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Top 50 Sportsabc Global Sports Index
50 Most Popular Sports in the World: Global Rankings
#1 Football (Soccer)
Teams of 11 aim to score by getting the ball into the opponent’s goal.
Global Popularity
Most popular globally (Europe, South America, Africa, Asia)
Major Events
FIFA World Cup, UEFA Champions League
Notable Athletes
Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Pelé
#2 Basketball
Two teams of 5 try to score by shooting a ball into a hoop.
Global Popularity
USA, China, Europe
Major Events
NBA Finals, FIBA World Cup, Olympics
Notable Athletes
Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant
#3 Cricket
A bat-and-ball game where runs are scored by hitting the ball and running between wickets.
Global Popularity
India, Australia, England, Pakistan, West Indies
Major Events
ICC Cricket World Cup, IPL
Notable Athletes
Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Brian Lara
#4 Tennis
Players hit a ball over a net, aiming to outplay the opponent.
Global Popularity
Worldwide (Europe, North America, Australia)
Major Events
Wimbledon, US Open, French Open, Australian Open
Notable Athletes
Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Rafael Nadal
#5 American Football
Teams of 11 advance the ball into the opponent's end zone to score.
Global Popularity
USA
Major Events
Super Bowl, NFL Playoffs
Notable Athletes
Tom Brady, Joe Montana, Peyton Manning
#6 Baseball
Teams take turns batting and fielding to score runs by hitting the ball and running bases.
Global Popularity
USA, Japan, Latin America
Major Events
World Series, MLB All-Star Game
Notable Athletes
Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, Ichiro Suzuki
#7 Rugby
Teams carry or kick a ball to score in the opponent’s end zone.
Global Popularity
UK, New Zealand, South Africa, Australia
Major Events
Rugby World Cup, Six Nations
Notable Athletes
Jonah Lomu, Richie McCaw, Jonny Wilkinson
#8 Ice Hockey
Teams try to score by shooting a puck into the opponent’s goal using sticks on an ice rink.
Global Popularity
Canada, USA, Russia, Nordic countries
Major Events
Stanley Cup, Winter Olympics
Notable Athletes
Wayne Gretzky, Sidney Crosby, Alexander Ovechkin
#9 Golf
Players use clubs to hit a ball into a series of holes in as few strokes as possible.
Global Popularity
USA, Europe, Asia
Major Events
The Masters, The Open Championship, PGA Championship
Notable Athletes
Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Rory McIlroy
#10 Swimming
Competitive swimming races in various strokes over specified distances in a pool.
Global Popularity
USA, Australia, China
Major Events
Olympics, FINA World Championships
Notable Athletes
Michael Phelps, Katie Ledecky, Ian Thorpe
#11 Boxing
Two fighters compete using punches to score points or knock out the opponent.
Global Popularity
Worldwide (USA, Mexico, UK)
Major Events
World Championship Boxing, Olympics
Notable Athletes
Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Floyd Mayweather
#12 MMA
A combat sport blending techniques from boxing, wrestling, jiu-jitsu, and more.
Global Popularity
USA, Brazil, Japan
Major Events
UFC Championship, Bellator MMA
Notable Athletes
Conor McGregor, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Amanda Nunes
#13 Volleyball
Two teams try to ground the ball on the opponent’s side of the net.
Global Popularity
Europe, Brazil, Asia
Major Events
FIVB World Championship, Olympics
Notable Athletes
Karch Kiraly, Giba, Misty May-Treanor
#14 Athletics
Events include running, jumping, and throwing disciplines.
Global Popularity
Worldwide
Major Events
Olympics, World Athletics Championships
Notable Athletes
Usain Bolt, Allyson Felix, Carl Lewis
#15 Table Tennis
Players hit a lightweight ball back and forth on a table using paddles.
Global Popularity
China, Japan, Europe
Major Events
World Championships, Olympics
Notable Athletes
Ma Long, Zhang Jike, Deng Yaping
#16 Badminton
Players hit a shuttlecock over a net using racquets.
Global Popularity
Asia, Europe
Major Events
BWF World Championships, Olympics
Notable Athletes
Lin Dan, Lee Chong Wei, Carolina Marín
#17 Cycling
Competitive cycling includes road races, track events, and mountain biking.
Global Popularity
Europe, USA, Australia
Major Events
Tour de France, Giro d’Italia
Notable Athletes
Lance Armstrong, Eddy Merckx, Chris Froome
#18 Skiing
Skiers descend snow-covered slopes using skis.
Global Popularity
Europe, North America
Major Events
Winter Olympics, FIS Alpine Ski World Cup
Notable Athletes
Lindsey Vonn, Marcel Hirscher, Jean-Claude Killy
#19 Surfing
Riders use surfboards to catch and ride ocean waves.
Global Popularity
Australia, USA, Brazil
Major Events
World Surf League Championship Tour
Notable Athletes
Kelly Slater, Gabriel Medina, Stephanie Gilmore
#20 Formula 1 Racing
Drivers race on circuits worldwide in high-speed, technologically advanced cars.
Global Popularity
Europe, Asia, Middle East
Major Events
F1 World Championship, Monaco Grand Prix
Notable Athletes
Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumacher, Ayrton Senna
#21 Gymnastics
Athletes perform acrobatic routines on apparatuses like bars, beams, and floors.
Global Popularity
USA, Russia, China
Major Events
Olympics, World Championships
Notable Athletes
Simone Biles, Nadia Comaneci, Kohei Uchimura
#22 Handball
Teams pass a ball using their hands, aiming to score by throwing it into the opponent's goal.
Global Popularity
Europe, particularly Germany, Scandinavia
Major Events
European Championships, Olympics
Notable Athletes
Nikola Karabatić, Mikkel Hansen
#23 Horse Racing
Jockeys race horses over various distances on tracks.
Global Popularity
USA, UK, Australia
Major Events
Kentucky Derby, Grand National, Melbourne Cup
Notable Athletes
Frankie Dettori, Lester Piggott
#24 Snooker
Players use cues to pot balls on a felt-covered table.
Global Popularity
UK, China
Major Events
World Snooker Championship, UK Championship
Notable Athletes
Ronnie O’Sullivan, Stephen Hendry
#25 Bowling
Players roll a ball to knock down pins arranged in a triangle.
Global Popularity
USA, Asia
Major Events
PBA Tour, World Bowling Championships
Notable Athletes
Walter Ray Williams Jr., Pete Weber
#26 Softball
Similar to baseball, but played with a larger ball and on a smaller field.
Global Popularity
USA, Japan
Major Events
Women's College World Series, Olympics
Notable Athletes
Jennie Finch, Lisa Fernandez
#27 Water Polo
Teams try to score goals by throwing a ball into the opponent's goal in a pool.
Global Popularity
Europe, USA
Major Events
FINA World Championships, Olympics
Notable Athletes
Tony Azevedo, Maggie Steffens
#28 Canoeing/Kayaking
Athletes race canoes or kayaks through various water courses.
Global Popularity
Europe, North America
Major Events
Olympics, ICF World Championships
Notable Athletes
Birgit Fischer, Tony Estanguet
#29 Fencing
Players use swords to score points by making contact with the opponent.
Global Popularity
Europe, USA, Asia
Major Events
Olympics, World Fencing Championships
Notable Athletes
Valentina Vezzali, Aron Szilágyi
#30 Judo
A martial art where opponents try to throw or pin each other to the ground.
Global Popularity
Japan, Europe
Major Events
Olympics, World Judo Championships
Notable Athletes
Teddy Riner, Shohei Ono
#31 Rowing
Teams or individuals race boats by rowing oars through the water.
Global Popularity
UK, USA, Germany
Major Events
Olympics, World Rowing Championships
Notable Athletes
Steve Redgrave, Mahe Drysdale
#32 Triathlon
A multi-discipline event involving swimming, cycling, and running.
Global Popularity
USA, Europe, Australia
Major Events
Ironman World Championship, Olympics
Notable Athletes
Jan Frodeno, Alistair Brownlee
#33 Snowboarding
Athletes descend snowy slopes on a snowboard.
Global Popularity
USA, Canada, Europe
Major Events
Winter Olympics, X Games
Notable Athletes
Shaun White, Chloe Kim
#34 Wrestling
Two opponents try to pin each other to the ground.
Global Popularity
Worldwide
Major Events
Olympics, World Wrestling Championships
Notable Athletes
Aleksandr Karelin, Jordan Burroughs
#35 Skateboarding
Athletes perform tricks and maneuvers on a skateboard.
Global Popularity
USA, Brazil
Major Events
X Games, Olympics
Notable Athletes
Tony Hawk, Nyjah Huston
#36 Equestrian
Athletes compete in horseback events, including show jumping, dressage, and eventing.
Global Popularity
Europe, USA, Australia
Major Events
Olympics, World Equestrian Games
Notable Athletes
Charlotte Dujardin, Nick Skelton
#37 Squash
Players take turns hitting a small rubber ball against a wall.
Global Popularity
UK, Egypt, USA
Major Events
PSA World Championships, British Open
Notable Athletes
Jahangir Khan, Nicol David
#38 Lacrosse
Teams use long-handled sticks to catch, carry, and shoot a small ball into the opponent's goal.
Global Popularity
USA, Canada
Major Events
World Lacrosse Championship, NCAA Championships
Notable Athletes
Paul Rabil, Gary Gait
#39 Field Hockey
Teams try to score by hitting a small ball into the opponent’s goal using curved sticks.
Global Popularity
Europe, Asia, Australia
Major Events
Olympics, FIH Hockey World Cup
Notable Athletes
Teun de Nooijer, Luciana Aymar
#40 Bobsleigh
Teams race down icy tracks in sleds, reaching speeds of up to 150 km/h.
Global Popularity
Europe, North America
Major Events
Winter Olympics, World Championships
Notable Athletes
Francesco Friedrich, Kaillie Humphries
#41 Weightlifting
Athletes lift heavy weights in the snatch and clean & jerk events.
Global Popularity
Worldwide
Major Events
Olympics, World Weightlifting Championships
Notable Athletes
Lasha Talakhadze, Naim Süleymanoğlu
#42 Muay Thai
A combat sport involving stand-up striking and clinching techniques.
Global Popularity
Thailand, worldwide
Major Events
Muay Thai World Championships
Notable Athletes
Buakaw Banchamek, Saenchai
#43 Rugby League
A variation of rugby with different rules, played primarily in Australia, New Zealand, and parts of the UK.
Global Popularity
Australia, New Zealand, UK
Major Events
Rugby League World Cup
Notable Athletes
Cameron Smith, Billy Slater
#44 Motocross
Off-road motorcycle racing over dirt tracks with jumps and turns.
Global Popularity
USA, Europe
Major Events
FIM Motocross World Championship
Notable Athletes
Stefan Everts, Ricky Carmichael
#45 Sailing
Athletes race boats using sails for propulsion.
Global Popularity
USA, Europe, New Zealand
Major Events
America’s Cup, Olympics
Notable Athletes
Ben Ainslie, Russell Coutts
#46 Speed Skating
Athletes race around an ice track in time trials or head-to-head races.
Global Popularity
Netherlands, Canada, USA
Major Events
Winter Olympics, World Championships
Notable Athletes
Eric Heiden, Ireen Wüst
#47 Archery
Athletes use bows to shoot arrows at a target, aiming for precision.
Global Popularity
Worldwide
Major Events
Olympics, World Archery Championships
Notable Athletes
Kim Woo-jin, Brady Ellison
#48 Darts
Players throw small pointed objects at a circular target, trying to hit specific regions to score points.
Global Popularity
UK, Netherlands, USA
Major Events
PDC World Darts Championship
Notable Athletes
Phil Taylor, Michael van Gerwen
#49 Taekwondo
A Korean martial art focused on head-height kicks, jumping and spinning kicks.
Global Popularity
South Korea, worldwide
Major Events
Olympics, World Taekwondo Championships
Notable Athletes
Hwang Kyung-seon, Steven Lopez
#50 Kitesurfing
A water sport where a kite is used to pull the rider across the water on a board.
Global Popularity
USA, Brazil, South Africa
Major Events
Kitesurfing World Cup, Red Bull King of the Air
Notable Athletes
Youri Zoon, Gisela Pulido
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