But the US is bucking that trend: participation in the sport shot up by over 100% between 2009 and 2014.
So will squash ever really take off in the crowded US sports market? Giles Gibson went along to a brand new squash court in Washington DC to find out:
IN: "They call it..."
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Script
UPSOT Squash ball hits wall
They call it chess at 200 miles per hour.
Squash is fast, tactical, and experts say it's a great all-round workout.
But the sport suffers from a serious image problem in the US.
We took a squash ball out onto the streets of Washington to see if anybody recognised it:
Vox pop 1:
Reporter: "Could I just ask you what that is?"
Man: "A deformed golf ball"
Vox pop 2:
Woman: "A ball"
Reporter: "What's it used for?"
Woman: "Bouncing…"
Vox pop 3:
Reporter: "Do you know which sport it's used to play?"
Woman: "Cricket?"
Reporter: "Any other guesses?"
Woman: "I don't know…"
The owners of a brand new squash club in Washington DC are trying to change all that.
Nadine Lanier is the co-founder of Squash on Fire, a glossy, pay-to-play facility that's just opened its doors in the city centre.
Byte squash club co-founder
Nadine Lanier, Squash on Fire
"Well I think the traditional image is squash and golf, country club, very privileged, very elitist, so this is urban, high tech and open to anyone"
In the US, the number of children playing squash has also grown by 400% since 2007
That's why the club's strategy is also focusing on getting kids on the squash court from an early age.
And the sport's governing body hopes it can tap into the fitness trend currently sweeping the country.
Kevin Klipstein is the CEO of US Squash:
Byte US Squash CEO
Kevin Klipstein, CEO of US Squash
"Squash, by some studies, has been rated the healthiest sport in the world, more than rowing, more than boxing, more than crew. So we have a good reputation for burning a lot of calories per hour which is attractive to adults, but also just general heart and health fitness"
By 2014, the number of active squash players in the US had grown to 1.6 million active players.
That figure is dwarfed by less traditional sports like paddle-boarding, which has 3 million participants.
But the owners of Washington DC's newest squash club are counting on a big bounce for the sport.
Sign off
UPSOT Squash ball hits wall, feet squeaking on court floor