Sports capture the imagination of us all irrespective of race, religion or creed. The result is that some of the most watched televised events are in some way or another sport related.
The following are the top five most watched sporting events in the world:
1. FIFA World Cup – 3.5 billion
Image Source: fifa.com
In the world of sports, football is unmatched in global viewership. As the showpiece of the football calendar, the FIFA World Cup is the most watched sporting event in the world by some margin. Over the approximately four-week competition, an estimated 3.5 billion people tune in to watch the action. The 2014 final between Germany and Argentina alone garnered a staggering 1 billion viewers.
2. Tour de France – 2.6 billion
Image Source: bikelifecities.com
As unlikely as it may be, the premier cycling event is the second most watch sporting event in the world. During the three-week race approximately 2.6 billion people tune in to see who is going to take the yellow jersey. In addition to being the second most viewed sporting event, the
Tour de France is also the most attended event with more people lining the streets of France than any other event in the world.
3. Olympic Games – 2 billion
The Olympics Games brings together athletes from sporting disciplines we know and love like boxing, football and athletics. It also features disciplines most of us are not familiar with like curling or handball. In 2008, just the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics garnered 1 billion viewers worldwide. In 2016, global viewers watched an estimated 30 billion hours of the Rio de Janeiro Games. All in all, the Olympic Games are an interesting case study in global viewership behaviours, with sports like fencing or handball attracting a level of attention that they could otherwise only dream of.
4. UEFA Champions League – 1.7 billion
The second football event on the list, the
UEFA Champions League is without doubt the richest event on this list. The European club competition features teams from the Spanish La Liga and the English Premier League (among others) with players that are paid millions by their respective clubs. The competition is also the hunting ground of the world best players with regulars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo sharing a staggering 10 Ballon d'Or awards.
5. FIFA Confederations Cup – 1 billion
That’s right, three of the five most watched sporting events in the world are football competitions. Although the FIFA Confederations Cup is essential just a dress rehearsal for the World Cup, it still manages to garner a billion viewers from around the world. In 2013, almost 70 million people tuned in to watch the Confederations Cup final alone.
Still more football at Betway Casino
Are you a football fanatic? Try out our football - themed
video slot Shoot!
The 3-reel 50 payline slot features some of the greatest football players of all time including Best, Maradona, Pele and Beckenbauer to name a few. Plus, the slot offers a number of exciting bonus features and an impressive 519,000-coin jackpot.
For all the latest sports news, betting tips and promotions, follow
Betway Uganda
on
Facebook,
Twitter,
Instagram,
Google+ and
YouTube