There are many different sports, some of which are played on a global scale while others are only practiced locally, but some of them are more appealing and well-liked than others. The topic of which sport is the most popular worldwide is a contentious one. There are a variety of viewpoints on what the most well-liked sports might be and why. Do you know the rankings for football? What about hockey or golf? For instance, there are competitions at all levels for spectators of all ages to enjoy these three sports, which have supporters all around the world. However, which sport is the most popular? Here is a list of the World’s most popular sports among fans.
World’s Most Popular Sports Among Fans
People participate in sports as a hobby, a job, or for fitness all across the world. Each country has dozens of sports that are played at various levels. However, something that is well-liked in one nation may not necessarily be well-liked in another. Several variables affect a sport’s level of popularity, some of which include:
- TV viewership of games
- Ticket sales for live games
- Overall revenue of the main leagues
Here is the list of the World’s Most popular sports among fans
Soccer/ Association football
The most watched sport in the world is soccer or association football. The majority of people in the world call themselves football fans. Around 600 million people watched the FIFA World Cup final, and 300 million people watched the Champions League.
More than 4 billion people watch this sport regularly. Compared to other continents, Europe and America are the two where the sport is most popular. There are two goals in the game and both sides have 11 players each. The game’s goal is to drive the ball into the opponent’s goal while it is being defended by the goalkeeper. The winning team is the one that scores the most goals. This game is played by 250 million people in more than 200 nations.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are among the top 10 highest-paid footballers in the world.
Cricket
In our ranking of the most popular sports in the world, cricket ranks second in the list. It is the most popular sport in India and the Commonwealth countries. With an estimated 2.3 billion supporters, cricket has developed a devoted following and grown to be one of the most popular sports in the world. To score the most runs, two teams of eleven players play cricket.
Cricket was first played in the 16th century, and it quickly gained popularity in the former British colonies of Australia, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. The Cricket World Cup was organized by the International Cricket Council every four years. Even though there are other competitions each year, the ICC Cricket World Cup is by far the most significant event in the sport.
According to Forbes’ list of the world’s highest-paid athletes for 2018, Virat Kohli is the highest-paid cricket player.
Field Hockey
Hockey, which has a whopping 2 billion supporters worldwide, is ranked third on the list of the most popular sports in the world. Hockey was created in England in the 1800s and has ever since grown in popularity. Except for the players driving the ball to the goal with sticks rather than their feet, the game is largely similar to football. India, Australia, Japan, and Pakistan are countries that have historically played hockey and have strong teams.
Tennis
One of the most popular sports worldwide, Tennis, now has more than 1 billion devoted fans. France is where modern tennis originally gained popularity. Later, it spread from France to the rest of Europe and eventually the rest of the world. Tennis is a sport in which the ball is bounced over the rackets by two teams of one or two players each. Points are scored when an opponent fails to hit the ball or toss it back within the boundaries of the rectangular court. When it comes to global popularity, tennis comes in at number four.
Volleyball
Both participants and spectators like the dynamic and exciting game that this fascinating sport produces. Whether you are a casual viewer or an active participant, here is all the information you need to know about volleyball.
Before anything else, it’s critical to comprehend what volleyball is. This sport essentially consists of two teams competing against one another on a court that is divided in half by a net. The goal of the game is to hit the ball over the net into your opponent’s half of the court using your hands or arms. Every time you do this, you receive a point, and the first team reaching 25 points wins the match.
Of all, volleyball involves more than just spiking the ball over the net. You must have exceptional hand-eye coordination and quick reflexes to succeed in this sport. Knowing how to serve, receive, pass, block, and set the ball is also helpful.
There are therefore always possibilities to get out on the court and display your skills, whether you play on a professional team, participate in local leagues, or just for fun.
Table Tennis
Popularly known as Ping pong, or table tennis, was originated in England in the 19th century. An estimated 875 million people play the game. It is a lawn tennis model that is scaled down. In this sport, two to four players use rackets to knock a lightweight ball over a net on a hard table. Leading competitors in this sport include Sweden, China, Malaysia, South Korea, and Malaysia.
Basketball
According to estimates, there are 825 million basketball fans and followers worldwide. Dr. James Naismith created the sport in Massachusetts, the United States, in 1891. Since it could be played indoors and had a lower risk of injury, he invented it as an alternative to football.
In a basketball game, there are ten players—five on each team—and their main objective is to put the ball in the hoop of the opposing team’s defense. Basketball ranks seventh in our list of the most popular sports in the world.
Baseball
There are more than 500 million baseball lovers worldwide. In the US, the Caribbean, and Japan, this game is incredibly well-liked. Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport in which two opposing teams alternately bat and field to score points. Before sports became widely popular throughout the world in the 19th century, they were played in the US in a variety of forms.
Rugby
Rugby is the most popular sport in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries. The fact that this game has more than 470 million fans worldwide is not surprising. Rugby is currently recognized as a very aggressive, high-contact sport requiring players to wear rugby-specific safety gear.
The cornerstone of contemporary sport was established in medieval England, but it has since seen a great deal of development and spread all over the world.
Golf
There are around 450 million enthusiasts of this game globally. It’s a popular sport in the US, Japan, the UK, South Korea, and South Africa. Golf was first played in Scotland. Later England and the rest of the world adopted the sport. Due to the hefty membership fees required by golf facilities, it is regarded as one of the most expensive sports.
Formula 1
The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) recognizes Formula One as the top division of single-seater racing. It is run by the Formula One Group. The Formula 1 game has a fan base of approximately 350 million people. It seems improbable that Formula 1 competitors, who can travel at speeds of up to 370 km/h, can trace their sport’s origins to ancient Greece. Formula 1 has risen in stature and expanded to become a global sport.
