The verdict in three sentences
For a federation with 320 clubs and 48,000 members, a membership management web app costs between EUR 35,000 and 80,000 excl. VAT in 2026 depending on the competitions scope. Online payment and automatic medical certificate checks remove about 70% of the data entry done by club volunteers. Part of the budget can be covered by public sport funding (the ANS in France, Sport Ireland capacity programmes in Ireland) when the project supports participation goals.
Three tools, too much double entry
The director of a regional league currently manages registrations in the national federation's extranet, medical certificates in shared folders and competitions in a spreadsheet. Every season, club secretaries re-enter the same data three times, chase certificates by phone and collect fees by cheque. A single app, connected to the national system by export or API, centralises these flows.
| Module | What it automates | Indicative 2026 budget (excl. VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| Member portal and online registration | Form, supporting documents, parental consent | EUR 6,000 to 12,000 |
| Membership payment | Card, 3-instalment direct debit, state sport vouchers | EUR 4,000 to 9,000 |
| Medical certificates and health questionnaire | Upload, validity date, automatic reminders | EUR 4,000 to 8,000 |
| Club back office | Approval, lists, insurance export | EUR 6,000 to 13,000 |
| Competitions and calendar | Entries, pools, results, rankings | EUR 8,000 to 22,000 |
| National federation sync | Export or API to the federation extranet | EUR 4,000 to 10,000 |
| League dashboards | Members by club, age, gender, area | EUR 3,000 to 6,000 |
Without the competitions module, the project stays around EUR 35,000 excl. VAT. With full regional championship management, it approaches EUR 80,000 excl. VAT.
Recurring costs and funding
| Item | Annual amount 2026 (estimate) |
|---|---|
| EU hosting, backups | EUR 2,400 to 4,800 |
| Corrective and evolutive maintenance | EUR 5,000 to 10,000 |
| Online payment fees (1.4% + EUR 0.25) | about EUR 13,000 for 48,000 memberships with a EUR 15 league share |
| Reminder emails and SMS | EUR 600 to 1,500 |
| Public sport agency grant | 20 to 50% of the project depending on the application |
| Regional and volunteer funds | EUR 5,000 to 15,000 depending on the call |
Public funders do not pay for software for its own sake: the application must show an impact on participation (youth access, rural clubs, women in sport). We help write the technical part and the costing.
Custom build or off-the-shelf club software
| Criterion | Standard club software | Custom application |
|---|---|---|
| Price | EUR 1 to 3 per member per year | EUR 35,000 to 80,000 excl. VAT then EUR 8,000 to 15,000 a year |
| 5-year cost for 48,000 members | EUR 240,000 to 720,000 | EUR 75,000 to 155,000 |
| Sport-specific rules | Partial | Complete |
| Link with the national extranet | Rarely included | Built to fit |
| Data ownership | Vendor | League |
Above 10,000 members, per-head pricing makes a custom build clearly cheaper over five years.
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Yann, director of a regional league, oversees 320 clubs. Each club spends about 35 hours per season on registrations, certificate reminders and fee collection: 11,200 volunteer hours in total. The app, budgeted at EUR 58,000 excl. VAT with a simplified competitions module, removes 70% of these tasks, freeing 7,840 hours. At league level, the admin employee recovers 40% of their time, worth EUR 16,000 a year. With a 35% public grant, the net cost drops to EUR 37,700, paid back in just over two seasons on salary savings alone, not counting the volunteers who stay in their clubs.
FAQ
How long to be ready before the September season start?
Start in January for a late-June launch. Allow 14 to 20 weeks, including 3 weeks of testing with 10 pilot clubs.
Are medical certificates health data?
Yes, they require suitable hosting and restricted access. Certified health data hosting adds EUR 1,500 to 4,000 a year, or you store only the date and questionnaire confirmation.
Can state sport vouchers be integrated?
Yes, a EUR 50 voucher code can be deducted at checkout and an export handles reimbursement to clubs. Development costs EUR 2,000 to 4,000 excl. VAT.
Do clubs need training?
A one-hour video session and video tutorials are enough in most cases. Plan EUR 2,000 to 5,000 for four sessions and documentation.
What if the national federation changes its extranet?
Sync lives in its own module. Adapting it usually costs EUR 3,000 to 8,000 excl. VAT without touching the rest of the app.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your number of clubs, members and competitions for a quote between EUR 35,000 and 80,000 excl. VAT, with help on the funding application and a plan that fits the season start. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
