Sports are watched by billions around the world and it’s one of the few things that unites people everywhere. The passion and excitement it brings the most hardcore or even casual of fans is off the charts. There are hundreds of different sports enjoyed around the world and most of them are extremely popular in multiple places on earth. It’s hard to make out the exact number of fans that watch each sport worldwide but the numbers are huge, as indicated by each sport below. While most in North America would easily put American Football, NFL, at the top, it’s dwarfed by 9 other sports that enjoyed globally.
Most Watched Sports Around the World
1. Soccer
When it comes to the most watched sport in the world, Soccer, or Football, is by far on top. T.V. viewership is out of this world and the money coming in from T.V. rights is HUGE. An estimated 3,5 billion fans worldwide watch the sport and the passion they bring to it is like no other sporting event on earth.
2. Cricket
Cricket is enjoyed by 2.5 billion fans who watch around the globe. It’s extremely popular in the UK, Asia, and Australia among others. It might be slow-paced but that makes the suspense and anticipation of each moment even more enjoyable. That makes for one of the best atmospheres in sports and why it’s watched by billions of people. Not only is it increasing in its audience as traditional cricket populations migrate, but the money on betting has increased may times over in the past years. Many cricket fans will sign up for a top-rated betting app when making their selections for domestic and international test matches.
3. Field Hockey
There are different variations of hockey and while the sport itself is very popular, field hockey is the most watched form of it. Field hockey has been established and then taken over by various countries throughout its long history. While ice hockey is played on…ice, field hockey is played on grass or artificial turf. It also has been played on indoor boarded surfaces. The exciting sport of hockey, or field hockey, is watched by 2.2 billion fans.
4. Tennis
One of four sports to reach over one billion eyes, tennis is a tradition for everyone. It’s one of the original Olympic sports and has some of the most famous tournaments in the world that include the Australian Open, French Open, U.S. Open, and Wimbledon. It’s fast-paced action and simple rules allow the game to be exciting and thoroughly entertaining. The game can be played by just about any age group of people, making its popularity grow even more throughout the years.
5. Volleyball
A ball and a net is all that’s involved when playing volleyball. Like tennis, it’s played on a small court divided by a net. The excitement of the fast-paced game when the ball is in the air is something that makes volleyball popular almost everywhere. The game can be played inside in a gym or outdoors at a beach, park, or in a pool. The game is watched by 900 million people.
6. Table Tennis
While not as popular as regular tennis, table tennis has grown into a very popular sport for its tennis-like features, except this is on a much-limited scope. Garnering 850 million fans, it involves a small game table divided by a net with two small paddles and a small plastic ball. The rules are very simple, it doesn’t involve as much movement, and it requires very accessible equipment, making it easier for all people to just pick up and play.
7. Baseball
The World Baseball Classic is just one example of the sport’s outreach across the globe. It’s an American-led sport that has grown exponentially outside of the states. Its rich history and impact among so many is why baseball is such a coveted game. Baseball can be played at a very young age and can easily draw a following that supports every single level of baseball and its teams. Having a league like Major League Baseball followed by leagues around the world is a huge reason why the outreach of baseball is so great with a community of 500 million fans worldwide.
8. Golf
The outlook on Golf varies, but if you look at the numbers, more people around the world enjoy it than not. The game reaches 450 million viewers with its simple concept. While that’s the case, playing the game at a high level takes an amount of skill. That’s one of the reasons why people all over find it intriguing to watch. Golf also has major tournaments that a lot of people tune into, including the U.S. Open, the Open Championship, the PGA Championship, and the Masters. Golf is also still growing at all levels.
9. Basketball
There are loads of talented basketball players internationally, just look at the NBA for example. It’s an American-based sports league that is the best in the world yet some of their top players are from outside of the United States. Basketball has a huge following in the Olympics and some countries have closed the gap on USA Basketball. The sport has 400 million eyes on it around the globe because of its highly competitive nature and pure skill involved.
10. American Football
There’s no question that American football is by far the number one sport in the United States. The National Football League is a juggernaut and extremely popular in America but recently, the NFL has stepped up its efforts to grow the game internationally and that’s exactly what it’s done and continues to do by holding regular season games in various countries. The Super Bowl is one of the most watched sporting events in the world and will only continue to grow. Overall, American football, mainly the NFL, is watched by 400 million fans worldwide with more room to improve in its efforts to expand the game.
