This statistic presents the number of regular participants for a range activities in England from 2015/2016 to 2020/2021, where regular participation is defined as having participated at least twice in the last 28 days, at any intensity for any duration. In 2021, 'walking for leisure' was found to be the activity group with the greatest number of regular participants having increased from 18.3 million people in 2016 to 23.9 million in 2021. Adventure sports has also shown a significant increase in participation over the study period, increasing from 2.2 million people in 2016 to approximately 3.4 million in 2021.
Number of regular* participants per activity group in England from 2016 to 2021
Characteristic
Nov 15-16
May 17-18
May 18-19
May 19-20
May 20-21
Winter sports
312,900
347,300
304,000
256,500
38,900
Bowls or boules
359,500
362,300
315,000
254,300
80,800
Roller or skating sports
144,200
181,600
173,500
159,900
126,200
Water sports
650,600
566,100
660,200
543,400
380,700
Gymnastics, trampolining or cheerleading
445,100
474,800
464,500
496,200
433,000
Combat sports, martial arts or target sports
799,900
856,000
828,200
955,100
536,800
Leisure activities and games
612,500
628,900
556,600
678,600
977,400
Racket sports
2,423,000
2,224,100
2,112,700
1,967,400
1,080,000
Team sports
3,472,200
3,196,400
3,188,400
2,896,000
1,514,900
Cycling for travel
3,195,200
3,115,900
3,139,800
2,883,700
2,542,600
Adventure sports
2,245,300
2,699,600
3,334,200
3,239,300
3,389,400
Running, athletics or multi-sports
6,931,800
6,897,200
7,088,900
6,885,500
6,883,900
Cycling for leisure and sport**
-
6,170,000
6,258,500
6,267,600
7,493,000
Created with Highcharts 7.2.2Number of participantsNov 15-16May 17-18May 18-19May 19-20May 20-21Walking forleisureWalking fortravelCycling forleisure andsport**Running,athletics ormulti-sportsAdventuresportsCycling fortravelTeamsportsRacketsportsLeisureactivitiesand gamesCombatsports,martial artsor targetsportsGymnastics,trampoliningorcheerleadingWatersportsRoller orskatingsportsBowls orboulesWintersports
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*At least twice in the last 28 days. Any intensity, any duration.
**During the first six months of surveying, a number of respondents were double counting a gym session and the individual activities that they did within the gym. This problem was resolved by re-wording the question, however, the first point at which this data can be reported is May 16/17.
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Sport England. (October 22, 2021). Number of regular* participants per activity group in England from 2016 to 2021 [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved February 18, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1086745/number-of-participants-per-activity-group-in-england/
Sport England. "Number of regular* participants per activity group in England from 2016 to 2021." Chart. October 22, 2021. Statista. Accessed February 18, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1086745/number-of-participants-per-activity-group-in-england/
Sport England. (2021). Number of regular* participants per activity group in England from 2016 to 2021. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: February 18, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1086745/number-of-participants-per-activity-group-in-england/
Sport England. "Number of Regular* Participants per Activity Group in England from 2016 to 2021." Statista, Statista Inc., 22 Oct 2021, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1086745/number-of-participants-per-activity-group-in-england/
Sport England, Number of regular* participants per activity group in England from 2016 to 2021 Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1086745/number-of-participants-per-activity-group-in-england/ (last visited February 18, 2025)
Number of regular* participants per activity group in England from 2016 to 2021 [Graph], Sport England, October 22, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1086745/number-of-participants-per-activity-group-in-england/
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