The 10 Most Globally Popular Sports & 10 International Ones You've Never Heard Of
From Soccer To Snowkiting
Humans all over the world have been coming up with sports as forms of entertainment since the beginning of time. While some have blown up into globally beloved pastimes with billions of fans, others are gems that remain largely unknown outside of their region. Which sport is your favorite, and which obscure ones have you been missing out on? Here are 10 of the world's most popular sports and 10 you've never heard of.
1. Soccer
It may not be so big in the US, but the beautiful game has over 3.5 billion fans worldwide. It's by far the most popular sport in Europe, South America, and Africa.
2. Cricket
Another sport that isn't so hot in the US but has billions of fans is cricket. This is largely because it's the most popular sport in India, one of the most populous countries, but it also has a strong following in Australia and the UK.
3. Basketball
Basketball is easily one of the most entertaining and accessible sports in the world. It's always been among the most popular sports in the US, but stars like Michael Jordan gave it global appeal.
4. Hockey
Ice hockey and field hockey combined make the sport the fourth most popular. In Canada, ice hockey is the most popular sport, but in several other countries, including the Netherlands, Pakistan, and Germany, field hockey is more widely played.
LOGAN WEAVER | @LGNWVR on Unsplash
5. Tennis
With over 1 billion fans, tennis is another sport with global appeal. It's extremely popular in Europe, but also has a dedicated following in the US and Asia.
6. Volleyball
Volleyball has around 900 million fans globally, but Brazil is the leading force for both beach and indoor volleyball. Outside of South America, it's also popular in Italy, China, Japan, and the US.
7. Table Tennis
Were you surprised to see table tennis on this list? Us too. The sport has 850 million fans worldwide, with most of that fanbase in China and elsewhere in Asia.
8. Baseball
With a fanbase of 500 million, baseball is a popular sport, but mainly in the US, Canada, South America, and the Caribbean. It also became popular in Japan after being brought over by Americans in the 19th century and integrated into the school system.
9. Golf
Golf is a very popular sport in terms of per capita engagement, with a fanbase of 450 million worldwide. In addition to the US, golf is growing in popularity in Canada, Japan, the UK, and Ireland.
10. Football
Football was classically only really popular in the US, but its fanbase is growing globally. In Canada, it's the second most popular sport after hockey, and there are also a significant number of fans in Germany and the UK.
Now that we've covered the world's most popular sports, let's talk about some cool ones you've probably never heard of.
1. Sepak Takraw
Sepak Takraw is Malaysia's national sport that's also played in other parts of Asia. Players use their feet, knees, head, and chest to hit a woven ball over a net in a court that's similar to a badminton court.
2. Gaelic Football
Just as the US has "American football," Ireland has Gaelic football. It's a sport where teams compete on a field to kick or punch a ball over a crossbar for points.
3. Hurling
No, hurling is not a professional vomiting competition; it's an Irish sport similar to field hockey. Players use a stick called a hurley to strike a ball into a net or over goalposts for points.
4. Kabaddi
Kabaddi is a contact sport popular in Pakistan, Iran, and India. Teams take turns sending one player to tag as many players from the opposite team as they can without taking a breath.
5. Bossaball
Popular in Spain, Portugal, Germany, and Brazil, bossaball is a sport similar to soccer or volleyball played on a trampoline. Teams must his a ball over a volleyball-like net using any part of their body, doing acrobatic moves in the process to add to the spectacle.
6. Floorball
Floorball was created in Sweden in the 1970s. It's similar to field hockey except that it's played indoors, uses different types of sticks, and is not a contact sport.
Ævar Arnfjörð Bjarmason on Wikimedia
7. Pesäpallo
Pesäpallo is considered the Finnish version of baseball, but it has its own unique rules. In pesäpallo, the pitcher stands next to the batter and throws the ball directly upwards for the batter to hit it, so the emphasis is more on running bases than batting.
Santeri Viinamäki on Wikimedia
8. Snowkiting
Snowkiting combines snowboarding or skiing with kite flying. Snowkiters use large kites to propel themselves forward, kind of like kitesurfing but on snow.
9. Netball
Netball is similar to basketball, but players can't dribble or move very much. This forces them to move the ball up the court through passing, emphasizing teamwork. This sport is particularly popular in Australia, New Zealand, England, South Africa, and Jamaica.
10. Footvolley
Footvolley is a hybrid sport between soccer and volleyball played mainly in Brazil. Played on the sand with a volleyball net, players must get the ball over the net without using their hands.
