More people than ever are now participating in sport on a weekly basis in Ireland, according to the latest Irish Sports Monitor.
The report for 2025 found over 2.12 million people over the age of 16 are regularly partaking in sport.
The research, carried out by Sport Ireland, shows 49 per cent of the population aged over 16 are now participating in sport at least once a week. Personal exercise remains the number one sport, with one in five Irish people participating on a weekly basis.
Although the overall weekly sports participation rates for last year (48.4 per cent) are on par with 2024 (48.5 per cent), Ireland’s growing population means there were more people engaging in sport each week in 2025.
The top five most popular sports were personal exercise (20 per cent), swimming (8 per cent), running (7 per cent), cycling, and weights (both 4 per cent). Next was Gaelic football, soccer, dancing, yoga and Pilates (all 3 per cent), followed by golf at 2 per cent.
Sports participation rates in almost all age groups have grown significantly since 2017, by 5-7 percentage points in almost all cases. The only exception is the 16-24 category, which showed a similarly high rate to the 2017 baseline, increasing to 70 per cent from 69 per cent.
The report also highlights some of the enduring gaps in participation in respect of the goals set out in the National Sports Policy 2018-2027.
Weekly recreational walking rates are down by 4 percentage points compared to 2024, returning to pre-pandemic levels, while two out of every five people are highly active through sport and recreational walking.
The research found the percentage decline in highly-active people and the increase in sedentary people between 2024 and 2025 was largely driven by the reduced rate of recreational walking.
The report also showed there was a 4-percentage point difference in male and female sports participation rates in 2025, up by one percentage point from the previous year.
There was an increase in weekly sports participation rates for people with disabilities, up from 29 per cent in 2017 to 34 per cent in 2025.
“These figures tell a positive story,” said Sport Ireland CEO Úna May. “When people are active throughout their lives, the benefits extend to their physical health, their mental wellbeing, their social connections, and their communities.
“At Sport Ireland we’re committed to extending these benefits to as many people as possible through implementing evidence-based strategies.”
The report also showed 38 per cent of the population meet the national physical activity guidelines through sport and recreational walking alone, but this is down from 40 per cent in 2024. This decline was also largely driven by the decline in recreational walking.
“Participation is growing, but our responsibility is to ensure that growth is sustained, inclusive, and built on solid foundations,” said Sport Ireland chairperson John Foley.
“The gap in active sports participation between higher and lower socioeconomic groups has widened to 22 points, up from 19 points in 2024 and 16 points in 2017. This trend is a significant challenge and demands a targeted, evidence-based response.”
Minister for Sport Patrick O’Donovan welcomed the report’s findings, adding: “All of us are committed to making sure that sport is genuinely accessible and meaningful for everyone in Ireland.”
Sport Ireland last year allocated €1.2 million to fund Sports Inclusion Disability Officers across all 29 Local Sports Partnerships, along with the first-ever National Disability in Sport Week.
The Irish Sports Monitor is one of the world’s longest-running national surveys, collecting data on sport participation and physical activity for over 8,500 Irish people.