Greta Wagner President and CEO (Interim) Health & Fitness Association
Welcome
I am pleased to present the 2026 HFA Global Report, the Health & Fitness Association’s annual examination of the state of the global health and fitness industry.
Our industry continues to expand not only in scale, but in relevance. Across many markets, membership, revenue, and facility utilization are growing faster than the number of locations, an encouraging indication that consumers are engaging more deeply with fitness and placing greater value on their health and well-being.
At the same time, expectations are changing. Consumers are increasingly focused on strength, longevity, recovery, functional health, and meaningful connection. Community is playing a greater role in how people choose where to exercise and why they stay, while operators across budget, premium, and specialized formats are succeeding by delivering clear value and increasingly personalized experiences.
Perhaps most importantly, the role of our industry within broader health systems is becoming more tangible. Across the countries represented in this report, fitness businesses, governments, healthcare providers, and national federations are advancing new approaches to prevention, reimbursement, public-health policy, exercise referral, and greater access to physical activity. Even in markets where participation remains relatively low, millions of people are already engaging with fitness through thousands of facilities, demonstrating both the industry’s significant reach today and the tremendous opportunity that remains ahead.
Understanding and advancing these developments is central to HFA’s mission. We produce trusted research, represent our industry before policymakers, connect leaders across markets, and provide the data and evidence necessary to support investment, innovation, advocacy, and sustainable growth.
The HFA Global Report brings these efforts together through country-level data, regional perspectives, operator insights, and contributions from our federation and research partners. It provides a clearer picture of where our industry stands today and where we have the opportunity to go next.
Thank you to the national federations, operators, researchers, and partners whose expertise and collaboration made this report possible. Our collective work is strengthening the health and fitness industry and expanding recognition of the essential role we can play in improving health and quality of life around the world.
I hope this report helps you identify new opportunities, better understand evolving consumer and policy environments, and strengthen the case for fitness as an essential part of the infrastructure needed to build healthier people and healthier communities.