Sportswear Grows Globally as US Share Slips
Global sportswear demand is rising even as American spending on footwear and athletic apparel trails the broader industry.
Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Spending
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Sportswear is gaining momentum worldwide, but US spending on footwear and athletic apparel has continued to underperform the broader apparel, accessories, and footwear industry. Consumer Edge data shows the category has lagged the wider market in every quarter since the beginning of ****, with the gap widening in the third quarter of ****.
Why it matters
The divergence suggests that growth in sportswear is increasingly being driven by markets outside the United States. For brands and retailers, the shift points to where future sales momentum may concentrate.
Footwear and athletic apparel lost nearly *** basis points of US spending share year to date, based on Consumer Edge card-spending data. The figures track direct-to-consumer purchases only and exclude wholesale revenue, leaving the full market picture unresolved.
The players
Consumer Edge
Consumer Edge is a data analytics firm that tracks consumer spending through card transactions and provides market intelligence to retailers and investors.
Euromonitor International
Euromonitor International is a market research firm that publishes global industry data and forecasts across consumer goods categories, including apparel and footwear.
The details
Consumer Edge measured US sportswear performance using debit and credit card spending data, while Euromonitor International assessed regional growth patterns. Sportswear is projected to outpace apparel and fashion globally, with Asia Pacific expected to become the fastest-growing sportswear market through 2030.
Timeline
Beginning of **** – US sportswear began underperforming the broader industry in every quarter.
Third quarter of **** – The gap between US sportswear and the broader industry widened.
Year to date – Footwear and athletic apparel lost nearly *** basis points of US spending share.
Through **** – Asia Pacific is expected to become the fastest-growing sportswear market.
2030 – Asia Pacific is projected to remain the fastest-growing sportswear market.
Market Dynamics
Euromonitor International's forecasts place Asia Pacific at the center of sportswear growth through 2030, and the US spending slowdown documented by Consumer Edge appears to be an early signal of that geographic shift. Together, the two sources suggest sportswear's expansion is increasingly tilting away from the American market toward faster-growing regions.
For households, the shift may mean sportswear pricing and product availability increasingly reflect demand in Asia Pacific rather than the US. Shoppers tracking athletic apparel budgets may see the category's competitive dynamics change as brands reallocate investment toward faster-growing markets.
The takeaway
Sportswear's growth story is moving beyond the United States, so tracking where consumers are spending, not just how much the category grows overall, gives a clearer picture of where the industry is heading. Readers following athletic apparel trends should watch regional data alongside national totals.
Further reading
For more on how households are allocating their money across categories, explore Spending coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Fibre2fashion.
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