicated to defining the target group for the research, with partners agreeing to focus on young people aged 18 to 30, in line with the need to consider legal capacity and participation in decision-making roles.

The meeting marked an important step in launching the analytical phase of YOULEAD and in preparing the research activities that will contribute to the development of recommendations, future educational tools and more inclusive governance models in sport.