20 Most Popular Sports in the World

2. Cricket

Estimated No. of Fans Worldwide: 2.5 billion

While cricket is not yet as globally widespread as soccer, it is no less than a religion in the Indian subcontinent – one of the most densely populated regions in the world. The sport is trying to build a new stronghold across the Atlantic, with 16 matches of the 2024 T20 World Cup being played in the U.S. The United States national cricket team also made headlines during the tournament when it defeated Pakistan, a juggernaut of the sport, in a nail-biting thriller of a match in Dallas.