With the rapid progress of digital technologies, destination smartification has become a key focus in sport tourism research. This study aims to clarify the role of the metaverse in the smartification process and the development of sport tourism destinations. Using a qualitative approach, the research employed thematic analysis. Fifteen experts in sport tourism, marketing management, and sport media were selected through snowball sampling until reaching saturation. Data were gathered via semi-structured interviews and examined with MAXQDA software. Results show that the metaverse plays a crucial role in developing sport tourism destinations by providing smart, immersive experiences, boosting destination attractiveness and image, strengthening branding, diversifying income sources, encouraging innovation in tourism services, broadening stakeholder networks, supporting smart destination management, and considering environmental factors. These insights were organized into 20 main themes and 82 sub-themes. Overall, the findings suggest that the metaverse, as a new technology, can serve as a vital enabler of smartification in sport tourism destinations. Proper strategic use of metaverse features—such as interactive virtual experiences, smart branding tools, and digital management systems—can improve destination visibility, enrich visitor experiences, and enhance competitiveness for sustainable growth.