Watching and playing sport in the UK has become a multi-billion pound foreign tourist draw, according to new research.
Three million foreign visitors spent £2.3 billion in the UK in 2008, a study by VisitBritain found.
Football is the key attraction for foreign spectators with around 1.2 million going to a match. This comprised of 267,000 Irish, 95,000 Americans, 88,000 Germans, 86,000 Norwegians, 75,000 Spanish, 65,000 Italians, 55,000 Australians, 52,000 Dutch, 46,000 French and 39,000 Swedes.
Horseracing is the next biggest spectator sport in the UK, with more than 8,000 races annually at courses across the country attracting six million people, many from abroad.
Golf drew 94,000 Americans, 66,000 Germans, 44,000 French, 30,000 Spanish and 28,000 Irish.
Almost two million visitors watched sport in Britain spending £1.3 billion in 2008, the most recent year for which full figures are available.
Meanwhile 1.4 million visitors played some form of amateur sport at British locations.
Overseas tourists attracted by sport accounted for about 14% of all spending by visitors in 2008, VisitBritain said.
A sporting visitor spends far more – an average of £900 per trip – than a regular foreign tourist who typically spends £500.
The proportion of visitors either watching or playing sport increased from 6% in 2001 to nearly 10% in 2008.
The largest national group watching sport in Britain came from Ireland, which accounted for almost 400,000 sporting visitors in 2008.
Eight out of the top ten nationalities were European, but 176,000 Americans and 85,000 Australians watched sport on their visits.
Nearly seven out of 10 Irish visitors said sport was the main reason for their trip as did Swedes, Norwegians, Finns and Danes.
VisitBritain chief executive Sandie Dawe said: “This survey clearly demonstrates British sport is growing in popularity with foreign visitors.
“It is a hugely encouraging sign that Britain has the sporting expertise to stage an Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012 that we hope will win the hearts of the world and deliver a tourism legacy, jobs and economic growth for this country.’’