Employment in European Sport. What Do the Numbers Conceal?

ISG 21 May 2025

The report Sport Employment Statistics in Europe 2023 shows that the growing number of jobs in the sport sector does not necessarily go hand in hand with stability, security, and long-term career prospects.

In the world of sport, we often talk about development: infrastructure, programmes, representation. But we should also be talking about the development of the labour market.
According to the new report published by EOSE (European Observatoire of Sport and Employment), in 2023, as many as 1.96 million people were employed in the sport sector across Europe. This represents an increase of over 32% compared to 2011.

That is an impressive figure. But we ask a different question:
Does this growth build a healthy and fair system – or does it merely mask its weaknesses?

Figures That Draw Attention

The report covers data from 27 EU countries and the United Kingdom. Key indicators include:

1.96 million people employed in the sport sector in 2023,

a 32.3% increase in employment compared to 2011,

1.11 million people working in occupations directly related to sport and recreation,

1.44 million people employed in organisations whose main business is the provision of sport (clubs, facilities, federations).

There has also been a noticeable increase in employment following the pandemic – in some segments (e.g. among young workers), employment has surpassed pre-2020 levels.

But growth in job numbers is only one side of the coin.

Structural Challenges Hidden Behind the Growth

A closer analysis of the report reveals that the European sport labour market is deeply fragmented, flexible, and unstable – and its foundations remain fragile.

Some of the key issues include:

Women working part-time:
More than 50% of women employed in the sport sector work part-time. In many cases, this is not by choice but due to limited full-time opportunities, pay inequality, or lack of systemic support.

Self-employed professionals:
As many as 70% of coaches, instructors and sport activity leaders are self-employed. While flexibility might seem appealing, in reality it often means lack of insurance, lack of stability, and the inability to plan a career.

Young people in unstable employment:
One in four sport sector workers is under the age of 25. These individuals are most often employed under short-term contracts, with no clear career paths and no access to mentoring or lifelong learning opportunities.

Employment outside the sport sector:
Surprisingly, over half of people in sport-related occupations are not employed in clubs, federations or sport organisations, but rather in institutions where sport is only a supplementary activity: hotels, schools, local governments, or rehabilitation centres. This makes it even more difficult to integrate competencies and develop professionally.

Employment Is More Than a Statistic. It’s the Foundation of the System

For our institute, this report is a warning sign. We cannot speak of the professionalisation of sport if:

we ignore the working conditions of its key professionals,

we downplay the absence of social protection,

we tolerate the lack of coherent career pathways,

we fail to invest in skills development and continue to rely on “passion” alone.

For too long, the sport sector has operated on a model in which passion substitutes for decent working conditions.
This is ineffective. It is unethical. And it is unsustainable.

If we want sport to be a true instrument of social, health, and educational change – we must take care of those who make it happen.

What Does the European Sport Labour Market Need?

Based on the report and ISG’s expert perspective, we believe there are four priority areas in need of urgent reform:

1. Employment stabilisation
We need solutions that support the transition from self-employment to contracted roles where possible. Self-employment cannot remain the default.

2. Investment in skills
The sector requires stronger training systems, certification processes, and both formal and non-formal education – particularly in areas such as management, leadership, ESG, and inclusion.

3. Support for young professionals
Young professionals need structure: mentoring, career guidance, clear roles, and long-term prospects. Today, they all too often enter the sector “for now” – not “for good”.

4. Coherent employment policy
EU member states and institutions must create legal frameworks that support employment in sport – recognising it as a strategic sector, not merely a recreational one.