UK Sports Engagement Shifts in 2025, Driven by women’s Sport and Emerging Activities – EY-parthenon Index
The EY-Parthenon UK Sports Engagement Index reveals a dynamic shift in the UK sports landscape, with overall engagement remaining strong at 88% in 2025, a slight decrease from 90% in 2024 - a dip attributed to the absence of the Olympic Games which boosted engagement the previous year. The findings, reported by the Sport industry Group, highlight growing interest in diverse sports and a significant surge in women’s sport following a summer of major events.
The index shows Football, Formula 1, and Swimming continue to be the most popular sports. Though, Hiking has seen a notable rise in engagement, while Cricket, Rugby, and Golf are experiencing a resurgence. Basketball is rapidly gaining traction, especially among Gen-Z, fueled by digital content and live experiences.
Key Rankings (Top 15):
The following rankings were reported in the provided data:
- Football
- Formula 1
- Swimming
- Running
- Cycling
- Golf
- Rugby Union
- Tennis
- Cricket
- Horse Racing
- Athletics
- Basketball
- Motor Sports
- Yoga (First time in rankings)
- Darts (+2 ranking change)
Gender differences in sports engagement persist. Among 18-24-year-olds, 92% of men engage with sport ofen or very often, compared to 77% of women.this gap narrows across all age groups, suggesting that stronger grassroots programmes and greater TV coverage of men’s sports may contribute to higher male engagement. Engagement declines with age for both genders, with a more pronounced decrease observed among women (81% for women over 55 versus 89% for men).
“Women’s Summer of sport” Drives Growth
2025 has been recognized as a “Women’s summer of sport” due to major events including the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025, the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, and the return of women’s tennis to the Queen’s Club.
These events have substantially boosted interest in women’s sports, particularly Football and Rugby Union. 35% of women’s Football followers began following the sport within the last two years, and 66% within the last five years, correlating with England’s success in recent UEFA Euro competitions and thier 2022 World Cup performance. For women’s rugby, half of all followers started following within the last two years, likely influenced by England’s World Cup performance on home soil. In contrast,only 10% of men’s Rugby followers began following in the last two years,demonstrating the rapid growth in women’s Rugby engagement.
Industry response & Future Outlook
Simon Mantell, Sports Industry Sector Lead, UK&I at EY, emphasized the need for sports organizations to embrace diversity, invest in wellbeing-focused activities, and adapt to changing fan behaviors to remain relevant in a competitive environment.
Sarah Hanks, Media and Sports Strategy Lead at EY-Parthenon, highlighted the importance of sustaining interest in women’s sport through investment in infrastructure, coaching, visibility for women’s leagues, and innovative digital engagement strategies. She believes that accomplished implementation of these efforts could position women’s sport as one of the fastest-growing segments in the UK’s sporting landscape.
