Sports for People and Planet 2026

PATHWAY 3 Catalysing purpose-driven capital flows Growing investor and corporate interest in the sports economy presents a timely opportunity to reposition capital as a strategic engine for systemic impact. Catalysing purpose-driven capital flows therefore requires a shift from transactional funding to impact-oriented, values-aligned investment strategies. When structured effectively, financial flows into sport can serve not only as drivers of asset growth and commercial performance but also as multipliers for social inclusion, environmental sustainability and long-term community resilience. Investment across both professional and participatory sport generates powerful positive spillover effects, stimulating the sporting goods industry, strengthening tourism and local economies, and creating pathways for athlete development. Evidence shows that every dollar invested in grassroots sport can generate up to four times the benefit,115 underscoring the potential of sport to deliver scalable returns across health, social cohesion and economic productivity. This expanding capital base also plays a critical role in advancing global environmental and public health priorities. Investors, sponsors and financial institutions are critical for sporting organizations to align their operations and growth strategies with established frameworks such as the Sports for Climate Action Framework and the Sports for Nature Framework and support momentum on the World Health Organization (WHO)’s Global Action Plan on Physical Activity (GAPPA). Embedding these principles into capital allocation decisions signals decisive leadership, enabling sporting organizations to mobilize investment, accelerate climate action, restore nature and widen equitable access to physical activity. This demands cooperation across the capital stack, clear governance standards, measurable impact frameworks and robust accountability mechanisms. Two action areas within this pathway are: 1 Activate shared impact through strategic sponsorships2 Mobilize investment partnerships across the capital ecosystem 1Activate shared impact through strategic sponsorships Sponsorship represents one of the most powerful financial levers in sport, accounting for the second- largest revenue stream in professional sport after media rights. The sport sponsorship market is projected to be worth $52 billion by 2025116 and offers a critical opportunity to reposition brand partnerships as drivers of shared value rather than purely commercial exposure. In this context, stakeholders must move towards establishing ethical sponsorship frameworks that prioritize alignment with health, climate and social goals, embed sustainability key performance indicators (KPIs) and impact metrics into agreements, co-design activation strategies that encourage positive behavioural change, and mobilize sponsorship funding towards grassroots participation, environmental restoration and inclusive community programmes. Increasing transparency through robust impact reporting and third-party verification is also essential to reinforce credibility and guard against reputational risk117 in an era of heightened scrutiny around “sportswashing”. At the same time, sport remains one of the most trusted advertising channels, with 81% of consumers viewing sport sponsorship as credible.118 As public expectations rise, aligning sponsorships with verified purpose has become both a strategic necessity and a competitive advantage. Opportunities for sporting organizations to engage values-aligned corporate sponsors are expanding rapidly, with 84% of sponsors identifying social responsibility as a key factor influencing consumer perception.119 This momentum is further supported by the accelerating growth of purpose- driven companies in emerging markets across Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America. Notably, 27% of global companies with science-based emissions reduction targets are now based in Asia- Pacific,120 with the number of such firms increasing by 134% between the end of 2023 and 2025.121 To unlock this potential, sporting organizations must move beyond logo placement towards integrated impact partnerships built on shared values, measurable outcomes and long-term alignment. This requires embedding sustainability and social responsibility criteria into sponsorship selection processes, contract structures and performance evaluation frameworks. Purpose-led sponsorship partnerships already illustrate this shift. Notable examples include DHL’s commitment to decarbonization through innovative logistics solutions that enable Formula 1 to adopt multimodal logistics, transition to biofuel-powered trucks and use sustainable aviation fuels;122 Sport remains one of the most trusted advertising channels, with 81% of consumers viewing sport sponsorship as credible. Sports for People and Planet 32