The reported funding was part of an 11.45 billion forint (€29.4m) package distributed to several major Hungarian multi-sport clubs. However, according to Telex, FTC’s share was far larger than the rest of the field, with Ferencvaros receiving almost two-thirds of the total amount.
Other clubs reportedly received significantly smaller sums. Honvéd were awarded 900 million forints (€2.31m), Újpest 880 million forints (€2.26m), BVSC 850 million forints (€2.18m), Vasas 820 million forints (€2.1m), MTK 800 million forints (€2.05m), and KSI 440 million forints (€1.13m).
The story is significant for Hungarian sport, but it also has a clear water polo angle. Ferencvaros have become one of the most powerful clubs in European water polo, with their men’s team dominating domestically and competing for the Champions League title, while their women’s team has also developed rapidly into a major European force.
According to Telex, the funding was connected to Hungary’s wider Olympic ambitions before Los Angeles 2028. At the end of 2024, Hungary’s state secretary for sport, Ádám Schmidt, announced the LA 10 programme, which aims to help Hungary win ten gold medals at the 2028 Olympic Games, or finish inside the top ten of the medal table.
Telex reported that the government also decided, in parallel, to distribute 11.45 billion forints (€29.4m) to selected clubs through a classified resolution. The outlet said it obtained the details more than a year after the money had been distributed and checked the figures with club officials, who confirmed the amounts received.
The scale of FTC’s funding has raised questions because the club did not top Hungary’s 2024 sporting performance rankings. According to Telex, BVSC ranked first with 82.48 performance points and received 850 million forints (€2.18m), while Honvéd ranked second with 70.13 points and received 900 million forints (€2.31m). Ferencvaros ranked fifth with 36.86 points but received 7.2 billion forints (€18.5m).
For water polo, Ferencvaros’ importance is obvious. Hungary’s men’s Olympic team at Paris 2024 was heavily based around FTC players, although the national team finished fourth and missed out on a medal. At club level, FTC’s men remain one of Europe’s strongest sides, while their women’s project has accelerated rapidly since the senior team was properly established in 2017.
Ferencvaros defended the funding in comments published by Telex, pointing to their contribution to Hungary’s Olympic team. The club said it provided the largest number of Hungarian Olympic athletes in both Tokyo and Paris, with 22 FTC athletes in 2021 and 23 in 2024.
FTC also said the funding covers Olympic preparation through to 2028 and will be used according to a professional programme, budget plan and financing schedule submitted to the supporter.
The report does not prove that the money was specifically allocated to water polo. Ferencvaros operate across several Olympic sports. However, given FTC’s growing dominance in Hungarian and European water polo, the scale of the reported state-backed support will inevitably raise questions about financial power and competitive balance in the sport.
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