Which is the most popular sport in America? Top 12 revealed

Sports are an instrumental part of cohesion and integration in most countries. It is quite challenging to estimate the exact participation numbers for sports globally. However, it is common knowledge that some are more popular than others. The most popular sports in America are enjoyed by millions of people on the continent.

Sport is good for everyone's physical and mental health. There are numerous types of games played across the world. The most popular sports in America are pretty engaging, and millions of people enjoy playing or watching them.

Most popular sports in America: top 12 list

The sports market size in 2023 is experiencing strong growth. It has developed into a full-blown worldwide industry in the past decades.

There are unprecedented levels of revenue in this industry and more players than ever. The market size is projected to be 83.1 billion dollars in 2023, and below is an exploration of the top sports in the US.

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NBA

12. Badminton

• Year of invention: 1873
• Governing body: Badminton World Federation (BWF)
• First Olympics: 1992
• Famous players: Tony Gunawan, Beiwen Zhang, Howard Bach, and Mathew Fogarty

Did you know badminton is also called court or lawn game? It is one of the top American sports in 2023. The Badminton World Federation (BWF) is the international governing body recognised by the International Olympic Committee.

11. Volleyball

• Year of invention: 1895
• Inventor: William G. Morgan
• Governing body: Federation Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB)
• First Olympics: 1964
• Famous players: Kerri Walsh Jennings, Clayton Stanley, Matt Anderson, and Todd Rogers

Volleyball is one of the most popular sports in the US today. It is played by two teams, usually of six players on each side. The players use their hands to bat a ball back and forth over a high net. They try to make the ball touch the court within the opponents’ playing area before it can be given back.

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Baseball

10. Wrestling

• Inventors: Ancient Greeks
• Governing body: World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (WWE)
• First Olympics: 1896
• Famous players: Dwayne Johnson, John Cena, The Undertaker, Ronda Rousey, and Sasha Banks

Wrestling involves physical engagement between two unarmed persons. Each wrestler does their best to obtain a position of advantage over their opponent. Different grappling-type techniques, e.g. joint locks, clinch fighting, throws, pins, and takedowns are used.

9. Motor sports

• Year of invention: 1910s
• Governing body: Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (THE FIA)
• First Olympics: 1900
• Famous players: Mario Andretti, Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, and Dan Gurney

Motor or autosports encompass a group of competitive gaming events which primarily involve the use of motorised vehicles. They are among the popular sports in the USA in 2023. However, Americans tend to ignore major international series, e.g. Formula One and MotoGP, in favor of home-grown racing series.

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Athletics

8. Boxing

• Year of invention: 1681
• Governing body: The International Boxing Association (IBA)
• First Olympics: 1904
• Famous players: Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Floyd Mayweather Jr., and George Foreman

Boxing is a combat game in which two people throw punches at each other for a predetermined amount of time in a boxing ring. Players usually wear protective gloves and other protective equipment, e.g., hand wraps and mouth guards.

7. Golf

• Year of invention: 1764
• Governing body: International Golf Federation (IGF)
• First Olympics: 1900
• Famous players: Arnold Palmer, Tiger Woods, Ben Hogan, Tom Watson, and Lee Trevino

Golf is one of the most watched sports in America. It is a club-and-ball sport in which players use clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course. They are required to use as few strokes as possible.

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Football

6. Tennis

• Year of invention: 1873
• Inventor: Major Walter Clopton Wingfield
• Governing body: International Tennis Federation (ITF)
• First Olympics: 1896
• Famous players: Andre Agassi, Serena Williams, Jim Courier, and John McEnroe

Tennis players can play as two opposing players (singles) or pairs of players (doubles). They use tautly strung rackets to hit tennis balls of specified sizes, weights, and bounces over a net on a rectangular court.

5. Ice hockey

• Year of invention: 1875
• Governing body: International Ice Hockey Federation
• First Olympics: 1920
• Famous players: Patrick Kane, Mike Modano, Brian Leetch, Chris Chelios, and Phil Housley

In ice hockey, two teams wearing skates compete on an ice rink. Each team has six players who propel the puck past a goal line and into a net guarded by a goaltender. The game is popular for its speed and frequent physical contact.

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Formula 1

4. Soccer

• Year of invention: 1863
• Governing body: FIFA
• First Olympics: 1900 (men) and 1996 (women)
• Famous players: Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey, Brian McBride, Tim Howard, and Cobi Jones

Soccer is also known as association football, and is the world's most popular game. It involves two teams of eleven players who try to maneuver the ball into the other team’s goal. The use of hands or arms is not allowed, and the team that scores more goals wins.

3. Baseball

• Year of invention: 1846
• Governing body: International Baseball Federation
• First Olympics: 1904
• Famous players: Babe Ruth, Roger Clemens, Hank Aaron, Barry Bonds, Ty Cobb, and Stan Musial

Baseball is a game played with a bat, a ball, and gloves. It is played by two teams, each with nine players. Each team is on a field with four white bases laid in a diamond. Teams alternate positions as batters and fielders. They change places when three members of a batting team are put out.

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Football

2. Basketball

• Year of invention: 1891
• Governing body: The International Basketball Federation
• First Olympics: 1936
• Famous players: Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and Shaquille O'Neal

Basketball is a game played between two teams of five players each, usually on an indoors rectangular court. The game is pretty dynamic and it builds stamina from the short sprints required of running up and down the length of the court. Each team tries to score by tossing the ball through the opponent’s goal.

1. American football

• Year of invention: 1869
• Governing body: International Federation of American Football
• First Olympics: 1904
• Famous players: Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Jim Brown, Brett Favre, and Ray Lewis

American football, also known as gridiron, is the most played sport in America. Gridiron football evolved from English rugby and soccer. Unlike soccer, players are permitted to touch, throw, and carry the ball with their hands. It is also different from rugby because it allows each side to control the ball in alternating possessions.

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Recap of the most popular sports in America

What is the most popular sport in America?

American football is the most popular game in the United States in 2023.

What is America's national sport?

Baseball is the national game of the United States of America. It is a bat-and-ball game played between two opposing teams who take turns batting and fielding.

What are the 3 most popular sports in the US?

The top three most popular sports in America are American football, basketball, and baseball.

What is the number 1 sport in the USA?

The number one game in the United States of America is American football.

The most popular sports in America have millions of fans and players. They are exciting to watch and play and form a crucial part of cohesion and integration on the continent.

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Football

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