Which is the most watched sporting event in the world right now?

Out of 8 billion people worldwide, many religiously follow sports physically through various media sources. This article will rank the most watched sporting events that gain millions of viewers every season.

Universally, love and devotion to sports are innate. This dedication from fans can be seen when hundreds of thousands of in-person crowds fill local and regional stadiums. However, this article will dive into the statistics of the top 20 most-watched sporting events ever.

Top 20 most-watched sporting events

Universal broadcasts open up sports to several advantages, including much-needed revenue channelled back into the sport. Additionally, athletes can showcase their talent to a broader fan base through broadcasting and streaming services.

20. FA Cup Final - (8.9 million - 9.1 million)

How many people watch FA Cup final worldwide? With a fan base in every continent, it is unsurprising that all its events have large viewership rates. The 2021 FA Cup Final had a record live audience of between 8.9 million and 9.1 million viewers across various media channels.

The match between Leicester and Chelsea received 2 million viewers on BBC channels. Additionally, 21,000 fans showed up in person at the Wimbledon stadium to watch Leicester take the silver for the season.

19. FIFA Confederations Cup - (11.6 million - 14.6 million)

Before 1999, the highest FIFA Confederations Cup final in-person viewership was recorded at 110,000 during a Mexico vs Brazil match in Mexico City. Over the years, the numbers have increased exponentially.

Although officially published FIFA statistics, the highest live audiences were recorded at 12.5 million views with a 687,000 in-person crowd. In a news conference, the FIFA president, Sepp Blatter, spoke on the success of the 2013 Confederations Cup. He said,

18. March Madness Final Four - (12.3 million - 14.69 million)

March Madness is an annual sporting event that takes place in March. The NCAA basketball tournaments for women's and men's basketball championship games draw millions of viewers.

How many people watch the men's and women's Final Four? In 1995, the Women's March Madness championship game was televised, receiving its highest viewership of 9.92 million. The Men's tournaments received their largest audience of 14.69 million in 1999, with the most recent matches receiving 12.34 million viewers.

17. NBA Playoff Finals - (12.4 million - 15.14 million)

Are the NBA Playoff Finals the most-watched basketball sporting event in America? Annually, basketball fans faithfully follow regular and post-season games. The Playoffs receive the highest in-person views and live audiences as the season climax.

In 2022, the tournaments received a 22% increase in broadcast audiences averaging 12.4 million viewers. According to SportsPro Media, Game Six of the 2022 Playoffs live audience was recorded at 13.99 million with a record-high peak at 16.82 million. In 2016 and 2017, the NBA Finals TV viewership reached an all-time high between 20.2 million and 20.4 million.

16. NCAA Men’s Final Four - (12.3 million - 17 million)

According to SportsBusiness, the National Collegiate Athletic Association's men's basketball championship game's highest viewership averaged 12.3 million in 2023. In 2022, the championship game drew a 17 million strong live audience across several platforms.

15. MLB World Series - (12.87 million - 14.73 million)

How many viewers does the MLB World Series get? According to the MLB, the World Series accounts for over 12 million viewers on FOX media outlets.

Over the years, baseball games have taken top prime-time spots due to their ever-faithful fan bases. Average TV viewership for MLB World Series Games between 2000 and 2022 stands between 9.94 million and 16.52 million fans.

14. Kentucky Derby - 16.6 million

Is the Kentucky Derby the most-watched event in America? According to NBC, the 149th annual horse racing derby attracted an average of 14.8 million viewers, with a peak of 16.6 million between 7 and 7:15 pm on May 8th 2023. Additionally, the biggest attendance for Kentucky Derby peaked in 2015, with over 170,000 fans in attendance.

13. The Masters - (16.3 million - 44 million)

The Masters holds the all-time record as the most-watched golf tournament ever. According to GolfDigest, the golfing contest received its all-time viewership in 1997, with 44 million fans tuning in to follow the telecast. In the past five years, viewer rates ranged between 12 million and 16.3 million fans.

12. Wimbledon - 53.8 million

The largest online crowd following the Wimbledon Tennis Grand Slam is recorded at 53.8 million, with the second coming in at 30.5 million. Serena's final match against Ajla Tomljanovic during the 2022 US Open tournament is the most-watched tennis match in history, with 4.8 million fans following the telecast.

11. Asian Games - (31.8 million - 68 million)

Over the tournament's history, the biggest Asian Games took place in Guangzhou, China, in 2010. Although the Gamed featured 476 contested events, the largest crowd was recorded seven years later when the tournaments were held in India. The 2018 Asian Games aired on nine media platforms and registered an average viewership of about 68 million fans.

Where to watch the FIFA World Cup in 2022: A guide on how to watch this year’s World Cup

Football

10. Tour de France - 150 million

Undoubtedly, Tour de France is one of the most-watched sporting events in the world. The Big Loop attract between 12 and 15 million spectators at live cycle races.

According to Statista, the cycling competition has had an average of 150 million viewers in Europe, with 41.5 million alone recorded in France. However, other publications claim that the actual number of viewers lies in the billions.

9. Super Bowl - 200 million

Is the Super Bowl the most-watched sporting event? The Super Bowl is an annual football event that attracts the largest American viewership.

Additionally, the entertainment value of the event contributes to the event's glory. Every year, world-famous musicians offer fans electrifying performances unrivalled by any other sporting event.

According to the NFL, 200 million fans tuned in for the most-watched sporting event in 2023, which featured a thrilling performance by global music icon Rihanna. Over the history of the NFL, the Super Bowl LVII held on the 13th of February 2023 was the most watched ever.

8. UEFA Champions League - (400 million - 517 million)

The UEFA Champions League Finals are generally bigger than the Super Bowl. Although viewership numbers have reduced with regard to the Covid-19 pandemic, the UEFA Champions League records higher in-person attendance and telecast viewership rates with a much larger fan base. Official FIFA statistics place the average number of television viewers at 517 million, with reported peaks of more than 1.1 billion spectators.

7. Giro d’Italia - 800 million

The Giro d’Italia is a much harder annual three-week cycling competition than Tour de France. With over a century of existence, the competition has built its acclaim and fame worldwide. Various sources cite the Grand Tour has an average of 800 million spectators annually, with peaks close to a billion.

6. Rugby World Cup - 857 million

On 27th September 2015, the Rugby Union World Cup broke a world record for the largest in-person attendance of 89267 spectators at Wembley Stadium. In March 2019, the Rugby Union announced its largest television audience of over 850 million.

5. FIFA Women's World Cup - 1.12 billion

How many views does Women's World Cup have? On average, the FIFA Women's World Cup Final received between 14.3 million to 25.4 million viewers between 2015 and 2019.

In 2019, the viewership peaked during the France 2019 Women's World Cup when 1.12 billion spectators tuned in to watch the official broadcast across various platforms. According to the organisers of the global soccer event, 2 billion spectators are expected to watch the 2023 Women's World Cup.

4. Winter Olympics - 2.01 billion

The 2022 Beijing Olympic Winter Games attracted over 2 billion spectators across numerous global broadcast platforms. At the peak of the Games, social media engagements for the Olympics reached 3.2 billion, with 11 million new followers on several social media platforms. Additionally, 40% of Olympics fans favour figure skating, making it the most-watched event in the Winter Olympics.

3. Summer Olympics - 3.05 billion

Is the Olympics the most-watched sporting event? The Summer Olympics is the third most-watched tournament in the world, attracting millions of fans across television and digital media sources.

Between 2008 and 2020, the Summer Olympics' global broadcast peak audience ranged between 3.2 billion and 3.05 billion. The 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics received the least broadcast audience, with an average of 15.6 million viewers across television and digital platforms.

2. FIFA World Cup - 3.572 billion

Is the World Cup the most-watched sporting event? Undoubtedly, FIFA is the biggest tournament in football, attracting billions of fans and spectators.

The 2018 Russia World Cup tournaments recorded the highest television audience of 5.572 billion spectators. The final match between Croatia and France garnered 1.1 billion spectators, with over 800 million viewers tuning in via television and more than 200 million digital viewers.

1. Cricket World Cup - 6.65 billion

Which match is most watched in India vs in Pakistan? Although cricket has a large fan base globally, it is the most-viewed sport in India and Pakistan. The neighbouring countries share a common love and devotion to the most watched sporting event of all time as fans and participants.

The 2021 Men's T20 World Cup received 6.65 billion views through digital and televised platforms. As the most-viewed cricket match in the world, it attracted 167 million spectators over televised sources in India and Pakistan.

Notable mentions

Although the most-watched sporting event in the world right now receives billions of views on televised broadcasts, piracy accounts for a significant loss in views. Each year, pirate views drastically reduce the revenue sports leagues and broadcasting companies collect.

Sports Brief listed the best streaming services for soccer fans. It makes sense that football fans would want to watch their preferred teams and leagues from around the world live on TV, especially if they enjoy watching with friends.

These football live-streaming websites or the best soccer streaming services will work just fine with an active internet connection. These are the best soccer streaming services.

Sporting event	Highest viewership
Daytona 500	10.1 million
The Stanley Cup Finals	2.15 million - 5.8 million
UFC	2.4 million pay-per-view buys
Boxing	4 - 5 million
Monaco Grand Prix	1.41 million - 2.78 million
X Games	1.2 million