The 10 most popular sports in the world in 2021 (2023)

Sport is something that can unite people of different colors, races and religions. You will hardly find someone who has not practiced sports all their life. Interestingly, there are more than 8,000 sports in the world. It is virtually impossible to remember or participate in all sports. But there are some games that you should know about.

In today's articles, we'll talk about ten of the most popular sports in the world right now. They were chosen based on worldwide popularity and the number of fans. Read on for a brief look at the dominant games.

The most popular sports in the world in 2021

Let's start the discussion about the most watched sport in the world which will help you to learn more about these games.

1. Football (Soccer)

Club football is possibly the most popular sport the world has ever seen. Although the game is called soccer in the United States, everyone knows it as soccer. It is believed that almost half of the world's population considers them soccer fans. The game is played by approximately 270 million people and around 3.5 billion fans around the world. More than 3.5 billion fans enjoyed the sport at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, the most matches in history.

Soccer is also the most dominant game compared to TV ratings. People from all over the world sit in front of the TV to enjoy different football leagues including Laliga, English Premier League, Serie A, Bundesliga and many more. It is also one of the highest-paid esports in the world, with the highest-paid player earning an estimated $127 million. Although the game has global influence, it is more prevalent in the regions of Europe, Africa, Asia, etc.

2. Grid

Cricket, the so-called Gentleman's Game, is currently the second most popular sport in the world. The approximate fan base of the game is 2.5 billion. Now it is the most popular game in the commonwealth colonies including India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka etc. Aside from Asia, the game is also popular in the UK, Australia, South Africa, the West Indies, and New Zealand. The game is pretty sprawling compared to the other games.

The International Cricket Council or ICC is the world governing body for the game which regularly organizes various tournaments. Popular cricket tournaments include ICC World Cup, ICC T20 World Cup, IPL, BPL, Big Bash, Championship Trophy, etc. Although it is one of the most popular games in the world, only 15-20 countries actively participate in the game. Despite its popularity, the game does not pay as much as other popular games.

3. Basket

Basketball is one of them.America's most famous sport.. Although it is mainly based in the United States, it is also popular in some other countries including China, Canada, the Philippines, etc. The estimated size of the game's fanbase is 2 to 3 billion in total. The game is played under the National Basketball Association or NBA, which operates the National Basketball League, the game's most widespread alliance. There are more than 70,000 professional basketball players around the world.

The NBA is one of the highest paid leagues in the world where the average salary is around $3 million. It is also widely played in the United States as it is easy to play and can be played anywhere in a small area. Although the sport is very famous, it is a relatively new game, developed in 1891. Recently, the games have been discussed in support of the Hong Kong protest movement.

4.Eishoquei

There are two forms of ice hockey game i.e. field hockey and ice hockey. Both games are called ice hockey and are watched by two billion people around the world. Field hockey is played on a field like a soccer ball when ice hockey is a frozen field. Field hockey is widely played in a large number of countries around the world. However, it is more famous in the Netherlands, Germany, Australia, Argentina, India, New Zealand, the United States, etc.

Ice hockey is more widespread in European countries such as Canada, the United States, Sweden, Latvia, etc. Although the game is played in different countries around the world, it is not as widely seen on television and electronic media. While the game pays very well in European countries, the situation in Asian countries is quite different. Some of the most famous ice hockey leagues are NHL, KHL, AHL, SHL, IIHF, Liiga, etc.

5. Tennis

Tennis is quite different from other popular game variants. The game is played individually or in a team of two players. It has a fan base of one billion people all over the world. The sport is practiced mainly in developed countries in the Americas, Europe and some countries in Asia. However, people from various countries follow the game regularly. Some of the famous tennis stars are Maria Sharapova, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic etc.

There are a large number of international tennis competitions around the world. Among them, the most popular are Wimbledon, French Open, US Open, Australian Open, etc. The competitions are watched by more than 400 million people around the world. One of the notable things about the game is the high participation of female players in the game. The game is also one of the highest paying games in the world.

6. Volleyball

Volleyball is a very exciting game that has around 900 million fans around the world. It is a two team game and there are six players in each group. People would rather play it than watch it on TV and other electronic media. The game of volleyball was invented by W.G. Morgan, a member of the Young Men's Christian Association. He founded the game in 1895 by combining various principles of tennis, basketball, baseball, and handball.

The game of volleyball is most popular in North America and Western European countries. Although people play in almost every country, there aren't many major competitions or TV appearances. Two of the most popular tournaments in the game are the FIVB Volleyball and Olympic Championships. Although the game is not as popular as the other mainline games, it has the highest nie in the federation.

7. Table tennis

The sport of table tennis is also known as ping pong in many countries. Aside from the name, there are some decent similarities between table tennis and the regular game of tennis. The table tennis game is played on a table where the other roles are almost the same as in tennis. It can be played by a single player or a team of two players. The game is currently known as a parlor game and is played in many countries.

Table tennis is not as popular as a professional game and has minimal exposure on television and in major tournaments. That's because the game doesn't pay much. Even the best players in the game cannot earn the average salary of a football or basketball player. However, it is played by fans in a large number of countries.

8. baseball

Baseball is very popular in the United States. He also has a large following in Japan, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and a few other countries. Overall, the game has an estimated fan base of 500 million and is one of the top ten games in the world. The game is a mass sport like cricket, but the rules of the game are completely different. The root of the game is in the US and later spread to other regions.

The game of baseball has extensive television coverage in the United States and in other mentioned countries. Also, it is only played professionally in these countries. In the United States, approximately 68.5 million fans are playing Major League Baseball League in 2019. Although the game is not as well known globally, it is highly paid with an average salary of $4 million.

9. rugby

The ninth popular game on our list is rugby, which has an approximate fan base of 400 million people. The game is very popular in France and Spain. It is played and followed by a large number of people in South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Polynesia, etc. It is not as popular in other parts of the world.

The exhibition of the game on TV is quite affordable in the mentioned countries. It is played professionally in these countries. The game's popularity is highest during major tournaments such as the Rugby World Cup and Olympic competitions. Since the game is very popular in developed countries, it also pays quite a lot. The average salary of a rugby player is a maximum of $60,000.

10. The golf course

Golf is a unique game for a player who has a long history. According to some historians, a similar game called Paganica existed in Roman times. However, the modern game of golf was developed in Scotland in the 15th century. The game is called "The Rich Man's Game" because of the costs involved.

There are around 390 million fans of the game and most of the fans are older. Some of the most famous golf tournaments are PGA Tour, LPGA Tour, European Tour, PGA Tour Champion, etc. The game also pays very well compared to the other games. Currently, Tiger Wood is the most popular and highest paid golfer, earning around $50 million a year.

Soccer is the most popular game in the world, there is no doubt about that. But also other games like cricket, basketball, hockey, etc. have a significant impact on the world of sports. I hope the above descriptions of the most popular sports in the world are enlightening for you.