The Most Popular Sports of Today
Sports have been part of the human race since civilisation first begun, and there are hundreds of historic sources documenting all the different types sports that our ancient ancestors used to enjoy. The ancient Greeks were the first to truly glorify sports – in the form of the Olympics – which is still running to this day.
The most popular sports of today’s world, however, are those that have only been around for the last 200 hundred years, and even then, they have all evolved in their own way. Despite their relative young age compared to some of their ancestors, these modern sports are incredibly popular all around the globe, and it is difficult to find a country that does not celebrate a sport in some way or another.
What Are The Most Popular Sports?
Every country around the world will have its own favourite sport among the people of different countries, but there’s no denying that some international sports reign supreme in terms of sheer popularity. Ranging from global tournaments to localised events, these are the most beloved sports from across the planet.
- Soccer/Football: Football leads the roster as the most watched and played sport internationally, with an estimated fanbase of over 4 billion people. No other sport in the world comes close to the number of football lovers there are out there, and the game has no signs of slowing down.
- Basketball: Coming in at number two, basketball is followed closely by over 1 billion fans from around the world, but the sport is most popular within the United States of America. While basketball may not have as many followers as other sports, the fact that it is played so widely across the world makes it a top contender.
- Cricket: Originally a uniquely British game, cricket has become a global force to be reckoned with. 2 billion fans and a multi billion dollar industry, cricket has won the hearts and minds all over the globe, but especially in those countries that British had a presence in within the last 200 years.
- Tennis: Tennis is unique compared to other popular sports due to the fact that it’s an individual-based sport, whereas the others are all made up of teams. Despite this, tennis still has a following of over 1 billion people from around the planet.
- Athletics: Made up of a few different types of sport, such as running and long jump, athletics is most well-known for being part of the biggest sporting event in the world: the Olympics.
These are only 5 of the most followed sports internationally, but there are many more that each has their own substantial fan bases, such as golf, Formula 1, boxing, and more. Sport has also given rise to a large betting network, and many sports fans enjoy taking out wagers on their favourite games and events. Find out more about how it works and which sites are the best for online betting NZ activities.
Taking Part In Popular Sports
If you’re a fan of any well-known sport, there’s a good chance that you have taken part in it at some point. Whether it was at school or university, most places around the world offer a variety of different sports to choose from. The easiest way to get into a new type of game is by joining a club, and depending on your region, most sports clubs will offer more than one type of team to join.