Overview - Sport
What information can I find here?
Sport statistics for the EU are not collected by a single stand-alone survey, but come from different Eurostat data collections. Sport statistics concern both social and economic aspects of sport. Data available in this section cover the following topics :
- employment in sport;
- characteristics and performance of enterprises engaged in the sport sector & sold production of sporting goods;
- international trade in sporting goods;
- participation in sport events (attendance);
- practice of sport and physical activity and time spent on sport and outdoor activities;
- private household expenditure on sporting goods and services;
- price index of sporting goods and services;
- sport in cities (such as number of swimming pools and satisfaction with sport facilities of cities' residents).
For more detailed information on the data and indicators covered by the topics, please see the page 'Information on data' in this section.
Why is this statistics important and what is the European Commission doing in this regard?
Due to its growing impact on Europe's economy and society, sport has gained an important place in European strategies and programmes, such as Erasmus+. As a consequence, comparable statistics are needed to strengthen evidence-based policies in the field of sport.
The European Commission believes that sport plays a vital role, not only in individual health and fitness, but in shaping our wider European society. Supporting dialogue between policy makers and sport organisers promotes healthy living and social cohesion for young people across Europe. In addition, the economic dimension of sport has become an increasingly important consideration in the EU.
Policies to derive the best possible economic benefits from the sport domain, particularly during difficult economic times, can have a direct impact on the lives of European citizens. To know more about the European Commission policies and initiatives in this field, please have a look at their dedicated website.
