Consumer
Sports participation
Who plays what, who is walking away, and where demand goes next
Which sports are growing, which are declining, and what it means for demand across the sporting goods industry. SGI Europe tracks participation data, endurance and emerging sports, fitness movements, and the barriers and behavioral shifts that drive sporting goods consumption, including our State of Play series.
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News & Data | State of Play Reports | Emerging Sports | Fitness Movements | Barriers to Participation
Latest
FIP World Padel Report 2026: 40 million players
FIP counts 91,234 courts, up 17.9 percent in ten months, and €6.84 billion of yearly padel spending, worth €8.6 billion of GDP.
LTA commits £1.6m to British university tennis and padel
Funding of £1.6 million (€1.9m) runs to 2029 and grows the partner network from 32 to 50 universities.
Eurobarometer: activity gains sit in gyms and commutes
The sixth edition of the EU survey also shows 38 percent exercising several times a week, up from 32 percent in 2022.
More
FIP World Padel Report 2026: 40 million players
FIP counts 91,234 courts, up 17.9 percent in ten months, and €6.84 billion of yearly padel spending, worth €8.6 billion of GDP.
LTA commits £1.6m to British university tennis and padel
Funding of £1.6 million (€1.9m) runs to 2029 and grows the partner network from 32 to 50 universities.
Eurobarometer: activity gains sit in gyms and commutes
The sixth edition of the EU survey also shows 38 percent exercising several times a week, up from 32 percent in 2022.
SIA: U.S. snowsports participants reach 31.96 million
Snowboarding gained riders while alpine skiing stayed flat, according to a new U.S. study by snowsports trade body SIA.
ASICS cast humans as an endangered species
ASICS campaign: Same ”15-minute” message. Same timing – before World Mental Health Day. A different film each time.
Finishers launches official race bib resale in France
One marathon cut its no-show rate from 35 percent to 7 percent after Finishers took over bib resale.
Local footwear challengers ride Indonesia running wave
Indonesia today: 68% more health-conscious. 642 running races in 2025. 65% prefer local brands. The conditions for local footwear challengers are in place.
Basketball State of Play 2026
Basketball is where participation, fandom, footwear and fashion reinforce one another. 610 million players. 3.3 billion fans.
Running State of Play 2026
Nearly a third of runners started during the pandemic, motivated by health not competition – they are reshaping the sport
Basketball State of Play 2026
Basketball is where participation, fandom, footwear and fashion reinforce one another. 610 million players. 3.3 billion fans.
Running State of Play 2026
Nearly a third of runners started during the pandemic, motivated by health not competition – they are reshaping the sport
Rugby State of Play 2026
Rugby’s recovery is led by pre-teens and women. Brands still targeting adult club rugby are on the wrong side of the demand curve.
Golf: The 2026 State of Play
The 9-hole round, screen golf and digital apps are rewriting the rulebook on who plays golf and how.
Racquet Sports: The 2026 State of Play
106 million tennis players, 35 million padel converts, 24 million pickleball players in the US alone. What the 2026 data tells brands and investors.
Sport participation: Triathlon finds a new consumer
Younger athletes and rising female participation are reshaping the multisport market – and redefining who sporting goods brands need to reach.
Women’s Football: The 2026 State of Play
196 million fans. €500m revenue. 75% of clubs without a kit sponsor. The white space in women’s football is larger than the industry thinks.
OTHER NEWS
Beyond the logo: what brands gain from mass participation sports
A 7.8% surge in event participation is reshaping where sporting goods brands can build durable equity – if they look past the finish-line banner.
Report: Europe’s fitness market breaks records in 2025
The 2026 EuropeActive/Deloitte report shows the sector surging past €39bn in revenue, with consolidation accelerating and the US penetration gap still wide open.
Racquet Sports: The 2026 State of Play
106 million tennis players, 35 million padel converts, 24 million pickleball players in the US alone. What the 2026 data tells brands and investors.
Under Armour and DICK’S back youth sports
Two of sport’s biggest brands are putting their weight behind a youth tournament platform with national reach.
Record US sport participation masks deep gaps
A historic milestone for US sports participation — yet most Americans still don’t meet weekly activity guidelines, new SFIA data shows.
Sport participation: Triathlon finds a new consumer
Younger athletes and rising female participation are reshaping the multisport market – and redefining who sporting goods brands need to reach.
SportsShoes Running Report: one in six Brits run
Younger generations lead UK running participation as the sport maintains a stable base — with motivations, barriers and technology habits mapped across 5,000 Brits.
Golf leads adult sport participation in Wales
Wales Government National survey confirms golf as Wales’s biggest adult sport, with membership up 7% and women’s participation nearly tripling in three years.
Women’s Football: The 2026 State of Play
196 million fans. €500m revenue. 75% of clubs without a kit sponsor. The white space in women’s football is larger than the industry thinks.
Challenge Family brings triathlon to Shanghai
The endurance events operator adds a Shanghai coastal race to its global calendar, targeting China’s growing appetite for premium participatory sport.
Social: female athletes’ biggest asset – and liability
Women’s sports revenue is growing faster than men’s. Female athletes generate more social engagement. But visibility carries a cost brands rarely pay for.
US tennis hits record 27.3 million players
Adults 35+ drove nearly all growth, while more than 4.9 million Americans picked up a racquet for the first time.
GB triathlon participation returns to growth
120,000 active triathletes recorded in 2025 – but the sport remains 28,000 below its pre-pandemic peak.
Spain sees sports participation surge to 62.7%
Ministry survey reveals sports participation jumped 5.4% since 2022, with women narrowing the gender gap and professional coaching seeing significant growth.
US golf participation hits eight-year growth streak
On-course participation surpassed 29 million in 2025, marking eight consecutive years of growth and reinforcing the sport’s resilience
Visa Study: AI reshapes winter sports participation
AI is reshaping how Americans engage with winter sports, with 44% planning snowboarding bookings inspired by the Olympics, Visa study shows.
Fans and sports: what can be improved? New research
New research identifies a “joy gap” in sports: fans want 90-minute experiences with light spectacle and micro-agency, not scripted drama or endless games.
Ironman reports record registrations in 2025
The organization has reported over 250,000 race registrations across Ironman and Ironman 70.3 events in the season.
France sports economy reaches €78bn
Banking group BPCE report reveals French sports economy represents 2.7% of GDP, with 147,000 companies and strong post-Olympics momentum.
Gen Z chooses fitness over social media, Strava study reveals
Gen Z is turning away from social media toward active lifestyles, with running clubs, weight training and fitness spending on the rise in the US.
See also:
The Impact of Sports: Why the industry must act now
The WEF puts $169 billion of sporting goods revenue at risk from rising inactivity, and the WHO’s 2026 milestone will pass unmet. Our Impact of Sports Special gathers the new evidence and the people working on the problem, from Brussels to the brands.
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