America’s youth sports boom is sidelining Sunday worship

For a growing number of American families, Sunday mornings now involve shin guards and Capri-Suns instead of Sunday school and sermons.

The booming US youth sports industry is increasingly encroaching on a time traditionally reserved for religious services, as weekend tournaments and travel leagues force parents to choose between their kids’ games and church attendance.

By the numbers: Sunday religious participation among parents of children ages 5-17 fell from 26.8% in 2003-07 to 16.7% in 2021-24, per a new Axios analysis of federal data.

• Meanwhile, the share of American youths participating in sports has climbed to an all-time high in 2025, based on Sports & Fitness Industry Association data dating to at least 2012.
• Youth sports blossoming into a billion-dollar US industry has also resulted in more games moving to Sundays, something less common a generation ago.

A scheduling Hail Mary

For many families, the conflict stems from an increasingly demanding sports calendar as youth sports has blossomed into a ~$40 billion industry. Weekend tournaments now typically feature early-round games on Saturdays, followed by elimination rounds and championships on Sundays.

Big picture: Youth sports are only one piece of America's broader decline in religious participation. Overall, the US has seen one of the fastests shifts away from religion in modern history over the past decade-plus. Less than half of Americans (49%) say religion is essential to their daily life, down from 66% in 2015.