A large part of our social lives is centered around sports. From the school playground to playing at the park, sports continue to play a major role in our lives. Some popular sports are football, cricket, hockey, tennis, basketball, and baseball.
However, football has grown to be the most popular of all kinds of sports. It is played domestically and on a professional level between 2 teams of 11 players each.
There are several football variants with slightly different rules that are modifications of the standard rules of football: e.g., futsal and beach soccer.
But why is football considered the most popular sport in the world? The following are a few points to consider.
Football is played internationally
Football is played in virtually all nations of the world. No other sport enjoys such wide acceptance and followership as football. For example, the FIFA World Cup tournament is played every four years and involves nations competing to win the cup, beginning from the qualifying rounds to the eventual tournament. According to FIFA estimates, over 265 million people play football. And the sport has 3.5 billion fans worldwide.
The World Cup is the most popular football event. However, there are other football tournaments that equally attract attraction and participation from football lovers all over the world. They include CONCACAF, UEFA, CONMEBOL, CAF, AFC, and OFC regionally organized competitions and club league football players in virtually all countries worldwide.
Booming Industry
The sports industry is a continuously booming one that attracts huge investments yearly, with football contributing immensely to the humongous figures. Commercial activities such as player transfers, jersey sales, ticket sales, TV rights, and advertisement are huge sources of revenue for participants.
In recent years, the (online) sports betting market has attracted unprecedented patronage all over the world, with football being the number one driver of this market. Unlike other sports, football leagues and similar tournaments are played all year round in different countries, providing a constant market for punters.
For instance, although England is said to be the home of football, other countries like Saudi Arabia are crazy about it as well. They also follow foreign leagues like the English Premier League, La Liga, and Italian Serie A.
Although betting is prohibited in the country, Saudi punters are still able to bet on their favorite players and teams at the best online betting sites through VPNs. These sites are offered by comparison platforms and provide Saudis with unbiased reviews of each bookmaker. You can also find a step-by-step guide on joining the best betting sites and claiming the latest bonus offers.
The nature of the industry makes it a great option, for both players and fans alike. While the best football players earn huge, fans can also win some money with correct predictions on the beautiful game.
Computer Game Simulations
It can be played on supported mobile and computer devices. The FIFA football game has attained legendary status over the years, becoming a favorite of many gamers. A new version of the FIFA EA game is usually anticipated every year with even professional footballers getting into the mix of the fun of the player ratings.
You are able to create your own FIFA FUT card using your phone and play against opponents across the world. It makes it easy to manage your favorite teams even when not gaming on your console or PC.
With the release of the new FIFA football version, many gamers are looking forward to playing with their stars. Players can also anticipate more new features that improve the entire gaming experience.
Easy To Play And Inexpensive
The simple rules of football make it easy to engage in. Being essentially a game of 2 teams who aim to score against the opponents, this makes it very easy to comprehend. As a result of its simple rules, it can be played without the application of certain standard rules and with a smaller number of players.
Related to its simple rules is also the fact that the sport is inexpensive. With just a leather ball and a little space, people can experience the fun of the sport. This is why in places like Brazil, street football competitions are very common among the people.