In this post, we will check out the top 10 most popular sports in the world in 2023
Sports have been an integral part of human culture and society for thousands of years.
They bring people together, foster a sense of community, and provide an opportunity for physical activity and competition.
In today’s world, there are countless sports to choose from, each with its own unique rules, objectives, and fan base.
Top 10 Most Famous Athletes In the ...
Top 10 Most Famous Athletes In the World 2022
Here, we’ll take a look at the top 10 most popular sports in the world as of 2023. These sports have a global following, with millions of fans tuning in to watch the biggest events and matches.
Whether you’re a player or a spectator, these sports are sure to captivate and entertain.
Table of contents
- Top 10 Most Popular Sports In The World 2023
- 1 Football
- 2 Cricket
- 3 Basketball
- 4 Hockey
- 5 Tennis
- 6 Volleyball
- 7 Table Tennis
- 8 Baseball
- 9 Rugby
- 10 Golf
Top 10 Most Popular Sports In The World 2023
1 Football
Football Commonly known as soccer is one of the most popular sports around the world. The game is played in over 200countriesmaking it the world’s mostpopularsport.
Now if we talk about fans, football has around 3.5 billion fans across the world. The sport has no boundaries and is played in almost all the countries around the world.
The regions where the game is more prevalent are Europe, Africa, Central, and South America. Football is also considered one of the most-watched and rich sports around the globe.
Football is also some of the most renowned leagues in the world. FIFA world cup 2018, has brought 7.7 million fans to Russia to watch the game. The stats are just incredible for any world cup event ever in the history of the sport.
Ease of play, leagues, history, passion, and the fans made this game a “Beautiful Game” on the planet. Football is number 1 in our list of top 10 most popular sports in the world.
2 Cricket
Cricket is the 2nd most popular sportin the world with over 2.5 billion fans around the world. The major places where Cricket is most prevalent are Asia, England, Australia, South Africa, West Indies, and New Zealand.
The fan base of cricket in Asian countries is immense. A large number of people follow and watch the game. Though soccer is played in almost all countries, however, the craze of cricket in Asia is just great.
Over the last decade, the game evolved a lot and there is some major popular league around the world. IPL is the biggest league of all of them. The league is gaining popularity and the short format(T20) of the game is a new trend in Cricket.
Cricket is known as the gentleman’s game. There are reports which claimed that they will be adding the shorter format(T20) of the game in the Olympics as well. The game is expanding and more countries started to participate in the game.
The most followed league in cricket is the Indian PremierLeague,rated as the first in the top 10Cricket Leaguesin the World.
It’s safe to say that cricket will gonna rule in the future but it would be exciting to see that could it break the popularity of Soccer around the world.
3 Basketball
Basketball does not need any introduction in this list. The game is one of themost popular sports in America. It has also been one of the top sports in countries like Australia, Canada, and the Philippines.
The estimated fan base of the game is somewhat around 2 to 3 billion. The league is constituted of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the fourmajor professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada.
The game is operated under the National Basketball Association. NBA players are the world’s best-paid athletes comparing the average annual salary of other athletes from different sports.
Basketball is facing stiff competition from cricket for a couple of years in terms of popularity, however, this year Basketball is number 3 in the ranking of popular sports. The game has more than 100 leagues in the world.
Basketball never gonna fade away in the minds of sports fanatics and the game will continue to dominate in the future in terms of popularity.
4 Hockey
Hockey is one of the sports which is widely popular but still underrated. The game has a good reputation in Asian countries which include Pakistan, India, Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany, Malaysia, and the Netherlands.
Another form of Hockey is ice hockey which is popular in Canada and the USA. The total number of fans including both forms of hockey is around 2.2 billion.
Field hockey is played on a field while ice hockey is played on an icy field. Comparing the participation of the country in the game, Field hockey is widely popular compared to Ice Hockey.
Both forms of hockey are major events in the Olympics. Hockey is number 4 in our list of top 10 most popular sports in the world.
5 Tennis
Tennis is the fifth most popular sport in the world with more than 1.5 billion fans. The game has seen some global stars like Federer and Nadal.
There are more than 8 MajorTennis Tournamentsacross the world. Tennis is anOlympicsport and is played in different nations and followed by billions of fans.
This is more kind of an individual, however, you can also play the game with a member which is formally called doubles.
The game requires grit, hard work, and stamina to propel it to the next level. The game has seen some elegant, classy, power hitter, stylish kinds of players in recent years.
The new players keep on emerging and showing the world what they are capable of. Thus it increases the thrill and the competition in the game.
Tennis has been played by both males and females. Tennis is number 5 in our list of top 10 most popular sports in the world.
6 Volleyball
Volleyball is an adrenaline sport that requires power, class, and technique to execute properly. The game has been a part of the Summer Olympic Games since 1964.
It has 900 million fans around the world and is one of the classiest games of all time. The sport has vast popularity in different countries which including Brazil, Russia, Japan, China, Italy, and Cuba.
It’spouparlity increasing year after year and we will notice a huge increase in its followers in near future. A number oftechniques required in volleyball include spiking, blocking, passing, and setting.
Volleyball is also one of the most-watched events in the Olympic games. Volleyball is number 6 in our list of the top 10 most popular sports in the world.
7 Table Tennis
Table Tennis is known as Ping Pong in many countries. The game is identical to Lawn tennis, the difference is that table tennis is played on a table while lawn tennis is played on a tennis court.
It can be played by single players or a team consisting of two players.Play is fast and needs quick reactions. Spinning the ball alters its trajectory and limits an opponent’s options, giving the hitter a great advantage.
The game is getting very popular as an indoor game and is played in a lot of countries. It isplayedin over 50countries, dominated bynationsin Asia, Europe, the Americas, and Africa. It is particularly more notable in China and Korea.
The table tennis fan base has increased to a global following of 875 million. Table Tennis is number 7 in our list of the top 10 most popular sports in the world.
8 Baseball
Baseball is a primetime sport in America, but it is also most prevalent in the Dominican Republic, Canada, and Cuba. Baseballis abat-and-ball gameplayed between two competitive teams who take turnsbattingand fielding.
The game progresses when a player on thefielding team, described as thepitcher, throws a ball that a player on thebatting teamtries to hit with a bat.
Major League Baseball is the crest of baseball leagues globally. The game has more than 500 million fans around the world. Baseball is popular inNorth Americaand parts ofCentralandSouth America, theCaribbean, andEast Asia as well.
The Baseball game also has great sponsorship deals and is one of the most-watched sports in the United States. Baseball is number 8 in our list of the top 10 most popular sports in the world in 2023.
9 Rugby
Rugby is the9th most popular sportin the world. The sport has 500 million fans around the world. Rugby is also been a part of the Olympics which ultimately increase its fan base and popularity across the globe.
Rugby as a world cup event and the participation in the Olympic games surely made this sport one of the most popular sports in the world.
The sport is much popular in the UK,Australia, and New Zealand. South Africa is without a doubt the mostcompetitiverugby nation. Africa is home to almost 650,000 registeredrugbyplayers
The big tournament in rugby brings top brands and significant funds for sponsorship. The game requires energy and power with pace to excel at the highest level.
10 Golf
The last spot goes to Golf. The game has around 300 million fans across the world. The game is more prevalent in the US, Canada, and Europe. Golf has a global fan base and is most popular among the riches.
The fact is thatrich people areattracted togolfbecause they can afford to overcome its many expensive hurdles to entry like Equipment and Lessons.
Golf is a single-player game and requires precision and technique to be the best. The game of golf was created in Scotland during the 15th century.
Some of the well-known golf tournaments include PGA Tour, LPGA Tour, European Tour, and PGA tour champion. The most popular player to ever grace the game of Golf is Tiger Woods.
FAQs
What is the most popular sport 2023? ›
- Cricket World Cup. ...
- Rugby World Cup. ...
- World Aquatics Championships. ...
- Women's World Cup. ...
- Ryder Cup. ...
- Gay Games. ...
- World Beach Games. ...
- World Baseball Classic.
- American Football – 74.5% American football takes the crown when it comes to popularity, and this is the most-watched sport in the US. ...
- Basketball- 56.6% ...
- Baseball- 50.5% ...
- Boxing- 23.4% ...
- Ice Hockey- 22.1% ...
- Soccer- 21.6% ...
- Golf- 19.7%
Soccer, also known as association football, is by far the most popular sport in the world, despite the fact that it may not be obvious in the United States. Soccer is the most popular sport in practically all of Europe, South America, Africa, the Middle East, Central America, and Asia.
What are the top 3 sports played? ›| rank | Sport | Estimated Fans |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Soccer / Association Football | 3.5 Billion |
| 2. | Cricket | 2.5 Billion |
| 3. | Field Hockey | 2 Billion |
| 4. | Tennis | 1 Billion |
The most popular team sports in the United States are American football, baseball, basketball, ice hockey, and soccer.
What is the fastest growing sport in US? ›The country club isn't the only place seeing surging interest. Over the past four years, pickleball has become the fastest-growing sport in America, with nearly five million playing. Pickleball has been around since 1965 when families on Washington's Bainbridge Island created the game to entertain their children.
What is the number 1 sport in USA? ›American football (NFL)
With 37% of Americans (source: Gallup) declaring that it's their favourite sport to watch, American football is without a doubt the most popular sport in the USA. The NFL also has the highest average attendance (67,591) of any sports league in the world!
According to Sports Virsa, the top 10 hardest sports in the world to play in 2022 are as follows: Boxing (hardest), American football, mixed martial arts, ice hockey, gymnastics, basketball, soccer, wrestling, rugby, and water polo.
What are the top 5 watched sports in the world? ›- 2.1 1. Soccer – 3.5 Billion Fans.
- 2.2 2. Cricket – 2.5 Billion Fans.
- 2.3 3. Field Hockey – 2 Billion Fans.
- 2.4 4. Tennis.
- 2.5 5. Volleyball.
- 2.6 6. Table Tennis.
- 2.7 7. Basketball.
- 2.8 8. Baseball.
With 3.5 billion fans around the world, soccer is the one sport that pretty much the whole world can agree upon can be claimed the most viewed sports in the world. With its combination of adrenaline-pumping excitement, man-on-man aggression, tough competition, it's really no wonder it comes on top.
What is the least popular sport? ›
- 1 | Kabbadi. ...
- 2 | Motocross/motorcycle racing. ...
- 3 | Fencing. ...
- 4 | Polo. ...
- 5 | Archery. ...
- 6 | Sailing. ...
- 7 | Canadian football. ...
- 8 | Weightlifting. ...
Highest Paying Sports in the World
Basketball is the highest paid sport in the world, with the average annual salary in the NBA in 2023 being nearly $10.5 million. This is more than double the average salary in the NFL, which sits in second place at $4.5 million.
This article is a list of teams that play in one of the six major sports leagues in the United States and Canada: the Canadian Football League (CFL), Major League Baseball (MLB), Major League Soccer (MLS), the National Basketball Association (NBA), the National Football League (NFL) and the National Hockey League (NHL) ...
What are the 4 major sports? ›The four leagues traditionally included in the definition are Major League Baseball (MLB), the National Basketball Association (NBA), the National Football League (NFL), and the National Hockey League (NHL). Other prominent leagues include Major League Soccer (MLS) and the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the XFL.
What is America's favorite sport? ›Football - America's Favorite Sport to Watch and Follow
Football continues to be the most popular sport in the United States. According to Gallup.com, 37% of U.S. adults picked football as their favorite sport to watch. Football has been the favorite since 1972.
Today padel is the fastest growing sport in the world. Based on racket sales, it is estimated that 12 million people play it.
What is the 2nd most popular sport? ›Cricket is an immensely complex game, but it is also the world's second-most popular sport.
What sport takes the most skilled? ›| Ranking | Sport | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tenpin Bowling | 87.4 |
| 2 | Swimming (200m Free) | 86.9 |
| 3 | Weightlifting | 86.2 |
| 4 | Water Polo | 85.8 |
Most watched sports in the U.S.
According to research recently published by Statista the most popular sport in the United States is football. Football according to respondents is followed by 74.5 percent of Americans. More than three out of four people therefore follow American football.
Basketball
But there is nothing simple about entering the world of professional basketball. Close to one million high school students play basketball (around 541,000 men and 433,000 women). Less than 4% of them will go on to play college basketball.
Which sport is the easiest? ›
- Volleyball.
- Table Tennis/Ping Pong.
- Running.
- Spikeball.
- Badminton.
- Cycling.
- Bowling.
Athletics – Sprinting
He also holds the 100 (9.58) and 200m (19.19) meter records which are unlikely to be broken anytime soon. Lyles is an American sprinter born in Gainesville, Florida in 1997, and at only 22 years old is the fastest man in the world today.
| Ranking | Sport | Overall Fitness Rating (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Water Polo | 80.3 |
| 2 | Rugby 7s | 79.6 |
| 3 | American Football | 79.3 |
| 4 | Ultimate (Frisbee) | 79.3 |
Baseball has been the most popular sport in Japan for years because it has the longest history of professional league in Japan. Even high school baseball is taken very seriously, with the National High School Baseball Championships (or Koshien) a much-watched event every summer.
What is the most popular sport in Mexico? ›The most popular sport in Mexico currently is association football followed by boxing. However, there are regional variations: for example, baseball is the most popular sport in the northwest and the southeast of the country. Basketball, American football and bull riding (called "Jaripeo") are also popular.
What is the most popular sport in China? ›Basketball is the largest spectator sport in China. China hosted the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup.
Which sport is harder on the body? ›According to several studies about “science of muscles and movement” experts label boxing as the most demanding sport for an athlete. Boxing requires strength, power, endurance, and the ability to withstand huge hits over a period of time.
What is the hardest girl sport? ›...
Which sport is the easiest?
- Table Tennis/Ping Pong.
- Running.
- Spikeball.
- Badminton.
- Cycling.
- Volleyball.
- Bowling.
Boxing is the most athletic sport around. A few years ago, a wide panel of sports experts, including sports scientists, researchers, athletes and journalists, objectively ranked the level of athleticism needed to compete in 60 sports.
Which sports team has the most fans? ›What sports are growing in popularity? ›
These include lacrosse, pickleball, triathlons, eSports, adventure racing, soccer, and MMA. There are many reasons why these sports are growing in popularity, though much of it comes down to greater awareness and access to these sports.
What is the most viewed event ever? ›| Rank | Show | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II | 2022 |
| 2 | Wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer | 1981 |
| 3 | 2000 Summer Olympics closing ceremony | 2000 |
| 4 | 2000 Summer Olympics opening ceremony | 2000 |
The largest attendance for a sporting event is an estimated 12,000,000 spectators over a period of three weeks during the 2012 edition of the annual Tour de France cycling race.
What is the most old sport? ›Wrestling is regarded the oldest sports in the world and we have proof. The famous cave paintings in Lascaux, France, dating back to 15,300 years ago, depict wrestlers. So we can safely say, wrestling one the more popular sports of that time.
What is America's least favorite sport? ›- 1 | Kabbadi. ...
- 2 | Motocross/motorcycle racing. ...
- 3 | Fencing. ...
- 4 | Polo. ...
- 5 | Archery. ...
- 6 | Sailing. ...
- 7 | Canadian football. ...
- 8 | Weightlifting. ...
Swimming is the safest sport to take part in. Its easy on the joints and can be an aid in recovery after an injury so making it the safest sport in America. A study by researchers at The University of Colorado Denver lead by PhD.
What is the lowest paying sport? ›East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) rookies earn a minimum of $415 per week and veterans make $460 per week over the course of a 72-game regular season, which comes out to less than $24,000 for the year.
Which sport makes the most money in USA? ›Basketball is not only the highest-paid sport in America but also the highest-paying sport in the entire world. NBA players make more money than any other professional athlete in any sport, league, or country.
What sports will be popular in the future? ›Soccer, basketball and football are the future of sports for Generation Alpha, survey finds. Morning Consult's 2021 survey suggests that Generation Alpha favors basketball, football and soccer, while interest in baseball remains low.
What sport is increasing in popularity? ›Soccer is quickly becoming a “first choice” sport for young people. High school soccer participation grew 32% from 2002 to 2019, beating out baseball, hockey, basketball and football by more than 25%. Yoga grew in popularity by 63.8% between 2010 and 2021 and there are an estimated 7,000 yoga studios in the US.
What is the number 1 sport in us? ›
American football (NFL)
With 37% of Americans (source: Gallup) declaring that it's their favourite sport to watch, American football is without a doubt the most popular sport in the USA. The NFL also has the highest average attendance (67,591) of any sports league in the world!
Bossaball is a ball game between two teams, combining elements of volleyball, football, and gymnastics with music into a sport. It is played on an inflatable court featuring a trampoline on each side of the net. The trampolines allow the players to bounce high enough to spike the ball over the net.
What are Gen Z favorite sports? ›The league is still the most popular sports property among Gen Zers, according to the new survey. More than half of the respondents (53%) said they were either an “avid” or “casual” fans of the NFL, followed by the NBA (47%), college football (41%), MLB (35%) and college basketball (34%).
What is the fastest growing sport currently? ›Over the past four years, pickleball has become the fastest-growing sport in America, with nearly five million playing. Pickleball has been around since 1965 when families on Washington's Bainbridge Island created the game to entertain their children. There are now hundreds of tournaments annually.
What sports are Gen Z most popular? ›Gen Z's favorite pro leagues, sports
Nearly 3 in 5 male Gen Zers (57%) identified as “avid” or “casual” fans of the NFL, followed by the NBA (54%) and esports (46%).
- 10) Trail Running. 1 of 22. Find a trail and run on it; seems simple enough. ...
- 9) Roller Hockey. 2 of 22. ...
- 8) Squash. 3 of 22. ...
- 7) MMA for Fitness. 4 of 22. ...
- 6) Rugby. 5 of 22. ...
- 4) Triathlon (Non-Traditional/Off-Road) 6 of 22. ...
- 3) MMA for Competition. 7 of 22. ...
- 5) Boxing for Competition. 8 of 22.
2. Baseball. Known as “America's pastime,” baseball is the second most popular sport in the United States and is the 7th most popular sport in the world. Professional baseball in the United States is played by the teams that make up the Major League Baseball (MLB).
What is the highest watched sport? ›Soccer is the most popular sport in the world and the UEFA Champions League Final is one of its biggest events. The top teams in Europe battle all season to be one of two teams in this prestigious championship match.
What sport is most unique? ›- Chess Boxing. The most unlikely of activities you'd ever think to pair together. ...
- Zorbing. ...
- Buzkashi. ...
- Wife Carrying.
- Underwater Hockey. ...
- Extreme Ironing. ...
- Cheese Rolling. ...
- Bed Racing.
- Tag Rugby. Traditional rugby is a great team game but it doesn't lend itself to people looking to get injured every weekend. ...
- Frisbee Golf. ...
- Rock Climbing. ...
- Kayaking. ...
- Roller skating. ...
- Badminton. ...
- Lawn Bowls. ...
- Dodgeball.