Top 5 Most Popular Participation Sports In The World

Although it is quite difficult to estimate exact participation numbers for sports around the world, it is possible to give a general idea of some of the most participated sports using available research, although we appreciate that the list is open to debate.

1
Soccer/FootballFew things can rival football as a spectator sport and this is also matched by the number of people who participate in the sport, be it at grassroots level, 5-a-side leagues or simply playing for fun with friends. In the last global census undertaken by the sports governing body FIFA, it was estimated that there are 265 million people who play the sport along with more than 5 million referees, which equates to 4% of the world’s population.

2
Badminton
It might come as a surprise to some people that badminton is among the world’s top 10 most participated sports. But badminton is an extremely popular indoor sport, which is played regularly by an estimated 220 million people around the world. It is particularly popular in Asia, with many of the best players ever to grace the game hailing from the continent.

3
Field Hockey
This fast paced sport is played by men and women in over 100 countries on 5 continents around the world. A firm favorite at the Olympic Games, field hockey is a highly technical sport, played by 10 outfield players plus a goalkeeper and its rules differ from the Ice hockey variation of the sport.

4
Volleyball
Originating from America, volleyball boasts an impressive estimated global participation figure of 998 million people. Indoor and outdoor versions of the sport are played all over the world, with over 220 affiliated national federations registered to volleyball’s global governing body the ‘FIVB’.

5
Basketball
The Federation of International Basketball Associations (FIBA) estimates that a minimum of 450 million people play the sport around the world, be it recreationally or through structured competitions. Legendary figures in the world of basketball such as Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, have aided the rise in global popularity of the sport from its American roots.

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