Exploring the association between visual skills and sport-specific performance in team athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Visual 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. Methods PubMed, 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. Results Of 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). Conclusion Visual-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 Registration https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD420251171665 , identifier CRD420251171665.