On Thursday 28 November, Orange Sports Forum (OSF) presented the new edition of the Holland Sports & Industry Yearbook 2025/2026 during a well-attended event in the Legends Lounge of the Philips Stadium in Eindhoven. The meeting was organised in cooperation with Health~Holland. With more than 45 guests from the sports sector, government, business community and knowledge institutions, the afternoon focused on collaboration, innovation, inclusivity and the strength of the Dutch sports ecosystem.
The afternoon opened with an update from Rick Sleegers (OSF), reflecting on a successful 2025 and offering a preview of the activities, international programmes and events planned for 2026. The diversity of projects, partnerships and international opportunities highlighted OSF’s growing role as a connecting platform within the Dutch sports sector, which now results in a 1:25 ROI for OSF members.
Next, Laura Duran (Health~Holland) demonstrated how the Life Sciences & Health sector is increasingly intertwined with the Sports & Vitality domains. She provided insight into recent milestones, including the activities during the Life Science & Health Week at the World Expo in Osaka, and the plans to further strengthen this collaboration in the coming years.
A presentation by Arun SwamiPersaud followed, focusing on the international project NextGenSportsFacilities. This two-year initiative, carried out with partners from Portugal, Turkey and the Netherlands (including NOC*NSF and Breda University of Applied Sciences), explored the future of sports facilities. The results have been compiled into a book, which is also available online via this link.
The content programme concluded with an inspiring panel discussion featuring four elite athletes:
- Pierluigi Bomberg, para-athlete
- Lisa Bruijnincx, world champion rowing
- Daphne Meijer, wheelchair hockey player and ambassador of Spieren voor Spieren
- Mariëlle Wiegmans, involved with Papendal, Fonds Gehandicaptensport and Stichting ParaPaard
They spoke candidly about inclusivity in sport, the challenges they encounter within both mainstream and adaptive sport environments, and their ambitions for the future. Their perspectives underscored the importance of equal opportunities and accessible sports facilities.
After the content programme, the new yearbook was officially presented during a celebratory photo moment. The afternoon continued with a networking reception, where guests had ample opportunity to reconnect. At the same time, a live broadcast of the BNR Friday Move with Wilfred Genee took place in the same space, featuring, among others, André Ooijer, John van den Heuvel and Eindhoven’s mayor Jeroen Dijsselbloem.
The combination of inspiring speakers, strong content, the festive moment surrounding the yearbook and the lively atmosphere resulted in a successful afternoon and evening. OSF looks back on a valuable gathering and looks forward to an impactful 2026.
See below the digital editions of Holland Sports & Industry:
- Dutch edition of the Holland Sports & Industry Yearbook
- English edition of the Holland Sports & Industry Yearbook
If you would like to receive the yearbook or want more information about the projects presented, please contact us via the contact page.
