The global fitness industry entered 2026 with considerable momentum, according to the newly released 2026 HFA Global Reportfrom the Health & Fitness Association (HFA).

Among operators participating in HFA’s Global Survey, median revenue increased 10.7% in 2025, while median net membership grew 6.1% and the median EBITDA margin reached 22.1%. HFA characterized 2025 as a landmark year for the sector, with participation and revenues reaching new highs across a number of leading fitness markets.

The findings provide one of the broadest snapshots of the commercial fitness industry available. This year’s report covers 33 countries, draws on responses from 244 operators representing nearly 27,000 fitness facilities, and includes profiles of more than 200 fitness companies around the world.

HFA combines operator-submitted information with its own research, independent audits, third-party studies and input from national fitness federations, trade associations and market experts.

For Canadian fitness businesses, the report offers a useful international benchmark at a time when operators are navigating changing consumer expectations, rising operating costs, continued technology investment and an expanding conversation around fitness as part of preventative healthcare.

Growth Goes Beyond the Post-Pandemic Rebound

Perhaps the most significant takeaway from the report is that the industry’s recent expansion is no longer simply being framed as a recovery from pandemic-era disruption.

The 10.7% median revenue increase reported by participating operators substantially outpaced median membership growth of 6.1%, suggesting that a combination of additional members, pricing, premium services and ancillary revenue opportunities is continuing to lift operator performance.

Profitability was also healthy among respondents, with a median EBITDA margin of 22.1%.

HFA Interim President and CEO Greta Wagner said the numbers are only one part of a larger change taking place within the industry.

“The global fitness industry is growing, but the larger story is how the role of physical activity in people’s lives is entering an important new chapter,” Wagner said in announcing the findings.

She pointed to growing consumer interest in areas including strength, mobility and healthy aging, alongside increasing recognition by governments and healthcare systems of the potential role structured physical activity can play in prevention.

That shift could ultimately prove as important to the fitness business as membership growth itself, potentially moving clubs, studios and other operators closer to the wider health and wellness ecosystem.

Operators Expect More Growth in 2026

Despite continued economic uncertainty in many markets, operators responding to HFA’s survey remain overwhelmingly positive about the year ahead.

92.3% expect revenue to increase in 2026, while 70.9% anticipate revenue growth greater than 5%.

More than 85% expect membership to increase, and 83.4% anticipate higher EBITDA. Nearly six in 10 respondents — 57.7% — expect EBITDA to grow by more than 5%.

Operators are also putting capital behind those expectations.

Approximately two-thirds plan to increase technology spending, while 60.7% expect to spend more on marketing and 45.8% anticipate increasing staffing levels.

The technology number is particularly noteworthy. As fitness companies continue to invest in digital engagement, automation, member-management platforms, AI and personalization, technology is increasingly becoming part of the core operating infrastructure of fitness businesses rather than a separate digital offering.

Emerging Markets Offer Significant Headroom

While mature markets continue to perform strongly, HFA also identifies lower-penetration countries as an important source of future industry growth.

India represents one of the clearest examples.

The country is estimated to have 13.65 million fitness members and approximately 49,300 facilities, yet fitness penetration remains at only 0.9%. HFA projects annual membership growth of approximately 11% and revenue growth of 15% through 2030.

China provides another illustration of the opportunity created by scale.

HFA estimates the Chinese market at approximately 50 million fitness members and 50,000 facilities, while penetration remains just 3.6%. The report notes that the market is also evolving toward smaller locations, lower membership prices, 24-hour access and more flexible operating formats.

Brazil, meanwhile, has approximately 14.7 million fitness members and more than 45,000 facilities, with penetration estimated at roughly 7%.

Taken together, the figures highlight the considerable gap that remains between established fitness markets and many of the world’s largest populations — and the opportunity for operators capable of adapting their models to local pricing, demographics and consumer preferences.

Fitness Moves Closer to Healthcare

One of the more consequential themes running through the 2026 report has little to do with club openings or membership sales.

HFA points to a growing number of examples in which governments, insurers and healthcare systems are beginning to formally recognize or financially support physical activity.

In the United States, Medicare now reimburses standardized physical-activity assessments through the Annual Wellness Visit. Australia has reintroduced private health insurance rebates for selected therapies including Pilates, while certain expenses at government-certified exercise therapy facilities in Japan may qualify as tax-deductible medical costs.

In the Netherlands, agreements are encouraging greater collaboration between municipalities, healthcare providers, sports organizations and fitness operators.

The approaches vary considerably by country and remain far from universal. But collectively they demonstrate a gradual move toward treating structured exercise as part of health promotion and disease prevention rather than viewing commercial fitness solely as a discretionary consumer service.

For operators, that evolution potentially opens new avenues for partnerships, referral programs and services aimed at older adults, individuals managing chronic health conditions and consumers increasingly focused on longevity.

What It Means for Canadian Fitness Businesses

The global findings are particularly relevant to Canada because many of the forces identified in the report — greater interest in strength training, healthy aging and wellness, increased investment in technology and a push toward closer integration of fitness and preventative healthcare — are also shaping the Canadian marketplace.

The Fitness Industry Council of Canada (FIC) said the report provides valuable context for efforts to advance the Canadian sector, noting that stronger industry data can help operators plan, investors better understand the market and industry advocates demonstrate the broader contribution physical activity and fitness businesses can make to population health.

For Canadian clubs and studios, perhaps the broader message from the 2026 report is that the opportunity is expanding beyond simply competing for existing gym members.

Growth increasingly sits at the intersection of fitness, health, longevity, technology and accessibility — and the operators capable of building services around those needs may be positioned to reach a significantly wider population.

A More Accessible Global Industry Benchmark

HFA has also made an important change to the distribution of this year’s research.

Unlike previous editions, the complete 2026 HFA Global Report is being made available on a complimentary basis to both HFA members and non-members, significantly widening access to the organization’s international market data.

The report includes regional analysis across Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and North America, along with company profiles and HFA’s Global 25 analysis of leading fitness operators by measures including revenue, membership, unit count and year-over-year growth.

For an industry that continues to make the case for a larger role in health and wellness, the data reinforce a positive business story: more consumers are participating, operators are growing, businesses are investing and governments are beginning to pay closer attention to the role organized fitness can play in keeping populations active.

And while the industry’s growth trajectory differs substantially from one country to another, the 2026 HFA Global Report suggests the commercial fitness sector still has considerable room to expand.