Five Youth Sports Trends We’re Watching in 2026

As we head into 2026, several forces are converging that will reshape how 27 million young athletes and their families experience organized sports. Here are the five trends we’re tracking most closely this year.

1. Smart Facility Tech Becomes the New Baseline

Every major facility project announced in 2024-2025 includes features that would have seemed extravagant a few years ago: AI-powered video capture, LED court systems, sensor-embedded surfaces, and integrated booking platforms. The $18.85 billion sports technology market is projected to hit $61.72 billion by 2030, and youth facilities are a major driver.

One innovation to watch is LED glass courts – we know, sounds expensive. ASB GlassFloor’s MultiSports system, backed by NBA investment and installed at FC Bayern Munich, lets facilities switch between basketball, volleyball, tennis, and badminton instantly. No more overlapping painted lines confusing 8-year-olds. The premium version displays live stats and video on the playing surface itself.

We’re also tracking several projects we covered in 25: Louisiana’s $45 million John Alario Jr. Youth Sports Complex (already booked through 2028 for tournaments), Florida’s $1 billion Dynasty Complex, and the $75 million Play It Forward Sports Complex in Texas.

Meanwhile, automated video has achieved scale we didn’t think possible at the rec level. Pixellot processed 1.5 million games in 2025. GameChanger’s AI cameras are rolling out to recreational baseball and softball fields, doubling viewership in early pilots. Expect every competitive facility to have fixed camera infrastructure within the next two years.

2. Content Creation Shifts from Volunteers to Agencies

Youth sports organizations are increasingly outsourcing content to specialized agencies. SkillShow now films 300+ events annually for organizations including Perfect Game USA, USA Baseball, IMG Academy, and Under Armour’s All-American combines, producing video for 250,000+ athletes. That kind of scale is impossible for individual clubs to replicate.

The consolidation wave tells the story. Drake Star reported $52 billion in H1 2025 sports tech deals, with PE M&A activity doubling year-over-year. KKR-backed PlayOn acquired MaxPreps. Hudl acquired SportContract and Titan Sports. Stack Sports/Genstar acquired PlayMetrics. The thesis: technology enables content at scale, content attracts audience, audience attracts brands.

LakePoint Sports’ Athlete Program, launched June 2025 as a “first-of-its-kind NIL-inspired content-centric initiative” for youth athletes. The program pairs elite youth players with 60+ national brand partners while LakePoint’s media team handles all production. This addresses a real problem. Research shows athletes spending 3+ hours weekly on NIL content have significantly higher odds of mental health challenges.

The data backs the shift: 90% of Gen Z turn to social media to watch sports content and Instagram delivers 4x the engagement of Facebook. Organizations that want to attract the next generation of families need professional content, and most are realizing they can’t produce it themselves.

3. World Cup 2026 Drives Historic Grassroots Soccer Investment

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, has triggered the most significant youth soccer investment period in American history.

The numbers are significant. U.S. Soccer expects $100 million from FIFA as host country revenue. Participation is projected to surge from 20 million to 29 million, a 45% increase, with soccer fandom reaching 154 million people.

The infrastructure buildout is already happening. The Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center in Georgia represents $200+ million in total investment, opening spring 2026 with 17 outdoor fields and a full-size indoor pitch. The U.S. Soccer Foundation has now installed 750+ mini-pitches nationwide with a goal of 1,000 by 2026, representing $70 million in social impact investment to date.

Cities are racing to add capacity. New York is adding 26 pitches to its existing 50. Chicago has completed 50. Houston targets 30 by 2026. Boston announced up to 20 with matching funds.

MLS NEXT has expanded from 143 clubs and 15,000 players in 2023-24 to 230+ clubs and 25,000 players in 2025-26. A new Development Grant Program compensates academies for players who make MLS first teams.

The model to watch is San Diego FC, which is launching the first fully funded, residential soccer academy in MLS NEXT for fall 2025. No tuition. Selection based purely on talent. If this proves viable, expect other MLS clubs to follow.

The Soccer Forward Foundation has already invested $16+ million and received a $25 million gift from philanthropist Michele Kang for women’s game equity.

4. App Consolidation Accelerates with AI Integration

Running a youth sports organization used to mean juggling six different platforms. Registration here, scheduling there, communication somewhere else, video on another, payments on yet another. That era is ending.

One big move was TeamSnap’s November 2025 launch of TeamSnap ONE, a ground-up rebuild unifying registration, payments, scheduling, communication, live streaming, and AI-powered highlights.

We’re also tracking TeamLinkt’s AI assistant “Emi,” launched October 2024 as the industry’s first AI tool handling schedule building, registration forms, and roster assignments. Under Armour Rise Flag Football and Football Canada are already on board.

Video platforms are leading the AI charge. GameChanger’s Film Room uses AI to identify significant plays automatically. Hudl’s LLM-powered summaries generate team performance breakdowns and tactical analysis linked directly to video. As GameChanger President Sameer Ahuja put it: “AI, to me, is table stakes in sports.”

The funding reflects institutional conviction. Teamworks raised $235 million at a $1.3 billion valuation. Unrivaled Sports pulled in $120 million led by DICK’S Sporting Goods. LeagueApps secured significant equity from Accel-KKR. Private equity’s share of sector deals jumped from 27.3% to 36.9%, with PE M&A up 100% year-over-year.

What to watch: which platforms can actually deliver unified experiences versus just marketing them.

5. State and Federal Legislation Reshapes the Landscape

Youth sports is increasingly a policy priority at both state and federal levels. The legislation moving through statehouses and Congress will materially affect operators, coaches, and families.

On the safety front, Florida made history in June 2025 by becoming the first state to require ECG cardiac screenings for high school athletes under “The Second Chance Act.” Starting 2026-2027, students in grades 9-12 must complete at least one ECG screening, and every school must have an AED. Watch for other states to follow. Tennessee’s Safe Stars Act already requires comprehensive cardiac, concussion, and heat illness training. California’s 2024 heat illness rules are now the strictest in the country, mandating wet bulb globe thermometer monitoring with escalating restrictions.

On the funding front, the bipartisan Youth Sports Facilities Act (S. 1419 / H.R. 10221) would make youth sports facilities eligible for EDA grants, roughly $500 million annually, prioritizing rural and underserved communities. The PLAY Act would let families use the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit for youth sports expenses. This is meaningful when average family spending on a child’s primary sport hit $1,016 in 2024, up 46% since 2019.

On the NIL front, 40+ states now allow high school athletes to monetize NIL to some degree. The federal HUSTLE Act, introduced December 2025, would create tax-advantaged NIL Investment Accounts and cap agent fees at 5%. Six states still prohibit high school NIL entirely.

Five More Trends on Our Radar

Officials Shortage Reaches Crisis Point

• The industry has lost 50,000 officials since 2018-19, with only 2 in 10 returning for a third year.
• Games are already being canceled in some regions due to shortages, and 22 states have enacted laws creating criminal penalties for assaulting officials.

Girls Sports Participation Hits All-Time Records

• High school girls participation reached a record 3.54 million in 2024-25, led by girls flag football (up 60% in one year) and girls wrestling (now 18% of all high school wrestlers).
• The 2028 LA Olympics inclusion of flag football is accelerating investment, with 28 states now sanctioning the sport.

Youth Sports Insurance

• The number of carriers willing to write youth sports insurance has shrunk from 30 to less than a handful over ten years.
• Organizations that receive even two quotes now consider it “a miracle,” and some are seeing 50% rate increases on premiums.

Mental Health Requirements Move from Optional to Mandatory

• The NCAA now requires annual mental health screenings for all member institutions as of August 2024, and seven state high school athletic associations mandate mental health training for coaches.
• Expect these requirements to expand to volunteer youth coaches in coming years.

High School Esports Doubles as Traditional Sports Integrate Gaming

• High school esports reached 200,000+ registered players in 2024, doubling from 2020, with 8,600+ schools now fielding teams.
• The NFL’s Madden Youth Championship attracted 1,000+ schools in its first season, signaling major leagues see scholastic esports as a fan development pipeline.

Source List

1. Smart Facility Tech Becomes the New Baseline

• Grand View Research: Sports Technology Market Size, Share | Industry Report, 2030
• Sportico: NBA All-Star 2025 Floor: Inside Orlando’s LED Glass Court Test Center
• ASB GlassFloor: Certified for Professional Sports and Teams
• NOLA.com: New Orleans area will soon get a $45M youth sports complex
• FTWtoday: New $75 million youth sports complex planned for Roanoke, TX
• YSBR: Youth Sports Facilities Are Now Anchoring Billion-Dollar Real Estate Developments

2. Content Creation Shifts from Volunteers to Agencies

• Drake Star: Sports Tech Market H1 2025: $52B in Disclosed Deals; Youth Sports & Digital Media Consolidation
• Athletic Business: How Creating NIL-Related Social Media Content Is Impacting Collegiate Athletes’ Mental Health
• WSC Sports: Building Student-Athlete Brands: Why Content Creation Is Essential to Maximizing NIL Potential
• IOI Ventures: Youth Soccer Social Media Marketing: How to Grow Your Club Online

3. World Cup 2026 Drives Historic Grassroots Soccer Investment

• ESPN: How U.S. Soccer can grow the game with $100 million World Cup windfall
• U.S. Soccer: Growing the Game: Soccer Forward Foundation Scales Up as U.S. Soccer’s FIFA World Cup ’26 Legacy Initiative
• U.S. Soccer: U.S. Soccer Breaks Ground on the Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center
• U.S. Soccer Foundation: Foundation’s 700th Mini-Pitch Opened
• U.S. Soccer Foundation: Installation of 500th Mini-Pitch
• World Cup Boston: Boston and U.S. Soccer Foundation Launch Mini-Pitch Initiative
• San Jose Earthquakes: MLS Announces MLS NEXT Development Grant Program
• US Soccer Parent: San Diego FC’s MLS NEXT Academy Signals Nationwide Shift

4. App Consolidation Accelerates with AI Integration

• Business Research Insights: Youth Sports Software Market Size, Trend & Share | CAGR of 12.5%
• YSBR: TeamSnap Launches TeamSnap One a Unified Platform Combining Registration, Live Streaming, and Expert Training Content
• Business Wire: The First-Ever AI Assistant for Youth Sports Launched by TeamLinkt
• Retail Dive: GameChanger launches AI-powered video analysis tool for youth basketball, volleyball
• GameChanger: Imagining The Future of AI in Youth Sports
• Hudl: What’s New on Hudl for Soccer: AI Insights, Assist+ Upgrades, and Smarter Video Tools
• YSBR: The Future of Volleyball Analytics: Inside Hudl’s Acquisition of Balltime
• Accel-KKR: LeagueApps Secures Significant Equity Investment from Accel-KKR
• YSBR: How Youth Sports Became a Magnet for Private Equity
• Capstone Partners: Sports Technology M&A Update – August 2025

5. State and Federal Legislation Reshapes the Landscape

• PR Newswire: Florida Becomes First State to Require ECG Screenings for High School Athletes
• FOX 13 Tampa Bay: New Florida law requires heart screenings for high school athletes
• TSSAA: Health & Safety Policies
• Little League: State Laws on Sudden Cardiac Arrest Training
• CBS News: New CIF rules statewide regulate when high school teams can practice, play in extreme heat
• U.S. Senate: S.1419 – Youth Sports Facilities Act of 2024
• YSBR: Bipartisan Youth Sports Facilities Act: A Strategic Investment in Community Development and Child Wellness
• U.S. Senate (Ossoff): Sens. Ossoff, Young Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Boost Youth Sports Opportunities
• U.S. House (Gottheimer): Bipartisan Legislation Providing Tax Credits for Families to Lower the Cost of Little League, Youth Rec Sports
• YSBR: Congressman Proposes $2,000 Youth Sports Tax Credit in New Federal Bill
• U.S. Senate Commerce Committee: Cantwell & Blackburn Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Protect College Athletes’ New NIL Compensation
• National Law Review: High School NIL Raises Labor and Child Law Issues

6. Officials Shortage Reaches Crisis Point

• NFHS: With Loss of 50,000 Officials, NFHS Organizes Consortium to Find Solutions
• NFHS: NASO Survey Indicates Concerns with Sportsmanship, Shortage of Officials
• ESPN: Assaults on officials raise doubts about the future of youth sports
• Refr Sports: Youth Sports and Referee Shortages: What’s Causing the Decline and How to Fix It
• Connecticut General Assembly: Laws on Attacks on Sports Officials
• SportStars Magazine: Beyond the Game: Tackling the Crisis of Referee Shortages in High School and Youth Sports
• Become Elite Soccer: Referee Abuse Policy Update 2025

7. Girls Sports Participation Hits All-Time Records

• NFHS: High School Sports Participation Hits Record High in 2024-25
• Sports Illustrated: High School Sports Participation Hits All-Time High in 2024-25, Fueled by Growth in Girls Programs
• YSBR: High School Sports Participation Reaches Record 8.3 Million Athletes as Girls Programs Drive Growth via NFHS
• Project Play: State of Play 2025: Participation Trends
• Formula4 Media: Girls’ wrestling is fueling growth at all levels
• U.S. News & World Report: Caitlin Clark Effect Hasn’t Reversed the Decades-Long Decline in Girls Basketball Participation

8. Youth Sports Insurance

• Insurance Journal: Youth Sports Liability Market in ‘Armageddon Mode’
• Insurance Business America: Why youth sports insurance is facing a critical reckoning
• Verified Market Reports: Youth Sports Insurance Market Size, SWOT, Competitive Growth & Forecast

9. Mental Health Requirements Move from Optional to Mandatory

• Higher Education Today: NCAA Mandates Annual Mental Health Screenings for Student-Athletes
• Spectrum News NY1: Pro athletes push for mental health help in youth sports
• Project Play: Coaching Trends – State of Play 2024
• MedicalXpress: Maryland Gov. Wes Moore signs bill requiring mental health training for public high school, college coaches
• U.S. Center for Mental Health & Sport
• UW Medicine: Strengthening Mental Health for Young Athletes

10. High School Esports Doubles as Traditional Sports Integrate Gaming

• Carrollton Trojans: Esports boosting extracurricular participation, self-esteem in Georgia high schools
• PlayVS: Partners
• PlayVS: What is high school esports
• NFL Communications: National Football League and PlayVS Launch Second Season of the Madden NFL Youth Championship
• Quantumrun: College Esports Program Growth Statistics (2025)

About Youth Sports Business Report

Youth Sports Business Report is the largest and most trusted source for youth sports industry news, insights, and analysis covering the $54 billion youth sports market. Trusted by over 50,000 followers including industry executives, investors, youth sports parents and sports business professionals, we are the premier destination for comprehensive youth sports business intelligence.

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• NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) developments and compliance
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