What is the most popular sport in the world?
Soccer, known as football outside North America, is the most popular sport in the world, with an estimated three to four billion fans and hundreds of millions of players.
Soccer needs little equipment, just a ball and space, which helps explain its popularity in almost every country. It is the top sport across Europe, South America, Africa and much of Asia. FIFA, the sport's governing body, has 211 member associations, more than the United Nations has member states.
Other sports with huge followings include cricket, especially in India, Pakistan and Australia, which has an estimated two to three billion fans. Basketball, field hockey, tennis, volleyball and table tennis are also among the most widely played and watched sports worldwide.
The World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, held every four years, is the most watched single-sport event. The 2026 tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico was the first with 48 teams. Spain won the trophy, beating Argentina in the final. Major clubs like Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester United have fans worldwide.
Did You Know?
The word soccer comes from an English slang abbreviation of association football, used in the late 1800s.