India’s sports ecosystem is expected to reach $130 billion by 2030, growing at 14 per cent CAGR, nearly double the pace of India’s GDP, according to a report released by Google and Deloitte.
The growth will be fuelled by a fundamental shift in how Indians consume and engage with sport, increasing government investments, a rising trend of multi-sport culture, wide digital adoption alongside a range of quality sport content.
There is potential for creation of up to 10.5 million jobs and $21 billion in indirect tax revenue by 2030 by the sector, the report noted.
While cricket remains a national passion, 90 per cent of Indian sports fans now follow multiple sports, with kabaddi and football gaining traction with 120 million and 85 million fans respectively. This landscape presents ripe opportunities for diversified investments and cross-promotion across a wide range of sports, it added.
Rise in digital consumption has enabled a large majority of fans to access sports content digitally especially by Gen Z consumers, who make up 43 per cent of the fan base. Across demographics, fans spend 20 per cent more time on non-live content highlighting a preference for on-demand viewing and shorter, more personalised content experiences.
Roma Datta Chobey, Managing Director (Interim Country Lead), Google India, said, “We’re witnessing a surge in multi-sport fandom, a growing popularity of digital platforms, and deep engagement from Gen Z, who represent the largest segment of India’s sports fanbase. We see immense potential in leveraging the digital ecosystem to enhance the fan experience and advance the growth of the sports sector, especially with AI-driven personalisation and insights, immersive technologies, and greater digital accessibility.”
Fan base
Nearly 36 per cent of India’s 655 million sports fan base are now women while 59 per cent reside in rural areas.
Rising popularlity of multi-sports cultures will also enable the sports goods and apparel market to double in value to $58 billion by 2030. “With fan engagement and operational efficiency driving innovation, the sports technology sector is ripe for investment, projected to be a $1 billion market with a projected CAGR of 19 per cent,” the report noted.
Romal Shetty, Chief Executive Ocer, Deloie South Asia, highlighted, “With the advancements in technology from AI to cloud plaorms, we have a unique opportunity to nurture talent from the grassroots level, reaching youth in every corner of the country However, to fully realise this vision, we must tackle the challenges of access, infrastructure, and equitable development. By building strong public-private partnerships, we can drive sustained progress in our sports ecosystem, creating new jobs, promoting health, and enhancing India’s global standing.”