Future Circular Collider (FCC)

The Future Circular Collider (FCC) is CERN's long-range conceptual proposal for a next-generation particle accelerator, envisioning a 91-kilometre ring in the Lake Geneva basin that would dwarf the current 27-kilometre LHC and require a procurement programme of unprecedented scale and technical ambition if approved and funded by CERN member states.

What is the FCC?

The FCC study, formalised in CERN's 2020 Conceptual Design Report and endorsed as a priority in the 2020 European Strategy for Particle Physics, proposes two sequential machines in the same tunnel: an electron-positron collider (FCC-ee) operating in the 2040s, followed by a proton-proton collider (FCC-hh) targeting collision energies of 100 TeV, roughly seven times the LHC's design energy. The scale of the project, an estimated EUR 15 billion or more for the first phase, means it would represent the largest single scientific infrastructure procurement programme in history if authorised.

Procurement implications extend well beyond the tunnel and magnets. The FCC would require new superconducting magnet technology at field strengths not yet in industrial production, cryogenic systems of extraordinary extent, civil engineering across two countries, and computing infrastructure to handle data volumes orders of magnitude beyond the LHC. Unlike the HL-LHC, which is an approved and funded programme, the FCC remains subject to CERN Council decision and political approval by member states, so procurement activity at this stage is primarily in the form of research contracts, feasibility studies, and prototype development, all accessible through the CERN eProcurement Portal.

Why the FCC matters for bidders

The FCC is a horizon-scanning opportunity for suppliers with capabilities in advanced superconducting systems, large-scale civil engineering, cryogenics, or precision scientific instrumentation. While full-scale procurement remains years away, CERN is already placing research and development contracts for prototype magnets, tunnel surveys, and technical studies. Firms that establish a track record on these early contracts position themselves as the natural pool of suppliers for the main programme if it proceeds. Monitoring CERN's procurement notices now, even for relatively modest R and D contracts, is the long-horizon investment that pays off when the programme scales.

FAQ

Has the FCC been approved by CERN?

As of 2025, the FCC has been endorsed as a priority by the European particle physics community and endorsed in principle by CERN's governing council, but full approval for construction and funding commitments from member states remains a future decision. Prototype and feasibility procurement is underway.

What is the timeline for FCC construction?

If approved, tunnel construction for the FCC-ee phase could begin in the mid-2030s, with first collisions targeting the early 2040s. The FCC-hh phase would follow in the second half of the century, giving a full programme timeline of several decades.

How can a supplier engage with FCC procurement today?

Register on the CERN eProcurement Portal, select relevant technical categories, and monitor CERN's advance notices for R and D contracts related to FCC magnet prototypes, civil engineering studies, and cryogenic development, which represent the active procurement front at this stage.