There are many high-profile sports in the world, each popular in its country. Some are played for leisure and some as professional. As a sports lover, you have to look at this blog so that you can know more about the most viewed sports. Without any further delay, let’s have a look at the most-watched sports of 2024.
15 Most Watched Sports in 2024
1. Soccer
Passion is the one thing that drags people into a sport. Most people watch soccer because of the passion the sport makes them feel. Currently, soccer has around 4 billion viewers from all around the world and you will see a soccer fan everywhere you go. There are many fans of this sport because all you need to play this game is two teams and some passion in your heart.
How many viewers are there in total to watch the Soccer?
- A. 4 billion
- B. 2 billion
- C. 900 million
- D. 123 million
2. Cricket
Cricket is a non-contact game and is a very challenging one. It is the second most-played sport in the world with 2.5 billion viewers and fans. Cricket World Cup games occur every four years and IPL occurs every year, both of which are truly considered expensive global events. Cricket is successful mainly in Australia, England, and India.
3. Field Hockey
Field Hockey is the third most-watched sport in the world with around 2 billion fans and viewers. In Europe, Australia, Asia, Africa, and some other English countries, hockey is more popular. To play this dedicated sport all you need is a well-shaped bat and a small ball.
4. Tennis
Power, flexibility, endurance, and mental tenacity are seen in all the players of tennis. This sport has around 1 billion viewers. Most of the players come from Australia and professional tennis players are mostly millionaires or even billionaires.
5. Volleyball
Two main kinds of volleyball are played in the world – team volleyball and beach volleyball. Where there is a beach there will be a game of volleyball. This game requires physical strength and an active body. It has around 900 million fans around the world. This game of many different types like Shooting Volleyball, Footbag net, Newcomb ball, Foot volleyball, Sitting Volleyball, Traditional Volleyball, and more.
6. Golf
Golf is one of the oldest on this list, and it was established in the 13th century in Scotland. And then it has successfully spread worldwide, and now it has 450 million fans across Europe, Asia, and America, which accounts for its vast reach. The word, “golf,” derives from the Dutch word “Kolf and Kolf” which means “Club”. I
7. Baseball
Baseball is a game played with a bat a ball, and gloves between two teams of nine players of each team on a field. It is an American sport with almost 500 million fans. The first league for this sport was created in the year 1876, and it has been growing to date. Also, this sport is gaining more attention in Japan too. The Japanese people’s love for this game has been ranked high on the list.
8. Table Tennis
Table tennis is a game played on a table divided into two halves by a net in the middle using a lightweight ball and polished paddles, comprising a wooden blade coated with a rubber surface on both sides. Table tennis started with the dominance in China and eventually spread to the rest of Asia as well. However, this sport has an incredible 850 million fans worldwide. This game was invented by the English in the early 20th century.
9. Badminton
Badminton is a game that needs a lot of energy and is suitable for physical fitness. This game is played with a lightweight racket and a shuttlecock and does not need a lot of players. It can be played with one or two players on each team.
10. Rugby
Rugby is a football game played with two teams of 15 players on each side in rugby union play and 13 players in rugby league play. This sport has an almost 475 million fan base. It is the most popular sport in countries like the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. Rugby is played both with the ball in hand and by kicking the ball. Where the ball is being carried in hand and it can only be thrown or handed off backward.
11. Snooker
The sport Snooker is a game played on a large table with balls. The players use long sticks called cues to hit the white balls, and score points by knocking the colored balls into the pockets in the corner of the table. This particular game is spread throughout the British Empire, with the first official snooker competition in 1916 and the first professional event in 1927. The success of players like Ronnie O’Sullivan, Judd Trump, and Mark Selby has inspired a generation of players and other nations to their victory.
12. Basketball
Basketball is a game played between two teams of five players each on a rectangular court. The teams try to score by tossing the ball through the opponent’s goal, a relevant horizontal hoop, and a net. This sport became particularly popular in the United States, China, Canada, and the Philippines, with almost 2.2 million fans all over the world.
13. Boxing
Boxing is the most popular sport of many in the world. This is a sport that involves two athletes fighting each other to win, by punching their opponents with padded gloves on their fists. The opponents usually fight for 3-12 rounds, with each round lasting 3 minutes. A boxer wins the match by rendering the opponent incapable of continuing the match.
14. Wrestling
Wrestling is happening in various styles with the contestants. The three basic types of wrestling contests are the belt and jacket, catch-hold, and loose styles. The origins of wrestling go back to the 15000 years and are famous in France, Babylonian, and Egypt. These wrestling references occurred in the early Old Testament and in the ancient Indian Vedas.
15. Handball
Handball is a sport where two teams compete, with each other with 6 court players and 1 goalkeeper playing per team. And the substitutions can be made at any time while playing. Each goal counts as 1 point and the game mostly finishes with the teams that have scored over 20 points. This sport is mostly played on the 40m long and 20m wide court with the 2m high and 3m wide nets on each side. This sport has almost 26 million fans across the world.
I hope this blog helps you know more about the most-watched sports of the year 2024.