List Of Fastest Growing Sports In The World To Watch Out For In 2024

Posted on 22 Oct 2024
List Of Fastest Growing Sports In The World To Watch Out For In 2024

The global sports landscape continues evolving as new sports emerge and capture the audience's attention. Beyond that, multiple sports are poised to experience exponential growth due to increased fan engagement and media coverage. With that in mind, which are the fastest-growing sports in the world?

TABLE OF CONTENTS

This list of the fastest-growing sports in the world was curated using data from Charlotte’s Web, University Magazine, and TalentBacker. Our analysis is based on several factors, including accessibility, global appeal, and market value. So, which are the up-and-coming sports in the world?

Fastest growing sports in the world

SportsGlobal fan appeal
Mixed martial arts451 million
Drone racing320 million
Table tennis300 million
Esports285.7 million
Climbing44.5 million
Pickleball 36.5 million
Padel30 million
Women’s football29 million
Rugby Sevens8.46 million
Formula One5.7 million

There are plenty of sports people can take part in. Nonetheless, more activities are gaining popularity due to social and community appeal, health and fitness trends, and media and digital coverage. Here are the new popular sports.

1. Mixed martial arts

  • Most popular country: United States
  • Year invented: 648 bce
  • Equipment: Mouthguard, hand wraps, MMA gloves, headgear
  • Prominent players: Conor McGregor, Anderson Silva

Mixed martial arts has an estimated global audience of 451 million fans. The largest audience share is outside the United States, with Brazil being the fastest-growing market, adding about 8 million fans. This boards well for revenue generation.

As of 2023, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the biggest MMA promoter, had topped $700 million in revenue. Moreover, its popularity is sustained by mega fighters like Conor McGregor and Ronda Rousey. Additionally, social media is fueling its growth among younger audiences.

2. Drone Racing

  • Most popular country: Germany
  • Year invented: 2011
  • Equipment: FPV Camera, a Video Transmitter + Antenna, and a Video Receiver

Over 320 million people watched the Drone Racing League (DRL) in 2022/23, indicating a growing audience. The industry is financially lucrative, with a projected worth of over $2,238.1 million by 2033. Additionally, investments in drone companies reached about $1.54 billion in 2022.

3. Table Tennis

  • Most popular country: China
  • Year invented: 1890
  • Equipment: racket, ball, net, and table
  • Prominent players: Ma Long, Zhang Jike

An estimated 300 million people play table tennis worldwide. The sport is primarily popular in China but is now the fastest-growing sport in America. Its growth is driven by its ability to play indoors, ease of play, and sociability. Regarding its marketability, the sport’s revenue is estimated to reach $242 million in 2024 and US$432.8 million by 2032.

4. Esports

  • Most popular country: United States
  • Year invented: 1972
  • Equipment: mouse and keyboard
  • Prominent players: Notails, Faker, Flash

Esports has gained prominence over the last few years, becoming one of the fastest-growing sports in the world. As of 2024, there are over 285.7 million esports enthusiasts worldwide, compared to 234 million in 2021 and 197 million in 2019.

Furthermore, the esports industry's revenue was valued at $1.6 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach $4.3 billion in 2024. Regarding the user base, the industry is expected to have 896.0 million users by 2029.

5. Climbing

  • Most popular country: United States
  • Year invented: 19th century
  • Equipment: rock shoes, helmets, ropes
  • Prominent players: Alberto Gines López, Jain Kim

The International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) shows 44.5 million climbers worldwide. This includes indoor and outdoor climbers, excluding adventure park and hikers. Climbing's rise in popularity is partly due to its inclusion in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Moreover, it can be done for fun at home or in a climbing centre.

6. Pickleball

  • Most popular country: USA
  • Year invented: 1965
  • Equipment: a court, net, paddle, and pickleball
  • Prominent players: Collin Johns, Dylan Frazier

Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the US. Its participation rate has grown to 171.1% between 2018 and 2022. A report by the Association of Pickleball Professionals released by CNBC shows that more than 36.5 million played the game between August 2021 and August 2022.

The sport is gaining exposure through sponsorships, participation by elite athletes like LeBron James and Patrick Mahomes and court accessibility. Additionally, pickleball is affordable compared to tennis and golf and is highly sociable, providing an outlet for people to make new friends.

7. Padel

  • Most popular country: Spain
  • Year invented: 1969
  • Equipment: padel rackets, balls, clothing, shoes
  • Prominent players: Juan Lebrón Chincoa, Fernando Belasteguín

Padel is the sport with the highest growth rate in the world. The World Padel Report 2024 shows 30 million amateur sports players across 130 countries. Of these, 600,000 are registered under a federation.

Padel’s growth is fueled by its simplicity, which encourages beginners to try it. It can also be played in doubles, promoting social interaction. Padel is primarily played in Europe, which also has the highest number of courts, 42,600.

8. Women’s football

  • Most popular countries: England, Spain
  • Year invented: 1881
  • Equipment: football, football boots, soccer field
  • Prominent players: Aitana Bonmati, Alexandra Popp

Women’s football is among the two most valuable elite women’s sports, with Deloitte projecting it will generate about $555 million by 2024.

Its biggest tournament, the FIFA Women’s World Cup, is expected to generate significant revenue, making up 33%—or $425 million together with tennis—of the expected total revenue in women’s sports.

Furthermore, broadcast deals, sponsorship, increased stadium attendance, and significant participation (29 million girls and women) are spurring this growth.

9. Rugby sevens

  • Most popular country: New Zealand
  • Year invented: 1883
  • Equipment: ball, rugby shoes, jersey
  • Prominent players: Collins Injera, Dan Norton

Rugby Sevens is the short form of rugby 15s and is much faster, shorter, and more thrilling. It gained popularity after being included in Brazil's 2016 Summer Olympic Games. The sport attracts over 8.46 million participants globally, including 1.5 million active non-registered, 1.9 active registered, and 5 million registered players.

10. Formula One

  • Most popular country: Britain, USA
  • Year invented: 1950
  • Equipment: Car, body suits, helmet
  • Prominent players: Max Verstappen, George Russell

Formula One’s global appeal is rising due to its Netflix series “Drive to Survive.” Over 400 thousand people watched season four, compared to around 200 thousand who watched season 3.

At the same time, the American audience will reach 49.2 million in 2024 from 44.9 million in 2019. On top of that, around 1.5 billion fans globally watched races on television, and 5.7 million attended live races.

Final word

The fastest-growing sports in the world attract a large fanbase, lucrative sponsorship, and a large following among the population. Additionally, they are easy to play and are easily accessible.

Tuko.co.ke shared an article on the most dangerous sports in the world. These activities carry an inherent death or injury risk because of their modes of practice and the lack of protective equipment. Read the article to find out the grim statistics behind these sports.

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Left to Right: Pro Girl Plays Computer Game Plays RPG Strategy on a Championship. Man playing paddle tennis.

Left to Right: Pro Girl Plays Computer Game Plays RPG Strategy on a Championship. Man playing paddle tennis.

Two professional female mixed martial arts fighters competing in an octagon cage in a floodlit arena.

Two professional female mixed martial arts fighters competing in an octagon cage in a floodlit arena.

Left to Right: A racing drone flying over the practice field. Close-up of the pilot's hand operating the controller of a racing drone.

Left to Right: A racing drone flying over the practice field. Close-up of the pilot's hand operating the controller of a racing drone.

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