World's most popular Sport?

As the question says, which sport do you guys think is the most popular in the world? Personally I would say Soccer / Football, hell it's even the most played sport amongst kids in Australia, more so than Rugby or Australian Football, so that tells you something.

I wish basketball was the most popular though!

Any thoughts?

Even though the various forms of "football" (Rugby, Gridiron, etc) are popular, I'd have to say that soccer (or football if you prefer) is the most popular worldwide.

Yeah but the level of talent that play in soccer here isnt as good as the level of talent that plays rugby (league or union)... but it is more popular..
worldwide.. id say soccer, then rugby, then basketball... they said the rugby world cup is the 3rd biggest sporting even after the olympics and the soccer world cup, so i guess thats the answer?

they said the rugby world cup is the 3rd biggest sporting even after the olympics and the soccer world cup, so i guess thats the answer?

Yeah? I never would have thought that Rugby was that popular. I still think Soccer/Football is much bigger, but that's just my opinion.

I would say:
1-Soccer
2-Tennis
3-Basketball
4-Baseball
5-Volleyball

I would say:
1-Soccer
2-Tennis
3-Basketball
4-Baseball
5-Volleyball

hmmm, tennis more popular than basketball,, i dont knwo about that one,,

my list would be

1-Soccer (ofcourse)
2-Basketball
3-Volleyball
4-Tennis
5- track & field (???)

I would say:
1-Soccer
2-Tennis
3-Basketball
4-Baseball
5-Volleyball

hmmm, tennis more popular than basketball,, i dont knwo about that one,,

my list would be

1-Soccer (ofcourse)
2-Basketball
3-Volleyball
4-Tennis
5- track & field (???)

in your country maybe not....but Im 99% sure that people in Europe pick tennis over Basketball anytime

How is basketball the second biggest sport on earth? Don't tell futbol is bigger.
Basketball passed "futbol" (soccer) in 1993 as the most played and most watched sport in the world.
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Flying a kite, bowling and table tennis (ping pong) these are not sports, next your going to tell me that jogging is a more popular sport. Again this is disagreeing just to be disagreeing. Rugby is not a more played sport than basketball, that's insane. Soccer is the only one that comes close, but I remeber ESPN stating that Basketball had become the most watched sport in the world. I am sure they said played as well. I am not some 10 year old who only thinks of America, I am aware of what goes on in the world.

Take a look at Golf, then think of kids, how many adults play anything at all, how many kids play golf?
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I agree now that soccer is the most popular sport, after looking over the net for a few minutes.

Sorry I was wrong there.
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I will not agree that rugby is bigger than Basketball, I have never even heard of a rugby player and everyone saying that it is bigger than Basketball knows all about Shaq, Kobe, Jordan and Allen Iverson. Explain this???
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Being a fan is not the point, the point is I have never heard of a rugby team or player, even people who don't follow Basketball even a little bit know who Michael Jordan is.

About being commericailized, no one is bothering to commericialize any rugby teams or players around the world, why is this?

Also naming endless little rugby unions or whatever they are, mean very little in the arguement. There are like 1000 organized basketball teams in the USA alone, not to mention all the leagues in Europe, Japan, the Middle East, Australia and many other places. Rugby is not bigger than basketball, I don't care if it stared in 1500 B.C.!!!!
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http://www.themercury.com.au/nie/mathgu ... 0621a1.htm

Golf, Cricket, Basketball more popular in Australia than Rugby, Australian rules football!

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I am also tired of the endless insults thrown around in this forum. I have a full brain and not a half a brain, and if you David Wells would like to go into say Yahoo Chat and have a contest to see who's smarter, we can elect a non-biased judge and a person to ask questions. I have no problem taking you on intellectually.
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What a jerk!

I am not wrong, I also would take you on in contest, debate or arguement about most any subject, with anyone to witness it. You insulting little jerk.
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The whole things is me vs. a bunch of smartassed punk kids. I have had enough of you little pimpled faced kids telling me about logic, I have made over a million dollars in wealth in my life and have a 14 year contract with a major research company. You eggheads really should think about how much your logic adds up. I have now said it, not only am wiser than the punks like Hefty and David Wells, there is not one reason to continue defending what I HAVE RESEARCHED.

Put that in your pipe and smoke it!

hehe good ol' Mike...

here is my list of the most popular sports

1. Soccer, of course
2. Basketball
3. Tennis
4. Baseball
5. Volleyball

tell me if you disagree

LOL classic. One of the funniest posts ever

the rugby world cup is an embarassment. There are not enough good teams, no team should lose by 100+ pnts in a world cup in any sport especially Rugby where scoring isn't very frequent

Hey- I read this in some magazine...a year ago...

1. Soccer
2. Basketball
3. Golf
4. Tennis
5. Swimming
6. Track/Field
7. Rugby Union
8. Baseball
9. Netball
10. Hockey

Wat do u guys think?

Hey- I read this in some magazine...a year ago...

1. Soccer
2. Basketball
3. Golf
4. Tennis
5. Swimming
6. Track/Field
7. Rugby Union
8. Baseball
9. Netball
10. Hockey

Wat do u guys think?