Mapping the global research landscape of community sports development (2016–2025): A Scopus-based bibliometric analysis
Keywords:
Community sports development, sports, physical activity, sport participant, sport policyAbstract
Background: Community sport has increasingly been examined in relation to physical activity, youth development, social inclusion, health, and public policy. However, the global intellectual and thematic development of research on community sport development remains insufficiently mapped. Objectives: This study aims to map and analyse global research trends, collaboration patterns, and thematic developments in community sports development between 2016 and 2025. Methods: This study examined 408 journal articles on community sports development that were published between 2016 and 2025 using a bibliometric analysis based on Scopus. ScientoPy and Biblioshiny (Bibliometrix) were used to analyse bibliographic data obtained just from the Scopus database in order to look at publishing trends, cooperation networks, citation patterns, keyword co-occurrence, and topic progression. Results: There were 408 articles in the dataset, with a 5% yearly growth rate and a high of 54 publications in 2025. Sport (174 articles), physical activity (126), and sports involvement (89) were the most popular terms. In 2024-2025, most recent studies focused on youth-related concerns (> 35%), well-being (50.0%), and mental health (55.6%). Four clusters encompassing social integration and capital, youth development and sport participation, mental health and talent development, and emergent issues including community sport and disabilities were found using thematic mapping. Conclusions: Research on community sport development has become increasingly interdisciplinary, with sport participation increasingly connected to broader social, health, educational, and policy outcomes. Future research should strengthen longitudinal, comparative, and program-evaluation approaches to determine whether the themes identified in the bibliometric landscape translate into measurable community-level outcomes.
Downloads
Author Biographies
Endi Rustandi, Department of Physical Education, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Universitas Majalengka, Majalengka, Indonesia
Davi Sofyan, Department of Physical Education, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Universitas Majalengka, Majalengka, Indonesia
References
Abdullah, K. H., & Sofyan, D. (2023). Machine Learning in Safety and Health Research: A Scientometric Analysis. International Journal of Information Science and Management, 21(1), 17–35. https://doi.org/10.22034/ijism.2022.1977763.0
Al Harthy, S. S., Hammad, M. A., & Awed, H. S. (2024). The Role of Sports Clubs in Promoting Social Integration among People with Disabilities in Saudi Arabia. Journal of Disability Research, 3(2), 20240007. https://doi.org/10.57197/JDR-2024-0007
Aria, M., & Cuccurullo, C. (2017). Bibliometrix: An R-Tool for Comprehensive Science Mapping Analysis. Journal of Informetrics, 11(4), 959–975. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joi.2017.08.007
Belton, S., Connolly, S., Peers, C., Goss, H., Murphy, M., Murtagh, E., Kavanagh, J., Corr, M., Ferguson, K., & O’Brien, W. (2022). Are All Domains Created Equal? An Exploration of Stakeholder Views on the Concept of Physical Literacy. BMC Public Health, 22(1), 501–515. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-12931-5
Bogale, A. B., & Kibret, B. T. (2023). The Role of Parents, Schools, and Social Media Use in Influencing Civic Engagements of School Adolescents in Government Schools in Addis Ababa. Bahir Dar Journal of Education, 23(3), 83–101. https://doi.org/10.20372/bje.v23i3.1683
Breedvelt, J. J. F., Tiemeier, H., Sharples, E., Galea, S., Niedzwiedz, C., Elliott, I., & Bockting, C. L. (2022). The Effects of Neighbourhood Social Cohesion on Preventing Depression and Anxiety Among Adolescents and Young Adults: Rapid Review. BJPsych Open, 8(4), e97. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjo.2022.57
Chepkemei, C. (2023). Sporty Moments and Tourism Development: The Involvement of Local Community in Sports Events Hosting. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Management, 6(3), 67–84. https://doi.org/10.53819/81018102t4180
Corvino, C., D’Angelo, C., & Gozzoli, C. (2023). Social Work and Social Inclusion in Sports-Based Programs: a Qualitative Study. Journal of Social Work, 23(6), 1099–1117. https://doi.org/10.1177/14680173231197933
Corvino, C., Moriconi, M., Costa, C. M., & D’Angelo, C. (2023). Sport as a Tool for Social Inclusion, Employment, and Improved Health. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 5(August), 1273858. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2023.1273858
Daya, W. J., Ma’mun, A., Gaffar, V., & Nuryadi, N. (2023). Community Participation in Sports after the Tour de Singkarak Sports Event in Kerinci Regency. JPJO: Jurnal Pendidikan Jasmani dan Olahraga, 8(1), 27–34. https://doi.org/10.17509/jpjo.v8i1.56113
Djobova, S., & Kirilova, I. (2022). Empowerment of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities Through Involvement in Special Olympics Bulgaria. Proceeding Book, 2, 168–173. https://doi.org/10.37393/ICASS2022/100
Dong, D., He, B., & Dong, C. (2025). Advances, Trends, and Hotspots in Sport for Sustainable Development: a Bibliometric Analysis using Citespace and VOSviewer. Innovation and Emerging Technologies, 12. https://doi.org/10.1142/S2737599425500070
Donthu, N., Kumar, S., Mukherjee, D., Pandey, N., & Lim, W. M. (2021). How to conduct a bibliometric analysis: An overview and guidelines. Journal of Business Research, 133(5), 285–296. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.04.070
Escamilla-Fajardo, P., Núñez-Pomar, J. M., Ratten, V., & Crespo, J. (2020). Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Soccer: Web of Science Bibliometric Analysis. Sustainability, 12(11), 4499. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12114499
Falla, M., Prior, J., & Jacobs, B. (2022). Assessing the Impact of Sporting Mega-Events on the Social and Physical Capital of Communities in Host Cities: The Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Experience. Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance, 26(June), 5–27. https://doi.org/10.5130/cjlg.vi26.7683
Fernandes, O., Marra da Silva, R., Rego Ramos, L., Gama, T. M., Lobo, I., Guerra Leal Souza, G., & Arruda Sanchez, T. (2023). The Impact of a Violent Community on Mental Health and the Benefits of a Sport Program for Social Development. Journal of Community Psychology, 51(1), 51–66. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.22877
Ferreira, J. J., Fernandes, C., Ratten, V., & Miragaia, D. (2020). Sports Innovation: A Bibliometric Study. In Sport Entrepreneurship and Public Policy Building a New Approach to Policy-Making for Sport. Springer Cham. 153–170. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-29458-8_10
Fraser, K., Clayden, M., Piggott, B., & Picknoll, D. (2025). Benefits and Barriers of Participating in Community Sport for Individuals with an Intellectual Disability. Journal of intellectual disabilities : JOID, 29(1), 148–166. https://doi.org/10.1177/17446295241292238
Fridley, A., Anderson, A., Stokowski, S., & Forsythe, S. A. (2023). Diversity Matters: Highlighting the Differences in Sport Consumption Motives of Marginalized College Students. International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, 24(3), 485–499. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSMS-01-2022-0025
Gani, R. A., Setiawan, E., Gazali, N., Németh, Z., Achmad, I. Z., Septiadi, F., & Haryanto, J. (2022). Culture of Movement Awareness through Physical Literacy Integrated in Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport during COVID-19: Systematic Literature Review. Health, Sport, Rehabilitation, 8(4), 83–94. https://doi.org/10.34142/HSR.2022.08.04.07
González-Serrano, M. H., Jones, P., & Llanos-Contrera, O. (2020). An Overview of Sport Entrepreneurship Field: A Bibliometric Analysis of the Articles Published in the Web of Science. Sport in Society, 23(2), 296–314. https://doi.org/10.1080/17430437.2019.1607307
Hakim, L. (2022). The Rise of Sport Participation and Motivation of the Community in Sidoarjo. JPJO: Jurnal Pendidikan Jasmani dan Olahraga, 7(1), 48–54. https://doi.org/10.17509/jpjo.v7i1.43105
Haq, M. M., Kozma, M., & Kajos, A. (2026). Thirty Years of Sports Innovation: A Bibliometric Analysis. Society and Economy in Central and Eastern Europe, 48(1), 59-86. https://doi.org/10.14267/1588970X.2026.004
Isard, R. F., Melton, E. N., & Macaulay, C. D. T. (2023). Women’s Sport and Everyday Resistance. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 5, 1007033. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2023.1007033
Jeanes, R., O’Connor, J., Penney, D., Spaaij, R., Magee, J., O’ Hara, E., & Lymbery, L. (2024). A Mixed-Method Analysis of the Contribution of Informal Sport to Public Health in Australia. Health Promotion International, 39(3), daae048. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/daae048
Jeong, J., Chiu, W., & Won, D. (2024). Mapping Knowledge Structures and Theme Trends in Sport Diplomacy: A Bibliometric Analysis. Sport in Society, 28(9), 1384–1405. https://doi.org/10.1080/17430437.2024.2424566
Jones, D. (2024). Impact of Team Sports Participation on Social Skills Development in Youth. American Journal of Recreation and Sports, 3(2), 24–34. https://doi.org/10.47672/ajrs.2400
Khasanah, V., Anoegrajekti, N., Setiadi, S., & Abdullah, K. H. (2024). Fostering Environmental Awareness Through Eco-Literacy in Novels: A Bibliometric Review. Fronteira: Journal of Social, Technological and Environmental Science, 13(1), 88–104. https://doi.org/10.21664/2238-8869.2024v13i1.p88-104
Kölbel, M. (2025). Sport as a Bridge: Exploring the Role of Sports Programs in the Social Integration of Teenage Refugees. Policy Futures in Education, 23(7), 1236–1253. https://doi.org/10.1177/14782103251327941
Kurniawan, A., & Samudro, B. R. (2024). Optimizing Social and Economic Inclusion through Adaptive Sports Programs for Persons with Disabilities: A Pathway to Achieving SDGs. International Journal of Current Science Research and Review, 07(05), 3066–3072. https://doi.org/10.47191/ijcsrr/V7-i5-67
Liddelow, C., Schweickle, M. J., Sutcliffe, J. T., Swann, C., Keegan, R., Rice, S., Okely, A. D., & Vella, S. A. (2022). Protocol for National Mental Health Guidelines for Community Sport in Australia. BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, 8(4), e001426. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjsem-2022-001426
McCarthy, S., Pitt, H., Randle, M., Arnot, G., Marko, S., Daube, M., & Thomas, S. L. (2024). Community Sports Leaders’ Perceptions of the Risks and Benefits of Gambling Sponsorship in Community Sport. Health Promotion International, 39(6), daae149. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/daae149
Montoya, N. P. M., Muñoz, S. M. M., & Medina, S. P. J. (2024). Shifting the Perspective on Disability. Sustainability and Sports Science Journal, 2(3), 120–131. https://doi.org/10.55860/LKNZ5170
Moradi, E., Gholampour, S., & Gholampour, B. (2023). Past, Present and Future of Sport Policy: A Bibliometric Analysis of International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics (2010–2022). International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics, 15(4), 577–602. https://doi.org/10.1080/19406940.2023.2228829
Mukherjee, D., Lim, W. M., Kumar, S., & Donthu, N. (2022). Guidelines for Advancing Theory and Practice Through Bibliometric Research. Journal of Business Research, 148, 101–115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.04.042
Navitas, P., Harun, I., & Hidayat, R. (2024). Assessing Community Spirit: The Psychosocial Impact of Major Sporting Events - A Case Study of the Jakarta E-Prix. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 1353(1), 012021. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/1353/1/012021
Niebles Nuñez, W. A., Sanabria Navarro, J. R., & Silveira Pérez, Y. (2023). Análisis Sistémico del Contexto Mundial de Gestión Deportiva: Aportes Significativos de La Revista Retos (Systemic Analysis of the World Context of Sports Management: Significant Contributions of the Retos Review). Retos, 48, 481-493. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v48.96951
Peachey, J. W., Schulenkorf, N., & Hill, P. (2020). Sport-For-Development: A Comprehensive Analysis of Theoretical and Conceptual Advancements. Sport Management Review, 23(5), 783–796. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smr.2019.11.002
Pitt, H., McCarthy, S., Randle, M., Thomas, S., Arnot, G., & Daube, M. (2024). Unhealthy and Health Promoting Sponsorship of Male and Female Professional Sporting Teams in Australia. Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 35(4), 1352–1361. https://doi.org/10.1002/hpja.824
Ramadhan, M. G., Ma’mun, A., Nuryadi, & Juliantine, T. (2022). Analysis of Community Sports Development Based on the Sports Law for Development Through Sports. Journal Sport Area, 7(3), 380–395. https://doi.org/10.25299/sportarea.2022.vol7(3).10552
Ravichandren, C., Abdullah, H., & Zaremohzzabieh, Z. (2023). Positive Youth Development through Sports among Urban Poor Youth in Subang Jaya, Malaysia. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 13(14), 262–279. https://doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v13-i14/18489
Ruiz-Rosero, J., Ramirez-Gonzalez, G. & Viveros-Delgado, J. (2019). Software Survey: Scientopy, A Scientometric Tool for Topics Trend Analysis in Scientific Publications. Scientometrics 121, 1165–1188. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-019-03213-w
Saizew, K., Turnnidge, J., Luciani, A., Côté, J., & Martin, L. (2022). Positive Youth Development in Community Sport: A Program Evaluation Using the RE-AIM Framework. Sinéctica, Revista Electrónica de Educación, (59), e1422. https://doi.org/10.31391/S2007-7033(2022)0059-010
Schallhorn, C., Nölleke, D., Sinner, P., Seeger, C., Nieland, J.-U., Horky, T., & Mehler, K. (2022). Mediatization in Times of Pandemic: How German Grassroots Sports Clubs Employed Digital Media to Overcome Communication Challenges During COVID-19. Communication & Sport, 10(5), 891–912. https://doi.org/10.1177/21674795221109759
Schulenkorf, N., Sherry, E., & Rowe, K. (2016). Sport for Development: An Integrated Literature Review. Journal of Sport Management, 30(1), 22–39. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsm.2014-0263
She, X., Gao, T.-Y., Ma, R.-S., Tang, D., Zhong, H., & Dong, H.-L. (2023). Relationship among Positive Self-Esteem, Physical Literacy, and Physical Activity in College Students: A Study of a Mediation Model. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1097335. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1097335
Sofyan, D., Abdullah, K. H., & Hafiar, H. (2022). The Philosophy of Sport and Physical Education: Four Decade Publication Trends via Scientometric Evaluation. Physical Education Theory and Methodology, 22(3), 437–449. https://doi.org/10.17309/tmfv.2022.3.20
Tahira, S. (2023). The Association Between Sports Participation and Mental Health Across the Lifespan. International Journal of Sport Studies for Health, 5(2), e134601. https://doi.org/10.5812/intjssh-134601
Vella, S. A., Schweickle, M. J., Sutcliffe, J., Liddelow, C., & Swann, C. (2022). A Systems Theory of Mental Health in Recreational Sport. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(21), 14244. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192114244
Wibowo, C., Hulu, A. P., & Dese, D. C. (2023). Phenomenological Study: Recreational Sports in Urban Society. Indonesian Journal of Sport Management, 3(2), 189–197. https://doi.org/10.31949/ijsm.v3i2.6978
Wulandari, S. S., Suryapermana, N., Fauzi, A., & Suseno, B. D. (2024). Development of an Empirical Model and Using Community Sport Organizations as the Basis for Intervening Variables in Islamic Sports. Journal of Islamic Marketing, 15(6), 1519–1533. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIMA-04-2023-0109
Wyk, N. Van, Lafave, M., Lafave, L., Eubank, B., Clark, M., & Christiansen, E. (2025). Understanding the Social and Emotional Domains of Physical Literacy in Post‐Secondary Education: A Scoping Review. The Curriculum Journal, 36(3), 350–367. https://doi.org/10.1002/curj.300
Xinze, L., Xiaoyi, Z., & Qiao, H. (2023). A Public Health Study on the Participation Mechanism of Social Capital in the Governance of Public Sports Space in Dilapidated Urban Communities – A Case Study of Changsha City, Hunan Province. Frontiers in Public Health, 11(July), 1100137. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1100137
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
Copyright (c) 2026 Endi Rustandi, Davi Sofyan
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium. Copyrights of all materials published in Journal Sport Area are freely available without charge to users or / institution. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, search, or link to full-text articles in this journal without asking by giving appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. All of the remix, transform, or build upon the material must distribute the contributions under the same license as the original.
Accepted 2026-08-29
Published 2026-08-31
