The European Union recorded €10.8 billion in sporting goods imports from non-EU countries in 2024, while extra-EU exports totaled €7.3 billion, according to data released by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. Sporting goods accounted for 0.4 percent of the bloc’s total imports and 0.3 percent of total exports over the year. Among the imported sporting goods, sports footwear led in terms of value, followed by gym, swim and athletic equipment, and boats and water sport equipment. On the export side, boats and water sport equipment were the most significant, ahead of gym and swim gear and sports footwear.
China was the EU’s largest external supplier of sporting goods in 2024, accounting for €4.5 billion of total imports. Vietnam followed with €1.9 billion and Indonesia contributed €0.5 billion. On the export side, the United States was the primary destination with €1.6 billion in sporting goods received from the EU, followed by the UK at €1.0 billion and Switzerland at €0.9 billion. The EU’s trade balance in sporting goods showed a deficit of €3.4 billion for 2024, narrowing slightly from €3.7 billion in 2019. During the five-year period from 2019 to 2024, EU exports of sporting goods increased at an average annual rate of 2.5 percent, while imports rose at around 1 percent per year.
Detailed trade patterns reveal shifts in product demand. Exports of golf equipment more than doubled over the five-year period, registering the fastest growth among all categories. Exports of racket sports gear and boats and water sport equipment also recorded substantial gains. On the import side, gym, swim and athletic equipment, along with boats and water sport equipment, saw the highest increases in absolute value. In terms of composition, sports footwear made up the largest share of extra-EU imports in 2024 at 27.5 percent. Boats and water sport equipment accounted for 30.1 percent of extra-EU exports, making it the EU’s most valuable category in sporting goods trade.
Top import partners include China and Vietnam
At the country level, several EU Member States showed significant reliance on imports from non-EU sources. The Netherlands, Malta, Ireland and Belgium imported more sporting goods from outside the EU than from within the bloc. Thirteen Member States recorded a trade surplus in sporting goods in 2024 when both intra- and extra-EU trade are considered. The data also point to broader economic activity linked to the sector. In 2024, approximately 1.6 million people were employed in the sports sector across the EU. Of these, 37 percent were aged between 15 and 29, highlighting the concentration of youth employment within the industry.
While sporting goods represent a small share of the EU’s overall trade volume, the figures underscore steady activity and specialized strengths within certain categories. The role of key trading partners such as China, the United States and Vietnam reflects entrenched supply chains and consistent international demand for both consumer and performance-based sporting products. Eurostat’s findings were released as part of its updated statistical overview of international trade in sporting goods, providing a snapshot of Europe’s trade dynamics and the evolving structure of the sector. – By EuroWire News Desk.