Studies in Sweden have shown that about 80% of all youth in Sweden have participated in organized sport during their upbringing but at the age of 20 only 50% of these continue. There have been several attempts to understand why youth stop participating in sports but few aimed to understand why they continue. The objective of this study was to examine if there is a difference in motivation between youth (in the ages of 16-20 years) who participate in recreational and elite sports. The study was carried out as a quantitative survey where both recreational (n=35) and elite athletes (n=33) particpated. The study used a Sport Motivation Scale questionnaire translated into Swedish. The results showed three significant differences between the two grouops; amotivation, intrinsic motivation to learn and intrinsic motivation to experience. The study could conclude that intrinsic motivation and a feeling joy is the most important motivational factor for both groups to participate in sports.