Sport is played all over the world, both by professional sports people and amateurs who get involved for activity and fun. There are a huge range of different sports played all over the world, with many of them local to particular countries and regions. However, some sports do manage to transcend national and cultural boundaries better than others. Football, also known as soccer in some places, is recognised by most people as the most popular sport in the entire world, although there are many other sports that also enjoy a large global following. Along with football, some other popular team sports in the world include cricket, rugby union, basketball, baseball, American football, field hockey, volleyball, ice hockey, and rugby league. There are also many individual sports that are popular around the world, including athletics, swimming, tennis, golf, cycling, surfing, and various motor sports

Football, also known as associated football or soccer, is the world's most popular game. Football has 208 member nations and the largest contingent of die hard fans, with a number of professional leagues in operation all over the world. Football is especially popular in Europe and South America, although there are professional leagues in most developed and developing countries. Along with a strong professional presence, there is also a strong amateur interest in football, with young people and adults alike. Cricket is another huge global sport, although it has a different kind of global base than football does. Cricket is most popular in Commonwealth countries, including England, Australia, India, Pakistan, New Zealand, and the West Indies. Basketball is also a large and growing sport, and is most popular in the United States of America, China, Russia, Canada, and Germany.

Rugby is another of the world's most popular sports, with two distinctive codes; Rugby Union and Rugby League, played around the world. Both codes have a similar geographical base, which includes the countries of England, Wales, Ireland, France, Italy, New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa. In terms of individual sports, there are a handful of sports that are popular around the world, including tennis, cycling, golf, and a number of motor sports. Worldwide circuits exist for all of these sports, with tennis and golf particularly lucrative and followed by millions. Motor sport is also highly popular, with different forms of the sport popular in different countries, and some formats like formula one racing popular all over the world.