Most Popular Sports In The World
Golf – 450 Million Fans 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 GOLF.com, about 441 million golf rounds were played in the United States in 2019 alone.
Rugby – 475 Million Fans 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.
Baseball – 500 Million Fans 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.
Basketball – 825 Million Fans 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.
Table Tennis – 875 Million Fans 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.
Volleyball – 900 Million Fans 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.
Tennis – 1 Billion Fans 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 Audemars Piguet, Rolex, and TAG Heuer.
Hockey – 2 Billion Fans Both Ice and field hockey are among the most favourite sports in the world. 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).
Cricket – 2.5 Billion Fans 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.
Association Football (Soccer) – 4 Billion Fans 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.