Live sports are more of a behemoth than ever. At a time when so many media and streaming companies are struggling to draw consistently engaged eyeballs, they are the holy grail for not only fans, but marketing and advertising agencies, as well as media executives.
Sure, you will read and hear a lot about network ratings and how they might be down across the board. For the most part, though, this is less about live sports themselves and more about consumer behavior. It is harder than ever to track who watches what and for how long. Streaming services have disrupted the sports-consumption industry. Everything is so decentralized now amid all the different viewer mediums. This says nothing of those who consume a bulk of their sports content through social media applications.
Still, we know that live sports carry more weight than ever before. Look no further than franchise valuations. Or pro-athlete salaries. And definitely look at the proliferation of sports betting. As any of the online sportsbook reviews worth their salt will explain, the increased legalization of gambling ropes in even more followers because of the financial stake they suddenly have in event outcomes.
To that end, it helps to put some concrete data to what we’re referencing. How popular are tent-pole live sporting events, really? Let’s find out by running through the most watched sporting events of the era.
1. FIFA World Cup
Global Audience (cumulative): 3.5 billion
One thing holds true across all live sports: scarcity drives interest. That is why the NFL continues to draw monster ratings in the United States. With 17 games each regular season, every single one matters a great deal.
The FIFA World Cup is what happens when you take the scarcity element and turn the dials all the way up to 11. It only takes place every four years, and the volatility of the tournament lends itself to surprises. Every single match matters. And because there are so few of them in the grand scheme, fanbases have hope even if they’re rooting for an intense underdog.
Of course, the cream of the crop almost always rises to the top. But when you’re dealing with so many potential powerhouses, this does not hurt the unpredictability. In fact, the reach of the FIFA World Cup is owed in large part to the number of participants. As Muntonga Kamau writes for Cleats:
“Unlike many other sporting events, the FIFA World Cup is a genuinely global competition. With 211 member associations in FIFA, almost every nation on Earth participates in the qualification process, creating a sense of inclusivity and representation. The tournament itself brings together 32 of the world’s best teams (set to expand to 48 in 2026), showcasing a diverse array of playing styles and cultures.”
Bake in the rich history that comes with a tournament that dates back all the way 1930, and you can understand why the World Cup lords over every other event—even if the 3.5 billion cumulative audience still surprises you.
2. Olympic Games (Summer)
Global Audience (cumulative): 3 billion
3. Olympic Games (Winter)
Global Audience (cumulative): 2 billion
Let’s discuss Nos. 2 and 3 at once, since they’re both Olympics spin-offs.
These events were always going to make the cut. Though the Olympics are held once every two years, each of the subcategories takes place once every four. That drives up the scarcity intrigue we referenced with the FIFA World Cup.
The longevity of these games also ensures they are ingrained into the fabric of every society. The first Olympics took place all the way back in 1896. Even people who aren’t sports fans grow up hearing about their importance.
And if you thought the World Cup was a global affair, the Olympics are something more. In the most recent 2024 Olympics, athletes from over 200 countries participated. On top of all that, the Olympics encompass dozens of different sports. It is not just beholden to the performance of one. It casts a wide net that’s bound to have something for even those with the most casual interest.
With all of that said, color us slightly surprised that the Summer Olympics draw in more viewers than the Winter Olympics. People tend to spend more time outdoors during warm-weather periods, making it less likely they’re in front of a screen for large periods at a time. If we had to guess, this order says more about the faithful watching habits of viewers outside North America than anything else.
4. UEFA Champions League Final
Global Audience (cumulative): 500 million
The cumulative viewership of the UEFA Champions League Final is pretty incredible when you consider it’s an annual event. Getting around half-a-billion sets of eyeballs to check out what’s a fundamental product is a huge deal.
Heck, this number can even be too conservative depending on the matchup. According to SportsVenue-Technology, the Real Madrid vs. Liverpool Final back in 2022 drew over 700 million viewers.
If you needed any further proof that soccer/football is the most global sport around, the interest in the Champions League drives it home perhaps even more than FIFA World Cup ratings, which benefit from extra scarcity.
5. NFL Super Bowl
Global Audience (cumulative): 100 million
This ranking is both a testament to the ubiquity of the NFL in North America and a sign of how much separates other sports from soccer and Olympic events.
The most watched Super Bowl of all time drew nearly 115 million viewers. That number pales in comparison to the UEFA Champions League Final. But it’s a fairly sizable figure when you consider the NFL only incorporates teams from the United States.
As of this writing, the U.S. population sits somewhere around 348 million people. That means the average Super Bowl has an audience nearing one-third of the entire country.
They say baseball is America’s pastime, but Super Bowl ratings, quite frankly, tell a different story.
