Winter Olympic disciplines led Spain’s subsidy rankings in 2025 when measured per registered athlete, while padel—still outside the Olympic program—ranked last despite its surging popularity.
The Spanish government allocated more than €150 million in funding to national sports federations, with a clear pre-Olympic focus on the Milano-Cortina Winter Games. As a result, winter sports benefited the most on a per-athlete basis. The Spanish Winter Sports Federation received €4.6 million, translating to roughly €1,254 per athlete, while the Ice Sports Federation secured nearly €3 million, or about €1,273 per licensed participant.
However, the highest funding per athlete went to modern pentathlon. Despite receiving just over €794,000 in total, its small base of fewer than 600 athletes pushed the per-capita figure to €1,337. Alongside winter sports and disability sport federations, it was among the few to exceed €1,000 per athlete—more than triple the average seen across most sports.
At the other end of the spectrum, the Spanish Mountaineering and Climbing Federation received nearly €2.6 million, but due to its massive base of over 287,000 members, funding equated to just €9 per athlete. This is notable given Spain’s success in ski mountaineering, including Olympic medals from Oriol Cardona and Ana Alonso.
Looking ahead to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, funding is also being shaped by new and returning sports. Flag football, under the American Football Federation, received €437,000 (€83 per athlete), while squash secured €500,000 ahead of its Olympic debut. Baseball and softball, set to return, were allocated €930,000 (€140 per athlete).
In total funding, swimming (€9.5 million) and football (€9.4 million) topped the list. However, football’s vast base of over one million registered players reduced its per-athlete funding to just €7.5. Basketball ranked third with €8.1 million, averaging €18.4 per player, while tennis received €3.5 million (€36.3 per athlete). Motor sports collectively obtained €3.7 million in subsidies.
Padel, despite exceeding 100,000 registered players, received only €348,000—equivalent to just €3.2 per athlete, the lowest among all sports. Its limited funding is largely attributed to its absence from the Olympic program, even as efforts continue to bring the sport closer to future Olympic inclusion.