The Future of the Sport Economy for Global Health and Sustainability

The sports economy, a massive market worth $2.3 trillion, plays a critical role in both public health and environmental sustainability. The Sports for People and Planet report, published by the World Economic Forum, predicts the sector could reach $8.8 trillion by 2050, while calling for urgent action against risks such as the climate crisis and physical inactivity. This transformation, which will shape the future of prosperity, encompasses not only financial returns but also thriving natural ecosystems.

Highlights

Analysis of the growth potential and environmental risks of the sports economy.

• The sports economy is expected to reach $8.8 trillion by 2050.
• Climate change and inaction could lead to massive revenue losses of up to 18% for the sector.
• Extreme weather conditions have directly disrupted one-fifth of sporting events in the last 20 years.
• Designing cities with a focus on sports can improve external factors that affect 80% of public health.
• The sector emits more carbon emissions each year than all other European countries except Germany.

The World Economic Forum's Report

The World Economic Forum, in collaboration with Oliver Wyman, has published a report entitled "Sport for People and the Planet," which measures the size of the sport economy and outlines how it can enhance resilience by addressing both physical inactivity and the climate and nature crisis. The report highlights the urgent social and economic need for coordinated public-private sector action to secure the long-term resilience of the sector, presenting transformative, multi-stakeholder pathways and innovative case studies to demonstrate how sport can actively shape a future where well-being is defined not only by financial returns but also by healthier societies and thriving natural ecosystems. This approach ensures that the future of sport remains competitive and inspiring, while also being sustainable and inclusive for people and the planet.

Growth Projections and Risks

According to the Sport for People and the Planet report, the $2.3 trillion global sports economy is experiencing strong growth, and annual revenues are projected to reach $8.8 trillion by 2050. However, this trend is increasingly at risk due to rising physical inactivity and growing environmental challenges. These factors could lead to a decrease in annual revenue of up to $1.6 trillion by the middle of the century, undermining the broader impact of the sector.

What comes to mind when you think of sports?

What comes to mind when you think of sports? The FIFA World Cup, or amateur matches played by children in your local park? According to the World Economic Forum's new report, Sport for People and Planet, published on January 15, 2026, both are equally part of the $2.3 trillion sports economy. This vast sector spans from global events and consumer brands to adventure tourism and active lifestyles, creating jobs, supporting growth, and promoting healthier living.

The Economics of Sports

The sports sector, a major driver of the global economy, generates $2.3 trillion in annual revenue, representing approximately 2% of global GDP. Current estimates project the sector, which also includes related industries such as broadcasting and streaming, nutrition, and wearable technologies, to reach $3.7 trillion by 2030 (at a compound annual growth rate of 10%) and $8.8 trillion by 2050.

Trends shaping the growth of the sports economy:

• The emergence of sport as an asset class.
• With women's sports becoming mainstream, revenues tripled between 2022 and 2025, reaching $2.35 billion.
• Rebalancing sports growth with developing economies.
• Sports tourism, the fastest growing sector within the tourism industry, is gaining momentum.

Fundamental Challenges

However, the economics of sport faces two fundamental and interconnected challenges that it can also help to solve:

1. Increased physical inactivity

According to the World Health Organization, in 2024 approximately one-third of adults did not get the recommended 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week. Meanwhile, a 2021 survey conducted by IPSOS for the World Economic Forum revealed that more than half of people (58%) want to do more sports, but are limited by time, cost, weather conditions, and lack of access to facilities.

2. Climate change and sports activities

Extreme weather events, air and water pollution, and other physical climate risks affect everything from event planning and athlete health to sports infrastructure and the natural environment. Meanwhile, essential ecosystem services, such as freshwater resources vital to sports equipment manufacturing and sports tourism, are under increasing pressure.

• One in five stadiums in the United Kingdom will be affected by river flooding by 2050.
• Ten countries with enough snow to host the Winter Olympics by 2040.
• At the World Athletics Championships in Qatar, 40% of the women's marathon runners did not finish the race.
• During the 2023 Canadian wildfires, 3 US league games had to be canceled.
• The industry itself contributes to climate change, releasing an estimated 450 million tons of emissions annually; this figure is higher than that of all European countries except Germany.

Paths to Prosperity

The World Economic Forum's Sport for People and Planet report identifies three key pathways for the sport economy to advance economic, social, and environmental well-being through multi-stakeholder partnerships. There are already examples of this being implemented; for instance, the UN's Sport for Climate Action and Sport for Nature frameworks for professional and participatory sports organizations set guidelines to accelerate action and establish reporting standards. However, a more holistic approach is also possible.

1. Leading the way in resource management

By 2025, humans are consuming Earth's natural resources at 1.8 times the rate at which Earth regenerates. Growth of the sports economy can only be achieved within the planet's limitations. The sector is closely linked to four key value chains (food, energy, infrastructure, and fashion) that account for 90% of human-induced pressure on nature and biodiversity loss.

By 2030, we face a 40% deficit in global freshwater resources, a deficit that will only grow larger due to the effects of the climate crisis. This will not only impact local communities' access to safe drinking water but also restrict participation in water sports and challenge the ability of the sporting goods industry to continue production.

2. Placing sports at the heart of cities

Our physical environment has a significant impact on shaping our quality of life and lifespan. According to the report, approximately 80% of the factors affecting public health lie outside the healthcare system. By 2050, urban areas will be home to approximately 70% of the world's population; this means that the design of urban areas will be critical to human well-being and the development of a resilient sports economy.

3. To accelerate purpose-oriented capital flows

According to the report, purpose-driven investments and corporate sponsorships can open up new avenues for growth by enabling the sports economy to deliver health, environmental, and financial benefits to communities. In regions facing increasing climate and natural risks, investors can collaborate with governments to transform sports infrastructure into centers of community resilience.

Conclusion

Bold leadership, partnerships, and empowered governance can help the sports economy strengthen the socio-environmental systems it depends on, increase profitability and participation, and reduce its environmental footprint. The transformation of the sports economy represents not just a business opportunity, but a crucial pathway toward a more sustainable, healthier, and resilient global society.

The $2.3 trillion question

The $2.3 trillion global sports economy is experiencing robust growth, with annual revenues projected to reach $8.8 trillion by 2050. However, this trajectory is increasingly at risk due to rising levels of physical inactivity and escalating environmental challenges – factors that could erode up to $1.6 trillion in annual revenue by mid-century and undermine the sector's broader impact.

When you think about sport, what do you picture? The FIFA World Cup or grassroots games played by children in your local park?

Both are equally part of the $2.3 trillion sports economy, a new Forum report shows. This vast sector ranges from global events and consumer brands, to adventure tourism and active lifestyles – creating jobs, driving growth and supporting healthier lives.

In an increasingly divided world, sport is one of the few uniting forces – but today it faces an unprecedented challenge from climate change.

Extreme weather disrupted more than 2,000 global events between 2004 and 2024, according to a study in the International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, with a fifth of those being sporting events.

At the FIFA Club World Cup in Los Angeles in June 2025, six matches were delayed due to storms. Planetary health is central to human health and a sustainable sports economy.

In collaboration with Oliver Wyman, the World Economic Forum has published Sports for People and Planet, a report that measures the size of the sports economy – and outlines how to drive resilience by addressing both physical inactivity and the climate and nature crisis.

What is the sports economy?

It is a major global economic driver generating $2.3 trillion in annual revenues, close to 2% of global GDP.

Current projections show the sector, including connected industries such as broadcasting and streaming, nutrition and wearables, growing to $3.7 trillion by 2030 (a 10% compound annual growth rate) and reaching $8.8 trillion by 2050.

The growth of the sports economy is being shaped by four trends:

• The emergence of sports as an asset class.
• The mainstreaming of women's sport – revenues tripled between 2022 and 2025 to $2.35 billion.
• Rebalancing of sports growth with emerging economies.
• The acceleration of sports tourism – the fastest-growing area of tourism.

The sports economy is growing. But it faces two main, interconnected challenges, which it can also help to address:

1. Rising physical inactivity is eroding future demand

In 2024, around one in three adults didn't get the recommended 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise each week, according to the World Health Organization.

Meanwhile, a 2021 IPSOS survey for the World Economic Forum found that over half of people (58%) want to do more sport, but they're limited by a lack of time, cost, weather and access to facilities.

The report notes: "As fiscal priorities shift towards acute healthcare, defence and crisis response, funding for prevention and community sport initiatives risks further erosion."

2. Climate change is disrupting sports activities

Physical climate risks, including extreme weather events and air and water pollution, are impacting everything from event scheduling and athlete health, to the infrastructure and natural settings of sports.

Meanwhile, essential ecosystem services, such as freshwater resources critical for sporting goods production and sports tourism, are under increasing strain.

• 1 in 5 UK stadiums affected by fluvial flooding by 2050
• 10 countries with enough snow to host the Winter Olympics by 2040
• 40% of participants failed to complete the women's marathon at the World Athletic Championships in Qatar
• 3 US leagues forced to cancel games during the 2023 Canada wildfires

The industry itself is contributing to climate change, emitting up to an estimated 450 million tonnes in emissions each year – more than any European nation except Germany.

These two risks compound on each other. For example, heatwaves, pollution and extreme weather not only disrupt competitions and training for elite athletes, but they also discourage physical activity, and grassroots sport, impacting health and wellbeing at every level.

By 2030, physical inactivity, climate change and nature loss could reduce annual revenues of the sports economy by 14%, potentially increasing up to 18% by 2050.

Sport depends on stable environmental conditions. More than 90% of media rights and 76% of sponsorship revenues in professional sport are linked to outdoor activities, placing its two biggest revenue streams at direct risk from environmental disruption and the loss of visual appeal related to degradation.

But the sports economy cannot solve these challenges alone.

Pathways to prosperity

The report identifies three key pathways for the sports economy to advance economic, social and environmental prosperity through multistakeholder partnerships.

There are examples of this already in action, such as the UN's Sports for Climate Action and Sports for Nature frameworks for professional and participatory sporting organizations, which set guidelines and establish reporting standards to catalyze action.

But a more joined-up approach is possible.

The report notes there is now a very real opportunity to "transform systemic risks into drivers of innovation, growth and shared value".

Together, these three distinct pathways form a coordinated transformation funnel, driving change from within the sector outwards:

1. Championing resource stewardship

As of 2025, humans are consuming the Earth's natural resources at 1.8 times the speed at which the Earth can regenerate. The growth of the sports economy can only be achieved within the limits of the planet.

The sector is deeply interconnected with the four principal value chains – food, energy, infrastructure and fashion – that together drive 90% of human-induced pressure on nature and biodiversity loss.

"By championing resource stewardship, the sports economy can turn resource constraints into catalysts for innovation, resilience and inclusive growth," the report says.

By 2030, we face a global shortfall in the freshwater supply of 40%, which will only be further widened by the impacts of the climate crisis. Not only will this affect local communities' access to safe drinking water, but it will also restrict participation in water-based sports and challenge the sporting goods industry's ability to sustain production.

Between 2019 and 2023, PUMA was able to save more than 2.4 million cubic metres of water per year - around seven million bathtubs - through various efficiency programmes.

Strategic partnerships with sports governing bodies can enhance resource stewardship, as they serve as key stakeholders in efforts to minimize surplus waste generated at competitive events.

In August 2025, Mastercard found that spending on circular sports is growing year on year, with sales of used sporting equipment now nearly 30% above 2022 levels.

2. Placing sport at the heart of cities

Our physical environment has a huge impact on shaping our quality of life and longevity. The report finds that around 80% of the factors influencing societal health lie outside the healthcare system.

By 2050, urban areas will be home to nearly 70% of the world's population meaning their design will be critical to people's wellbeing, and the development of a resilient sports economy.

Bad weather, lack of money and lack of time remain the biggest barriers to physical activity, but cities can address these by ensuring equal access to nature, sustainably built sports infrastructure, and sustainable mobility.

Research in Spain shows a link between access to urban green spaces and higher physical activity levels, while restoring natural habitats can improve air quality.

Paris is a great example of a city marrying sport and nature after it used hosting the 2024 Olympics as a catalyst to clean up the Seine. This summer, the water quality in the Ile-de-France region was declared "exceptional".

Meanwhile, countries such as Viet Nam are rolling out dedicated cycle lanes to cut vehicle emissions and boost activity. In the Netherlands, the Dutch F1 Grand Prix required all 110,000 spectators to arrive either by public transport or bike, with storage space for 45,000 bicycles.

3. Catalyzing purpose-driven capital flows

Purpose-driven investment and corporate sponsorship can help to unlock new avenues for growth, says the report, enabling the sports economy to deliver health, environmental and financial benefits to communities.

In places facing growing climate and nature risks, investors can partner with governments to transform sporting infrastructure into hubs of community resilience.

Stadiums and sports grounds can be designed to withstand the increasing frequency of natural disasters, doing double duty as sporting venues – and community shelters during emergencies.

Community facilities co-funded by government and investors can promote preventative healthcare.

A good example of this is La Liga's Athletic Club San Mamés Stadium in Bilbao, Spain, built in 2013 and co-funded by the local municipality, Biscay's Provincial Council and the Basque Government. It includes public swimming pools, a gym and wellness spaces for the local community.

Mutually beneficial partnerships include DHL pairing with F1 to accelerate their adoption of biofuel-powered trucks, more fuel-efficient aircraft and the launch of sustainable motorhomes to house their logistics team during certain phases of the race tour.

Sponsors can also leverage sports partnerships, such as TCS' sponsorship of the London Marathon, to enhance employee wellbeing.

Conclusion

Bold leadership, partnerships and strengthened governance can help the sports economy to reinforce the socio-environmental systems it depends on, boost profitability and participation, and reduce its environmental footprint.

Nike is not buying a ball.
It is buying the most filmed object in European football.

The brand has entered exclusive negotiations with UC3 to become the official supplier of match balls for the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League between 2027 and 2031. adidas, which has held that space since 2001, has already confirmed that it will not renew. The new deal could be worth more than €40 million per year.

At first glance, it seems like a detail.

A Morningstar analyst summed up the most obvious reaction well: he never looked at the logo on a ball and thought he needed to buy new sneakers.

But that is exactly where the story gets interesting.
Because the ball may be the most underestimated brand asset in football.

It does not have the glamour of a kit.
It does not have the face of a player.
It does not create lines outside a store.

But it is in every pass, every shot, every goal, every replay.
It is the visual center of the game.

And that matters even more at a time when Nike has lost ground to PUMA Group in domestic leagues: the Premier League, Lega Serie A, and LALIGA.

In other words: while Puma gained horizontal presence in domestic competitions, Nike is trying to recover vertical visibility at the highest point of the pyramid.

This is not a cultural play.
It is an omnipresence play.

That is 531 matches per season across the three competitions.
531 times in which the swoosh is the brand closest to the action.

Nike is not buying an asset that persuades.
It is buying an asset that appears.

And in football, appearing at the center of the action hundreds of times per season is still a form of power that almost nobody talks about.

If you could choose a single visibility asset in football, which would you choose: the shirt, the player, or the ball?