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10. Golf -

Golf commands a worldwide audience of over 450 million fans. It's a sport that originated in Scotland in the 15th century. In 1764 the first 18-hole golf course was constructed at St. Andrews.  

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10. Golf -

Scottie Scheffler of the United States celebrates on the 18th green after winning the 2024 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 14, 2024, in Augusta, Georgia. Scheffler is currently ranked world number one. 

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10. Golf -

Nelly Korda, also of the United States, is ranked number one in women's golf. 

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9. Rugby -

Rugby is said to have originated at Rugby School in Warwickshire, England, in 1823. Today, over 475 million fans worldwide enjoy watching the sport. 

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9. Rugby -

The sport's premier tournament is the Rugby World Cup. Pictured is the Quarter Final match between France and South Africa at Stade de France on October 15, 2023, in Paris, France. 

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9. Rugby -

The emergence of women's rugby has boosted fan numbers considerably. Pictured: New Zealand players perform the haka after defeating Australia in the women's cup final during day three of the HSBC SVNS Singapore at the National Stadium on May 5, 2024, in Singapore. 

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8. Baseball -

Baseball is one of the most iconic sports in the United States. The game enjoys worldwide popularity, however, with a fan base numbering over 500 million fans.  

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8. Baseball -

Baseball evolved from older bat-and-ball games already being played in England by the mid-18th century. The first organized game played in the United States took place in Hoboken, New Jersey, in 1846. 

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8. Baseball -

While baseball for the most part remains the preserve of men, there is a women's national team in the US. Elsewhere, women's baseball is played in several other countries, notably Australia and Japan. 

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7. Basketball -

Basketball is another hugely popular sport in the United States, and in many other countries around the world. An estimated 800-plus million fans across the globe follow the game. 

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7. Basketball -

A form of basketball was introduced in the US in 1891. The first game played under the auspices of the NBA took place in 1946. Pictured is LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers, one of the superstars of the game.  

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7. Basketball -

The Women's National Basketball Association was founded in 1996. Despite record ratings, women's basketball still struggles financially, leaving players far behind their male counterparts in compensation, according to NBC News. 

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6. Table tennis -

Surprisingly perhaps, table tennis enjoys a worldwide fan base in excess of over 850 million, many of them Chinese. China in fact has established itself as the most popular country in table tennis, with a long history of success in the sport. 

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6. Table tennis -

Wang Chuqin of China is currently ranked world number one in the sport.

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6. Table tennis -

The women's world number one is Ding Ning, also of China.  

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5. Volleyball -

Volleyball emerged as a sport in 1895, when the first recorded game took place in a gym at Holyoke in Massachusetts. Today, over 900 million fans enjoy this dynamic sporting activity. 

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5. Volleyball -

Here, Kimberly Hill of the United States serves during the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) Women's World Championship 5th place match between Japan and the USA at Yokohama Arena on October 19, 2018, in Yokohama. 

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5. Volleyball -

Pictured is Wallace De Souza of Brazil against Poland's Mateusz Bieniek and Artur Szalpuk during the final of the Brazil vs Poland match for the FIVB Men's World Championship 2018. 

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4. Tennis -

Tennis has a long history. The origins of the game can be traced to a 12th–13th-century handball game called jeu de paume, played by European monks for entertainment roles during ceremonial occasions. Today, the sport commands an audience of over one billion fans. Pictured is Court Philippe-Chatrier, the main clay court at Roland Garros. The venue hosts the French Open. 

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4. Tennis -

Tennis' current world number one is Novak Djokovic, seen here in action at Wimbledon.

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4. Tennis -

The current number one women's tennis player is Iga Swiatek, pictured here celebrating her quarter-final win at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadow during the US Open in 2022.  

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3. Hockey -

The sport ranked third in terms of fan numbers is field hockey, with over two billion fans of the game worldwide. According to the International Hockey Federation, the game's origins can be traced back almost 4,000 years, with historical references found in Iran, Egypt, and Greece.

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3. Hockey -

Pictured is Justine Rasir of Belgium and Eva de Goede of the Netherlands during the FIH Hockey Women's World Cup 2022 match at the Wagener Hockey Stadium on July 12, 2022, in Amstelveen, Netherlands. 

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3. Hockey -

Here, Cassiem Mustaphaa of South Africa celebrates after scoring his team's first goal during the FIH Men's Indoor Hockey World Cup pool B match between Australia and South Africa at Heartfelt Arena on February 5, 2023, in Pretoria, South Africa. 

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2. Cricket -

The second most popular sport in the world according to fan numbers is cricket, with a global audience of around 2.5 billion. The sport has a known history that stretches back to late 16th-century England. Besides Great Britain, cricket is immensely popular in India, Australia, Pakistan, the West Indies, South Africa, and New Zealand.  

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2. Cricket -

Babar Azam of Pakistan is bowled by Kuldeep Yadav of India during the Group Stage match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 at Old Trafford, England, on June 16, 2019.  

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2. Cricket -

Believe it or not, women have played cricket for centuries, in fact, since 1745. Admirers of the women's game today make up a sizeable proportion of the sport's fan base. Here, Ellyse Perry of Australia is bowled by Lauren Bell of England during the Women's Ashes 1st Vitality IT20 match at Edgbaston on July 1, 2023.  

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1. Football (Soccer) -

No prizes for guessing what sport takes the number one sport! Yep, football, also called soccer, is followed by a staggering 3.5 billion fans worldwide. Modern football originated in Britain in the 19th century. Today according to World Population Review, the "beautiful game" is played in over 230 countries around the world, but is most popular in Brazil.   

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1. Football (Soccer) -

Over the years, the game has produced some truly gifted players. The late Pelé is arguably the greatest footballer of all time. Meanwhile, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have their own legions of fans.  

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1. Football (Soccer) -

More and more fans follow the women's game, which has become a growing phenomenon, overcoming social barriers and stereotypes historically linked to sports.  

Sources: (World Atlas) (World Rugby) (USA Baseball) (Lord's Cricket Ground)

See also: What are the origins of your favorite sport?

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