Most Popular Sports in The World

universalist

EOG Dedicated
Top 10 Most Popular Sports in The World [Updated 2020]
by sportsshow.net



Today we are going to take a look at the top 10 most popular sports in the world. But before we do that it is important to know the importance of sports and the criteria that should be used to make a ranking of sports.Sports play an important role in our lives. From the early childhood years where we take sports very seriously to the later years in life where we consider it as a hobby, a fitness ritual, and sometimes even a profession. Today in every part of the world some sport is passionately followed. People take their sporting heroes as their role models and often have an emotional attachment with their favorite sports stars and sports teams. People in different regions of the world have different favorite sports. This makes ranking sports quite a challenging and difficult job. This is exactly why it is hard to ascertain the reliability and accuracy of different sports lists out there.
Here, it is important to know exactly what do we mean by most popular sports. The word “popular” could mean “most-watched sports,” “most played sports,” or “most revenue-generating sports”. But in all honesty, it would be unfair to rank the sports by popularity, if we take just one or two criteria. Therefore, we have decided to use 14 different criteria in order to rank the most popular sports in the world.

Criteria Used for Ranking:
  1. Global Fan Base and Audience
  2. Viewership on TV
  3. TV Rights Deals
  4. Popularity on Internet
  5. Presence on Social Media
  6. Number of Professional Leagues in the World
  7. Average Salary of Athletes in the Top Leagues
  8. Sponsorship Deals
  9. Number of Countries in Which the Sport is Popular
  10. Biggest Competition
  11. Relevancy Throughout the Year
  12. Access to the General Public
  13. Number of Amateur Players in The World
  14. The prominence of the sport in sports headlines on print and electronic media
We have used these extensive criteria in order to make sure that we can accurately ascertain the popularity of different sports and rank them in the correct order. Hopefully, this list compiled after thorough research would be helpful for you.

Here is a Table of Top 10 Popular Sports

1. Soccer/Association Football 3.5 Billion

2. Cricket 2.5 Billion

3. Basketball 2.2 Billion

4. Field Hockey 2 Billion

5. Tennis 1 Billion

6. Volleyball 900 Million

7. Table Tennis 850 Million

8. Baseball 500 Million

9. Americal Football 410 Million

9, Rugby 410 Million

10 Golf 390
 
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Viejo Dinosaur

EOG Master
Top TV Sports in Asia on any given day...

Futbol (soccer)
Cricket
Golf
Badmitton
Tennis
Formula One
Field Hockey
Rugby
Table Tennis
Volleyball
Snooker
Track and Field
All Winter Sports
WWE
Boxing
MMA
Basketball (from all over the world)

I have 12-15 channels of sports on my cable and these are the most popular...can be watched anytime of the day and night....
 
In my part of Latin America its pretty much

1. Live futbol
2. Taped futbol
3. Talk shows about futbol
4. Classic games of futbol
5. Tennis
6. Formula 1
7. Baseball, some US and some Latin American leagues
8. NFL, although the League has really cut down on the free games trying to get you to buy packages
9. NBA and Euroleague hoops
10. Lastly I get my token weekly NHL game, which doesn't really matter because I buy the online NHL package.
 

John Kelly

Born Gambler
Staff member
Good call, WildBill.

Here in Costa Rica, every channel is The Soccer Channel.

I've been told every baby's playpen has a soccer ball in it.

Little boys, not so much little girls, are encouraged to play soccer.

Title IX is a non-factor in most Central American countries.
 
Good call, WildBill.

Here in Costa Rica, every channel is The Soccer Channel.

I've been told every baby's playpen has a soccer ball in it.

Little boys, not so much little girls, are encouraged to play soccer.

Title IX is a non-factor in most Central American countries.

True on the girls, but the women's game is getting much stronger. I think we are only a decade away from the US women losing their world dominance. The women's league in Mexico gets some decent crowds, partially juiced by practically giving away the tickets when you buy a men's season ticket. They don't show many on TV though, seems the average viewer would rather watch a replay of a men's league game played in Bulgaria or Greece than a local live women's match.
 

John Kelly

Born Gambler
Staff member
How about the shameless domestic violence in Central American countries when the local soccer clubs lose a game?

Hide the women and children on gamedays.

Embarrassing.
 

TobyTyler

EOG Dedicated
Was on Ferry St in Newark yesterday, heavy heavy hispanic area. My son and i saw "Sporting Goods" store front sign. Went in and 100% soccer only jerseys, cleats, etc. My son was like "where is all the basketball stuff?" Lol, this is Newark son.
 

universalist

EOG Dedicated
Here in Rhode Island Soccer is now big time. When I was VP for the Little League, way back when, soccer was a minor, minor sport with LL overflowing with children, Now there are not enough of local children to make a league. Towns are no combing it's team to make up a Little League while soccer is big time year round. That said, even soccer has less children because of video games and just plain laziness on the part of parents and children. Both parents and children would rather sit around and be on the devices. That is why in less then five years almost 60% of the US population will be obese.
 

John Kelly

Born Gambler
Staff member
EOG contributor SKINNY recently asked a good question, "Everyone's been involved in a game of pick-up basketball at the playground, but do you remember the days of pick-up baseball at the schoolyard?"

Sandlot baseball doesn't seem to exist any longer.
 

universalist

EOG Dedicated
When I was in Elementary school me and the boys played pick up baseball every day after school in the spring, summer and fall. We even kept track of home runs. I have not see a pick up baseball game by children in decades.
 

railbird

EOG Master
basketball has been ruimed by leftists and globalists like David Stern, Jay Bilas, Adam Silver, Lebron James, Kobe. espn. Whites and coaching, post play, structured offense, physical defense have been elimnated and attendance and ratings is down on all levels. HS,NCAA, and NBA, there is WHITE FLIGHT. March madness ratings up slightly maybe but not because of basketball but gambling, and office pools. overall attendance is down at 90pct of teams of the 353. High school attendance. pick up games less everywhere. nba ratings falling knife
 

universalist

EOG Dedicated
I think besides your points, railbird, there is another important factor. I live in a neighborhood where there are a lot of children and youn adults proven by the bus stops for school in the morning. However, it is rare to see these same neighbors out side. Their parents allow their children and themselves to play their video games and or spend hours on their phones. I read a statistic that in about 2025 nearly 60% of Americans will be obese. Me, I am an old man but only 2,5 pounds more than when I graduated high school/
 
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Viejo Dinosaur

EOG Master
Depends on the era where and when you were a kid....during my childhood there were no cell phones or video games....from ages 8-12 we went home from school and straight to the baseball fields...on weekends everyone met at the local sandlot and played until dark....same with football, basketball, and ice hockey in the winter....our parents always knew where we were...
 

FairWarning

Bells Beer Connoisseur
basketball has been ruimed by leftists and globalists like David Stern, Jay Bilas, Adam Silver, Lebron James, Kobe. espn. Whites and coaching, post play, structured offense, physical defense have been elimnated and attendance and ratings is down on all levels. HS,NCAA, and NBA, there is WHITE FLIGHT. March madness ratings up slightly maybe but not because of basketball but gambling, and office pools. overall attendance is down at 90pct of teams of the 353. High school attendance. pick up games less everywhere. nba ratings falling knife

Interesting float at Marci Gras

 

IWishIWasAPro

EOG Master
I think besides your points, railbird, there is another important factor. I live in a neighborhood where there are a lot of children and youn adults proven by the bus stops for school in the morning. However, it is rare to see these same neighbors out side. Their parents allow their children and themselves to play their video games and or spend hours on their phones. I read a statistic that in about 2025 nearly 60% of Americans will be obese. Me, I am an old man but only 2,5 pounds more than when I graduated high school/

Lazyness and the new age. While technology has advanced it takes up everybody's time and nobody truly communicates anymore. I also believe video games and the access to streaming services makes it less tempting for kids to do what we did growing up. They arent going to the park to play. Dont even get me started on the processed trash food either.

Nobody wants to do labor and become a mechanic, carpenter, welder etc.. they want fast money..
 
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