So, what is the most popular sport in the world?
With the diversifying of different channels and mediums, fans can support their favorite sport and their favorite team from thousands of kilometers away. Also, we need to keep in mind the socioeconomic change. If we talk about sports that were held 100 years ago, there were players, but when it comes to fans, there was no way to find out the statistics. But, now now, things have changed.
In this article, we will be talking about popular sports, and the filters are popularity, revenue generated, economics, and with time popularity and entertainment have increased a lot. If we talk about the statistics, the United States has already reached 83.1 billion dollars in revenue from professional sports. (The report is from Statista)
What Is The Most Popular Sport In The World?
So, what is the most popular sport in the world?
The rankings are based on the number of fans for each sport, online popularity (search results and social media), audience reach (streaming platforms and TV views), endorsement deals, sponsorship, gender equality, and one of the factors is the population region.
10. Golf
There is an estimate that Golf has a fan base of 450 million people worldwide. The game is quite popular in different regions like East Asia, Western Europe, and North America. According to data from GOLF.com, there were around 441 million rounds played in the United States in 2019. Brands like Nike, Adidas, Rolex, Cadillac, and BMW are sponsors of the sport.
9. Rugby
If you see the number of players who play rugby, then you will find around 10 million play this sport. The game is almost similar to American football, and the game is a contact sport where players need to wear protective equipment. The sport is quite famous in the commonwealth nations like New Zealand, Australia, the UK, and other regions.
8. Baseball
In America, baseball is not a pass time sport. The sport has been in the blood of some people. The fan base is around 500 million, and MLB or Major League Baseball is known globally. Also, if we see gender equality, then male players have domination in the sport. There are sponsors from top brands like Papa John’s, Chevrolet, and Mastercard.
7. Basketball
James Naismith invented the game, and the global fan base is around 825 million people. The sport requires face, agility, strength, and strategy. Also, the sport is one of the most popular sports in the world, and there are male and female leagues as well. There are brands who are ready to invest millions in the players.
6. Table Tennis
Many people call this game ping pong as well. Table tennis is a game that is played in the Olympics. Originally, the sport was first played in the 20th century in England. There are tournaments in table tennis all around the world play. The game is famous in Europe, Asia, and American countries.
5. Volleyball
Volleyball attracts almost 900 million fans from all around the world. There are nations that take place in international tournaments from America, Australia, Europe, and Asia. If you compare this sport with other sports, then there are fewer televised. Recently, the sport has gained an emerging number of new fans worldwide.
4. Tennis
A sport with a billion fans, also one of the sports where players get millions of dollars by winning major tournaments. There are male and female formats of the game, and brands like TAG Heuer, Rolex, and Audemars Piguet sponsor the game. Whether it is a game between Djokovic and Nadal or a game in the Olympics where your nation is playing, tennis is an intense game.
3. Hockey
Hockey has different types, like field and ice. And both formats are equally popular among people who are sports enthusiasts. Countries from Northern Europe, Canada, and the United States have a popularity of ice hockey in these regions. And when it comes to field hockey, almost every nation plays this sport.
2. Cricket
Cricket is one of the most popular sports worldwide, with 2.5 billion fans.. The sport originated in the UK, and later it started gaining popularity in regions like India, Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, and countries of Europe. There are huge endorsement deals that you can not imagine at all.
1. Football (Soccer)
We are coming to the most popular sport in the world, which is Football, or for some regions like the US and Canada, it’s soccer.. If you watch this sport, I don’t think you will question its popularity. There are around 270 million active footballers from Africa, America, Europe, and Asia. Also, it is the most watched sport as well. In 2018 the record broke when 3.5 billion fans watched the FIFA World Cup. The sport is also famous for being the highest-paid sport.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Check out the most frequently asked questions related to the most popular sport in the world mentioned below in detail.
1. What Is The #1 Sport In The World?
Ans: hile Basketball is the world’s most popular sport, with a whopping 825 Million Fans, some records also say that Football is sitting on top of the popularity charts with around 3.5 billion fans.
2. What Is The Number 1 Hardest Sport?
Ans: The hardest sports in the world are as follows,
- Boxing,
- American Football,
- Mixed Martial Arts,
- Ice Hockey, and
- Gymnastics.
3. Who Are The Top Richest Sportsmen In The World?
Ans: The richest sportsmen in the world are as follows,
- Cristiano Ronaldo – 136 million dollars.
- Lionel Messi.- 130 million dollars.
- Kylian Mbappé – 120 million dollars.
- LeBron James – 119 million dollars.
Canelo Álvarez – 110 million dollars.
Final Words
So, what have we found about the most popular sport in the world? Here is a summary that will help you understand all the facts about these sports. Also, Football (soccer) is the most popular sport all over the world, and there are more than 4 billion global supporters or fans of the sport.
Also, Football has the most number of participants in the world. There is an estimation that almost 270 million players play football.
| Rank | Sports | Popularity by Regions | Global Fan |
| 1 | Football (Soccer) | Worldwide | 4 billion |
| 2 | Cricket | Asia, UK, Africa, Australia | 2.5 billion |
| 3 | Hockey | Asia, Europe, Africa, Australia, America | 2 billion |
| 4 | Tennis | Worldwide | 1 billion |
| 5 | Volleyball | Worldwide | 900 million |
| 6 | Table Tennis | Worldwide | 875 million |
| 7 | Basketball | Worldwide | 825 million |
| 8 | Baseball | America, East Asia, Caribbean | 500 million |
| 9 | Rugby | Asia, Africa, America, UK, Australia, Europe | 475 million |
| 10 | Golf | East Asia, Western Europe, North America | 450 million |
Sports are where people find suspense, thrill, excitement, and exhilaration. For centuries, humans have been finding entertainment in sports, and they manage to find connections through their minds and hearts. Also, it is clear that people from all generations give the right amount of attention.
If you find this article interesting, feel free to share it and give your views about the ranking in the comment section below.
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