YouGov Sport Releases Multi-Country Sports Tourism Fan Appetite Report

YouGov has released its latest multi-country report on “Sports tourism: Measuring fan appetite,” examining who is traveling for sport, their motivating factors and the barriers that stand in their way.

The survey that fed the insights in the report was conducted from November 14, 2025 to December 12, 2025, and spans 17 different global markets: Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Poland, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates and the United States.

Among the key takeaways, the report explains how sport tourism is already a mass market behaviour, particularly among younger fans who are willing to travel internationally to their favorite sports events.

In total, four in 10 consumers surveyed across 17 markets said that they had ventured abroad for sports events, while millennials are significantly more likely to have traveled for sports events than the rest of the general population (45 percent).

At the same time, international sport tourism rates vary significantly. For example, 40 percent of consumers surveyed in the UAE said that they had traveled abroad for sports events, compared to just 2 percent of U.S. consumers.

As such, the United States relies heavily on domestic league travel, whereas most other markets are reliant on major global tournaments to drive sport travel domestically and internationally.

The report shows that Americans travel more regularly for regular season matches across different sports, driving domestic sport travel, while single-sport international tournaments (such as the FIFA World Cup) fuel greater travel in key markets such as Great Britain, Germany and Italy.

Atmosphere and Experience

Equally, the atmosphere and experience at venues can also be tourism drivers, with four in 10 travelers saying that these factors would motivate them to travel for live sports events.

Beyond the game, three in ten consumers suggested that the opportunity to visit a new place would influence their decision to engage in sport travel.

However, supporting one’s own team domestically or internationally remains one of the most prominent drivers of sport tourism, according to YouGov.

“The year 2026 is set to witness a host of marquee global sport events, including the FIFA World Cup, the Winter Olympics and the ICC T20 World Cups,” said YouGov Sport Global Head Nicole Pike. “From these global tournaments to regular season games, sport tourism impacts where people go, how they travel, and what they expect from destinations.

“This report draws on data from YouGov Surveys across 17 markets to explore who is traveling for sport, what motivates them, and what barriers stand in their way. By examining attitudes, behaviors, and differences across countries and generations, this study offers a clear, data-driven view of the evolving sport tourism landscape, and what it all means for rights holders, destinations, and brands.”

Follow the link to the full report at this link.

Pike will also be speaking at Northstar Meetings Group’s EsportsTravel Summit on June 23–25, 2026, in the Cincinnati region, when she will unveil new research on esports fans, live event behavior and what drives attendance, engagement and loyalty.