What are the top ten most-watched sports in the Olympics?

In this article, we will take a look at the top ten most-watched sports in the Olympic that have persuaded millions of fans around the globe.

Established by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the president of the International Olympic Committee in 1896, the Olympics is considered to be the premier of diverse sports with over 200 countries participating, showcasing their prowess in various highly competitive games. The Olympics, held every four years, are governed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which was established by Pierre de Coubertin and Demetrios Vikelas in 1894 and is considered to be responsible for organizing the Summer, Winter and Youth Olympics. The Olympics feature a wide range of athletic and highly competitive sports, including tennis, volleyball, boxing, cycling, basketball, soccer, archery, wrestling, skiing, ice hockey, snowboarding, speed skating and many more. 

Although the Olympics has been widely commemorated as one of the most massive sporting events globally since it was introduced, the format has witnessed a tremendous shift in terms of growth with the inclusion of youth-centric sports and youth faces as prominent Olympic athletes. With prominent names like Mete Gazoz, An San, Steve Wijler, Marcell Jacobs, Massimo Stano, Neeraj Chopra, Mirabai Chanu, P.V Sindhu, Bajrang Punia and Lovlina Borgohain, clinching medals for their countries, the format’s popularity has drastically increased among the fans over the years. 

1. Gymnastics 

Gymnastics has been considered as one of the most crucial and path-breaking sports in the Olympic sports, which was included right with the establishment of the format in 1896. Over the years, numerous prominent athletes, including Nadia Comaneci (Romanian), Olga Karbut(Belarusian), Simone Biles (United States), Max Whitlock (Great Britain), Aly Raisman (United States) and Kohei Uchimura (Japan) have established themselves as the stalwarts of Gymnastics sports clinching medals for their respective countries in the Olympics. With millions of viewers, Gymnastics is considered to be the most viewed sport in the history of the Olympics. 

2. Soccer 

Soccer has been a part of the Olympics since it was started in 1896. Often referred to as the cornerstone of the Olympics, with its high-voltage drama and fuming rivalries, soccer draws in sky-scraping viewership for the Olympics. With over three billion ardent fans and supporters across the globe, soccer has consolidated its stature as one of the most popular sports. With prominent players and youth stalwarts like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar Jr., and Ronaldinho playing for their teams, soccer garners attention from billions of fans worldwide, establishing soccer as the second most viewed sport in the Olympics. 

3. Swimming 

Often hailed as one of the most popular and youth-centric sports in the world, swimming has been a part of the Olympics since its inauguration in 1896. As one of the most fundamental and glorious parts of Olympic history, swimming has introduced an array of tenacious swimmers, including Missy Franklin, Kristin Otto, Michael Phelps, Mark Spitz and Katie Ledecky, who have led their countries to clinch medals at an international stage.

4. Basketball 

Although dropped off from the inaugural year, basketball was later included as a significant sport in the Summer Olympics of 1936. The illustrious inclusion of basketball garnered record-breaking viewership at the Berlin Olympics. Since then, the sport has been a consistent force in the Olympic arena. Numerous prominent athletes, including Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan have dominated the Olympic format and clinched medals for their respective teams in the hyper-competitive Olympic tournaments.  

5. Volleyball 

Volleyball, being the national sport of Nepal, remained relatively underrated as a global sport until its significant inclusion in the Summer Olympics of 1964. After its inclusion in the biggest sporting event, volleyball amassed an unprecedented viewership and was instantly recognized as one of the most dynamic sports in the history of the Olympics. Apart from amplifying volleyball’s prominence on a global scale, the Olympics has highlighted some of the most prominent volleyball players, including Giba, Karach Kiraly and Emanuel Rego.

6. Tennis 

Although hailed as one of the most acclaimed sports with millions of viewers across the globe, tennis has witnessed brutal criticism for its inclusion in the Olympics. Tennis was included during the inaugural season of the Olympics in 1896 and continued to be a part of the event until it was dropped after the 1924 Summer Olympics due to a lack of universal participation. After witnessing its share of decline, tennis was reintroduced in the Summer Olympics of 1988 and has continued to flourish as one of the most prominent Olympic sports, garnering an extremely high viewership.  

7. Weightlifting 

As one of the most popular and prominent sports, weightlifting was included in the inaugural season of the Olympics in 1896. With prominent athletes from diverse backgrounds and nations, congregating at one platform locking horns in the ultimate battle of coveted medals, weightlifting as a sport has evolved to become one of the most dominating sports in the history of the Olympics, garnering a massive viewership. Many eminent athletic personalities, including Mirabai Chanu, Ajith Narayana and Bindyarani Devi have paved their way to the limelight with the Olympic tournaments.

8. Track and Field 

Track and Field made its Olympic debut with the 1936 Berlin Olympics and has been a dominant sport in the history of the Olympics ever since. The 100m sprint race is considered to be the pinnacle of track and field and fosters a sense of unwavering athletics in participating countries. Athletes including Usain Bolt, who holds the world record of 9.58 seconds and Florence Griffith Joyner, who holds the fastest record of 10.49 seconds in the women’s 100m sprint have created a rich legacy and promoted track and field on a global level.  

9. Rugby 

Rugby as a sport has witnessed a turbulent trajectory in the Olympics. It was first introduced in the early 20th century and continued to be a part of the biggest sporting event till the Paris Olympics of 1924. Due to controversies related to its universal participation and viewership, Rugby was shown an exit from the Olympics till 2016. Currently, with highly intensive bouts and stalwarts like Dan Norton, Cecil Afrika, Jerry Tuwai and Portia Woodman, rugby has evolved and established itself as one of the most prominent sports in the history of rugby, driving some massive global viewership.

10. Water Sports 

Water sports are one of the most diverse segments of sports ever introduced in the Olympics. With a diverse range of sports including surfing, sailing, diving, jet skiing and windsurfing, the water sports offer an extremely rich and dynamic experience to the viewers, which is also a major reason why they are included in the list of top ten Olympic sports with the highest global viewership.  

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