Popular sports among the Dutch

Are you new to the Netherlands? Or been living here for some time, but just starting to consider what to do to stay in shape? In this article we’ll tell you the ways Dutch people maintain their health, both through exercise and sports. This way you can build your own fitness regiment.

Staying healthy in Holland

Dutch people like to be healthy and take part in activities which help this. The most common is exercising in a gym. Currently, over 3,000,000 people in the Netherlands are registered members of a health club, of which there are over 2,000 options across the country. But many people also like to play sports to stay in shape. The most popular team sports in the Netherlands are football (soccer), field hockey and volleyball.

Football in the Netherlands

Here in the Netherlands, people love the sport of football, both playing it and watching it. In 2018, over 1.2 million people were members of a football club. And when the Dutch national team plays in a major tournament, over 8.0 million fans are typically watching. That’s over half the population of the Netherlands!

Cycling in Holland

A fun fact: there are more bikes than residents in the Netherlands. Cycling is a common form of transport (to get to work, university and shops) but also a great form of exercise. In addition to stationary bikes and spin classes in gyms, there are forest and dunes where people can mountain bike. And Holland’s flat terrain lends itself to both recreational cycling and competitive racing.

Running events in the Netherlands

Aside from fitness, football and cycling, Dutch people like to run as well. In fact, running is so popular that you could take part in a running event somewhere in the Netherlands every weekend of the year.

Sports in the Netherlands

Are you looking for other ways to work out, or to meet new people? Take a look at the Sports & Recreation guide of ExpatINFO Holland.