The 10 Most Popular Sports in the World and How Long They Have Been Played

You have read all about the most popular sports in the United States. Now, we are going to dive deeper into the lore of sports. It’s time to talk about sports from all around the world.

When you go to different countries, you will notice something a little different. Sports are all over the place. Likewise, there are so many of them. We will inform you of the 10 most popular sports in the world and how long they have been played.

10. Baseball

The top star in baseball is currently a Japanese-born player named Shohei Ohtani, signaling a large shift in popularity outside the United States.

Baseball possibly originated in England. It was not until the 19th Century that baseball started in the United States. You may recognize some of the best baseball players from all around the world.

The best player in baseball is currently Shohei Ohtani from Japan. You may have watched a Cleveland Guardians game and seen Jose Ramirez from the Dominican Republic. The Houston Astros feature Yordan Alvarez from Cuba. Likewise, the Los Angeles Dodgers have an ace in their rotation named Julio Urias from Mexico. There are other legendary players, like Miguel Cabrera from Venezuela. In fact, according to PlayToday, baseball has 500 million viewers worldwide.

9. Boxing

People all over the world will come out to a boxing event to watch, especially when someone from their country participates.

Boxing is one of the most popular sports in the world today and yesterday. Think about it. It possibly goes all the way back to 336 BC. In fact, there were rumors of the sport starting in Egypt. Ceferino Garcia allegedly started the bolo punch, which is popular today.

Many don’t believe it, but boxing has amassed a grand worldwide scale. Reportedly, the sport had almost 123 million viewers in 2020, according to market data. It still has mass appeal and continues to spark great interest today.

8. Rugby

People enjoy watching rugby matches for their athleticism.

Rugby is an Australian sport. If you were to say that, you would be partially correct. Yes, it is very popular down under. But it is also one of the most popular sports in the world across the spectrum. According to Sports Pro, the Rugby World Cup had nearly 1 billion people with their eyes drawn to the screen.

Rugby is actually one of the newer sports. It did not start until around the 19th Century. Not only do a lot of people watch, but there are almost 10 million people playing the sport around the world.

7. Basketball

With players like Victor Wembanyama and Nikola Jokic, the NBA is capitalizing on a growing world market.

Basketball is one of the most popular sports in the world. People play the game all the time. James Naismith made it all possible at a school in Massachusetts in the late 1800s

The NBA is probably the second-biggest sport in the United States. The San Antonio Spurs drafted Victor Wembanyama with the first pick in this year’s NBA draft. Likewise, the Denver Nuggets won the NBA title last season with Nikola Jokic leading the way. Both men are international superstars. Likewise, past talents like Hakeem Olajuwon and Tony Parker are former champions and have popularized the game even more. The NBA has over 2 billion fans worldwide, according to Fadeaway World.

6. Table Tennis

You can likely find this game at a bar, a lounge, or someone’s house.

Table tennis is awesome. People like to play it and watch it. In fact, over 2 billion watched the sport, according to the International Table Tennis Federation. David Foster created table tennis in 1890. Since then, it has become one of the most popular sports in the world and is really fun to play.

5. Volleyball

People can play volleyball on sand or grass, which captivates a large audience.

You can play it on the sand or on the grass. Some people join sports meetup groups just to play the sport. Yes, we are talking about volleyball. The sport originally had a different name: Mintonette. William G. Morgan was the man behind the plan, and he believed the sport would be successful when he thought of it in 1895.

There were approximately 1.5 billion viewers of the FIVB Volleyball Men’s Nations League. Amazingly, people tuned in to see great competition on both sides, and it has helped the sport grow even more than ever.

4. Tennis

It is not difficult to see why tennis has taken off over the years.

Tennis was a popular sport to play during the pandemic. It was a non-contact sport that was thrilling and easy to learn. The sport has over 1 billion fans. Moreover, it does not hurt that the sport has legendary international superstars like Martina Navratilova and Rafael Nadal.

Tennis possibly started back in France in the 12th century and was an indoor game at the time. It has since evolved into an outdoor game that requires a lot of skill and strategy. It remains one of the most popular sports in the world.

3. Hockey

International players carry the game of hockey, which is a significant reason why the sport is gaining traction.

The NHL is an international playground of superstar players. You have Alexander Ovechkin, the legendary left winger for the Washington Capitals, who will surely go into the Hall of Fame someday. Likewise, there is Evgeni Malkin, the Stanley Cup champ for the Pittsburgh Penguins. David Pastrnak, aka “Pasta,” is one of the best players in the world and continues to power the Boston Bruins.

All of these players are from around the world. Thus, they continue to inspire fans and future NHL hopefuls from all across the globe who wish to make it someday. There are about 3.5 billion fans across the world. Curiously, it is also one of the newer sports, as the first game did not take place until 1875. The NHL continues to grow today, and hockey continues to make waves across the world.

2. Cricket

People build stadiums to see cricket, and it is no surprise that the sport remains popular.

Cricket is one of the oldest games around. It started in the 16th century and has been thriving since. If you live in North America, you probably don’t know much about cricket. But the 2023 Cricket World Cup had over 87 million viewers, breaking a previous record.

Many people believe that cricket inspired baseball. While that is difficult to prove, the similarity between the sports is uncanny. It remains a popular sport and one that keeps going today.

1. Soccer/Football

People learn football when they are young, and it is the biggest and most popular sport across the spectrum.

We all watched the 2022 World Cup. Yes, even you watched the World Cup. There were 1 trillion viewing minutes across the world. Remarkably, it shattered constant records. Football (or soccer in America) is the most popular sport in the world. There are no other competitors that come close.

People learn to play football from an early age. You don’t even need much to create a field. You can set up a soccer field with some cones you get from the store. Also, you can use any soccer ball and play on any grass.

Football possibly has been around for over 3,000 years. There was a sport that involved kicking a ball made of leather. The ball itself has evolved over the years along with the sport. With it, its popularity has soared to new heights.