Participation in sports
How many members are there in Danish sports associations? Which sports have the highest membership? Find the total membership for all association sports, time series with main results from surveys of the population’s exercise and sports habits by the Danish Institute for Sports Studies (IDAN). See also the number of spectators and matches for selected sports and leagues and get a list of Danish and foreign winners of international sports medals.
Selected statistics on Participation in sports
Members of sports associations
Activity, association and membership information is based on an extract from the Central Association Register, drived by the The Sports Confederation of Denmark, DGI and the Danish federation of Company Sports. See [dif.dk/medlemstal](https://www.dif.dk/en/politik / we-are / memberships) for the overall association sport and dif.dk/forbund for detailed numbers for each federation.
Results from the Sports Research Institute's studies of the population's sport habits are received in the form of special data delivers.
Individuals' use of sport activities within the past three months by sport activity and age and sex (IDRKVU01) is based on the Cultural Habits Study, which is why reference is made to its source documentation. https://www.dst.dk/da/Statistik/dokumentation/statistikdokumentation/kulturvaneundersoegelsen/statistisk-behandling
Memberships of sports organizations (share of population) by region, sex, age and time (IDRAKT02) is constructed from IDRAKT01 and FOLK1A, why reference is made to the documentation of these two tables. Population are extracted from FOLK1A in the fourth quarter of the relevant year.
The attendances statistics are based on several data prepared by the federations within the individual sports. Some data are collected by Statistics Denmark at the individual federations.
Attendance numbers and number of home matches for national team statistics in football are registered in (Dansk Boldspil Union database) [https://www.dbu.dk/landshold/landsholdsdatabasen/landsholdsdatabasen.aspx]
Data for the handball leagues are registered at the Danish Handball Federation.
Data for the handball national teams will be reported by the Danish Handball Federation.
Data for the basketball national team is reported from the Danish Basketball Federation.
Data for the Basketball League is reported annually from Basket League.
Data for ice hockey is registered and reported from the Danish Ice Hockey Union.
Data for Danish club football is reported from the Division Association.
The reports to the attendances statistics include the total number of matches and attendances for the individual sports by league and gender.
The medal statistics are based on the The Sports Confederation of Denmark's medal overview, which has been prepared on the basis of reports from approx. 60 special federations. More detailed information about activities, disciplines, tournaments and medalists can be found at https://www.dif.dk/idraetten-i-tal/medaljestatistik. Data regarding the Danish medals are reported to DIF from the special federations, where the requirement is, that there must be four participating countries in an official championship as a minimum. The Federation of Danish Sports search for duplicates in the reports. The medal statistics does not include junior and veteran medals. The statistics include 'European Games', which was held the first time in 2015, and corresponds to a kind of "Continental Olympic Games".
The rank tables IDRRES01, IDRRES02 are IDRRANG1 are based on special extracts from a relative medal table comparing international sports performance established by Gracenote - A Nielsen Company. The population numbers of the countries taken from the UN website.
Exercise and sports habits of Danes, men
Activity, association and membership information is based on an extract from the Central Association Register, drived by the The Sports Confederation of Denmark, DGI and the Danish federation of Company Sports. See [dif.dk/medlemstal](https://www.dif.dk/en/politik / we-are / memberships) for the overall association sport and dif.dk/forbund for detailed numbers for each federation.
Results from the Sports Research Institute's studies of the population's sport habits are received in the form of special data delivers.
Individuals' use of sport activities within the past three months by sport activity and age and sex (IDRKVU01) is based on the Cultural Habits Study, which is why reference is made to its source documentation. https://www.dst.dk/da/Statistik/dokumentation/statistikdokumentation/kulturvaneundersoegelsen/statistisk-behandling
Memberships of sports organizations (share of population) by region, sex, age and time (IDRAKT02) is constructed from IDRAKT01 and FOLK1A, why reference is made to the documentation of these two tables. Population are extracted from FOLK1A in the fourth quarter of the relevant year.
The attendances statistics are based on several data prepared by the federations within the individual sports. Some data are collected by Statistics Denmark at the individual federations.
Attendance numbers and number of home matches for national team statistics in football are registered in (Dansk Boldspil Union database) [https://www.dbu.dk/landshold/landsholdsdatabasen/landsholdsdatabasen.aspx]
Data for the handball leagues are registered at the Danish Handball Federation.
Data for the handball national teams will be reported by the Danish Handball Federation.
Data for the basketball national team is reported from the Danish Basketball Federation.
Data for the Basketball League is reported annually from Basket League.
Data for ice hockey is registered and reported from the Danish Ice Hockey Union.
Data for Danish club football is reported from the Division Association.
The reports to the attendances statistics include the total number of matches and attendances for the individual sports by league and gender.
The medal statistics are based on the The Sports Confederation of Denmark's medal overview, which has been prepared on the basis of reports from approx. 60 special federations. More detailed information about activities, disciplines, tournaments and medalists can be found at https://www.dif.dk/idraetten-i-tal/medaljestatistik. Data regarding the Danish medals are reported to DIF from the special federations, where the requirement is, that there must be four participating countries in an official championship as a minimum. The Federation of Danish Sports search for duplicates in the reports. The medal statistics does not include junior and veteran medals. The statistics include 'European Games', which was held the first time in 2015, and corresponds to a kind of "Continental Olympic Games".
The rank tables IDRRES01, IDRRES02 are IDRRANG1 are based on special extracts from a relative medal table comparing international sports performance established by Gracenote - A Nielsen Company. The population numbers of the countries taken from the UN website.
Exercise and sports habits of Danes, women
Activity, association and membership information is based on an extract from the Central Association Register, drived by the The Sports Confederation of Denmark, DGI and the Danish federation of Company Sports. See [dif.dk/medlemstal](https://www.dif.dk/en/politik / we-are / memberships) for the overall association sport and dif.dk/forbund for detailed numbers for each federation.
Results from the Sports Research Institute's studies of the population's sport habits are received in the form of special data delivers.
Individuals' use of sport activities within the past three months by sport activity and age and sex (IDRKVU01) is based on the Cultural Habits Study, which is why reference is made to its source documentation. https://www.dst.dk/da/Statistik/dokumentation/statistikdokumentation/kulturvaneundersoegelsen/statistisk-behandling
Memberships of sports organizations (share of population) by region, sex, age and time (IDRAKT02) is constructed from IDRAKT01 and FOLK1A, why reference is made to the documentation of these two tables. Population are extracted from FOLK1A in the fourth quarter of the relevant year.
The attendances statistics are based on several data prepared by the federations within the individual sports. Some data are collected by Statistics Denmark at the individual federations.
Attendance numbers and number of home matches for national team statistics in football are registered in (Dansk Boldspil Union database) [https://www.dbu.dk/landshold/landsholdsdatabasen/landsholdsdatabasen.aspx]
Data for the handball leagues are registered at the Danish Handball Federation.
Data for the handball national teams will be reported by the Danish Handball Federation.
Data for the basketball national team is reported from the Danish Basketball Federation.
Data for the Basketball League is reported annually from Basket League.
Data for ice hockey is registered and reported from the Danish Ice Hockey Union.
Data for Danish club football is reported from the Division Association.
The reports to the attendances statistics include the total number of matches and attendances for the individual sports by league and gender.
The medal statistics are based on the The Sports Confederation of Denmark's medal overview, which has been prepared on the basis of reports from approx. 60 special federations. More detailed information about activities, disciplines, tournaments and medalists can be found at https://www.dif.dk/idraetten-i-tal/medaljestatistik. Data regarding the Danish medals are reported to DIF from the special federations, where the requirement is, that there must be four participating countries in an official championship as a minimum. The Federation of Danish Sports search for duplicates in the reports. The medal statistics does not include junior and veteran medals. The statistics include 'European Games', which was held the first time in 2015, and corresponds to a kind of "Continental Olympic Games".
The rank tables IDRRES01, IDRRES02 are IDRRANG1 are based on special extracts from a relative medal table comparing international sports performance established by Gracenote - A Nielsen Company. The population numbers of the countries taken from the UN website.
Danish medallists in international sports
Activity, association and membership information is based on an extract from the Central Association Register, drived by the The Sports Confederation of Denmark, DGI and the Danish federation of Company Sports. See [dif.dk/medlemstal](https://www.dif.dk/en/politik / we-are / memberships) for the overall association sport and dif.dk/forbund for detailed numbers for each federation.
Results from the Sports Research Institute's studies of the population's sport habits are received in the form of special data delivers.
Individuals' use of sport activities within the past three months by sport activity and age and sex (IDRKVU01) is based on the Cultural Habits Study, which is why reference is made to its source documentation. https://www.dst.dk/da/Statistik/dokumentation/statistikdokumentation/kulturvaneundersoegelsen/statistisk-behandling
Memberships of sports organizations (share of population) by region, sex, age and time (IDRAKT02) is constructed from IDRAKT01 and FOLK1A, why reference is made to the documentation of these two tables. Population are extracted from FOLK1A in the fourth quarter of the relevant year.
The attendances statistics are based on several data prepared by the federations within the individual sports. Some data are collected by Statistics Denmark at the individual federations.
Attendance numbers and number of home matches for national team statistics in football are registered in (Dansk Boldspil Union database) [https://www.dbu.dk/landshold/landsholdsdatabasen/landsholdsdatabasen.aspx]
Data for the handball leagues are registered at the Danish Handball Federation.
Data for the handball national teams will be reported by the Danish Handball Federation.
Data for the basketball national team is reported from the Danish Basketball Federation.
Data for the Basketball League is reported annually from Basket League.
Data for ice hockey is registered and reported from the Danish Ice Hockey Union.
Data for Danish club football is reported from the Division Association.
The reports to the attendances statistics include the total number of matches and attendances for the individual sports by league and gender.
The medal statistics are based on the The Sports Confederation of Denmark's medal overview, which has been prepared on the basis of reports from approx. 60 special federations. More detailed information about activities, disciplines, tournaments and medalists can be found at https://www.dif.dk/idraetten-i-tal/medaljestatistik. Data regarding the Danish medals are reported to DIF from the special federations, where the requirement is, that there must be four participating countries in an official championship as a minimum. The Federation of Danish Sports search for duplicates in the reports. The medal statistics does not include junior and veteran medals. The statistics include 'European Games', which was held the first time in 2015, and corresponds to a kind of "Continental Olympic Games".
The rank tables IDRRES01, IDRRES02 are IDRRANG1 are based on special extracts from a relative medal table comparing international sports performance established by Gracenote - A Nielsen Company. The population numbers of the countries taken from the UN website.
International ranking in summer Olympic events
Activity, association and membership information is based on an extract from the Central Association Register, drived by the The Sports Confederation of Denmark, DGI and the Danish federation of Company Sports. See [dif.dk/medlemstal](https://www.dif.dk/en/politik / we-are / memberships) for the overall association sport and dif.dk/forbund for detailed numbers for each federation.
Results from the Sports Research Institute's studies of the population's sport habits are received in the form of special data delivers.
Individuals' use of sport activities within the past three months by sport activity and age and sex (IDRKVU01) is based on the Cultural Habits Study, which is why reference is made to its source documentation. https://www.dst.dk/da/Statistik/dokumentation/statistikdokumentation/kulturvaneundersoegelsen/statistisk-behandling
Memberships of sports organizations (share of population) by region, sex, age and time (IDRAKT02) is constructed from IDRAKT01 and FOLK1A, why reference is made to the documentation of these two tables. Population are extracted from FOLK1A in the fourth quarter of the relevant year.
The attendances statistics are based on several data prepared by the federations within the individual sports. Some data are collected by Statistics Denmark at the individual federations.
Attendance numbers and number of home matches for national team statistics in football are registered in (Dansk Boldspil Union database) [https://www.dbu.dk/landshold/landsholdsdatabasen/landsholdsdatabasen.aspx]
Data for the handball leagues are registered at the Danish Handball Federation.
Data for the handball national teams will be reported by the Danish Handball Federation.
Data for the basketball national team is reported from the Danish Basketball Federation.
Data for the Basketball League is reported annually from Basket League.
Data for ice hockey is registered and reported from the Danish Ice Hockey Union.
Data for Danish club football is reported from the Division Association.
The reports to the attendances statistics include the total number of matches and attendances for the individual sports by league and gender.
The medal statistics are based on the The Sports Confederation of Denmark's medal overview, which has been prepared on the basis of reports from approx. 60 special federations. More detailed information about activities, disciplines, tournaments and medalists can be found at https://www.dif.dk/idraetten-i-tal/medaljestatistik. Data regarding the Danish medals are reported to DIF from the special federations, where the requirement is, that there must be four participating countries in an official championship as a minimum. The Federation of Danish Sports search for duplicates in the reports. The medal statistics does not include junior and veteran medals. The statistics include 'European Games', which was held the first time in 2015, and corresponds to a kind of "Continental Olympic Games".
The rank tables IDRRES01, IDRRES02 are IDRRANG1 are based on special extracts from a relative medal table comparing international sports performance established by Gracenote - A Nielsen Company. The population numbers of the countries taken from the UN website.
Football top league for men
Activity, association and membership information is based on an extract from the Central Association Register, drived by the The Sports Confederation of Denmark, DGI and the Danish federation of Company Sports. See [dif.dk/medlemstal](https://www.dif.dk/en/politik / we-are / memberships) for the overall association sport and dif.dk/forbund for detailed numbers for each federation.
Results from the Sports Research Institute's studies of the population's sport habits are received in the form of special data delivers.
Individuals' use of sport activities within the past three months by sport activity and age and sex (IDRKVU01) is based on the Cultural Habits Study, which is why reference is made to its source documentation. https://www.dst.dk/da/Statistik/dokumentation/statistikdokumentation/kulturvaneundersoegelsen/statistisk-behandling
Memberships of sports organizations (share of population) by region, sex, age and time (IDRAKT02) is constructed from IDRAKT01 and FOLK1A, why reference is made to the documentation of these two tables. Population are extracted from FOLK1A in the fourth quarter of the relevant year.
The attendances statistics are based on several data prepared by the federations within the individual sports. Some data are collected by Statistics Denmark at the individual federations.
Attendance numbers and number of home matches for national team statistics in football are registered in (Dansk Boldspil Union database) [https://www.dbu.dk/landshold/landsholdsdatabasen/landsholdsdatabasen.aspx]
Data for the handball leagues are registered at the Danish Handball Federation.
Data for the handball national teams will be reported by the Danish Handball Federation.
Data for the basketball national team is reported from the Danish Basketball Federation.
Data for the Basketball League is reported annually from Basket League.
Data for ice hockey is registered and reported from the Danish Ice Hockey Union.
Data for Danish club football is reported from the Division Association.
The reports to the attendances statistics include the total number of matches and attendances for the individual sports by league and gender.
The medal statistics are based on the The Sports Confederation of Denmark's medal overview, which has been prepared on the basis of reports from approx. 60 special federations. More detailed information about activities, disciplines, tournaments and medalists can be found at https://www.dif.dk/idraetten-i-tal/medaljestatistik. Data regarding the Danish medals are reported to DIF from the special federations, where the requirement is, that there must be four participating countries in an official championship as a minimum. The Federation of Danish Sports search for duplicates in the reports. The medal statistics does not include junior and veteran medals. The statistics include 'European Games', which was held the first time in 2015, and corresponds to a kind of "Continental Olympic Games".
The rank tables IDRRES01, IDRRES02 are IDRRANG1 are based on special extracts from a relative medal table comparing international sports performance established by Gracenote - A Nielsen Company. The population numbers of the countries taken from the UN website.
On the statistics – documentation, sources and method
See the documentation of statistics to learn more:
The purpose of the Cultural Habits Survey is to document the cultural habits of the residents of Denmark. Culture is broadly defined, as the survey covers habits within the topics of culture, media and recreational activities, e.g. concerts, performing arts, cinema, literature, exercise, digital games and hobbies. The survey has been carried out regularly since 1964. Statistics Denmark has carried out the survey from 2018-2023 and in 2024, while previous surveys have been carried out by the Ministry of Culture. The survey has been carried out with a new questionnaire since the first quarter of 2024, and is therefore not directly comparable with previous versions.
The purpose of the statistics is to highlight sports participation and results of the population and the professional athletes in Denmark. The statistics describes sports activities, the population's sports and exercise habits, attendances to sports events and Danish sports medal winners in international competitions. The earliest data series in the statistics start from 2007. The statistics in their current form are comparable with other publications of the original sources, eg the Central Association Register, and the Sports Research Institute's surveys of Danes' sports habits.
Need more data on Participation in sports?
You can go on searching on your own in Statbank Denmark. Find detailed figures on sports organisations, Danish and international medals, sporting habits of children and adults, and spectators within various sports.