Türkiye’s sports economy hits 181 billion liras

ISTANBUL

Türkiye women's national volleyball team (AA Photo)

Türkiye’s sports economy reached 181 billion Turkish Liras ($3.7 billion), driven by massive public investments and direct sector expenditures, a joint report revealed.

The National Olympic Committee of Türkiye (TMOK) and Deloitte Türkiye prepared the study. Public investments in sports facilities account for 100 billion liras ($2 billion). Direct expenditures make up the remaining 81 billion liras ($1.6 billion).

The professional club and athlete economy hit 54.2 billion liras ($1.1 billion), dominated by football at 41.4 billion liras ($849 million). Direct fan spending generated 18.5 billion liras ($379 million) in the football sector. Broadcasting revenues contributed 8.8 billion liras ($181 million).

Basketball followed with 7.3 billion liras ($150 million), ahead of volleyball at 4.6 billion liras ($94 million). Women’s volleyball constitutes 60 percent of the volleyball economy. The top-tier Sultanlar Ligi accounts for 45 percent, becoming a strong international sports brand.

The amateur sports economy reached 10 billion liras ($205 million). Football claimed 4.7 billion liras ($96 million). School and university sports generated 1.2 billion liras ($25 million). The Paralympic ecosystem recorded 761 million liras ($16 million) following Türkiye’s 28-medal haul at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

Sports tourism contributed between 45 billion and 55 billion liras ($923 million and $1.1 billion) to the economy. International visitors provided 50 to 60 percent of this revenue. Golf tourism in the southern province of Antalya’s Belek resort area and team training camps stood out.

“This study, revealing the size of the sports economy, allows us to see the economic activity in the sector in a data-driven way,” Deloitte Türkiye Strategy and Business Design Leader Elif Düşmez Tek said. “We believe the obtained data will form an important reference for future work.”

TMOK President Professor Veli Ozan Çakır said revealing the current state of the sports economy carries great importance for tracking the sector’s development. “We aim for this report to shed light on efforts for the development of the sports economy,” he said.

The Turkish government subsidizes sports infrastructure across the country, building stadiums and training facilities in nearly all 81 provinces over the past two decades. Private sponsorship deals and broadcasting rights continue to shape the financial landscape of top-tier professional leagues.