The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) has released its Integrated Report 2021, which provides the main figures of the sport in terms of social, economic and fiscal impact. Around 4.6 million people play football in the country, of which 1.4 are also FIGC-registered players. The game is extremely popular among adolescents, with 20 percent of young Italians in the 5-16 age group who are also FIGC-registered players. It is not any less popular among adults, with nearly 30 million Tifosi above 18 years of age, namely 55 percent of the overall Italian population.
Football generated direct revenues of €5 billion in 2021, which accounts for 12 percent of the football GDP at the global level. The socio-economic impact of football in Italy – economy, sociability and health – is measured at €4.53 billion. Sponsoring revenues have registered an increase of 24 percent, or €37.5 million, from 2015/18 to 2019/22.
The success of Italy’s football team at the latest UEFA European Championship in July 2021 has further contributed to the game’s popularity. According to the report, 84.3 percent of the Italian population somehow followed the competition, generating an overall TV audience of 115.7 million at the national level alone. The Federation has estimated the direct impact of Italy’s victory on its annual income at around €36 million, which adds an indirect benefit to Italy’s overall economy of 0.7 percent of the country’s GDP (about €12 billion).
The full FIGC Integrated Report 2021 (in Italian) can be downloaded from the FIGC website.
