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Infront Sports & Media has been named the Most Attractive Employer in Sport for the second consecutive year, ahead of SPORTFIVE and the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
The results of the sixth edition of iWorkinSport’s annual study were unveiled on Friday, 16 October, during the iWorkinSport Workshop & Awards Ceremony in Bath, United Kingdom. The full 2026 report is now available to download for free.
Based on responses from 1,051 people representing 58 nationalities and living in 50 countries, the report explores where current and aspiring sports professionals would most like to work, with rankings across ten industry categories and a separate Overall ranking.
Infront and SPORTFIVE Hold Their Lead
Infront received the single “dream employer” nomination of 15.4% of respondents, retaining first place in the Overall ranking. SPORTFIVE also maintained its position, finishing second with 8.7%.
The IOC climbed two places to third, followed by FIFA in fourth. The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) made a particularly striking entrance, reaching fifth as the highest new entry in the Overall Top 20.
FIBA, FC Barcelona, UEFA, the NBA and the NFL completed the top ten. The NFL recorded an eight-place rise, while Bayern Munich, Juventus, ATP and the Premier League joined FEI as new entries in the Overall Top 20.
Infront also moved into first place in the Sports Marketing Agencies category, ahead of SPORTFIVE and CAA Sports. It therefore leads both its own category and the Overall ranking in 2026.
New Leaders Across Several Categories
Alongside familiar names retaining their titles, the 2026 results reveal changes at the top of several categories:
Football Clubs: Barcelona overtook Real Madrid by a narrow margin, with 27.6% of respondents selecting the club compared with 27.3% for its Spanish rival. Paris Saint-Germain climbed to third.
Sports Teams: Ferrari retained first place with 36.5%, followed by the LA Lakers and McLaren. Audi made a notable twelve-place climb to sixth.
Media & Broadcast: DAZN moved ahead of ESPN to take first place, with Sky Sports completing the top three. Amazon Prime Video Sport and Apple TV+ Sport entered directly into the top ten.
Event Organisers: UEFA EURO 2028 entered at number one with 35.6%, ahead of Wimbledon and the LA 2028 Olympics.
Sports Leagues: The Premier League climbed two places to lead with 59.6%, followed by the NBA and Formula 1.
Sporting Goods Brands: Adidas and Nike retained the first two positions, with On moving into third.
Sports Marketing Agencies: Infront rose to first place, followed by SPORTFIVE, while CAA Sports climbed four positions to third.
Sports Governing Bodies: UEFA, FIFA and the IOC retained the top three positions. FEI climbed nine places to enter the category’s top ten.
Sponsors: Red Bull remained first, ahead of Rolex and Coca-Cola. Google was the highest new entry, taking fourth place.
Sports Tech: Sportradar climbed six places to take first position, followed by Hawk-Eye Innovations and Strava. Deltatre entered at fourth.
These results highlight both the durability of established employer brands and the ability of other organisations to gain recognition among the industry’s workforce.
A Distinct View of the Industry’s Dream Employers
The Overall ranking is based on a different question from the category rankings.
For each industry category, respondents could select several preferred employers from a predetermined list, with an “Other” option available. For the Overall ranking, they answered one open-ended question: “What would you say is the employer of your dreams in sport?”
No shortlist was provided, and only one organisation could be named. The Overall results therefore capture a single, unaided preference across the entire industry and should be read separately from the category rankings.
The report also includes a women’s Overall ranking. Infront leads this selection too, followed by SPORTFIVE, FEI, FIFA and the IOC.
More Than Rankings
Alongside the results, the 2026 report includes interviews with recruitment and HR leaders from Infront Sports & Media, SPORTFIVE and FEI. These conversations explore employer appeal, career development, recruitment and the capabilities needed in a changing sports industry.
The survey combines established professionals with emerging talent: 75% of respondents are employed in sport, 55% report at least six years of sports-sector experience, and 77% hold a bachelor’s degree or higher qualification.
For employers, the findings provide a benchmark of how their organisation is perceived by potential candidates. For professionals and students, the report offers inspiration for exploring career opportunities across sport.
About the Most Attractive Employers in Sport
Conducted annually by iWorkinSport since 2021, the Most Attractive Employers in Sport survey measures employer-brand appeal—not employee satisfaction or internal working conditions.
Respondents consider hypothetical job offers with the same role and salary, adjusted for the cost of living, allowing the study to focus on their preference for the employer itself.
The 2026 edition presents results across ten industry categories, the Overall Top 20 and a women’s Overall selection, alongside methodology, respondent demographics and interviews.
The Infront team collected the main award of the evening
Download the Most Attractive Employers in Sport 2026 report for free here