Everybody wants to know about the famous sport in the world and many times they asked What is the most popular sports in the world?
What is the most popular sport in the world?
Soccer, the Association football is the most popular team sport globally, with about 4 billion plus fans scattered across the world.
With an estimated 270 million players, soccer, also known as Association football is a team sport with the highest number of participants in the globe.
| Rank | Sport | Estimated Global Fan Base | Popularity by Regions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Association football (Soccer) | 4 billion | Worldwide |
| 2 | Cricket | 2.5 billion | UK, Africa, Asia, America, Europe, Australia |
| 3 | Hockey | 2 billion | Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia |
| 4 | Tennis | 1 billion | Worldwide |
| 5 | Volleyball | 900 million | Worldwide |
| 6 | Table tennis | 875 million | Worldwide |
| 7 | Basketball | 825 million | Worldwide |
| 8 | Baseball | 500 million | America, Caribbean, East Asia |
| 9 | Rugby | 475 million | UK, Africa, Asia, America, Europe, Australia |
| 10 | Golf | 450 million | Western Europe, East Asia, North America |
An instrument of socio-economic change, sports has done more than entertain us.
It has helped build one of the most vibrant economic systems the world has seen.
In some of the world’s most prosperous economies, revenue generated from entertaining sports activities has helped increase economic growth.
A testament to this fact is the effect sport has had on the Gross Domestic Revenue (GDP) of the United States. According to Statisa revenue generated from professional sports in the US will reach around 83.1 Billion Dollars, thus shaping the 21st-century economy’s face. The highest revenue in football, the most popular sports in the world. There exist various forms of sports, and we have presented conclusively, the top-11 most popular sports in the world, as of 2023.
Our ranking is based on the estimated number of fans, including global audience reach (TV views), online popularity (social media and search results), gender equality, sponsorship/endorsement deals, and the primary population region. Now we talk about one by one and also give some brief information related to popularity.
1. Association Football (Soccer) – 4 Billion Fans
1. Association Football (Soccer) – 4 Billion Fans (most popular sports)
Football (soccer) is also among the HIGHEST PAID SPORTS IN THE WORLD. With an estimated 4 billion fans, association football, or soccer as it is known in the US and Canada, is undoubtedly the most popular sport in the world.
Soccer is played by two teams in a rectangular field with a goal at both ends. Each team attempts to dribble the ball and score into the opposing goal. The sport is played by more than 270 million people globally (especially in Europe, South and Central America, and Africa), and it tops the list of the world’s most-watched sports.
The most prestigious football tournament, the FIFA World Cup, was watched by a record number of 3.5 billion fans in 2018. Aside from that, every major football tournament, from the UEFA Champions League to the English Premier League or La Liga, is widely followed on various social media platforms. While male football receives a lot of media attention, female football is not left out.
The sport never fails to get extensive media attention. Top brands like Coca-Cola, Qatar Airways, Pepsi, Nike, Puma, and Adidas have signed multi-million-dollar deals with football governing bodies such as FIFA and UEFA and top football clubs, and national teams.
2. Cricket – 2.5 Billion Fans
2. Cricket – 2.5 Billion Fans (most popular sports)
Cricket also enjoys a good number of endorsements deals from various brands, especially bat making brands. Another popular sport with vast global reach, cricket, is a fantastic sport followed by about 2.5 billion fans, majorly from countries such as Australia, South Africa, Pakistan, New Zealand, and India. The most followed competition in cricket, the Cricket World Cup, last played in 2019 was watched by about 2.6 billion people.
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Though the male-dominated cricket receives more attention, the women dominated cricket has been on the rise in popularity in recent years.
3. Hockey – 2 Billion Fans
3. Hockey – 2 Billion Fans (most popular sports)
Ice Hockey and field hockey, both are equally famous sports in the globe with a great fan following.
Cold regions like in the US, Canada, and Northern Europe, ice hockey receives a great deal of attention, which is no different from other regions.
Globally, about 2 billion people follow hockey, especially the National Hockey League (NHL).
The male and female hockey league also receives considerable attention from brands such as Gatorade, Reebok, and others, who are willing to sign sponsorship deals with these teams. thanks Sportskeeda – Sports News, Live Scores, Gaming, Fantasy and Wrestling News
4. Tennis – 1 billion Fans
4. Tennis – 1 billion Fans (most popular sports)
A very strenuous and physically intensive sport, tennis is a sport where surprising upsets are not uncommon.
The emergence of new talents in recent years has helped heightened the thrill in the competition to the delight of the 1 billion tennis fans.
Both tennis played by male and female recently attracts excellent media attention, which has caught the eye of brands such as Aude mars Piguet, Rolex, and TAG Heuer Nike, Puma, Reebok.
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5.Rugby-475 million fans
5.Rugby-475 million fans (most popular sports)
As an all-gender inclusive sport, rugby is a sport that attracts as many as 10 million players worldwide. Rugby is a contact sports quite similar to American football. However, while rugby players were little protective equipment, American football players were a lot, such as helmets and pads. The sport is trendy in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and other commonwealth nations.
The just-concluded Rugby world cup in Japan gathered a lot of attention online as various countries make history and record surprising upsets. The most prestigious tournament in rugby attracts the best names in the world of rugby, as well as top brands that commit significant funds in sponsorship. Brands such as MasterCard, Heineken, Emirates, DHL, and Toshiba, who sponsored the 2019 Rugby World Cup, help in building the popularity base of the game.
5. Vollyball-900 million fans
5. Vollyball-900 million fans (most popular sports)
A sport that attracts as much as 900 million fans, volleyball receives a great deal of attention globally, particularly in North and South America, Western Europe, Australia, and Asia. However, it is less televised compared to other top-rated sports. Volleyball’s popularity among both genders is on the rise, making it one of the fastest emerging sports in the modern age. Brands such as Mikasa, Dick’s Sporting Goods support Volleyball events.
6. Table tennis-875 million fans
6. Table tennis-875 million fans (most popular sports)
Table tennis is also a famous sport in men as well as women. single, double, mix are some variants of this game. Also known as ping pong, since 2003, the table tennis fan base has increased to as much as 875 million. The sport originated from England in the early 20th century. Though table tennis events are not as publicized as other prominent sports tournaments, it enjoys a moderate number of social media followers and fans worldwide. Table tennis is particularly popular in Asia, Europe, Americas and Africa. Brands like Auto home and Sports Master sponsor table tennis tournaments.
7. Basketball – 825 Million Fans
7. Basketball – 825 Million Fans (most popular sports)
This is also a most picky sports in every school, college and also among young’s. It also increase height of kids so parents are also interested that their child must play this sport. A trendy sport, which American-Canadian teacher James Naismith invented, basketball is now played globally with an estimated 825 million fans. Basketball is a fast-paced sports, played by two teams There’s no denying the fact that basketball is one of the most talked-about sports in the world currently. The sport also has its various female leagues worldwide, which also attracts media attention. Basketball fans can attest to the fact that brands are willing to spend millions of dollars in endorsement deals with top basketball players.
8. Baseball – 500 Million Fans
8. Baseball – 500 Million Fans (most popular sports)
This sports is much famous in western countries. It is the national sports of USA. Not only is baseball a pastime sport in America, but it is also most popular in the Caribbean and East Asia. The Major League Baseball (MLB), the pinnacle of baseball leagues globally, has about 500 million fans globally. In a test of gender equality, male players grossly dominate the sport. Baseball attracts sponsorships by top brands such as Mastercard, Chevrolet, and Papa John’s. The sport receives worldwide sponsorships from top brands such as BMW, Cadillac, Rolex, Adidas, Nike, and several others.
9. Rugby – 475 Million Fans
9. Rugby – 475 Million Fans (most popular sporst)
This game is also popular in western world and now liked by eastern countries. As an all-gender inclusive sport, rugby is a sport that attracts as many as 10 million players worldwide. Rugby is a contact sports quite similar to American football. However, while rugby players were little protective equipment, American football players were a lot, such as helmets and pads. The sport is trendy in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and other commonwealth nations. The just-concluded Rugby world cup in Japan gathered a lot of attention online as various countries make history and record surprising upsets. The most prestigious tournament in rugby attracts the best names in the world of rugby, as well as top brands that commit significant funds in sponsorship. Brands such as MasterCard, Heineken, Emirates, DHL, and Toshiba, who sponsored the 2019 Rugby World Cup, help in building the popularity base of the game.
10. Golf – 450 Million Fans
10. Golf – 450 Million Fans (most popular sports)
Golf has an estimated fan base of about 450 million people worldwide. It is most prevalent in North America, Western Europe, and East Asia regions. In golf, players try to put the ball into a hole with the fewest possible strokes. According to a report, about 441 million golf rounds were played in the United States in 2019 alone.
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