Hong Kong’s major sports events funding scheme will no longer support regional competitions, focusing only on “world-level” events in a bid to boost tourism and the economy, the government has said.

The government announced on Sunday that it was introducing new vetting criteria for its “M” Mark System, a funding scheme for major sports events in the city.

The new guidelines explicitly state that events at the “Asia level” will not be eligible. It is now mandatory that events be “world-level,” for example, world championships, world tours, or intercontinental championships.

In a statement, authorities said the changes were aimed at enhancing “the efficiency and effectiveness of government funding.”

The scheme will remain a dollar-to-dollar matching grant with a maximum amount of HK$15 million per event. But the new guidelines add that the dollar-to-dollar basis is “based on the quality of the proposals,” with “no guarantee” that approved events will receive a matching fund of HK$15 million.

The funding amount will depend on factors including economic and tourism impact, media coverage, and the significance of the event.

The new scheme, however, offers more support for events taking place in private venues instead of the government’s Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) facilities or the Hong Kong Stadium. The ceiling has been increased from HK$1 million to HK$3 million.

Messi no-show

Founded in 2004, the “M” Mark System aims to attract more major sports events to Hong Kong. The scheme gives local athletes a chance to compete on home ground, as well as Hongkongers the opportunity to enjoy “top level performance sports” and “to cultivate a sporting culture,” according to the government.

Local media reported that the recent revamp was partly triggered by Lionel Messi’s no-show in February last year. The Argentine star and his American football club Inter Miami came to the city for a friendly match against a local team – but he did not play due to a purported injury.

Tens of thousands of fans were left disappointed, and the Consumer Council received over 1,465 complaints by the following month.

Tatler Asia, the match organiser, had obtained HK$15 million for the event and HK$1 million in a venue hiring grant through the “M” Mark System.

After the no-show, the organiser said it would withdraw its bid for the government grant.

Asked on Sunday if the exclusion of regional events from the scheme would affect sports development in Hong Kong, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law said she did not share this concern.

“The LCSD and the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau offer other types of support, such as in venue hiring and [through the] Arts and Sport Development Fund,” Law said in Cantonese.

According to a calendar on the “M” Mark website, 18 events receiving funding under the scheme have been scheduled this year, including the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon in February, the Rugby Sevens in March, and the Liverpool vs AC Milan match last month.