PRESS RELEASE | June 29, 2026

GGN’S PERMANENT ARENA IS NOW LEGALLY SECURED – A THREE-YEAR LEGAL PROCESS COMES TO AN END

After nearly three years of legal proceedings, it is now official. The building permit and all required permits for Gotland Grand National’s permanent racing arena in Hejdeby have become legally binding. For the first time since the Swedish Armed Forces closed the Tofta Military Training Area in 2023, GGN’s future is now permanently secured from a legal standpoint.

When the Swedish Armed Forces announced in August 2023 that the Gotland Grand National—the world’s largest enduro race—could no longer be held at the Tofta Military Training Area after more than 40 years, the organizers faced the greatest challenge in the event’s history.

Since then, Nordic Sport & Event has invested nearly SEK 5 million in a completely new venue, navigated five separate court proceedings and extensive regulatory reviews, while simultaneously constructing an entirely new racecourse in less than five weeks after the initial temporary permit became legally binding.

Despite the extreme time constraints, the Gotland Grand National was successfully held in Hejdeby in both 2024 and 2025. Now that all necessary decisions have become legally binding, the three-year legal process has officially come to an end, permanently securing the future of the GGN.

The decision permits activities on portions of the course (covering two properties within Arena 1) for seven (7) months each year, from August 1 through the end of February. This creates entirely new opportunities to develop manufacturer test drives, corporate events, conference activities, and other business operations, generating additional value for both Gotland and Nordic Sport & Event as the event organizer.

For Nordic Sport & Event, the decision marks the conclusion of one of the most extensive permitting processes surrounding a Swedish sporting event in recent years. At the same time, it marks the beginning of the company’s next phase of development, shifting its focus from legal proceedings to the continued expansion of the Gotland Grand National as an international event and an even stronger driver of tourism and the visitor economy on Gotland.

“Perhaps the most remarkable achievement is not that we now have a permanent permit. The most remarkable part is that, during the legal process, we managed to relocate the world’s largest enduro race, build an entirely new arena in less than five weeks, and successfully host two editions of the event while the court proceedings were still ongoing,” says Conny Bohlin, CEO of Nordic Sport & Event.

“Throughout this journey, we have received tremendous support from government authorities, the business community, partners, participants, local sports clubs, and the motorsports community. We also demonstrated back in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, that we are capable of handling difficult situations and crises, when we were perhaps the only major sporting event in Europe that was able to be successfully held in the fall of 2020,” says Conny Bohlin.

“Now the next chapter in GGN’s history begins. Over the coming weeks, we will launch a new international brand for Gotland Grand National and take the next step in our global expansion with twelve (12) hours of live broadcasting to viewers around the world,” concludes Conny Bohlin.

Timeline

August 28, 2023 – The Swedish Armed Forces announced that the Tofta Military Training Area will no longer be available for GGN starting in 2024.

2024 – After legal proceedings through five levels of judicial review, the temporary permits become legally binding just weeks before the event. A completely new course is built in less than five weeks, and GGN is successfully held in Hejdeby.

2025 – GGN is once again successfully held in Hejdeby while the legal proceedings continue.

June 27, 2026 – The appeal period ends. All decisions have now become legally binding, permanently securing the venue.

Facts

The Gotland Grand National is the world’s largest enduro race, attracting more than 3,000 riders from multiple countries every year.

• Established in 1984 and held for 42 consecutive years
• Participants ranging in age from approximately 5 to 75 years
• An approximately 25-kilometer race course through the unique terrain of Gotland
• About 28,000 overnight stays during race week
• Approximately SEK 100 million generated annually for the local economy
• Approximately SEK 800,000 is contributed annually to local sports clubs and associations
• 12 hours of live broadcasting in 2026 (spanning two days)
• The 2026 edition will take place October 22–24

For more information, please contact:

Conny Bohlin
CEO, Nordic Sport & Event AB

Phone: +46 708 24 94 94
Email: conny.bohlin@nordicsportevent.se