Supplementary file 1_Exploring the association between visual skills and sport-specific performance in team athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.docx

BackgroundVisual skills are increasingly recognized as key contributors to performance in team sports, yet the strength and consistency of their associations with sport-specific outcomes remain uncertain. To address this gap, the present review systematically synthesized empirical evidence examining how different domains of visual skill relate to sport-specific performance among team-sport athletes.
MethodsPubMed, Web of Science™, MEDLINE, and SPORTDiscus databases were systematically searched from inception to October 2025 to identify studies relating visual skills to sport-specific performance in team-sport athletes. Risk of bias was conducted using a modified and validated tool for observational and correlational studies, and certainty of evidence was evaluated using the GRADE approach.
ResultsOf 4,118 records identified, 22 studies (n = 1,113, male = 954, female = 159) were included, encompassing basketball, soccer, baseball, volleyball, handball, and other team sports. The relationship between multiple object tracking and sport-specific performance was large (r = 0.54; 95% CI: 0.30–0.71; p = 0.00), while visual attention (r = 0.39; 95% CI: 0.16–0.53; p = 0.00), and visual search (r = 0.36; 95% CI: 0.16–0.48; p = 0.00), demonstrated moderate associations. Simple reaction time (r = −0.31; 95% CI: −0.42 to −0.19; p = 0.00) and choice reaction time (r = −0.37; 95% CI: −0.58 to −0.11; p = 0.01) showed moderate negative correlations with performance, indicating faster reaction speeds were associated with better performance. Visual working memory, eye-hand coordination, and inhibitory control exhibited small effect sizes. In contrast, depth perception, the only visual-perceptual skill analyzed, showed trivial and non-significant associations (r = 0.09; 95% CI: −0.20–0.36; p = 0.56).
ConclusionVisual-cognitive skills appear to show stronger links with team-sport performance, whereas basic perceptual skills contribute little. Evidence quality remains limited, and more robust, ecologically valid studies are needed to clarify causality and guide training applications.
Systematic Review Registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD420251171665, identifier CRD420251171665.