Football is undoubtedly the most popular sport in the world, with an estimated 3.5 billion followers and 250 million players in 200 countries. It is an inclusive sport for all genders, and its popularity is evident in the fact that more than half of the world's population tunes in to watch the World Cup every four years. Football is king in almost all of Europe, South America, Africa, the Middle East, Central America and Asia. Cricket comes in second place with 2.5 billion fans, followed by basketball with 2.2 billion and field hockey with 2 billion.
Tennis is also a popular sport, with an estimated 270 million players around the world and 875 million fans. It is an accessible sport that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and abilities, and it has become increasingly popular over the years. Volleyball is another sport that receives great attention around the world, particularly in North and South America, Western Europe, Australia and Asia. It has up to 900 million fans and is played by more than 270 million people.
Rugby is a sport that attracts up to 10 million players worldwide, while table tennis has a fan base of 875 million since 2003. Lacrosse is one of the fastest growing sports in North America and is played all over the world in Europe, Australia and other countries. In Canada, ice hockey is the most popular sport. It originated in Montreal and is Canada's official winter sport. Basketball is also popular in the United States, having been invented by American-Canadian teacher James Naismith. Formula 1 racing has become an international sport since its first Grand Prix in 1906. It has grown in popularity over time and now attracts millions of viewers around the world. Finally, handball is considered the second most important sport in Europe after football. The first international handball match was between Germany and Belgium in 1925. In conclusion, football remains the number one sport in the world with 3.5 billion followers.
However, there are many other sports that are popular around the world such as cricket, basketball, field hockey, tennis, volleyball, rugby, table tennis, lacrosse, ice hockey, basketball and Formula 1 racing.