World Intellectual Property Day 2026: New WIPO Data Show IP Use Booming in Sports Industry

Geneva, April 25, 2026
PR/2026/952

Golf, swimming and racket sports are the most patent-intensive areas of the sports industry, where use of intellectual property (IP) is rising at above-average rates, according to a new World Intellectual Property Organization report released to mark World IP Day.

World IP Day is celebrated on April 26 each year and this year’s theme – “IP and Sports: Ready, Set, Innovate” – shows how IP-backed innovation drives growth in the multi-billion dollar sports industry and supports athletic excellence and fan enjoyment.

According to a newly released “WIPO Technology SPARK” report, innovation and IP use in the sports industry is booming. Between 2016 and 2025, more than 65,700 sports-related inventions were recorded, alongside over 1.25 million trademarks and more than 70,000 designs.

Sports is not just about muscle and bone but also about ideas and intangible assets. The club logos that fans are passionate about, the sponsorship deals that link brands with athletes, the technology driving athletic performance, the broadcasting deals that bring sports events to billions of viewers - none of it is possible without IP.  Today, we shine a light on how IP is where sports meets innovation and creativity.

WIPO Director General Daren Tang

Growth is strong across all types of IP. In the decade through 2025, sports-related patents increased by 7.6% annually, compared to 4.4% growth for all patent filings. Sports trademark registrations grew by 6.1%, nearly double the overall rate, while designs rose by 8.3%, also far above the global average.

Asia is the top source of patents and designs, representing 63% and 76% of filings respectively, followed by North America (22%) while Europe stands out in trademark activity (43%), reflecting the dense landscape of sports brands and clubs in Europe.

Major golf brands like Titleist and PING lead sports patenting, alongside industry giants Nike and Adidas.

While overall filing volumes remain lower in low- and middle-income economies, there is double-digit growth in sports-related IP activity, highlighting how sport can act as an accessible entry point for innovation and increasing awareness of IP in developing countries.

Filing activity differs widely across sports. While golf, swimming and racket sports stand out as the most patent-intensive disciplines, driven by continuous improvements in equipment, materials and performance technologies, gym and fitness technologies lead in design filings, highlighting the importance of product design and user experience in consumer-facing markets. Top design filers in 2025: Srixon, Decathlon and Callaway.

The top sports-related trademark owners illustrate the cross-industry commercial pull of sports, with top trademark owners including Disney, Apple and Amazon, alongside recognized sports brands such as NBA, WWE and Decathlon.

Beyond the numbers, the report illustrates how technology is reshaping sport in practice. Advances such as wearable devices, data analytics, smart equipment and officiating technologies improve performance, fairness and fan engagement. Many of these innovations are also spreading beyond sport into areas such as health, entertainment and everyday consumer products.

To step up work in this area, WIPO has formed a workstream on IP and Sports and will be stepping up efforts to assist athletes, sports associations and Member States to use IP in this growing area, including in the area of e-sports.

Separately, to mark World IP Day, the winners of the 2026 Video Competition are being unveiled, following an online public vote in which over 11,000 people participated, casting 46,175 votes. A total of 182 videos were submitted by entrants from 43 countries. 

The competition, launched in January 2026, called on participants to submit a 90-second video around the theme “Game Changers: IP Powering Sports Innovation”.

The first prize goes to Kang Cheng (China) for “Sound of Victory: Bridging the Esports Frontier through Accessible Patents,” which shows how innovative technology enables the participation of athletes with vision impairments in esports.

Second prize goes to Charlotte Terryn (France) for “I am not a great athlete... Unfortunately,” which highlights how IP encourages creativity in sports, supports inventors and allows innovation to be shared with the world.

Third prize goes to Thekrayat Abu Samra (Jordan) for “Behind every stroke... creativity worth protecting,” which shows how IP supports innovation and creativity and contributes to the future of sports.

The People’s Choice prize goes to Neelima Bogadhi (India) for “Kalaripayattu a Traditional Sport: IP and its Protection,” which shows how IP can protect and encourage traditional sports such as the Indian martial art Kalaripayattu.