By: Mila Hart

Based on where you live, or where you’re from, some sports may be more popular than others. Particular parts of the world care more about specific sports. Here we’ll look at the overall most popular sports in the world.

To be able to determine which sports are most popular I considered: the amount of fan engagement, money in the sport, number and types of players, and overall relevancy.

The fifth most popular sport is tennis. This sport’s popularity is generally consistent around the world with an estimated one billion fans. It is popular in America, Europe, and Asia. Fans tune in to watch tennis matches. There are four major competitions called the Grand Slams. These competitions are watched by over four million fans. A lot of the money in the sport comes from sponsorship deals.

The fourth most popular sports are field hockey and ice hockey. This sport is estimated to have over two billion fans around the world. By including both field and ice hockey, this sport has one of the best global fan bases and audiences. This sport struggles with consistent cash flow however.

The third most popular sport in the world is basketball. This sport is estimated to have nearly two and half billion fans. This sport is trying to grow more internationally but its general popularity still comes from the United States. Because of the NBA, there is a constant flow of cash. The NBA agreed on a TV rights deal worth 24 billion dollars over nine years, and the average salary for an NBA player is over three million dollars.

The second most popular sport may come as a surprise to Americans. Cricket is primarily played in Asia, Australia, and the United Kingdom with an estimated two and a half billion fans. This sport does well in viewership on tv and tv rights deals

The most popular sport in the world is soccer or futbol. This sport dominates nearly every single one of the criteria used for ranking. Soccer has an estimated three and a half billion fans worldwide and is played and followed almost all over the world. Because soccer has so many fans, it brings in more money than any other sport.