Sports Tourism Market

Sports Tourism Market Summary

The global sports tourism market size was estimated at USD 803.9 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 2,776.7 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 16.8% from 2026 to 2033. The global market is expanding rapidly due to the increasing consumer shift toward experiential and activity-based travel.

Unlike traditional sightseeing, sports tourism offers a blend of entertainment, emotional engagement, and immersive experiences that appeal strongly to today’s travelers. The growing desire for authentic, memorable activities, whether attending mega-events such as the FIFA World Cup or participating in marathons, cycling tours, and adventure sports, has positioned sports tourism as a preferred travel category across age groups.

Sports tourism is also benefiting from the globalization of sports content and the proliferation of digital platforms. Live-streaming, social media, and global broadcasting rights have allowed fans to follow teams across borders and cultivate deeper emotional connections with international sporting events. This digital engagement often converts into actual travel, with fans seeking in-person attendance at major games or travelling abroad to explore their favorite teams’ home venues. Similarly, the professionalization and commercialization of sports leagues, combined with high production values, celebrity-driven promotions, and immersive fan events, have significantly increased the attractiveness of sports-related travel.

As consumers increasingly adopt wellness-oriented lifestyles, they are seeking travel options that integrate physical activity, such as hiking, cycling, running events, golf tourism, surf camps, and winter sports. This has broadened the definition of sports tourism from passive spectating to active participation. Younger travelers-particularly Millennials and Gen Z-are driving this shift, as they prioritize travel that combines sport, adventure, and social connection.

Growing government financing and initiatives to promote sports tourism, along with an increase in the number of young players, are expected to have a significant impact on the sector globally, providing tour operators with an opportunity to tap into new markets. It is also projected that more government support for the sector will accelerate expansion. Various governments are promoting sports holiday destinations to domestic and international tourists to boost their foreign exchange revenues by fostering the expansion of the sports tourism industry.

Global Sports Tourism Market Report Segmentation

This report forecasts revenue growth at the global, regional & country levels and provides an analysis of the latest trends and opportunities in each of the sub-segments from 2021 to 2033. For this study, Grand View Research has segmented the sports tourism market report based on sports type, tourism type, and region:

• Sports Type Outlook (USD Million; 2021 - 2033)
• Soccer
• Cricket
• Basketball
• Tennis
• Hockey
• Others
• Tourism Type Outlook (USD Million; 2021 - 2033)
• Active
• Passive
• Nostalgia
• Regional Outlook (USD Million; 2021 - 2033)
• North America
• U.S.
• Canada
• Mexico
• Europe
• UK
• Germany
• France
• Italy
• Spain
• Asia Pacific
• China
• India
• Japan
• South Korea
• Australia
• Central & South America
• Brazil
• Middle East & Africa (MEA)
• South Africa

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