Sports in Austria

What sports are played in Austria?

Sport Austria lists its full members (Vollmitglieder) under three headings, Bundes-Sportdachverbände, Gesamtösterreichische Organisationen and Bundes-Sportfachverbände, and prints no total.^[15] Its list includes ASVÖ, ASKÖ, SPORTUNION Österreich and Turnsport Austria, and among the federations the Österreichischer Fußball-Bund, Ski Austria – Österreichischer Skiverband, the Österreichischer Eishockeyverband, the Österreichischer Handballbund, the Österreichischer Rodelverband, the Österreichischer Faustball-Bund, Stocksport Austria and the Österreichischer Tennisverband, as well as the Österreichisches Olympisches Comité, the Österreichisches Paralympisches Committee and Special Olympics Österreich.^[15]

Olympedia's medals-by-sport table for Austria carries rows in alpine skiing, ski jumping, snowboarding, Nordic combined, cross-country and freestyle skiing, figure skating, luge, bobsleigh and skeleton, sailing, canoe sprint and canoe slalom, weightlifting, judo, swimming, athletics, shooting, speed skating, fencing, cycling, equestrian, triathlon, biathlon, rowing, field handball, football, tennis, sport climbing, wrestling and karate, and in four art competitions.^[1]

What is the most popular spectator sport in Austria?

No measured ranking of spectator sports in Austria was retrieved. The proxies retrieved are football attendance and broadcast carriage, and federations' registered members.

Attendance. The Österreichische Fußball-Bundesliga's annual report for the completed 2024–25 season gives 1,714,528 spectators, under the label “FANS”, for the ADMIRAL Bundesliga, and an average of 8,792, which it calls “der dritthöchste Wert der Bundesliga-Geschichte”, the third-highest in the league's history. The attendance page does not say which rounds the total includes. For the second tier, the ADMIRAL 2. Liga, the same report gives 235,896 spectators and an average of 983.^[16] No completed-season report for 2025–26 was retrieved from the league.

Broadcasting. The league announced on 4 September 2025 that from 2026–27 to 2029–30 Sky shows “alle 195 Spiele live im Pay-TV auf Sky Sport Austria”, all 195 matches live on pay television, and that the ORF had secured four live matches a season, co-exclusively.^[28] Its announcement of 30 June 2025 gives the ORF highlight and short-reporting rights to all 195 and awards the second tier's rights to Sportradar, which shows all 240 live matches in what it calls the LAOLA1 universe.^[17]

Registered members. Sport Austria's member directory prints, without a reference date, 2,201 clubs and 247,649 members for the Österreichischer Fußball-Bund, 1,605 clubs and 196,697 members for the Österreichischer Tennisverband, 1,131 clubs and 136,356 members for Ski Austria and 162 clubs and 121,649 members for the Österreichischer Golf-Verband.^[15] Those are membership figures, not spectator figures.

How is sport organised in Austria?

The name. Article 1 of the Bundes-Verfassungsgesetz reads: “Österreich ist eine demokratische Republik. Ihr Recht geht vom Volk aus.”^[29] Article 8a(1) uses the long form: “Die Farben der Republik Österreich sind rot-weiß-rot.”^[13]

The statute. The federal sports law is the Bundesgesetz betreffend die Förderung des Sports (Bundes-Sportförderungsgesetz 2017 – BSFG 2017), BGBl. I Nr. 100/2017. The text read here is the German consolidated version that the Rechtsinformationssystem des Bundes (RIS) serves for 26 September 2026; its header lists amendments by BGBl. I Nr. 37/2018, 152/2020, 153/2020, 205/2022, 50/2025 and 62/2026.^[9] Section 1(2) reads: “Die Förderung des Sports in Österreich ist daher ein gesamtgesellschaftliches Anliegen und stellt ein wichtiges öffentliches Interesse dar.”^[10] Section 28(1) provides that the federal sports-funding fund set up under the 2013 act “wird mit Wirksamkeit 1. Jänner 2018 in eine Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung mit der Firma „Bundes-Sport GmbH“ und einem Stammkapital von 35 000 Euro umgewandelt”. Section 28(2) reads: “Die Anteile der Gesellschaft stehen zu 100 vH im Eigentum des Bundes.” Shareholder rights lie with the federal minister responsible for sport, and the company's seat is Vienna.^[12] That ministry is, in its own name, the Bundesministerium für Wohnen, Kunst, Kultur, Medien und Sport.^[14]

The national bodies. Section 3 Z 3 of the act, headed “Gesamtösterreichische Organisationen mit besonderer Aufgabenstellung im Sport”, defines under lit. a the Österreichische Bundes-Sportorganisation (BSO) as the organisation “die die Anliegen des gesamtösterreichischen Sports vertritt”, under lit. b the Österreichisches Olympisches Comité (ÖOC) as the one “die die Olympische Bewegung in Österreich vertritt”, under lit. c the Österreichisches Paralympisches Committee, and under lit. d the Österreichischer Behindertensportverband (ÖBSV), the organisation “die die Interessen von Menschen mit Behinderung im Sport vertritt”.^[11]

The Olympic committee. The ÖOC states: “Das Österreichische Olympische Comité wurde 1908 gegründet.”^[8] Its chronicle records that on 24 February 1908 representatives of sports bodies, from the swimming committee and the rowing association to the Wiener Athletiksport-Klub for hockey, met and resolved to constitute themselves as the Österreichisches Olympisches Comité, with Balduin Groller as first president. The same chronicle records: “Schon am 1. Dezember 1945 bildete sich das erste Proponentenkomitee”, and that the ÖOC's constituent assembly took place on 11 December 1946.^[7] Olympedia gives a different account: its country page states that the Zentrales Sportkomitee was founded on 16 March 1908 and that the name was changed to Österreichisches Olympisches Comité on 19 June 1935.^[1] Its entry for the committee gives 1908 as founded and 1912 as the year of recognition by the IOC.^[30] The ÖOC's own pages retrieved give no recognition date.

Football. UEFA's page for the Österreichischer Fußball-Bund (ÖFB) records the association's founding under 1904 and its membership of FIFA a year later.^[19]

What are the main domestic leagues and competitions?

Football. The men's top division is the ADMIRAL Bundesliga and the second tier the ADMIRAL 2. Liga, both run by the Österreichische Fußball-Bundesliga. Its report for 2024–25 records 12 clubs in the top division and 16 in the second tier. It names SK Puntigamer Sturm Graz as champion and SV Guntamatic Ried as second-tier champion, promoted to the top division.^[16] From 2026–27 Sky Sport Austria carries all 195 top-division matches and the ORF four a season.^[28]

Ice hockey. The men's top level is the win2day ICE Hockey League. On 25 September 2026 its site listed 14 clubs, among them EC-KAC, EC Red Bull Salzburg, HC TIWAG Innsbruck – Die Haie, Steinbach Black Wings Linz, the Vienna Capitals, Moser Medical Graz99ers, EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV and the Pioneers Vorarlberg. It also listed HCB Südtirol Alperia, HC Falkensteiner Pustertal, Milano Hockey Club, Olimpija Ljubljana, FTC-Telekom and Hydro Fehérvár AV19, without assigning clubs to countries, and carried news dated 25 September 2026.^[18]

How has Austria performed at the Olympic Games?

All figures here are Olympedia's, from its tables for the code AUT, read as rows. Olympedia prints no totals row under its medal table.^[1]

Editions. Olympedia's participation table lists Austria at every Summer Games from 1896 except 1904 and 1920, and at every Winter Games from 1924. The table's rows run from the 1936 Summer and Winter Games directly to the 1948 Summer and Winter Games, each listed “As” Austria. Its narrative states that Austria was not invited in 1920. It also names two 1904 gold medals won by Julius Lenhart; the AUT table carries no 1904 row, and none is added here.^[1]

Summer rows, 1896 to 1936, in gold, silver and bronze: 1896, 2, 1, 2; 1900, 0, 3, 3; 1908, 0, 0, 1; 1912, 0, 2, 2; 1924, 0, 3, 1; 1928, 3, 0, 1; 1932, 1, 1, 3; 1936, 5, 7, 5. 1948 to 1988: 1948, 2, 2, 4; 1952, 0, 1, 1; 1956, 0, 0, 2; 1960, 1, 1, 0; 1968, 0, 2, 2; 1972, 0, 1, 2; 1976, 0, 0, 1; 1980, 1, 2, 1; 1984, 1, 1, 1; 1988, 1, 0, 0. 1992 to 2024: 1992, 0, 2, 0; 1996, 0, 1, 2; 2000, 2, 1, 0; 2004, 2, 4, 1; 2008, 0, 1, 2; 2016, 0, 0, 1; 2020, 1, 1, 5; 2024, 2, 0, 3. The 1964 and 2012 Summer Games and the 1956 equestrian Games carry participation rows and no medal row.^[1]

Winter rows, 1924 to 1936: 1924, 2, 1, 0; 1928, 0, 3, 1; 1932, 1, 1, 0; 1936, 1, 1, 2. 1948 to 1988: 1948, 1, 3, 4; 1952, 2, 4, 2; 1956, 4, 3, 4; 1960, 1, 2, 3; 1964, 4, 5, 3; 1968, 3, 4, 4; 1972, 1, 2, 2; 1976, 2, 2, 2; 1980, 3, 2, 2; 1984, 0, 0, 1; 1988, 3, 5, 2. 1992 to 2026: 1992, 6, 7, 8; 1994, 2, 3, 4; 1998, 3, 5, 9; 2002, 3, 4, 10; 2006, 9, 7, 7; 2010, 4, 6, 7; 2014, 4, 9, 4; 2018, 5, 3, 6; 2022, 7, 7, 4; 2026, 5, 8, 5.^[1]

Art competitions and 1906. The Summer rows include art-competition medals: the medals-by-sport table carries rows for architecture (2, 1, 1), sculpture (1, 1, 1), painting (0, 1, 0) and literature (0, 0, 1).^[1] The 1936 rows include Hermann Kutschera's gold in architectural designs and Rudolf Eisenmenger's silver in paintings.^[2] Olympedia types the 1906 Intercalated Games row (3, 3, 3) separately, and it is not included above. Youth Olympic Games rows, from 2010 to 2024, are also typed separately and are not included. Nothing Olympedia files under another code is added.^[1]

Which athletes and teams are internationally recognised?

Alpine skiing. The FIS results for the 2025 World Championships at Saalbach list Stephanie Venier of Austria first in the women's super-G of 6 February 2025, ahead of Federica Brignone, with Lauren Macuga and Kajsa Vickhoff Lie tied third.^[22] Olympedia's 2026 rows list the Austria 1 women's team as gold medallist in the alpine team combined.^[3]

Other winter sports, 2026. Olympedia's 2026 rows list Janine Flock as gold medallist in the women's skeleton. They list Benjamin Karl as gold medallist in the men's snowboard parallel giant slalom and Alessandro Hämmerle in the men's snowboard cross. They list the Austrian men's team as gold medallist in the large-hill team ski jumping.^[3]

Canoeing and weightlifting, 1936. Olympedia's 1936 rows list Gregor Hradetzky as gold medallist in the men's K1 1,000 metres and the folding kayak singles over 10,000 metres. They list Robert Fein as gold medallist in the men's lightweight weightlifting.^[2]

Football. UEFA's page for the ÖFB records under 1954 that Austria finished third at the World Cup, beating Switzerland 7–5 in Lausanne before losing to West Germany in the semi-finals. Under 2017 it records that Austria's women reached the semi-finals of Women's EURO 2017, where they lost to Denmark on penalties.^[19] Olympedia's 1936 rows list the Austrian men's team as silver medallist in football.^[2]

What major international competitions has Austria hosted?

1964 Winter Olympics. Olympedia lists Innsbruck as host, with the Games opened on 29 January and closed on 9 February 1964, competition from 27 January, and “1094 from 36 countries” taking part.^[4] Austria's row for those Games is 4 gold, 5 silver and 3 bronze.^[1]

1976 Winter Olympics. Olympedia lists Innsbruck as host, with the Games opened on 4 February and closed on 15 February 1976, and “1129 from 37 countries” taking part. It records that Denver officially withdrew as host city on 12 November 1972 and that Innsbruck was selected at a meeting of the IOC Executive Board in Lausanne on 4 February 1973.^[5] Austria's row for those Games is 2, 2 and 2.^[1]

2012 Winter Youth Olympics. Olympedia lists Innsbruck as host of the first Youth Olympic Winter Games, from 13 to 22 January 2012.^[6]

UEFA EURO 2008. UEFA's page for the ÖFB records under 2008 that Austria hosted UEFA EURO 2008 together with Switzerland.^[19] UEFA's page for the tournament records the final of 29 June 2008 as Spain 1, Germany 0.^[20]

FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 2025. The FIS lists the championships at Saalbach, Austria, from 4 to 16 February 2025, with races from the mixed team parallel on 4 February to the men's slalom on 16 February.^[21]

What are Austria's main sporting rivalries?

Germany, football. The counts that follow come from a single secondary statistics site, not from either association's own record. 11v11 gives Austria's men's record against Germany as 9 won, 6 drawn and 25 lost, and its list includes matches against West Germany. Its list opens with a 3–2 Austrian win in a friendly on 7 June 1908 and closes with a 2–0 Austrian win in a friendly on 21 November 2023. It lists a 3–2 Austrian win at the FIFA World Cup on 21 June 1978.^[23] That is the Austrian side of the record as 11v11 prints it.

Switzerland, football. UEFA's page for the ÖFB records Austria's 7–5 win over Switzerland in Lausanne at the 1954 World Cup, noted above; the two countries co-hosted EURO 2008.^[19] No head-to-head count for this fixture was retrieved.

What is the role of school and university sport?

The school subject. The Bundesministerium Bildung describes “Bewegung und Sport” as a compulsory subject (“Pflichtgegenstand”) established at all schools except vocational schools (Berufsschulen). It states: “Seit dem Schuljahr 2022/23 wird das ressortübergreifende Projekt der ‚täglichen Bewegungseinheit‘ umgesetzt.”^[24]

The daily exercise unit. The project's own site states that it is carried out “in Kooperation von Bildungs- und Sportministerium in Zusammenarbeit mit den Bundesländern”, names as its aim that “Kinder und Jugendliche im Alter von 2-14 Jahren werden bewegungsaktiver”, and states that all its offers are open to participating children and “kostenlos”, free of charge.^[25] The site publishes no count of schools or pupils reached.

No publication of a national university sports body was retrieved.

Were any sports invented in Austria?

The slalom race. The Office of the Lower Austrian provincial government stated in a release of 14 December 2004: “Am 19. März 1905 veranstaltete Mathias Zdarsky am Muckenkogel bei Lilienfeld einen Torlauf. Das war das erste organisierte und dokumentierte Rennen der alpinen Skigeschichte.”^[27] That is the provincial government's claim, and it concerns the first documented race over gates, not the invention of skiing.

Ski technique. The ORF's Lower Austria service, in an article of 19 June 2020, states that Zdarsky developed the Lilienfeld steel-sole binding in 1890 and had it patented in 1896, developed the stem-turn technique, and summed up his work in a textbook, “Alpine Lilienfelder Skifahrtechnik”. It states that he “gilt bis heute als Begründer des modernen Skilaufs”.^[26] That is the broadcaster's attribution, and it describes a technique and its codification in a book, not a new sport.