U.S. Team Sports Participation Rose in 2025

Total team sports involvement reached 92.3 million people last year, even as youth coaching numbers continued to decline.

Updated on Oct. 1, 2026 in Other Sports

U.S. Team Sports Participation Rose in 2025

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Team sports participation in the United States reached 92.3 million people in 2025, marking a 7.6% increase over the previous year. This figure means that 29.7% of the U.S. population ages 6 and older played at least one team sport.

Why it matters

The rise in sports engagement highlights a growing trend in physical activity, though a simultaneous decline in youth coaches raises concerns about long-term capacity for youth athletics. This gap between rising player numbers and shrinking adult volunteer leadership may impact program availability.

Basketball led the way with 36.6 million participants, followed by baseball at 18.2 million and outdoor soccer at 16.7 million. Notably, casual outdoor soccer participation saw a 20.9% increase.

The players

SFIA

The Sports & Fitness Industry Association conducts annual nationwide surveys to measure health and activity trends across the United States.

The details

Data from an annual survey of 18,000 respondents shows that youth participation for ages 6 to 14 grew 5% between 2022 and 2025. However, the number of youth coaches fell to 6.9 million in 2025, marking a 18% decline over the same three-year period.

In 2015, participation hit a recorded low of 66.5 million people.
From 2020 to 2025, core participant bases expanded for nine of ten sports.
Youth participation grew by 5% from 2022 to 2025.
In 2024, 27.8% of the U.S. population participated in team sports.
Total team sports participation reached 92.3 million in 2025.

Season Trajectory

The steady rise in youth participation over the last three years signals a strengthening grassroots pipeline for competitive sports. However, the consistent drop in coaching capacity creates a bottleneck that could limit the growth of leagues and organized programs in future seasons.

The 18% decline in coaches suggests that local leagues may face shorter rosters, restricted practice schedules, or increased costs as they struggle to find adult volunteers. Families looking to enroll children in organized sports may encounter longer waitlists due to this reduced coaching capacity.

The takeaway

While the high number of participants reflects a healthy interest in team sports, the lack of volunteer coaches represents a critical operational challenge for local communities. Families should be prepared to consider volunteer roles to help maintain the availability of youth programs.