WSA Sports Industry Awards 2026

The Welsh Sports Association (WSA) Sports Industry Awards 2026 took place on Thursday 4 June 2026 – a celebration of the best in Wales’ sport and leisure industry!

This year’s Awards once again recognised and Promoted the initiatives and successes of WSA members, while also communicating best-practice models and strategies that are helping the Welsh sport and leisure sector to Develop.

We were thrilled to welcome Hodge Bakshi as this year’s Headline Sponsor. Hodge Bakshi is an organisation that has grown in strength for over 40 years to become Cardiff’s largest family firm of Chartered Accountants and Chartered Tax Advisers.

We were thrilled to welcome colleagues from an array of members and famous faces from the world of Welsh sport, as well as the newly appointed Minister for Culture and Sport, Heledd Fychan MS, and Shadow Cabinet Minister for Health, Prevention and Sport, James Evans MS.

We would like to thank everyone who made the WSA Sports Industry Awards 2026 possible – diolch!

The Awards recognised the fantastic work of WSA members across a variety of categories. The winners of each award for 2026 were…

Best Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Initiative
Sponsored by Freedom2hear

Basketball Wales, for the Basketball Wales and Guardian Ballers Partnership: The Genesis Project

Best Initiative to Promote Women in Sport & Physical Activity
Sponsored by Howden

Wales Golf, for The AIG Women’s Open Legacy

Best Innovation Award
Sponsored by Hugh James

Welsh Boxing for VR Adaptive Boxing

Best Commitment to the Welsh Language
Sponsored by Hodge Bakshi

Disability Sport Wales, for Useful Phrases for Trilingual Coaching

Best Sustainability Initiative
Sponsored by Floodlighting and Electrical

Football Association of Wales, for FAW Biodiversity, Nature & Wellbeing

Best Social Impact Initiative
Sponsored by Sportscover Europe

Dragons RFC, for Norgine/Movicol: Healthy Dragons Provision

Best Collaboration Initiative
Sponsored by Sport:80

Commonwealth Games Wales, for Leadhership with Cardiff Metropolitan University and RBC Brewin Dolphin

Most Influential Campaign
Sponsored by Mentera

Welsh Athletics, for the Own The Night Campaign

Best Business Growth Award
Sponsored by 2buy2

Glamorgan Cricket, for Capitalising on Welsh Fire Franchise Investment

Why Apply?

Winning a WSA Sports Industry Award will showcase your organisation’s outstanding work and achievement throughout the Sport and Leisure sector in Wales. Additionally, the profile of winning an Award will also be brought to the attention of influential stakeholders within the sector such as Welsh Government, Sport Wales, Community Leisure UK, WSA Partners and the media. Moreover, your excellent work will be showcased to other WSA Members as exemplar models for the sector.

Don’t forget, a FREE ticket is available alongside a purchased ticket should you be shortlisted for an Award! 

Who Can Apply?

All member organisations of the Welsh Sports Association on or before 1st March 2025 are eligible. WSA member organisations can also apply on behalf of their own members. For more detail on our eligibility criteria, visit our terms and conditions.

What makes a winning entry?

The judging panel will need as detailed information as possible within the application guidelines. The judging panel recognise that the WSA Membership is diverse and resources differ greatly from one organisation to another. However, video entries bringing projects to life will be advantageous.

Work should have the potential to create significant impact for the sector. This impact will demonstrate a combination of positive outcomes. Impact might be achieved by the growth of the organisation applying, or by the spread of their ideas to its members or other organisations.  Applicants should also show good governance and management.