Some 247.1 million Americans participated in at least one activity in 2024, an increase of 25.4 million more active Americans per year since 2019. This represents the first time since the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) began tracking physical activity figures that the participation rate for active Americans reached 80%, according to the newly released data from the 2025 Topline Participation Report.
Considered an essential reference document for participation, SFIA’s Topline Participation Report tracks rates of activity for Americans 6 and older across 124 different sports, fitness, and outdoor activities, and includes 10-year trend analyses by activity category, data deep-dives into inactivity, and surveys of Americans’ aspirations to take on new activities in 2024.
In 2024, core participation, considered the foundation of activity and an indicator for an active or organized participant, surpassed 170 million Americans, marking a new high and signaling positive trends for the industry.
The team sports category continued its momentum in 2024 and saw significant increases in participation as 20 of 24 team sports increased their participation levels from 2023, with eight team sports increasing by over 7%.
In the fitness category, many activities saw significant increases for the first time since the pandemic. Every activity in the strength category increased participation for the first time since the pandemic, and class-based activity had its best year since 2020—with almost all class-based activities showing participation increases since 2023. Hiking (day) and trail running continued their decade-long growth trend and running/jogging surpassed 50 million participants for the first time since 2020.
“For the first time since SFIA began tracking physical activity, the participation rate for active Americans has reached 80%--a testament to the nation’s growing commitment to health and fitness,” said Alex Kerman, senior director, head of research, SFIA.
“This milestone, highlighted in our 2025 Topline Participation Report, underscores the positive trends and momentum within the sports and fitness industry. We are thrilled to see such robust engagement across all activity categories, from team and racquet sports to fitness activities. It’s clear that Americans are prioritizing activity more than ever, and the sports and fitness industry looks forward to continuing to support a healthier, more active nation.”
For the fourth consecutive year, pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the US. In 2024, 19.8 million Americans participated in pickleball, a 45.8% increase from the 2023 figure and an incredible 311% increase from three years ago. Racquet sports as a whole continued their growth phase, with five out of seven racquet sports that SFIA tracks increasing their year-over-year participation totals.
The 2025 Topline Report also shows the Olympic bounce is in full effect. Many of the sports featured in the 2024 Paris Olympic games saw significant participation increases in 2024. Sports including basketball, gymnastics, volleyball (court), and track and field all saw increases of nearly 7% or higher. Leading the way was wrestling, which had the largest increase of the Olympic sports, as well as all team sports with an 8.6% increase since 2023.