International Journal of Scientific Research and Engineering Development

The staging of international sport events mobilizes a multiplicity of actors operating across national, regional and local scales. Effective multi-level governance and inter-institutional coordination are thus decisive for operational success, legacy outcomes and stakeholder legitimacy. This paper develops a theoretical treatment of governance architectures and coordination mechanisms in the context of major sport events. Drawing on event studies and sport management scholarship (notably Getz, Leopkey & Parent, Thibault & Babiak, and Chappelet), the article articulates core concepts of multi-level governance, identifies recurring coordination failures and proposes a conceptual framework that highlights the role of hybrids: strategic central oversight combined with decentralized operational delivery. The framework foregrounds four enabling conditions — role clarity, structured communication, aligned incentives, and adaptive decisionmaking — as critical to mitigating risks associated with institutional fragmentation. Theoretical implications and directions for empirical testing are discussed, with practical recommendations for policy makers and organizing committees seeking to improve governance capacity in future events.