Key Takeaways
- More than half of girls on the sidelines (54%) want to play, nearly identical to the 52% rate among boys who have never played.
- Household income splits girls’ participation 31% to 58%, a 27-point spread roughly four times the gap between girls and boys.
- Families of girl athletes report a $500 median annual sports spend, compared with $400 for families of boy athletes.
- Industry experts name sponsors and media as the biggest accelerators of women’s sports growth, while policymakers draw just 2% of votes.
The Women’s Sports Foundation (WSF) has released the WSF Sport Report 2026, its first annual benchmark on girls and women in sports. Its headline finding describes an access problem rather than an interest problem. According to the report, 45% of girls ages 8 to 18 currently play organized sports, compared with 52% of boys, yet 54% of girls who have never played say they want to. The girls sports participation gap, the report finds, is already in place by ages 8 to 10.
The report combines two original datasets. The first is a YouGov survey of 3,065 children ages 8 to 18 and their parents, conducted May 28 to June 15, 2026. The second is a WSF survey of 60 senior leaders across the women’s sports industry, conducted June 25 to July 22, 2026.
Where the Girls Sports Participation Gap Begins
WSF measured current participation, defined as a team or individual sport with a coach, scheduled practices, or competition. The report notes that many national surveys count any child who played or took a lesson at any point, so its figures may run lower than other published participation rates.
By that measure, girls trail boys in every age band the report tracks:
- 46% vs. 54% at ages 8 to 10
- 47% vs. 52% at ages 11 to 13
- 43% vs. 51% at ages 14 to 18
Among ages 8 to 10, 44% of girls have never participated in organized sports, compared with 37% of boys. Across all ages surveyed, 39% of girls have never played.
Demand is not the constraint, per the report. Among all girls, 58% say they wish there were more opportunities to play. Among parents of current or past girl athletes, 64% wish there were more teams and leagues for their daughters, rising to 75% of Hispanic parents and 72% of Black parents. At the same time, 85% of all parents surveyed believe boys and girls have equal opportunity to play in their community.
“Girls are telling us clearly that the desire to play is there,” Danette Leighton, CEO of the Women’s Sports Foundation, wrote in the report. “Our responsibility is to make sure opportunity meets that demand.”
How Income and Race Divide Girls’ Access to Sports
Income creates a wider split than gender, according to WSF. Among girls in households earning under $50,000, 31% currently play organized sports, compared with 58% of girls in households over $100,000. The report also finds that 52% of lower-income girls have never played a sport.
Race and ethnicity show a similar divide. Per the report, 46% of Black girls and 47% of Hispanic girls have never played, versus 33% of White girls. Current participation stands at 50% for White girls, 40% for Hispanic girls, and 39% for Black girls.
Income also shapes where girls play. Among girls who currently play, 66% participate through school, 42% through private clubs or travel programs, and 36% through community programs, with many playing in more than one setting. By income:
- Lower-income girl players: 76% play through school, and 23% of lower-income girls access private clubs or travel teams.
- Higher-income girl players: 60% play through school, and 53% access private clubs or travel teams.
The report describes school sports as often the only pathway for lower-income girls.
Soccer is the most-played sport among girls who currently play (28%), according to WSF. It is followed by basketball (22%), baseball/softball (20%), dance (17%), and volleyball (16%). Flag football and golf each register 3%.
What Does It Cost Families for Girls to Play Youth Sports?
The report finds a median annual sports spend of $500 for girls, compared with $400 for boys, which WSF characterizes as costing 25% more to be a girl in sports. Average spending runs higher, at $1,262 for girls and $906 for boys; the report attributes the higher averages to families at the high end. More than 1 in 3 parents of girls who play spend $1,000 or more a year. Per the methodology, spending figures exclude roughly 16% of current players who did not answer the cost question.
Household income drives much of the spread. According to WSF, the median annual spend on girls’ sports is $300 for families earning under $50,000, $300 for families earning $50,000 to $100,000, and $1,000 for families earning over $100,000.
Cost weighs most on families that are not playing at all. Among girls who have never played, 21% in households under $50,000 cite cost as a barrier, compared with 8% in households over $100,000. Among lower-income parents, 24% say cost is the main reason their daughter has never played, versus 5% of the highest-income group. The report labels its income breakdown on cost barriers as directional.
Cost is not the leading reason girls leave sports, however. Per the report, 41% of girls and 41% of boys who quit say sports stopped being fun, while 14% of girls and 13% of boys say it cost too much. Beyond fun, the reasons diverge:
- Found another activity: 32% of girls vs. 19% of boys
- Didn’t feel good enough: 21% vs. 18%
- Friends stopped playing: 15% vs. 8%
- Didn’t like the coach: 12% vs. 7%
- Body changed: 11% vs. 5%
Boys were more likely to cite getting to practice (13% vs. 8%). Among teens ages 14 to 18, 22% of girls have played and quit, compared with 17% of boys. Girls and boys quit at nearly the same average age, 11.9 and 11.7.
Belonging, Role Models, and Title IX Awareness Among Girls
At ages 8 to 10, 80% of both girls and boys say sports are “for someone like me,” according to WSF. Among ages 14 to 18, that share is 66% for girls and 73% for boys, a 14-point difference across age groups for girls and 7 points for boys. The report notes that all age comparisons are cross-sectional, meaning they compare different children at one point in time.
Among current and past players, 54% of girls ages 8 to 10 say they dream of becoming a professional athlete, versus 71% of boys. At ages 14 to 18, the figures are 38% and 58%. WSF labels these age-group figures directional.
The report also measures visibility. Per the report, 45% of girls cannot name a favorite professional athlete of any gender, compared with 29% of boys. Only 2% of boys name a woman athlete as their favorite, while 23% of girls do. Caitlin Clark is the most-named woman, at 5%. Meanwhile, 88% of parents of girls say their daughter has good sports role models.
The Title IX findings are starker. According to WSF, 79% of girls say they have never heard of the law, and 3% say they know a lot about it. Among parents, 55% have never heard of it. Awareness among girls falls to 13% in households under $50,000, compared with 30% in households over $100,000.
Experts Name Sponsors and Media as Women’s Sports Growth Drivers
WSF’s 60-person expert panel rated progress at three levels of women’s sports. The panel included:
- League and team executives and owners
- Conference commissioners and national governing body leaders
- Current and former professional athletes and their representatives
- Brand executives and media companies
Per the report, 93% of the panel say professional women’s sports improved over the past year, and 57% say the same for elite and Olympic sport. College was the only level with a net decline: 37% say conditions got worse, and 35% say they improved.
Asked who has the greatest power to accelerate growth, experts most often named sponsors and corporate brands (29%). The rest of the ranking:
- Media companies and broadcasters: 23%
- League and team owners and private investors: 15%
- Fans and consumer demand: 15%
- Sports governing bodies: 8%
- Policymakers and legislators: 2%
The panel’s top threat for the next 12 months is Title IX rollbacks or weakened enforcement, named by 47%. Another 26% cite financial contraction or a retreat in investment, and 16% point to political interference in women’s sports governance. Of the seven policies the panel rated, including Title IX enforcement and professional league collective bargaining agreements, none earned a passing grade.
Citing Nielsen, the report says American audiences spent 28.6 billion minutes watching women compete in the first half of the year, up 18% from 2025.
WSF’s First Sport Report Sets a Baseline for Girls Who Want In
The youth data in the report shows interest holding steady while participation, spending, belonging, and role-model measures diverge by gender, income, and race. WSF says the report is designed to release annually, creating a consistent benchmark the field can return to each year.
The first edition sets that baseline: 54% of girls who have never played want to, and 79% of girls have never heard of the law that protects their place in the game.
Source: Women’s Sports Foundation, September 30, 2026, https://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/wsf-sport-report/
YSBR provides this content on an “as is” basis without any warranties, express or implied. We do not assume responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, legality, reliability, or use of the information, including any images, videos, or licenses associated with this article. For any concerns, including copyright issues or complaints, please contact YSBR directly.
About Youth Sports Business Report
Youth Sports Business Report (YSBR) is the largest and most trusted media platform covering the business of youth sports worldwide. YSBR delivers youth sports news, market intelligence, and original analysis daily across facilities, sponsorships, private equity, NIL, sports technology, and league operations. With more than 50,000 followers, YSBR is the leading source of youth sports industry news for the investors, owners, operators, and brands shaping the future of youth sports.
How big is the youth sports market?
American families spend approximately $54 billion annually on kids’ sports and recreation, according to the YSBR and Kinetica Group Youth Sports TAM & Parent Spending Report, with organized sports alone representing a $40 billion-plus market. The average family spent $1,016 on a child’s primary sport in 2024, up 46 percent since 2019, per the Aspen Institute’s Project Play, and market research projects the global youth sports market will reach approximately $114 billion by 2032 (Business Research Insights).
How many kids play youth sports in the United States?
Approximately 27.3 million children ages 6 to 17, or about 54.6 percent, played organized sports in 2022-2023, according to the National Survey of Children’s Health as reported by the Aspen Institute’s Project Play. High school sports participation reached a record 8.26 million athletes in 2024-25, per the NFHS.
Who founded Youth Sports Business Report?
Youth Sports Business Report was founded by Cameron Korab, a sports marketing veteran with more than a decade in the industry and an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. Korab also co-founded Vertical Sports, a sports marketing advisory serving brands across youth, college, and pro sports.
What does YSBR cover?
YSBR delivers original reporting and market intelligence on youth sports facilities, youth sports technology, sponsorship and brand partnerships, private equity and venture capital deals, NIL policy, coaching development, equipment and apparel, tournaments and events, and community sports initiatives. Readers include industry executives, investors, facility owners and operators, league administrators, and youth sports parents.
Youth Sports Business Report resources
- Newsletter: Subscribe to Youth Sports HQ, the most-read newsletter on the business of youth sports, delivering curated youth sports industry news and analysis to thousands of industry leaders every week.
- Research: Read the Youth Sports TAM & Parent Spending Report, an exclusive YSBR and Kinetica Group analysis of market size, parent spending, and marketplace opportunities.
- Jobs: Browse the YSBR Youth Sports Job Board, the most comprehensive destination for careers in youth sports, with hundreds of active listings across facility management, league operations, coaching, sports technology, and marketing.
- Services: Find vetted partners and solutions for your organization in the YSBR Services Hub, connecting youth sports operators, brands, and investors with verified providers across the industry.
- About: Learn more about Youth Sports Business Report and our editorial standards.
Follow Youth Sports Business Report (YSBR): LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | X | Substack
Check out Jr. Sports Marketing on YouTube or Spotify
Hosted by Cameron Korab, founder of Youth Sports Business Report, Jr. Sports Marketing features candid 1-on-1 conversations with the brands, athletes, leagues, and innovators building the future of youth sports. Each episode breaks down how the smartest brands are activating, building equity, and winning with youth sports families. If you’re an operator, founder, investor, or marketer trying to understand where this space is headed, this is your show.
Youth Sports Marketing Questions, Answered
Where can brands sponsor youth sports? Brands can sponsor youth sports through local leagues and clubs, tournaments and events, facilities and complexes, governing bodies, and national platform programs. Sponsoring a child’s own program is the most powerful entry point: 81 percent of parents say it captures their attention, outperforming TV, social media, and pro sports sponsorship, per a 2026 Priority Partnerships study conducted by YouGov Sport.
How much does youth sports sponsorship cost? Youth sports sponsorship costs range from a few thousand dollars for a local league or team sponsorship to six and seven figures for regional facility naming rights and national platform programs. The environment is welcoming at every level: 84 percent of parents hold net positive sentiment toward brands sponsoring youth sports, with negative sentiment under 5 percent, per YouGov Sport research. Most brands start with a pilot activation, measure engagement, then scale.
What is the ROI of youth sports marketing? The data is striking: 80 percent of parents say they would choose the brand that sponsors their child’s youth sports program when comparing two similar products, per a 2026 Priority Partnerships study by YouGov Sport. A 2026 EMARKETER and DICK’S Media survey found 84 percent of sports parents say that role influences their purchase decisions, and 60 percent spend more on game and practice days, driving loyalty across categories from dining to travel to automotive.
Ready to build a youth sports strategy? Vertical Sports is an Advisory+ delivering integrated expertise across all levels of sport. Youth, College, Pro. Every Fan, Every Level. Brands and youth sports organizations can reach the team at info@verticalsports.us.
