Strategic leadership in elite sport organizations: a systematic review of governance, leadership, and performance systems

Strategic leadership describes the various leadership styles and how different countries succeeded in international sports competitions. Leadership success is clearly determined by three inputs: a strategic vision, efficient implementation, and performance impact, i.e., increasing a country's international influence in sport. To categorize the most common research topics, main findings, and shortcomings of analyses conducted in sport organizations, a systematic review was carried out.

Based on the PRISMA protocol, relevant articles published from January 2010 to August 2025 were searched in Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed. After screening 309 records, 38 empirical studies were included. The findings indicate that strategic leadership varies across international contexts and has received increased attention since 2010.

The selected studies reveal three interdependent pillars: (1) contingent governance structures, (2) culturally mediated leadership, and (3) configurational performance systems. A reliance on cross-sectional, self-reported data limits causal claims. Future research requires longitudinal designs and objective measures.

The information reported may be of great interest to leaders, contributing to a better characterization of strategic leadership in sport organizations and the subsequent development of training enhancement programs. Additionally, the summary and classification provided may serve as a useful guide for future research in sport leadership.