Portugal reports lowest sports participation levels in the EU

A Eurobarometer survey reveals that Portugal has the lowest levels of sports practice in the European Union. Approximately 68% of Portuguese respondents reported that they never practice sports, a figure significantly higher than the EU average of 39%. Additionally, only 4% of the population exercises daily, the lowest rate among member states.

Regarding non-sporting physical activities, such as dancing or cycling to work, 51% of Portuguese respondents stated they never engage in such activities, compared to a European average of 18%. The primary reasons cited for the lack of regular exercise include a lack of motivation (39%), time constraints due to professional, school, or family obligations (31%), and health problems (11%).

Demographic data shows that men over 75 are the least active group, with 95% reporting no sports practice. Conversely, the most active demographic is young people aged 15 to 24, where 85% of boys and 63% of girls participate in sports. Despite these low rankings, there has been a slight improvement since the April 2022 survey, with the percentage of people who never practice sports decreasing by five percentage points.