20 Most Popular Sports in the World

3. Hockey

Estimated No. of Fans Worldwide: 2 billion

Whether it be in the field or on ice, hockey enjoys a huge fanbase thanks to its fast-paced physical play and non-stop action. The NHL saw a 21% YoY increase in sponsorship revenue to touch $1.4 billion for the 2023-24 season. Hockey team owners also scored big, with the average NHL team reaching $1.33 billion in value at the end of last year.