A Systematic Review of Priority Areas in Global Sports Policy Research from 2015 to 2025

Abstract

The rapidly evolving global sport environment has significantly influenced the priorities of sport policy research. This study re-examines the major themes and priorities identified in the sport policy literature published between 2015 and 2025.A qualitative research approach was adopted, relying exclusively on secondary data. Peer-reviewed journal articles, academic books, and scholarly publications were collected from leading academic databases, including Web of Science, JSTOR, and Google Scholar, to ensure the credibility and quality of the evidence. The collected literature was analyzed using thematic analysis, supported by keyword co-occurrence mapping to identify emerging research trends and relationships among key concepts. The findings reveal that sporting success, governance and policy, and sport participation and public health remain the dominant priorities in contemporary sport policy research. The keyword co-occurrence map identifies sport policy as the central concept connecting the major research themes. The strong association between physical activity and public health highlights the growing recognition of sport as an important instrument for improving population health and well-being. Furthermore, the emergence of sustainability and inclusion as distinct thematic clusters indicates an increasing emphasis on equity, social inclusion, and sustainable sport development. Overall, the review demonstrates a clear shift from traditional performance-oriented policy objectives toward broader societal outcomes. The study concludes that future sport policies should integrate participation, good governance, public health, inclusion, and sustainability to address contemporary social challenges and support long-term sport development.