However, there is opportunity in every challenge, and the data does not point only to risk – it also points to opportunity. Participation gaps highlight where growth can be unlocked.
One of the clearest examples is gender. In the European Union, women and girls represent just 37% of sports participation. Closing this gap would not only deliver social benefits but would also expand the future consumer base of the sports economy. Products, services and experiences that better reflect the needs, motivations and realities of women and girls represent a significant growth opportunity for industry.
The report also draws attention to the environments in which participation happens. Environmental degradation, extreme weather and poorly designed urban spaces can discourage physical activity and limit access to facilities while it notes these climate stressors disproportionately affect vulnerable groups including women, young people and people with disabilities.
At the same time, cities and communities that prioritise safe, inclusive and climate-resilient spaces enable more people to move, play and participate.
For industry, this reinforces that ESG and sport, physical activity and movement are deeply connected. Environmental action is not separate from growth; it helps determine where and how people are able to be active.
The report also reinforces a simple but powerful idea: sport and physical activity functions as preventive medicine, reducing pressure on healthcare systems and supporting more productive, resilient economies. Yet investment in prevention remains low compared with the scale of non-communicable diseases linked to inactivity and there’s an increasing worry as fiscal priorities of governments shift towards defence and crisis response funding for prevention and community sport risks further erosion.
