Abstract: As the pioneer of modern sport, European sport has long been studied and learnt by countries around the world. Accordingly, sports clubs, as the basis of European sport, have been the central object of studies. Sport Clubs in Europe: A Cross-National Comparative Perspective, based on a standardized hierarchical analysis framework, systematically introduces the development history, basic characteristics, opportunities and challenges of sport clubs in European countries in a comparative context. The book presents some important research findings from a comparative perspective, which have some implications for the research and development practice of sports clubs in China.

Key words: European sport, sports clubs, cross-national comparison, sports organization, leading sports nation