Sport and Physical Activity
Supporting a more active Glasgow
We continued to invest in sport and physical activity across Glasgow in 2025/26, expanding participation, improving our leisure facilities, and delivering inclusive community programmes.
Glasgow Life’s Sport and Physical Activity teams continued to help people across the city live healthier, more active lives in 2025/26.
With over five million visits to our leisure facilities, our focus remained on providing inclusive and accessible opportunities shaped by local needs and strong partnerships.
A significant development was the launch of Active Glasgow, the city’s new Physical Activity and Sport Strategy to 2035. Co-created with local and national partners, it sets a clear direction for tackling health inequalities and increasing participation over the next decade.
Delivering sport and physical activity for everyone
Our disability sport sessions worked with hundreds of children and adults with complex needs. We also supported 500 community projects and trained around 1,300 people, strengthening local sports leadership and provision.
Investment in our facilities helped widen access to sport and physical activity across the city. Bellahouston Pool reopened following a £2 million refurbishment, which included major accessibility improvements and a refreshed changing village.
Through our extensive Glasgow Club offer – Scotland’s largest health and fitness network with nearly 37,000 members and 1,000 weekly classes – we supported people of all ages and abilities to improve their wellbeing and build their confidence.
Investing in modern facilities and programmes
Swimming remained a major priority throughout the year. We expanded our Learn to Swim programme, underpinned by £750,000 investment to double capacity by 2030 and exceed pre-pandemic participation levels.
This was further supported through the development of a new Aquatics Plan for the city, establishing a long-term framework for swimming provision in the coming years. And we extended weekend opening hours at five pools, creating more opportunities for families and young people to stay active.
At the same time, targeted community programmes prioritised residents facing the greatest barriers to participation, with more than 5,000 people referred through inclusive pathways including our Live Active and Live Well initiatives.
Our £850,000 city-wide football pitch refurbishment programme continued throughout 2025/26. Several five-a-side and full-size pitches were resurfaced, and new goals and nets introduced across five football centres, providing safe, sustainable and modern playing surfaces.
The year also highlighted Glasgow’s continuing sporting ambition and community spirit. We celebrated the outstanding work taking place across the city’s sport and physical activity sector; recognising worthy winners at our annual Glasgow's Sports Awards held at the Glasgow International Arena. The achievements of the nominees again showed the breadth of commitment, talent and impact that flows through our clubs, sport hubs and community groups.
Meanwhile, preparations progressed across our four sporting venues that are hosting or supporting delivery of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, including installation of a new, world-class athletics track at Scotstoun Stadium.
Work also began on three state-of-the-art indoor padel courts at Glasgow Club Scotstoun, which once complete will offer more people a chance to play one of the fastest growing sports in the world and further strengthen the venue’s popular multi-sport offer.
Creating inclusive access to swimming
New pool technology is helping more people to stay active.
We believe sport and physical activity should be part of everyday life, and accessible to everyone.
In June 2025, we invested in a Poolpod system at Glasgow Club Scotstoun, complementing our other Poolpods at Glasgow Club Bellahouston and Tollcross International Swimming Centre.
Developed for the London 2012 Olympics, Poolpod technology uses a platform lift to lower users safely into a swimming pool. It offers dignified, independent access to swimming for people with limited mobility.
As regular local swimmers Judith and Vivianne share in our short film, Poolpod is a positive step in removing barriers to participation and building healthier communities through inclusive access.
Breaking down barriers
Our Get Active Glasgow Fund has inspired nearly 70 groups across the city to move more.
Partnering with the London Marathon Foundation, High Life Highland and sportscotland, we launched the Get Active Scotland Fund in October 2025.
The £1.1 million, two-year fund supports groups facing the greatest barriers to participation in sport and physical activity, including women and girls, ethnically diverse communities, LGBTQI+ communities, disabled people, older adults, and communities experiencing deprivation and financial hardship.
Through the Get Active Glasgow programme, Glasgow Life is administering half of the funding, with almost 70 groups across the city already sharing more than £227,000.
Grants of between £1,000 and £5,000 have supported a wide range of projects, including a community Couch to 5K programme, inclusive rugby, parent and child fitness sessions, dance classes and walking groups.