Sports play an important role in our lives. It is a great opportunity to get friends together to play some football or watch the championships in front of the TV. Parents try to get their children enrolled to play various sports as a means to help them grow up strong, agile and healthy. It is also an industry that generates billions of dollars each year. Sports is a part of everyone’s daily life and the key aspect that make them so popular is the level of competition. However, some sports are more popular than others due to various reasons. Here is the top 10 most popular sport in the world.
10. Golf
Factually speaking, gold is the most expensive sport due to several reasons. Not everyone can afford playing it as a hobby but it has a high number of views. In fact, the number of actual golf players is so low that the game is not even in the top 10 most players sports. Its number 10 spot is attributed to the popularity of the game in countries like USA, some regions in Asia and Australia. The viewership in these countries managed to get it ranking amongst the most popular sports in the world.
9. Table Tennis
Table tennis is a more accessible game but its popularity is boosted due to the large Chinese audience that enjoys this sport. Korea and Japan also share the passion for this sport and lately, the game started to be played more and more in Europe at a competitive and recreational level. The game allows only two players to participate at a time which might seem like a drawback but the advantage comes from the fact that it can be played indoors and outdoors. The Chinese professional players dominate all the events and continue to lead all the competitions and even the Olympics.
8. Rugby
The name of the sport was taken from school that was named Rugby. As a competitively played sport, the game enjoys and audience of 200 million viewers. More than six countries have it as the most popular sport and it is actively being played in France, Australia, England, Argentina, Fiji, South Africa and many others. It is also popular amongst amateurs but competitive play requires healthy players that are physically fit and can take a hard hit. Rugby players are known to be massive men that follow a strict diet and daily training.
7. Volleyball
Volleyball is actively being player at a professional level in more than 100 countries. Some schools even have it as a mandatory discipline for their students during the sports class. It is enjoyed on a worldwide level and has more than 200 million followers. It is commonly being played on beaches as a means of relaxation and enjoyment.
6. Baseball
600 million people place baseball above any other sport. USA, Cuba, Korea, Japan and Taiwan have it as one of their biggest sports league. In USA, baseball players are the wealthiest sportsmen. While many find it a slow game due to point to point gameplay that can be easily anticipated, the fans recognize the level of strategy involved and the team coordination required. The game is also played at an amateur level and many parents get their youngsters enrolled in a junior team. Some grow to play it competitively in lower leagues but many abandon it due to the high risk of developing injuries that could affect them for life.
5. Basketball
(Source: Flickr.com/photos/47611288@N00/3222971810)
Up till a decade ago, basketball was mainly popular in USA but it started to gain momentum as the European leagues began to show more talent and interest in this sport. Close to 250 million views watch basketball on a frequent basis and even more play the game with friends. However, even if a lot of children play basketball in high school, not all of them have the physical attributes to attempt to get in the competitive leagues. Professional basketball players are tall and have a very high endurance to effort.
4. Hockey
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Hockey has been one of the world’s favorite sports for more than 50 years. The Nordic European countries have national leagues that are just as popular as soccer. South-east Asian countries also play the game at a competitive level, managing to dominate the world of hockey. Recent statistics showed that the game managed to get 320 million followers. Unfortunately, it is not that popular as a sport for kids or amateurs. Most of the children that play hockey enroll in an official school and follow the path that could end up with a professional player’s career.
3. Tennis
One a worldwide scale, tennis manages to get an honorable 3rd place. It is a very popular game in many countries but the biggest audience numbers comes from Europe, USA and Australia. It is estimated that the game has a viewership of 2 billion. For the average individual, tennis is an expensive sport to learn but many can afford to play a game or two from time to time.
Also read: top 10 tennis player in the world
2. Cricket
It is said that cricket is a game of gentlemen. The British empire introduced the game to all its colonies around the world including India which is considered to have some of the best professional players in the world. The game is also popular in Australia who also has its own professional league. Cricket managed to keep its number 2 spot for decades now with India leading the numbers in terms of popularity.
1. Football/Soccer
It is said the soccer is the king of sports and for a good reason. More than 3 billion people enjoy this game more than any other sport. The world championships are the most viewed even on television and in the past few years it turned into a phenomenon. The European professional scene has lead the championships for decades but in the past few years, Asia, China, USA and Mexico started to show their love for the sport. It is a game that is accessible to anyone and it is actively played at an amateur level on a worldwide scale. It is the number one sport in the world due to the high number of amateur players, followers and professional teams established in more than 100 countries.