The latest report from the Polish Institute of Sports Diplomacy is now available. “Sport Soft Power: 2025 States Ranking” is an original analysis and one of the few projects of its kind in the world.
The ranking is to assess the extent to which countries use sports as a tool for policy-making and image-building. It was developed based on original research conducted by the Polish Institute for Sports Diplomacy (PIDS) on sport soft power.
The primary goal of this analysis is to determine the actual strength of sports diplomacy in selected countries.
The study covered 60 countries that consider sports a part of their soft power—using it to enhance political influence and build a positive reputation. The ranking includes 30 of these countries.
The analysis takes into account various factors, including the role of sports in foreign policies, public and private sector sports sponsorship, the presence of officials in decision-making bodies of international federations, the recognition and achievements of athletes and a country’s involvement in hosting sports events.
The PIDS ranking will be published annually, allowing for the identification of trends and highlighting changes in the level of engagement in sports diplomacy among countries.
