In Q3 2025, of people who were aged 15 to 74:
Some 2,966,000 or 72.5% said they participated in at least one sport or physical exercise.
More women (1,503,300) participated in sport or physical activity than men (1,462,700).
Walking / hiking was the most common activity with 42.3% participating.
Soccer was the most common team sport with 4.7% participating.
Almost four in five (78.5%) of youths aged 15 to 24 participated in sport or physical exercise with gym-based activities the most common (28.1%).
Highest participation in sport was in the Mid-West (Clare, Limerick and Tipperary) at 74.7% while the South-East (Carlow, Kilkenny, Waterford, and Wexford) had the lowest participation at 67.7%.
Improving physical health and fitness was the most common reason for partaking in sport or physical activity.
Lack of time due to work (33.9%) was the most common reason for not partaking in sport or physical activity.
Questions were asked in the Q3 2025 LFS on participation in sports and physical activities among 15 to 74-year-olds. Almost 3 million people, or 72.5%, said that they were involved in one or more activity in Q3 2025. More than 1.7 million people, or 42.3% participated in walking / hiking as exercise, making it the most popular activity. This was followed by gym-based activities (22.4%), swimming (9.8%), running (9.3%) and cycling (6.9%). Among team sports soccer (4.7%) had the most participants in Q3 2025 followed by Gaelic football (3.9%), hurling / camogie (2.2%) and rugby (0.7%).
A higher proportion of women (72.9%) than men (72.1%) participated in sport or physical activity. Women were more likely to walk / hike, do gym-based activities or swim but men more likely to participate in cycling, soccer, GAA, golf, or running. See Figure 1 & Table 1.
Those in the labour force had a higher level of participation (73.6%) compared to those outside the labour force (69.5%). Those outside the labour force were more likely to participate in walking / hiking as a physical activity (46.0%) compared to 40.9% of those in the labour force. Those in the labour force were more likely to participate in gym-based activities (25.3%) and run (10.9%) compared to those outside the labour force with 14.7% and 5.1% respectively. See Figure 2 and Table 2.
Younger age cohorts were more likely to be involved in sports and physical activities compared to older age cohorts. There were 78.5% of 15 to 24 year-olds who participated in sports or physical exercise in Q3 2025 compared to 70.8% of 25 to 44 year-olds and 71.6% of 45 to 74 year-olds. Gym-based activities (28.1%) were the most common activity among youths aged 15-24 followed by walking / hiking (27.0%), soccer (13.6%) and Gaelic football (13.6%). More than one in ten (10.5%) of youths said they participated in another sport not listed, twice the proportion of both 25 to 44 and 45+ age groups. More than half (52.0%) of 45-74 years olds walked / hiked in Q3 2025 followed by the gym (15.5%) and swimming (9.9%). See Figure 3 & Table 3.
The Mid-West (74.7%) region had the highest proportion of people participating in sports and physical exercise. This is followed by South-West (74.5%), Dublin (74.1%) and the Mid-East (73.2%). The lowest participation was in the South-East (67.7%), Midlands (68.1%) and the Border (68.5%). Walking / hiking was the most common activity in each region while Dublin had the largest proportion of people partaking in gym-based activities with 27.8%, 5.4 percentage points above the national rate. Conversely Dublin had the lowest proportion of people participating in Gaelic football (2.3%) compared to the Border region which had the highest at 5.7%. See Figure 4 & Table 4.
Of those that participated in sport or physical activity in Q3 2025, almost 9 in 10 (87.1%) said they did so to improve their physical health and fitness. This was followed by improving mental well-being (49.5%), the social element of participation (27.2%), improving performance (13.7%) and participation in competitions (9.4%).
Women were more likely to participate in sport or exercise for improving both physical (87.9%) and mental well-being (51.1%) compared to men at 86.4% and 47.9% respectively. Men were more likely to participate in sports or exercise for the social element (29.9%), improving performance (16.9%) or participating in competitions (12.8%) compared to women who reported 24.6%, 10.6% and 6.0% respectively. See Figure 5 & Table 5.
Among those that did not participate in sports or physical exercise, a third (33.9%) said they lacked the time to do so due to work. This is followed by lack of time due to family commitments (22.5%), illness, injury or disability (21.6%), and lack of motivation (19.5%). For men, 41.0% said that work was the reason followed by illness, injury or disability (20.8%) and lack of motivation while for women family commitments was the main reason (27.3%) followed by work (26.7%) and illness, injury or disability (22.4%). See Figure 6 & Table 6.
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Statistician's Comment
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (24 September 2026) published results on Sports and Physical Exercise in Ireland which was from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) in Quarter 3 (Q3) 2025.
Commenting on today’s release, Colin Hanley, Statistician in the Labour Market & Earnings Division, said: “People aged 15 to 74 years were asked questions on sports and physical exercise in the Q3 2025 LFS. The results show overall, the estimated number of people aged 15 to 74 who participated in sports or physical exercise in Q3 2025 was 2,966,000 or 72.5%. Walking and hiking had the highest number of participants with 1,731,000 people, or 42.3%. This was followed by gym-based activities (22.4%) and swimming (9.8%). Among team sports, soccer (4.7%) was the most common to participate in followed by Gaelic football (3.9%) and hurling or camogie (2.2%).
A higher proportion of women (72.9%) than men (72.1%) participated in sport or physical activity. Women were more likely to walk or hike or do gym-based activities while men more likely participated in cycling, soccer, Gaelic football, or golf. Younger people aged 15 to 24 years were generally more likely to participate in physical activity exercises, however; older age cohorts were more likely to participate in walking or hiking and cycling. When we look at the different regions, the Mid-West (Clare, Limerick, and Tipperary) at 74.7% had the highest level of participation while the South-East (Carlow, Kilkenny, Waterford, and Wexford) had the lowest at 67.7%.
Reasons for Partaking in Sports and Physical Exercise
Among those that did participate in sports or physical exercise, 87.1% said they did so to improve their physical health and fitness. This was followed by improving mental wellbeing (49.5%), the social element of participation (27.2%), improving performance (13.7%), and participation in competitions (9.4%).
Women were more likely to participate in sport or exercise for improving both physical (87.9%) and mental well-being (51.1%) compared with men at 86.4% and 47.9% respectively. Men were more likely to participate in sports or exercise for the social element, improving performance or participating in competitions compared with women.
Reasons for Not Partaking in Sports and Physical Exercise
Among those that did not participate in sports or physical exercise, 33.9% said they lacked the time to do so due to work. This was followed by lack of time due to family commitments (22.5%), illness, injury or disability (21.6%), and lack of motivation (19.5%). For men, 41.0% said that work was the reason followed by illness, injury or disability (20.8%) and lack of motivation, while for women family commitments was the main reason (27.3%), followed by work (26.7%) and illness, injury or disability (22.4%)."
Survey Participation
Commenting on the importance of sampled individuals taking part in the LFS, Colin Hanley added: “Sampled households receive introductory letters by post asking them to take part in the Labour Force Survey. A person from a participating household completes the interview either by telephone or by a CSO interviewer visiting the household.
Household surveys give us a picture of the economic and social situation of the citizens of Ireland with a level of accuracy that no one else can gain. If you are asked to take part in a CSO survey, please do so. We count on you to take part in our surveys, and you can count on us to provide accurate statistics that reflect our society.”