5 Popular Sports That Draw the Most Participation in the World

You can probably rattle off the popular sports that effortlessly draw the most spectators worldwide, but which one has the most participation? Even though it’s impossible to pin down the exact numbers, there’s enough research that gives us a fair idea about the top five.

One of the key indicators is the percentage of participation in a particular sport by the adult population for more than 30 minutes every four days a week. Let’s do a deep dive into the top five games people play.

1. Soccer Reigns Supreme as a Participation Sport

Not surprisingly, soccer heads the list of the most popular participation sports in the world; it’s also undoubtedly the finest spectator sport. It’s played all over the World for fun, even at the grassroots levels, where five-a-side leagues are quite a draw among friends. 


According to FIFA’s last collected data, an estimated 270 million people play the sport, which accounts for four percent of the total world population. Besides the U.S. and Canada, which have most of its people playing football regularly, it is also played extensively in Europe and Africa. One of the main reasons for such enthusiastic participation might be because soccer as a sport is cheap, and everyone can engage in it irrespective of their economic status. 

2. Badminton Is People’s Favorite Indoor Sport

Badminton is a sport that is widely prevalent in Asia, with active participation from kids and adults. An estimated 220 million worldwide enjoy playing the sport regularly. Little wonder, then, that most of the accomplished players in badminton come from the Asian subcontinent.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of badminton is that it can be played on the beach or as an indoor sport on a rectangular court. It can either be played with a shuttlecock or a ball. It has its merits as an indoor sport played by friends and families almost every chance they get.

3. Field Hockey Is an Olympic Favorite

Unlike other sports, field hockey is highly technical. As a sophisticated contact sport, it’s more prevalent in European countries, Africa, Australia, and Asia. So, it is all the more surprising that both genders play the game with immense passion in over 100 countries across five continents.

The favorite sport of the Olympic Games has 10 outfielders and a goalkeeper on each team. Its rules vastly differ from those of its counterpart, ice hockey. Interestingly, there are more registered field hockey players than ice hockey players in the U.S., even though the latter is more popular in the country.

4. Volleyball’s Interesting Indoor and Outdoor Play

Volleyball has a dual identity as a recreational and competitive sport. Over an astonishing 998 million people globally adore the game so much that they’ve made it their go-to sport. When you think of beaches, it’s probably the first activity you think of to enjoy with your pals. 

Both its outdoor and indoor versions are pretty famous, with nearly 220 affiliated national federations of the sport registered with FIVB, the international governing body for all its variations. Volleyball originated in the United States, but over time, it has become a much-loved sport in most countries, including Western Europe, Australia, and Asia.

5. The High-Energy Game of Basketball

Basketball has drawn continued interest from fans all over the world for being a fast-paced and high-energy game; it is also recognized for drawing the most participation. While we are more than aware of the structured game, especially in the way NBA has popularized the sport in recent years, there’s infinitely more to it. 

It’s a widely participated game in schools and colleges globally, with many establishing successful careers as professional basketballers. As an energizing recreational and competitive sport, FIBA - the Federation of International Basketball Association reports high participation of over 450 people from around the World. 

This list of sports with the most participation includes the ones that inspire people to play the game on the streets casually and those who train hard, enter the leagues, and go beyond. Legends like the late Kobe Bryant and Lionel Messi and yesteryear stars such as Maradona have inspired generations to embrace any kind of sport in any form.