Research, evaluation and insights

Sport NZ’s research, evaluation and insights

Find the latest research, data, evaluations and tools to support informed decisions and create better outcomes in play, active recreation and sport.

Whether you’re looking to understand what works, advocate for the value of being active, or strengthen your organisation’s insights capability, you'll find valuable resources and guidance here.

These resources are designed to help you and your organisation give more people better chances to be active across Aotearoa. Our goal is to support strong, adaptable organisations that make a real difference.

Participation data and tools

Explore how people are getting active across Aotearoa. Use interactive tools to find insights by sport, activity and region.

Participation data and tools

Reports and publications

Access Sport NZ’s latest research and evaluation reports. Learn how people are participating and what’s making a difference.

Reports and publications

Demographic groups and community insights

Find insights on young people, women and girls, disabled people and ethnic communities - and how they experience play, recreation and sport.

Demographic group insights

Value of play, active recreation and sport

Discover research on the social, economic and community value of play, active recreation and sport in Aotearoa.

Value of play active recreation and sport

System sustainability research

Explore what helps build a strong, future-ready sector – from funding and volunteering to strategy and futures thinking.

System sustainability research

Topics A-Z

A

Active NZ participation trends 2017-2023

Active NZ: Snapshot of participation landscape 2023

Active all year round, 2025

Active NZ Data Visualisation Tool

Active Bodies, Active Minds, 2025

Active As Evaluation, 2024

B

C

The combined value of sport and active recreation in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2024

Club experience survey

D

Diversity, equity and inclusion survey,2024

Determinants of Physical Activity in Young People, 2020

E

Economic value of sport, 2023

F

Funding our sector, 2023

G

H

Healthy Active Learning evaluation

I

J

K

L

M

Mātaio evaluation 2024

Media coverage in Women’s Sport

Muslim Women in Active Recreation and Sport, 2020

N

O

P

Participation of Asian Population Groups, 2023

Participation, funding and economic trends, 2024

Q

R

Research, evaluation and insights resource hub

Rangatahi Peer Crowds, 2025

S

Social return on investment of recreational physical activity in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2022

Secondary age review, 2019

School sport census

Spotlight on Tamariki, 2021

Spotlight on Rangatahi, 2021

Spotlight on Disability, 2018

Spotlight on Deprivation, 2019

T

Tamariki and Rangatahi insights

Technology in youth physical activity, 2024

Tū Manawa evaluation 2020-2024

U

V

Voice of participant

Voice of Tamariki and Rangatahi

Value of play, active recreation and sport

Value of Sport, 2017

Value of alcohol sponsorship in sport, 2023

Value of physical activity in the education sector,2025

Value of play, active recreation and sport for local government, 2023

Volunteering insights

W

Women and Girls

X

Y

Young people profile, 2018

Young Women and Girls Profile, 2021

Z

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