What is the most popular sport in the world?

As of 2014, soccer remains the world's most popular sport. The game is played by an estimated 250 million athletes in over 200 countries around the world with as many as 3.5 billion followers across the globe.

According to consulting firm A. J. Kearney, soccer accounted for roughly 43 percent of global sports market revenue as recently as 2009. With more than 700 million global viewers, the sport's 32-team FIFA World Cup is the world's biggest sporting competition. England's Premier League generated approximately $5 billion in revenue in 2013 and 2014. Professional soccer leagues in Germany, Spain, Italy, France, Brazil and Russia all generate in excess of $1 billion annually.