As sports become more expensive, soccer soars in youth popularity: report

Soccer is the most widely played sport in the country, as hockey slips to 8th place.

As the cost of sports continues to climb, more Canadian youth are choosing soccer, according to a new report.

“Soccer is by far the sport that kids prefer across the country, with swimming and basketball rounding out the top three,” says Marco Di Buono, the president of Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities.

The organization released its State of Youth Sport in Canada: The Value and Cost of Participation report.

It shows that hockey is falling in popularity; now the eighth-most commonly played sport among kids in our country.

Cost is a crucial barrier for some, with Jumpstart reporting an average yearly price tag of more than $3,200.

For some, that cost is much higher.

“Sometimes when they’re younger, you go on Kijiji or Marketplace to pick up good, quality used gear,” says Wayne Connors, the father of 20-year-old goalie Mark Connors.

“I always budget between 8 to $10,000 a year for hockey,” he says.

That includes road trips, tournaments, hotels and food costs.

But that shouldn’t be considered the norm, according to the Halifax Hawks Minor Hockey Association.

“We shouldn’t think about that as if you want to be in hockey, you’ve got to be playing at AAA and travelling to multiple tournaments,” says Craig Robinson, the association’s past president.

“At this point in time, we should think about hockey as being accessible and our recreation programs and our community programs, which have a much lower price tag.”

Still, he knows the cost is prohibitive to some, and they’re seeing a gradual decline in enrolment over the years.

As a result, there’s been more demand for their gear exchange program and financial assistance.

“(Demand has) gone up and up,” he says. “We don’t means test it. So, we try and remove any stigma about people asking for help.”

While still popular, the enrolment slide is nationwide.

Jumpstart has also been seeing more people asking for help.

“We’ve seen a massive increase in demand, probably a four-fold increase since the pandemic,” says Di Buono. “Do you really need to have a fancy jersey, or can we go with something that’s a little bit more economical? Is the tournament far away better than the tournament that’s nearby?

Soccer Nova Scotia knows all sports cost more these days, but the global game has become Nova Scotia’s game.

“We’re well aware that soccer is the largest participatory sport here in Nova Scotia, clocking in at over 25,000 members in 2025,” says Lindsay MacAskill, the executive director of Soccer Nova Scotia.

That marks a 23 per cent jump in players since 2019 alone.

By comparison, Hockey Nova Scotia says 16,454 players registered in 2024-25, with a slightly higher total of 17,649 in 2018-19.

However, soccer’s growth comes with challenges, like needing more coaches, referees and fields.

“We have a lack of capacity for indoor turf structure to help support that growth in the winter.”

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