Pickleball Participation Reaches 24.3 Million Americans as Sport Continues Unprecedented Growth Trajectory
(June 4, 2026) – Pickleball participation continues to surge across the United States, making it the nation’s fastest-growing sport for five consecutive years. To help industry stakeholders better understand the rapidly evolving landscape, the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) has released its 2026 Pickleball Single Sport Report, offering detailed insights into participation trends, demographics, and cross-participation patterns.
The Pickleball Single Sport Report joins SFIA’s recently released Soccer Spotlight Report, which evaluates the past 15 years of soccer participation data ahead of the 2026 Soccer World Cup. Both reports were released early in response to strong demand from industry stakeholders seeking the latest participation insights for two of the nation’s fastest-growing and most closely followed sports.
The Pickleball Report reveals that 24.3 million Americans played pickleball in 2025, up from 4.2 million participants in 2020—an increase of more than fivefold in just five years.
The report also highlights the evolution of pickleball’s participant base. Once viewed primarily as a sport for older adults, pickleball is now attracting players across all age groups, with teens and young adults ages 13-24 posting the highest participation rates of any age segment. Female participation has also jumped, with women now accounting for 42.9% of all pickleball players, up from 38.6% in 2020.
In addition, the report shows strong growth among the sport’s most engaged participants. CORE pickleball players—those who play eight or more times per year—grew from 1.4 million in 2020 to 7.5 million in 2025, reflecting sustained engagement and long-term participation trends.
“The story behind pickleball’s growth is no longer just about participation gains. It’s about the broadening and diversification of the player base,” said Alex Kerman, Senior Director and Head of Research at SFIA. “We are seeing strong adoption among younger generations, continued growth among women, and a rapidly expanding core participant population. These insights help the industry better understand where the sport is headed and identify opportunities for future growth.”
The Pickleball Single Sport Report and Soccer Spotlight Report are the first in a series of 2026 Single Sport Reports to be released. Reports from SFIA’s Team Sports Category will be available next, followed by additional categories throughout the coming weeks.
Each Single Sport Report provides detailed participation analysis by gender, age, geographic region, household income, education level, ethnicity, and cross-sport participation. These reports are designed to help industry leaders, businesses, governing bodies, and other stakeholders make informed strategic decisions based on the most comprehensive sports participation data available.
All 2026 SFIA Single Sport Reports are available for purchase at a discounted rate of $150 per report for SFIA members and $500 per report for non-members.
These reports are provided free of charge to members of the media. If you are interested in receiving a copy of the Pickleball Single Sport Report or scheduling an interview with an SFIA representative, please contact Jenny Karn at [email protected].
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ABOUT SFIA: The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) is the leading trade association for the sports and fitness industry, representing over 700 brands, manufacturers, retailers, and governing bodies who collectively employ more than 375,000 people and generate $150 billion in domestic sales. With a mission of increasing sports and fitness participation and promoting industry vitality, SFIA provides thought leadership, advocacy, research, and membership services that empower its members and drive industry growth. SFIA’s leading research and comprehensive insights help members make informed decisions, while its advocacy efforts champion physical health and economic impact. To learn more about joining SFIA’s network dedicated to advancing the sports and fitness industry, please visit sfia.org.