Sports tourism in the United States generated a total economic impact of $274.5 billion in 2025, underlining its growing role as a major driver of economic activity, according to a new report from Sports ETA.
The association’s annual State of the Industry Report found that 339 million sports travelers contributed $111.2 billion in direct spending, supporting 1.6 million jobs and generating $20.5 billion in state and local tax revenues. In total, sports-related travel accounted for 191.8 million room nights nationwide.
International demand also showed strength, with 3.6 million overseas visitors traveling to the U.S. for sports in 2025, contributing $6.3 billion in direct spending.
Momentum is expected to continue into 2026, driven in part by the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026. The tournament is projected to attract between 1.3 million and 3 million international visitors, with as many as 10 million people expected to visit host cities. Of the approximately 6.5 million tickets available, 5 million had already been sold with 50 days remaining before kickoff.
Sports ETA President and CEO John David described international sports tourism as a major long-term growth opportunity, emphasizing the importance of strategic positioning by host destinations to capture future demand.
The report highlights two primary segments within the sector. Participatory sports tourism — involving athletes and active participants — generated $60.1 billion in direct spending and $149.1 billion in total economic impact, driven by 227.6 million travelers. Meanwhile, spectator sports tourism contributed $51.1 billion in direct spending and $125.4 billion in total impact, fueled by 111.4 million travelers.
Combined, the two segments illustrate the scale and consistency of sports tourism as a year-round economic engine, supporting over 1.6 million jobs and reinforcing its role in long-term destination development.
The findings were presented during Sports ETA’s annual symposium in Las Vegas, which brought together around 1,000 industry professionals, including representatives from more than 500 U.S. destinations.