“The Truth? I Play a Lot With My Credit Card”: A Multiple-Case Study Regarding Financial Challenges in Families With Youth Participating in Competitive Soccer

This study explored the experiences of exclusion and inclusion as reported by low-income families whose children participate in competitive sport. Using a multiple-case study approach, semistructured interviews were conducted with six mothers. Both a deductive, within-case analysis using the process–person–context–time model and an inductive between-case analysis were conducted. The results showed situations specific to competitive sport, notably by demonstrating that sport participation is a complex phenomenon that is difficult to adequately describe using sociodemographic attributes. This study demonstrates that even for families considered included we can observe large-scale sacrifices and notable levels of poverty, including living in low-income housing, receiving food bank assistance, and facing cyclical debt issues. The gradual increase in participation costs as a function of sport progression could lead to significant financial hardship.