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Top 10 Lists of the World's Most Popular Sports

soccer playerWhat is the world's most popular sports is often asked and possibly has never been definitively determined. A quick search online found many references to the top sports of the world, and soccer / association football is nearly always on top no matter what the criteria for the list.

The problem with listing the top sports is coming up with a clear defining variable for the list. By popular, do you mean most watched, the most played, the most talked about! Just some of the factors which could help determine the lists of popular sports include the number of spectators, the number of registered participants, the number of national associations, the number of people that play the game, stadiums and facilities worldwide, tournaments held all over, and merchandise sold. Many of these should be factors in a list of the world's top sports, though it would be difficult to include them in a single list (hence the many lists on this site).

Soccer is King

Most of the lists we have seen, whether based on most fans or most participants or whatever the definition of popular, World Football / Soccer is top of the list. Depending on what criteria you use for popularity, the next sports in the list may include basketball, cricket, volleyball, baseball and other versions of football (American, rugby).


baseball fanMost Fans, Most Viewed

On a widely circulated list of popular sports based on fans, soccer is rightly so in the top position. The FIFA World Cup held every four years has a huge TV audience - an accumulated audience of over 30 billion people watched the 2006 World Cup in Germany (I know that's more than the world's population, this figure is an 'accumulated' audience, meaning if people watched more than one game, which most people did, they were counted each time). When you talk of most viewed sports, the TV and now online audience greatly grows the number of viewers compared to those who physically go to watch sporting events. Cricket is second on this list despite not being played in many parts of the world, due to it's huge popularity on the subcontinent (1 billion Indians!). Field hockey is third, and is another popular sport spread around the world by the English though it did not take off in the US.

The internet is a great source of information about which sports people interested in. A limitation of using the online audience is that they do not necessarily represent a world wide view. The information available tends to have a US bias, so popular US sports such as basketball, baseball and American football are highly represented. In a comparison of many lists, including some online votes and others which were personal opinion, the popular US sports basketball and baseball are in the top four.

One way of gauging popularity is by internet traffic to sports websites. Comparing the most popular Wikipedia sports pages, in addition to soccer/world football, the popular US sports basketball, American football and baseball were all in the top 5. In fact in 2009 the basketball wikipedia page was visited more often than the Soccer and Association Football pages combined (2010 was the FIFA World Cup and greatly boosted soccer page views). On the Olympic website, the aquatics pages are most popular, and on this website, Adventure Sports pages are most viewed.

The problem using internet traffic is that it often reflects only the English speaking parts of the world, and then only people who have internet access. Online voting can still not agree, one found soccer top while the other most favorite sport was cricket. It is important to consider all the population of the world and sports in all regions. Another analysis of popular sports in the media conducted by the IOC and said to represent a world-wide analysis is the study of newspaper articles during the Olympics. Although some popular world sports (such as cricket) are not on the Olympic program, the study found that during the 2004 Olympic Games Track & Field and Swimming were written about most, ahead of soccer. These same top sports also head the list of pages most viewed on the IOC website. Some sports, such as swimming, athletics and gymnastics, undergo a huge surge in popularity every four years during the Olympics, and are not so popular at other times.

The popularity of sports is not uniform around the world. Another study by the IOC looking at which sports are played most widely around the world, based on the number of National Federations for each sport, found Volleyball and Basketball ahead of the sport usually considered to be most widespread, Soccer, and the other 'universal sport' of running (Track and Field). There is further analysis of regional differences in sport popularity.

Popularity is also related to the personalities in the sport and access to TV and other media. Golfer Tiger Woods was the highest paid and probably the highest profile sportsman in the decade 2000-2010. This is reflected in another comparison of popular online sport term searches, where golf is only just behind the generic term football, which encompasses several sport codes. This reflects the high number of TV golf fans, personalities as well as recreational golf players.

Most Participants, Most Played

When discussing popular sports around the world, the sports most played is often considered, not just what people like to watch (there is a difference). One list compared the number of participants in sport using data provided by each of the International Sports Federations. It sounds like a valid method, however the numbers provided did not seem reliable, with Volleyball and Table Tennis coming out on top of Soccer. There can be good arguments for Table Tennis being ranked high in terms of participation, as it is very popular in China and many other Asian countries. As yet there does not seem to be an accurate list of the most played sports around the world.

There may be a difference between sports played in organized competition and recreationally. Any visitor to South America will see the thousands of kids playing soccer every day in the streets, a scene that is repeated in many other places around the world. A popular sport that is not usually found on top sports lists is running or track and field. Track and Field (athletics) is one of the highest participation sports in the world, and as many people just run for fitness they do not all participate in organized sporting contests. What about fishing? Although many people participate in fishing around the world, it is dubious whether fishing can be considered a sport for all of these. Although there are some fishing competitions most people participate in fishing for food or recreation.

Some Top 10 Sports Popularity Lists

My Created Lists:

Other Lists Online:

What do you think?

Now that you have seen a few lists of the world's most popular sports, based on various criteria, why not be part of another list. There is a difference in the world between sports that people like to play and those who like to watch. It will be interesting to see how these lists differ, and how they relate to the other lists above. As with most online polls, my list will be biased to the site visitors, which are not a true even representation of the world's regions or age groups.

Comments

  • Soccer is the best ..idiots luv cricket ...its a useless game n only lazy people can play dat game ..its a time wasting game olso . we will lose n entire day by watchin a match .....i cant belive  still sum idiots sayin rubbish bout futball .... (from sanjay, May 2012)
  • Why hasn't anyone been saying anything good about RUGBY. It is by far the best game ever. You need strength, speed and endurance to play well but anyone from any age can play. It is suited for almost any weather conditions and it's simply fun to play. (from Max, May 2012)
  • Soccer is the best. Most creative and unique sport in the world. Go away all the ignorant haters calling it boring and dumb. (from Zidane, May 2012)
  • god father of all sport is cricket. Only 11 major countries plays the game and still it is second on list so think wat happens if only china will join with India. Think (from dev ojha, May 2012)
  • Football is such a borin and worst game to watch and oly people with goat brains watch it . 22 people chasing a single ball and scoring oly 3-5 goals after hours together wat a time waste and boOoring game (from mithun, May 2012)
  • you guys forgot about wrestling or speed games. football is playing in 204 countries. so it is the best game. in america so many fouls have playing so many games idiots. peoples like sports according to their countries (from Godwin Jacob, May 2012)
  • Volleyball is the most enjoyable sport to play because of the diversity. (from bob, April 2012)
  • Most interesting to play - Badminton, Table Tennis
    Most interesting to watch on Ground - Football
    Most interesting to watch on TV - Cricket
    Most interesting statistics - Cricket
    Most interesting Tactics - Field Hockey
    Most brainy - Chess
    (from pradeep, April 2012)
  • Volleyball is the best sport! your never get bored.
  • Cricket is an all round sport. We play cricket we doesn't always run mad like in football or rugby. There are times we run, we stand, we slide, we fly or it goes on. That's why its a gentlemen game. Watch T20, our latest format of the game.But cricket will become best sport if players so more athleticism. Is anyone agree. (from vinoth, April 2012)
  • Field hockey and football are the best. field hockey is one of the fastest games. football requires power. not like cricket. i don't understand y people call it a sport (from Abhishek Manidhar, April 2012)
  • Oh, Cricket should not be considered as a sport god damn. I live in London and walking in the park and watching people playing that so called sport makes me sick.  10 people standing doing nothing.. Try a true sport, like rugby, basketball, football u lazy 'players'. you prob cant even get fit while playing cricket ... I do understand, that Indians, Pakistanians, etc., are to small or to weak to play a propa sport, but TRY IT (from cricketaintasport, April 2012)
  • What about track and field? (from Thrower, April 2012)
  • Softball is the best sport ever, most watched, talked about and played. :) (from hshbdhghdfbfb, April 2012)
  • SOCCER BETTER THEN ANYTHING! (from kevin, April 2012)
  • Football/soccer is undoubtedly the number one sport in the world ... far ahead of any other sport. Cricket is only played in the Indian subcontinent, while in countries like Australia and New Zealand, rugby is actually the top sport. Football on the other hand is the top sport in Mexico, South America, Europe, Africa, and South East Asia... (from Archit, April 2012)
  • You won't get that thrill in cricket in football! Best game. even make your heart beat faster than usual (from Arjun, March 2012)
  • You fools its Futbol not football.  And yes soccer is the best sport in the world.  Cricket is a no-lifer, non-physical and retarded activity: not even worth playing.  It doesn't deserve the number two spot... more like track and field. (from Chris P. Bacon, April 2012)
  • cricket is d best in world soccer is giving not thirll like that in few days cricket will be best sport in world (from amol india, April 2012)
  • Cricket in Indian sub-continent. Rugby in New-zealand and Aus. Baseball in USA. Ice hockey in Canada... and everywhere else Football. (from Sachinism, March 2012)
  • tackle football is the best (from clay, March 2012)
  • Cricket is nothing in comparison of soccer and field hockey. There are mainly about 14 countries play cricket but 203 countries play football and 147 countries play field hockey (from Abhishek Manidhar, March 2012)
  • Basketball is the second or third popular sport in the world. It is very popular in North America and Europe. Some European countries basketball is more popular than soccer. Euroleague and Liga acb are totally supported. (from Ahmedi, March 2012)
  • the biggest intersting game is cricket and it is the game of all games put together (from A B Chandra kanth, March 2012).
  • You won't get that thrill in cricket in football! Best game. even make your heart beat faster than usual (from Arjun, March 2012).
  • East or west cricket is the best.i like very much cricket .cricket is playing 105 country moreover barazil and argentina is playing cricket so cricket is the best (from danyden, March 2012).
  • Cricket is the best in the world. my life is cricket. i like football but only world cup but everyday i like cricket. (from zahir khan, March 2012)
  • Football is king! It is most watched, most played in the world. Millions of fans every weekend attend football stadiums around the world!!!! No other sport comes near it!!!! (from Harry Australia, Jan 2012)
  • Cricket is the most boring sport moreover it is known for match fixing in India, Pakistan, SL and Australia (from Syed, Jan 2012)
  • U idiots have forgot handball, in Norway only, there is over 200 teams in series of girls borned in 1996, so how many teams are in whole Norway? Think about that! (from Samii, Jan 2012)
  • soccer is most popular everybody knows cricket comes second (from hun, Nov 2011)
  • The cricket is the best sport in the world! :) (from Anna, Oct 2011)
  • I am sorry but I have to agree that Baseball is one of the ugliest sport to watch.  And there are plenty of Americans who love to play the true game of football (FIFA) (from a Yankee, sorry guys, Sept 2011)
  • I think soccer is the best game and played by most country (from harsh, Aug 2011)
  • Cricket the most interesting game in the world. (Mujahid ali saqib, Aug 2011)
  • first thing first: it's sacrilegious to call football as soccer. Football (international body FIFA) is indeed the king and will always remain that. It is played on every continent (except by the penguins on Antarctica and the yankees in the USA). Loved by Latinos, Caucasians, Arabs, Africans, Asians. This truly is a sport that all of humanity is enchanted with. After football, the most beautiful sport in my opinion is Tennis. Undoubtedly the most beautiful individuals sport. Field Hockey, Cricket, Table Tennis, Basketball, and Volleyball are decent sports as well. The most disgusting game to watch and play: Baseball (Congrats Yankees). The second most disgusting game to watch: Golf. (Though must be delightful to play) (from aqib, July 2011)
  • Isn't basketball like the 2nd or 3rd most popular sports (from like a somebaaaaaady, June 2011)
  • Now football is best. In furture surely we can say cricket is better than football becoz now the cricket going that like (from haru, June 2011)
  • Only 20 countries, even not in the Olympics, not in Commonwealth games, the game of CRICKET is top in Asia!! Some people are saying test cricket is taken long time, but over 80000 thousand watches the ASHES in every day (in ground) what about that? My dear football friends after another few years football will come CRICKET (the honest game) will take lead (from faiq, June 2011).
  • Soccer is the most popular sport world wide by far so all of the other sports can suck it!! XD (from Dylan DeSantis, May 2011)

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