Sports have served a lot more than just as a means of bringing about social and economic change.

It has contributed to the development of one of the world's most dynamic economic systems.

Entertainment sports events have helped boost economic expansion in some of the world's most prosperous economies.

The impact that sports have had on the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the United States is evidence of this fact.

The face of the 21st century economy will be shaped by the revenue from professional sports in the United States, which will reach approximately 83.1 billion dollars, according to Statista.

Soccer/Football

Few sports can compare to football as a spectator sport, and the number of people who play the game, whether at the grassroots level, in 5-a-side leagues, or just for fun with friends, matches this. According to the most recent global census conducted by FIFA, the sport's governing body, there are approximately 265 million players and over 5 million referees, or 4% of the world's population.

Badminton

The fact that badminton is one of the top ten most popular sports in the world may surprise some people. However, badminton is a very popular indoor sport that is played by an estimated 220 million people worldwide on a regular basis. Asia is where it is most popular, with many of the best players ever to play it coming from there.

Field Hockey

In over 100 nations on five continents, men and women compete in this fast-paced sport. Field hockey is a highly technical sport played by 10 outfield players and a goalkeeper, and its rules differ from those of ice hockey, which is a popular Olympic sport.

Volleyball

Volleyball, which originated in the United States, is estimated to have 998 million participants worldwide. Over 220 affiliated national federations are registered with the "FIVB," the sport's global governing body, to play both indoor and outdoor versions.

Basketball

The sport is played by at least 450 million people worldwide, according to the Federation of International Basketball Associations (FIBA), either for fun or in organized competitions. The rise in basketball's global popularity from its American roots has been helped along by iconic figures like Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan.

Tennis

According to a Topend Sports ranking, 60 million men and women worldwide play tennis, which is widely regarded as the most popular individual sport in the world. Because the doubles version of the sport is also very popular all over the world, it is one of the 10 sports with the most participants.

Cricket

The United Kingdom, India, Pakistan, South Africa, and Australia are home to the majority of cricket players, but the sport is also growing in other nations worldwide. The sport is played in an impressive 125 countries, according to the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Table Tennis

Over the years, schools, social clubs, and sport centers all over the world have begun to incorporate this indoor sport. Table tennis is played by an estimated 300 million people worldwide, according to the Topend Sports ranking.

Baseball

In the past, baseball was more popular in the United States than anywhere else in the world. However, the sport is now gaining popularity in other nations like Japan. The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) estimates that 65 million people play either baseball or softball in over 140 countries. Softball is the female version of the game.

Golf

According to Golf Today, 60 million people worldwide regularly participate in the sport, making it one of the most popular pastimes in the world. In these figures, "regularly playing golf" means playing one round of golf per year or using a facility like a driving range.