Even if football or soccer is the most popular sport in the world, it doesn’t mean that every country will have the most athletes playing football. There are many sports that an average person doesn’t know about but are definitely interesting to watch. Some of them have a lot to do with culture, and the other reasons are usually regarding physical capabilities. When you look at some statistics, you will find out that most countries from Africa have a lot of athletes and EU countries have many soccer players. This is why you should count on everything when making your NFL expert picks, but there are a few sports that anyone can play.
Something that shouldn’t be a standard practice is to have the same sport in multiple countries but with different rules. This is the case when it comes to basketball in the US, EU, and some Asian countries. For example, the pointing system is much different in Korea, and the 3-point line is further in the US.
The US and NFL
Football is on top of the list when it comes to the most popular sports in the US, besides basketball and baseball. In other parts of the world, they call it American Football because the original name is taken for soccer. NFL is definitely the top league in the world, but there are other countries that are investing in football, like Germany, which has multiple leagues, and you can actually play as a professional. The US plays once a year against the world, where the best players are chosen for many teams around Europe to play against others from NFL. American players usually have a big advantage because their league is very competitive, but there’s been a lot of improvements when it comes to EU football.
NFL finals are pulling some amazing numbers, with over 100 million people watching. The majority, around 100 million, are watching on TV, and another 10 million are on streaming platforms. Another interesting fact is that they have an advertisement pause which is the only sport that has one. During the season, they earned over $4 billion on advertisements.
India and Cricket
If you thought that basketball was the second most popular sport, you would be wrong because cricket has over 2.5 billion fans, most of them coming from India. One interesting thing about cricket is that you can play it for days which is also a problem for some countries. So in places where this sport isn’t very popular, they don’t have the capability to play for multiple days, so they just decide when they will end. When it comes to international tournaments, the UK, New Zealand, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and some African countries have great teams that compete on a yearly basis. Of course, most investments made are coming from India, and they usually have the best team, but Australia and England reached that point where they are taking world championships with ease.
Brazil and Soccer
There are dedicated soccer fans all over the world, and you can find a bunch of YouTube videos where hooligans create amazing choreographies. But fans from Brazil are definitely hardcore, not because of the way they are supporting their teams, and they are investing everything they have in the sport. Every city has at least one statue of a certain soccer player that is important to them.
They are also the favorites to win the World Cup, which is the most-watched sports event besides the Olympic games. The attention their players get can be a bit overwhelming, but their soccer history seems more important than their country’s history. So, many people decide to invest their time in training soccer instead of studying. Many countries have a similar affection for soccer, like Spain, Portugal, France, and Italy, but it’s much different than South America. Even if everyone is playing it and loving it, there’s still much more money involved in EU teams like PSG, Barcelona, Manchester United, and others.
By Amey MyersAmey, an intrepid traveler and avid blogger, roams the world, absorbing diverse cultures, flavors, and experiences. Her writing captures the essence of her adventures, inspiring others to explore. Amey's infectious passion for travel and storytelling epitomizes a life filled with exploration and adventure.
