Determining the "best" sport largely depends on whether the criteria prioritize global popularity or physical athleticism. According to FIFA and global viewership metrics, association football (soccer) is the world's top sport, boasting an estimated fan base of 3.5 billion people and over 5 billion viewers engaging with its World Cup events. Conversely, when evaluated by a panel of sports scientists for ESPN across ten physical attributes—such as endurance, power, and agility—boxing was ranked as the most physically demanding sport.

• topendsports.com
• topendsports.com
• statista.com
• as.com