Fewer low earners play sport, only 66% in 2024

People on higher incomes played sport more often than people on lower incomes in 2024, and the gap has grown over ten years, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports. In the lowest fifth of incomes, 66% played sport at least once in the previous twelve months, against 72% in 2014. In the highest fifth it was 89%, against 88%.

Overall, almost 8 in 10 people played sport in 2024, and that has barely changed since 2014. Cost is a bigger barrier for people on low incomes, CBS says, based on its leisure survey (Vrijetijdsomnibus).

Low earners now play sport less than ten years ago

%

Low earners now play sport less than ten years ago (%). Highest: Highest 20% of incomes, 88.1; lowest: Lowest 20% of incomes, 71.7; 2 items. Source: CBS.

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Data: Low earners now play sport less than ten years ago

Item	2014	2024
Lowest 20% of incomes	71.7	65.5
Highest 20% of incomes	88.1	89.1

Cost weighs far more on the lowest incomes

%

Cost weighs far more on the lowest incomes (%). Highest: Find sport costs too high: lowest, 69; lowest: No money left for sport after fixed costs: highest, 6; 8 items. Source: CBS.

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Data: Cost weighs far more on the lowest incomes

Item	%
Find sport costs too high: lowest	69
Find sport costs too high: highest	43
No money left for sport after fixed costs: lowest	32
No money left for sport after fixed costs: highest	6
Cannot afford preferred sport: lowest	27
Cannot afford preferred sport: highest	7
Would play more if free: lowest	54
Would play more if free: highest	30

People in the highest income group do fitness, golf, hockey, padel, tennis and road cycling (wielrennen) more often. The lowest group does no sport more often than the highest.

The mix of sports has shifted. Fitness was the most popular in 2024, with 30% taking part, after hovering around 26% between 2014 and 2022. Swimming, the most popular sport in 2014, has lost participants, as have running and football.