10 Famous Sports In The World

Sports are played worldwide as a professional career, hobby, or part of a fitness routine. However, ranking sports based on popularity can be difficult because people in every region have a sport they consider their favorite. In this article, you will find out that the 10 most popular sports in the world have been ranked using criteria such as the number of fans, number of players, and revenues generated. 

Football/Soccer

The first sport on this list is Football, also referred to as soccer in some world regions. Football or soccer is one of the cheapest sports you can engage in because you need your legs and a ball. According to reports, the game originated during the 19th century. However, most people believe the game of football had existed long before then. 

Interestingly, the sport has 4 billion fans from different regions of the world, mainly America, Africa, and Asia. In addition, it will fascinate you to know that the sport has over 200 million players from different countries across the globe. 

Cricket

With over 3 billion fans from regions like the UK, India, Pakistan, and Australia, cricket is the second most popular sport after football. The game of cricket is played by 11 players with bats and a ball. According to a report, over 2 billion people from different regions watched the cricket world cup in 2015. However, the sport is only popular in about 20 countries in the world. Interestingly, when you go through the list of athletes on different social media platforms, you will find out that the majority of them are cricket players.

Basketball

Basketball is a popular sport in different countries worldwide, especially in China, America, Japan, and Canada. Do you know the NBA is watched across the world? Interestingly, the league has a lot of fans within and outside the United States of America. However, the sport has more male players than females.

Hockey

Hockey is an umbrella term for two types of sports, which are ice hockey and field hockey. Interestingly, both types of hockey are prevalent across the globe, and you can watch them whenever you switch on your TV set. While field hockey is popular in India and Pakistan, ice hockey is popular among top European countries. Besides the over 2 billion fans the sport has, it has a wide range of audiences from different regions worldwide. However, you won't find a lot of hockey players on social media.

Tennis

Tennis is a popular sport played between two people or two teams with two players each. Did you know that a large tennis fan base exists in every country in the world? But that's not all. The game of tennis is also popular because of the major tennis events that take place in different countries of the world, such as the US Open, Wimbledon, French Open, and Australian Open. Interestingly, these events create revenue of up to 1 million dollars yearly.

Volleyball

Volleyball is the 6th most popular sport globally because of its huge fan base in regions like Europe, America, Asia, and Australia. However, people only watch the sport on TV during a major competition such as the Olympics. In addition, the number of volleyball players on social media platforms is small compared to players of other sports. 

You can find people playing the game of volleyball on popular beaches in Australia. Even though the sport is popular in almost every country globally, it doesn't have enough social media presence and mouthwatering sponsorship deals. Interestingly, the average salary of a volleyball player is within the range of 2 to 3 hundred thousand dollars. Pretty cool, right? But that's not all. The sport has a lot of amateur players second only to football. 

Table Tennis

Known as ping pong too; Table tennis is a popular sport globally with over 850 million followers. Just like volleyball, you can only watch a table tennis game on TV during a major competition, such as the Olympics. Interestingly, you will find out that most people play table tennis as a hobby.

Baseball

A game played with just a bat and ball, baseball is popular in different countries, especially Cuba, the US, Dominican Republic, and Japan. Even though the sport is not the most-watched on TV, it is trendy on the internet. However, only a few countries, such as Japan, Australia, the US, and Korea, have professional baseball leagues. In addition, the sport is only popular when a major competition is going on.

Rugby

With over 400 million fans worldwide, Rugby is very popular in countries like South Africa, France, New Zealand, and England. According to reports, the game was introduced to South Africa during the 18th century by visitors from England. Interestingly, the majority of the sport's followers are from the aforementioned countries. But that's not all. 

Rugby has professional leagues in major countries in the world. However, most people only watch the sport when a major competition or tournament is going on. Interestingly, most rugby players receive an average of $60,000 as a yearly salary.

Golf

Golf is a popular sport played with a club and ball. The majority of golf fans around the world are males who belong to the upper class. It will interest you to know that only a few females and young people watch golf. Even though the sport is popular in over 100 countries, it is mostly watched when a major competition occurs.

Final Thoughts

Now that you know the 10 most popular sports globally, you can choose to become a follower or player of any. However, you must know that there are other popular sports in the world that many play and enjoy. Visit 먹튀검증 to know more.