10 Most Popular Sports In The World
Whether you are taking part or just watching, sport is one of the most popular pasttimes in all countries on our planet. Some sports are very different from others and some will only have relatively small, localized followings. Others, however, are enjoyed by billions of people throughout the world.
Some of the world’s largest sporting events will have millions tuned in on TVs worldwide. The best in their sports can make vast sums of money and become international superstars. Many sports are also played by amateurs, even if only for a bit of fun. We have compiled a list of the most popular sports on the planet.
1. Soccer/Association Football
Known internationally as football, soccer is the most popular sport on the planet by some distance, with a global fan base of approximately 3.5 billion people. Professional leagues are found in just about every country and the largest and most successful clubs have an enormous international following. Some of the world’s biggest clubs include names like Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester United, and Juventus.
Every 4 years, the FIFA World Cup is held featuring nations from across the planet. The trophy is arguably the most coveted on the planet, and is the largest sporting event ever to be held. Footballing superstars like Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and David Beckham are household names globally.
2. Cricket
Although not a popular sport in the United States, cricket is the second-most popular sport in the planet with a global fanbase of between 2 and 3 billion people. It is not as widespread as some other sports, but is a major sport in some countries including Great Britain, India, Pakistan, and Australia.
Even though it is already in second place, cricket has still seen a surge in popularity in recent years. This is likely to be down to recent changes in the format that have helped to make the game more exciting. Professional cricketers don’t make much money relative to the sports following, but those at the top can still become very wealthy.
3. Basketball
In third place is basketball with a global fanbase of approximately 2.2 billion people. Basketball has not gained much of a following in Europe or Africa, but it is very popular in Canada, China, Japan, the Philippines, and in the USA. It is popular largely because of its fast-paced action and skillful plays.
Numerous countries are home to professional basketball leagues, and America’s NBA is the largest of all. It is also an Olympic sport, while there is also a Basketball World Cup. The best players can earn vast sums in salaries, while huge sponsorship deals are also available to in-demand players.
4. Ice Hockey
Ice hockey comes in at fourth place with a global fanbase of approximately 2 billion people. It is popular throughout much of the world, with ice hockey being particularly popular in Canada and the United States. Ice hockey is quite a tough sport with a high chance of painful knocks and injuries, which limits its popularity among amateur players.
The need for often expensive equipment is also quite limiting. Earnings are potentially very high for the best players, with America’s National Hockey League paying an average of 3 million USD per year in salaries.
5. Tennis
In fifth place overall is tennis, with approximately 1 billion fans globally. It is particularly popular in Europe, the USA, and in parts of Asia. Tennis also ranks very highly where gender equality is concerned, and is one of the few sports that holds matches with mixed genders.
The biggest and most glamorous tennis competitions are the grand slams, which are the Australian Open, the French Open, the US Open, and Wimbledon. The very best tennis players are among the best paid of all sports people, and enormous sponsorship deals are available. Names like Andy Murray, Serena Williams, and Roger Federer are household names across the world.
6. Volleyball
Volleyball has around 900 million fans globally, which puts it at number six on the list. It is popular throughout many countries in the world, although it is not the most popular sport of any country. It is a sport that is just as popular among women as it is among men in many parts of the world.
Volleyball is a popular beach game and is often played by amateurs just for some fun. All that is needed is a ball, a net, and a suitably large area. The very best volleyball players can earn as much as 1 million USD, but it is only a select few that reach these levels. Sponsorship deals are also not as lucrative as in some other sports.
7. Table Tennis
Approximately 850 million people in the world are table tennis fans, putting it at number seven on the list. It has a huge following in Asia, while it also has some popularity in Africa and Europe. As far as competitions, there is the World Table Tennis Championship, while table tennis is also an Olympic sport.
The potential earnings for table tennis players are not particularly high, but those at the top can still make a very good living from the sport. The sport is hugely popular among amateur players and only a fairly small table is needed. Table tennis is also played by women just as much as it is among men.
8. Baseball
Around 500 million people worldwide are fans of baseball, making this sport eighth in the list. Baseball has a very large following in the USA, while it is also popular in Canada, the Dominican Republic, and in Cuba. It does not have much of a following elsewhere, but the sport’s following in the USA still leaves baseball high up on the list overall.
Professional baseball players in the United States can make a lot of money with the average salary in the MLB at more than 4 million USD a year. The biggest names in the sports can also land some very lucrative sponsorship deals.
9. Rugby
Rugby comes in at number nine on the list with a following of around 410 million people. Rugby is limited mainly to Great Britain, France, South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia, with a host of other countries having some interest. The sport has few followers in the USA, Africa, most European countries, and Asia.
The Rugby World Cup is the sport’s biggest international event, while the Six Nations is also high up on the list. Salaries for the best players are quite low in comparison with other popular sports, but those at the top have the opportunity to land some extremely lucrative sponsorship deals.
10. American Football
American football also has around 410 million fans, effectively making it joint ninth with rugby. The sport is very popular in the United States, but there is little interest in the sport elsewhere in the world. The largest event is the Super Bowl. There are international competitions but there is little interest from other nations.
Despite being largely a US sport only, American football players can still make very lucrative salaries and huge sponsorship deals are also available to in demand players. The sport has a high number of amateur players in America, but few people elsewhere play American football as amateurs.
