Germans love football and enjoy hiking. Most people know that. But did you also know that Germany is home to nearly 90,000 sports clubs and that handball was invented here? We have answers to key questions about sport in Germany
How sporty are the Germans?
More than half (52 percent) of over-18s do sport regularly, according to a survey conducted by the Techniker Krankenkasse (health insurance fund). For many people, sport serves as a healthy counterbalance to their work lives. More than a third (37 percent) of those surveyed said they took more than one hour of exercise per day – either on foot or by bike. 66 percent manage at least half an hour of exercise per day. The rest might affectionately be described as “Sportmuffel” - roughly equivalent to a “couch potato” - in Germany.
Which sports are popular in Germany?
Hardly surprisingly, football is the undisputed number one sport in Germany – be it on television or on one of the thousands of pitches across the country. More than seven million people in Germany are members of a football club; in terms of popularity, football is followed by gymnastics and tennis.
A fun fact: With around 316,000 members, FC Bayern Munich is the world’s largest football club.
