At a dedicated meeting of the CERN Council on 6-7 November, CERN Members and representatives of the associated Member States reviewed the results of the feasibility study for the proposed Future Circular Collider.
Particle colliders are unique instruments that allow the smallest components of matter and the laws of the universe to be studied at the most fundamental level. CERN and its partners in Europe and around the world are currently working to identify the next collider that will replace the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) when it reaches the end of operations in 2041.
In line with the recommendations of the 2020 update of the European Strategy for Particle Physics (ESPP), CERN has conducted a study to assess the feasibility of a possible Future Circular Collider (FCC). The study was carried out in collaboration with a number of institutions from CERN member and associate member states and beyond, and its report was released on 31 March 2025.
Following review by the CERN Council’s subordinate bodies, the Scientific Policy Committee and Finance Committee, and independent expert committees, Council representatives examined the FCC feasibility study report at a dedicated meeting held at CERN on 6 and 7 November 2025.
Independent expert committees stated that, based on the documents presented, the FCC appears to be technically feasible, with no showstoppers identified so far.
In its conclusions, the CERN Council reiterated its commitment to maintaining CERN as a world leading laboratory in science and technology. It believes that the FCC will provide the platform for a forward-looking physics program that will address many open questions in particle physics, in particular on the Higgs boson, which are critical to understanding the foundations of the Standard Model and opening up opportunities for discovering new physics beyond the Standard Model, as well as fostering the development of new technologies that will have significant positive impacts on society.
“The CERN Council reaffirms its strong desire to maintain CERN at the forefront of particle physics and sees the continuation of the FCC study as a step towards this goal,” said CERN Council Chair Costas Fountas.
The Council welcomed the work of CERN management over the past several years to develop a funding model and financial scenarios based on the different levels of resources that could be available both inside and outside the CERN budget.
The CERN Council also recognized that more work is needed, particularly on regional implementation, environmental impacts and risk management, as well as reducing cost uncertainties, securing the necessary financial resources and communicating the technical, scientific and social benefits of the project.
The Council concluded that the Feasibility Study provides the basis for continuing the FCC studies and that the funding scenario presented and the financial pledges received so far provide the basis for continuing work towards securing the full financial commitments required for approval of the FCC project.
“The scope and depth of the FCC feasibility study is remarkable and has been made possible by the collective effort of approximately 1,500 people from 162 institutions in 38 countries,” said Fabiola Gianotti, Director General of CERN.
As part of the ongoing update of the ESPP, a community-driven process, recommendations on CERN’s future flagship project will be developed at a dedicated meeting in Ascona, Switzerland in December 2025. These and other recommendations will be considered by the Council for approval in May 2026, which will mark the conclusion of the process and the update of the ESPP. The FCC Feasibility Study Report is intended to support informed decision-making by CERN Member States and does not prejudge any final position. A decision by the CERN Council on the possible creation of the FCC is expected around 2028.