Football Global Market Report 2025

The football market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $2.97 billion in 2024 to $3.17 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.6%. The growth observed during the historic period can be attributed to increasing urbanization and rising middle incomes, the expansion of pay television subscriptions, the influence of mega-event cycles such as world and continental championships, the implementation of school and grassroots participation programs, and the globalization of commercial sponsorship.

The football market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $4.04 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.3%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to the expanding participation of youth in emerging economies, increasing women’s football participation and viewership, the professionalization of domestic leagues in Asia and the Americas, population growth in Africa and South Asia, and the rising level of corporate sponsorship across consumer goods and financial services sectors. Key trends expected during the forecast period include the expansion of video assistant referee systems across competitions, the introduction of semi-automated offside decisions using real-time ball contact data, the development of connected match balls equipped with embedded inertial measurement unit sensors, the use of optical and global positioning system technologies for athlete tracking and performance analysis, and the adoption of artificial intelligence-powered automated highlights and personalized viewing experiences.

The increasing global television audiences are expected to drive the growth of the football market in the coming years due to enhanced digital accessibility and cross-border content reach. Global television audiences refer to the collective viewership of television content across international markets, encompassing diverse demographic, cultural, and linguistic groups that engage with televised programming through various broadcast and digital platforms. The primary factor contributing to the rise in global television audiences is the widespread digitalization of media distribution, which has expanded accessibility and enabled seamless content delivery across borders, creating a more connected and inclusive viewing experience. Football functions as a unifying global spectacle that attracts extensive international viewership, transcending cultural and geographic boundaries to strengthen the global television audience base. For example, in July 2024, the Office of Communications (Ofcom), a United Kingdom-based independent regulator for telecommunications, internet, and broadcasting industries, reported that people in the United Kingdom spent an average of 4 hours and 31 minutes per day watching television and video content at home in 2023, reflecting a 2 percent (6-minute) increase from 2022. Therefore, the growing global television audience is fueling the expansion of the football market.

Key companies operating in the football market are emphasizing innovative advancements such as high-frequency molded match-ball construction featuring engineered 12-panel aerodynamics to enhance flight stability, durability, and consistency. High-frequency molded construction involves heat or pressure bonding, which replaces traditional stitched seams to fuse panels into a uniform shell, minimizing water absorption and deformation to maintain shape and predictable aerodynamics throughout gameplay. For instance, in June 2025, PUMA SE, a Germany-based athletic apparel and footwear company, launched the PUMA Orbita Ultimate PL, the official Premier League 2025-2026 match ball, featuring 12 evenly sized panels and high-frequency molding. It made its debut at the Premier League Summer Series in the United States before the season kickoff. The PUMA Orbita Ultimate PL provides precise weight distribution through its twelve equal panels and deeper seams that enhance aerodynamics and preserve long-term shape, delivering more consistent ball flight and touch under varied weather conditions. This innovation supports higher-quality play, fairer match outcomes, and broad fan and grassroots adoption through retail availability.

In February 2023, DAZN Group, a United Kingdom-based sports streaming company, acquired ELEVEN Group businesses and Team Whistle for an undisclosed amount. Through this acquisition, DAZN aims to expand its live football rights across additional regions, integrate ELEVEN’s regional production platforms, and leverage Team Whistle’s extensive social video reach to enhance fan engagement, strengthen advertising performance, and accelerate direct-to-consumer growth in live football content. ELEVEN Group is a United Kingdom-based international sports media company, while Team Whistle is a United States-based social media creative agency.

Major players in the football market are Nike Inc., Adidas AG, ESPN, Puma SE, Electronic Arts, New Balance Athletics Inc., Under Armour, FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, Paris Saint Germain, Manchester United, FIFA, Chelsea Fc Plc, Juventus Football Club, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Formative Sport, Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), Baden Sports Inc., and Luson Sport.

Europe was the largest region in the football market in 2024. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in football report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa.

Note that the outlook for this market is being affected by rapid changes in trade relations and tariffs globally. The report will be updated prior to delivery to reflect the latest status, including revised forecasts and quantified impact analysis. The report’s Recommendations and Conclusions sections will be updated to give strategies for entities dealing with the fast-moving international environment.

The sudden escalation of U.S. tariffs and the consequent trade frictions in spring 2025 are severely impacting the recreation sector, particularly in the supply of imported sports equipment, outdoor gear, and leisure products. Manufacturers and retailers are facing higher costs for items such as bicycles, camping gear, fitness machines, and gaming consoles, much of which are sourced from overseas with limited domestic alternatives. Small businesses operating in the recreational retail space are especially affected, with some reducing inventory or increasing prices to offset margin pressure. Event organizers and recreational facilities are also facing cost hikes for imported equipment and infrastructure materials. In response, the industry is exploring alternative sourcing from tariff-free regions, increasing reliance on local suppliers, and urging policymakers to consider exemptions for non-essential but widely used recreational products.

The football market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides football market statistics, including football industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a football market share, detailed football market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the football industry. This football market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.

Football is a globally recognized team sport in which two opposing teams compete to score points by advancing a spherical or prolate ball into the opponent’s goal area or across a designated boundary, following standardized rules that emphasize strategy, physical ability, coordination, and fair play. It represents a major cultural, social, and economic activity worldwide, promoting community engagement, international competition, athletic growth, and significant commercial and media influence.

The key product types associated with football include footballs, training equipment, protective gear, and accessories. A football is a spherical object used by players to pass, dribble, and score goals, serving as the central component of the game. The sport encompasses various event types such as domestic leagues, international tournaments, and friendly matches, and includes categories such as mass market foundation and premium innovation. Distribution takes place through multiple channels, including online retail, offline retail, and sports stores, and the products are utilized by different end users, including professional players, amateur players, coaches, and teams.

The countries covered in the football market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The football market consists of sales of football jerseys, football shorts, football socks, football boots, goal nets, corner flags, coaching boards, team benches, scoreboards, and turf maintenance equipment. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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