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The most watched sports worldwide

People watching sport on TV

Sports transcend boundaries, cultures, and languages, uniting billions of fans (and players) worldwide.

They draw enormous crowds in the stands and on screens.

Globally, 85% of internet users report regularly watching sports on TV or online. Stadiums like the Bernabéu host over 70,000 people, drawing global fans during major soccer events.

Wherever you go, nothing seems to thrill and unite people quite as much as sports does. And this is because of the several ways people get involved in sports.

As outlined in the How Big Is the Sports Industry report, sports consist of three broad domains. They include fan interaction, widespread participation, and sports merchandise, all of which make sports popular worldwide.

Read on to learn about the universal appeal of sports and the world’s most-watched sports.

A global view of the most popular sports in different countries

Unsurprisingly, soccer (often referred to as football outside of the USA) is the most popular sport in the world. It’s a religion in Europe, Africa, and Latin America.

Only a few European countries prefer sports other than soccer. In Austria and Estonia, skiing is the most popular sport.

Gaelic football is Ireland's most popular sport. Basketball reigns supreme in Latvia and Lithuania, although ice hockey is highly popular in Finland.

There are a few other countries where soccer is not as popular. Cricket and American football, for example, are the most popular sports in South Asia and the United States.

Ice hockey has the most fans in Canada. Rugby is popular in Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, and several other Polynesian island nations.

Australian Rules Football (AFL) is the most popular sport in Australia. However, rugby is the most watched sport on television, with a total audience of over 174 million as of 2023.

Here’s a quick preview of the top sports in the most populous countries:

  • India: cricket
  • China: basketball
  • United States: American football
  • Indonesia: soccer
  • Pakistan: cricket
  • Nigeria: soccer
  • Brazil: soccer
  • Bangladesh: cricket
  • Russia: soccer

A huge shout out to Anguilla, the only nation where boat racing is the most followed and the official national sport. In Bhutan, archery is as popular as kickboxing is in Cambodia and Laos.

The universal appeal of sports

Sports are widely appealing because they stir pride and emotion. Major competitions, such as the Olympics, draw nations together, whilst local sports strengthen communal bonds.

This popularity can be attributed in part to sports globalization since teams are followed all around the world. For example, the Premier League is the world's most-watched sports league, with around 3.2 billion viewers across 188 nations.

In the same context, China has the highest NBA viewership of any country outside the United States. Every year, more than 100 million people worldwide watch the Super Bowl of American football.

Competition, which is always at the heart of sports, contributes to their global appeal. It fuels rivalries, motivates athletes to succeed, and keeps spectators engaged.

Over 10,500 athletes from 206 nations participated in the 2024 Paris Olympics. And more than 2 billion individuals from around the world watched the event.

Sports are also popular globally due to their perceived physical and mental health benefits.

How betting impacts sports universality

Sports’ universal popularity is all about athletic competition, intense action, dramatic storylines, and top-tier skill. But, more lately, betting has become a cultural phenomenon, adding to the excitement of watching games.

Wagering encourages people to follow sports because of their bets or a rooting interest that stems from their betting behavior.

In 2022, the Variety Intelligence Platform investigated how sports betting increases engagement. According to the survey, sports viewing increased following betting, with the NFL exhibiting a substantial surge.

Countries like Canada and approximately 40 states in the USA embrace regulated betting, adding a layer of excitement to sports. The sports betting sector is seeing tremendous growth in Europe too, with the UK, Italy, France, and many other European nations allowing betting.

Sports betting is also legal in Australia, India, the Philippines, and most South American countries. Kenya, Nigeria, and many other countries in Africa also allow regulated sports betting.

Platforms like Bonus.ca list some of the safest gambling providers available, giving punters a convenient way to engage with sports betting, making it a part of the overall viewing experience.

Popular sports and the respective iconic tournaments

  1. Football (Soccer): The EPL, FIFA World Cup, and UEFA Champions League
  2. Cricket: The ICC Cricket World Cup and IPL
  3. Basketball: The NBA Finals and FIBA World Cup
  4. Tennis: Wimbledon and the US Open
  5. Ice Hockey: The Stanley Cup Finals
  6. Motorsports: Formula 1

Soccer

The World Atlas asserts that soccer has over 3.5 billion around the world. Such staggering numbers make it the most-watched sport in the world!

The sheer number of viewers of the World Cup and different leagues, including the Premier League, further supports this. FIFA claimed that about 1.5 billion people tuned in to experience the FIFA World Cup 2022 final.

The Euros, AFCON, and Champions League are also popular tournaments in soccer.

Cricket

Cricket has 2.5 billion fans around the world. It flourishes in countries like India, Pakistan, Australia, and England, but has admirers from all around.

The sport has formats ranging from Test matches to high-octane T20 leagues like the Indian Premier League (IPL). Events such as the ICC Cricket World Cup further reinforce its status as one of the most popular sports.

Basketball

With 2.4 billion fans, basketball is a worldwide phenomenon thanks to its fast-paced action and star-studded leagues like the NBA. Some players who contributed to the sport’s global prominence include LeBron James, Michael Jordan, and the late Kobe Bryant.

In addition to the NBA, fans follow or wager in the following elite basketball leagues:

  • EuroLeague
  • Chinese Basketball Association (CBA)
  • ACB (Asociación de Clubs de Baloncesto)
  • Turkish Basketball Super League (BSL)
  • Russia's VTB United League
  • Germany's Basketball Bundesliga (BBL)
  • Italy's Lega Basket Serie A (LBA)

Key takeaways

While soccer remains the undeniable global favorite, there are a range of other sports to keep everyone entertained. Cricket, basketball, Formula One, boxing, and American football are all popular sports with billions of supporters worldwide.

The international popularity of sports stems not just from the entertainment, social, and psychological impact they provide, but also from wagers. Sports betting increases engagement and makes consumers want to see the teams they've wagered on compete.

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