The newly published EU Sport Satellite Account: 2025 edition offers detailed evidence on the economic weight of sport in Europe. The analysis is based on the “Vilnius Definition 3.0,” which sets out how sport-related activities should be measured. It includes both characteristic products, activities where people actively take part in sport, such as clubs or sport education, and connected products, which include areas that benefit indirectly from sport, such as retail trade, tourism, or media.
Main findings
Using 2019 data, the report shows that sport is responsible for 3.4% of EU GDP, equivalent to €627.5 billion.
Looking across countries, the relative weight of sport varies. Austria stands out with sport contributing nearly 5% of its national gross value, while Germany and France have the largest sports economies in absolute terms.
- Employment in sport
It is also a powerful driver of employment, directly supporting more than 6 million jobs and almost 9.3 million in total once indirect effects through supply chains are included. In other words, 3.8% of all EU employment is linked to sport. This employment share exceeds sport’s contribution to GDP, confirming that it is a strong generator of jobs.
Employment in the sport economy is particularly concentrated in a few key sectors. Sport services (such as clubs and fitness facilities) employ around 1.7 million people, while education services add just over 1 million jobs. Together with retail trade, accounting for a further 730 000 occupations, these three fields represent more than half of direct employment in sport.
- Socio-economic return on investment
The analysis further demonstrates sport’s multiplier effects: for “every euro invested in sport, €1.70 of gross value is generated in the wider economy.” This confirms the sector’s role as an efficient engine of growth, capable of producing spill-over benefits that extend beyond stadiums, gyms, or clubs.
Commissioner of Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport Glenn Micallef (European Commission) captured this message succinctly in his reaction on X by stating that “European sport means serious business.”
Implications for policymakers
For policymakers, the implications are clear. Sport is not only a cultural and social asset but also a substantial economic sector whose growth rates outpace those of many other industries. From 2012 to 2019, the sports economy expanded at a real annual rate of nearly 3%. This evidence strengthens the case for sustained investment in sport as a driver of economic performance.
As the EU debates on the design of the Multiannual Financial Framework 2028-2034, the Sport Satellite Account reinforces that investing in sport policies contributes directly to economic resilience and long-term prosperity across Europe.