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FRANCHISE RESALES

Buy a World Gym Franchise

World Gym is a gym franchise founded in 1976 in Santa Monica, California, positioned as a destination for serious strength training and conditioning. The brand built its early identity as the training home of prominent bodybuilding figures and has since broadened into a more inclusive fitness concept, offering full-service gym locations with memberships, personal training, group fitness classes, and pro shop retail.

In October 2024, World Gym International was acquired by World Fitness Services, Ltd, the parent company of World Gym Taiwan, which had been the largest franchisee in the network. The new ownership brings operational experience from growing the Taiwan market from a single location in 2001 to over 130 clubs by 2024, and has signaled plans for accelerated global expansion.

World Gym now operates more than 250 locations across multiple continents, with US-based headquarters in Los Angeles. The franchise model supports multiple revenue streams within each location, combining recurring membership income with personal training, group classes, and retail sales.

Latest Resales

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Why buy a World Gym Franchise?

The US fitness market is a well-established category with consistent consumer demand, and World Gym’s membership-based model generates recurring revenue from multiple streams within a single location. For those looking to buy a World Gym franchise, the brand carries decades of recognition and a name that resonates with gym-goers across age groups and experience levels.

The 2024 acquisition by World Fitness Services brings ownership with a proven track record of building gym networks at scale — the Taiwan operation grew from one location to over 130 clubs in roughly two decades. The new leadership has committed to expanding the global franchise network significantly, which may support increased brand marketing investment and system development.

World Gym Franchise Costs & Information

Based on 2025 data reported in the 2026 FDD

  • Brand Profile

    • Year Founded

      1976

    • Franchising Since

      1982

    • New Startup Cost

      $452,500 – $2,232,500

    • Avg. Resale Price

      Contact us for details

  • Franchise Fees

    • Initial franchise Fee

      $25,000

      for new territories

    • Transfer Fee

      $5,000

    • Royalty Fee

      $1,250

      Per Month with a $50 per month increase per Year.

    • Marketing Fee

      0%

      Not currently assessed.

  • Unit Performance

    • Total Units *

      18

    • New Units Opened *

      0

    • Units Transferred *

      0

    • Avg. Unit revenue *

      Not Disclosed

    * Based on 2025 data reported in the 2026 FDD

World Gym – Additional  Information

  1. Training & Support

    World Gym provides five days of classroom training and seven days of on-the-job training to new franchisees, covering operations, membership sales, and business management. The brand offers online and in-person continuing education, a dedicated franchisee portal, a digital marketing asset library, marketing support, and a preferred vendor partnership program. Franchisees connect annually at the World Gym International Convention. Resale buyers should confirm what transfer training and franchisee portal access are available to an incoming owner.

  2. Ideal Owner

    The ideal World Gym franchisee combines a genuine interest in health and fitness with the operational and sales skills needed to run a staffed facility. The model calls for strong local community engagement, the ability to lead a team of gym staff and personal trainers, and a focus on membership sales and member retention. Prior fitness industry experience is not required, but candidates with backgrounds in business management, hospitality, or sales-oriented operations tend to adapt well. The role is hands-on, particularly early on, as member relationships and staff culture are central to gym performance.

  3. Recognition & Awards

    World Gym's recognition includes awards and certifications from its Taiwan operations: the iSports Sports Enterprise Certification, National Brand Yushan Award, Golden Medal Award of Innovative Design, Reader's Digest Quality Service Award, and Les Mills Taiwan Best Promotion Award. The franchisor holds a 2024 Franchise Registry Verified certification and participates in the VetFran program, which supports veteran franchisees. For resale buyers, brand recognition matters most at the local level; the strength of a specific unit's community reputation, member reviews, and market visibility are worth assessing independently of the brand's broader profile.

  4. Industry / Market

    The US gym and fitness club industry generated approximately $47 billion in revenue as of early 2026, with around 108,000 businesses operating nationwide (Statista). Demand is supported by sustained consumer interest in health and wellness, rising preventive spending, and strong post-pandemic engagement with fitness. Membership-based gym franchises generate recurring revenue, giving operators more income predictability than project-based models. For resale buyers, local demographics, competitive gym density, and unit-level membership trends are the key factors to assess alongside broad category performance.

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