Skip to content

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

This page shows selected popular statistics on the subject of Participation in sports. In Statbank Denmark, you can find more data and compile your own statistics.

Members of sports associations

See the ten largest sports of all association sports. Activities that are not directly related to a sport are not included in this figure.
More about the figure
Last update
4.7.2024
Next update
2.6.2025
Source data

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

Every four years, IDAN prepares a major sample survey on the exercise and sports habits of the population. Find out how many are practising different sports.
More about the figure
Last update
20.8.2021
Next update
17.3.2025
Source data

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

Every four years, IDAN prepares a major sample survey on the exercise and sports habits of the population. Find out how many are practising different sports.
More about the figure
Last update
20.8.2021
Next update
17.3.2025
Source data

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

See how many Danish medallists there are at World Championships, European Championships, the Olympics and Paralympics. Sports and events must be represented by a sports federation under the Sports Confederation of Denmark (DIF).
More about the figure
Last update
4.7.2024
Next update
2.6.2025
Source data

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

The statistics provide an international comparison of the results for Denmark with those of other nations. The comparison is based on the official Olympic events in a given year. For the years where there are no Olympics, we use the results from the latest world championship performances in the events that correspond to the Olympic events. In this way, it gives an up-to-date picture of the distribution of Olympic medals.
More about the figure
Last update
6.3.2024
Next update
3.3.2025
Source data

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

See the development in the number of spectators and the average number of spectators per match. The statistics are based on several calculations prepared by federations within the individual sports.
More about the figure
Last update
7.10.2024
Next update
14.10.2025
Source data

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

Gain an overview of the purpose, contents and quality of the statistics. Learn about the data sources of the statistics, the contents of the statistics and how often they are published.

See the documentation of statistics to learn more:

Cultural Habits Survey

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.

Sports Participation

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.

Contact

Søren Østerballe
Phone: +45 23 42 32 97