Sports are woven into the fabric of our lives. In fact, many people grew up playing and watching sports. It’s not surprising that everyone looks forward to The Olympics. But have you ever wondered which are the most watched Olympics sports?

Here are some of them (in no particular order).

1. Swimming

There may never be another swimmer like Michael Phelps. His accomplishments in the Olympics were simply amazing. While lots of people were already interested in swimming, Phelps elevated that interest. It became must-see TV and motivated many people to start swimming again.

2. Soccer

Soccer is known as football in some countries. As an Olympic sport, millions of people watch the game and root for their country. While men’s soccer is often the focus of attention, women’s soccer is growing in popularity. Women have been playing soccer in the Olympics since the 1990s.

3. Gymnastics

Gymnastics is one of the most watched Olympics sports and for a good reason. It’s an exciting and lively sport that requires tremendous talent. It’s also a sport in which most people can’t imagine participating, which makes it all the more exciting. Both men and women join in gymnastics during the Olympics, and competing requires exceptional athleticism.

4. Track and Field

Source: Shutterstock

Source: Shutterstock

If you want to sit on the edge of your seat during the Olympics, you should definitely watch track and field events. It has been a favorite sport to watch for decades, and that probably won’t ever change.

5. Tennis

Although it doesn’t seem as exciting as other sports, tennis remains at the top of the list when it comes to interest in Olympic sports. People from all walks of life enjoy watching tennis. In fact, it’s been a popular Olympic sport since the late 1800s. Women started participating in 1900.

6. Volleyball

Volleyball is fun to play, but is it fun to watch? According to the amount of attention that it receives during the Olympics, many people are quite fond of volleyball. In fact, since people enjoy playing the game, they tend to get more engaged while watching it.

7. Rugby

Rugby is a popular Olympic sport because of the amount of skill, talent, and speed that’s required to win. If you’ve never watched a rugby game, it doesn’t take long to figure things out, and you’ll quickly come to appreciate the sport.

8. Basketball

It almost goes without saying that basketball is a popular Olympic sport. That’s because it’s a popular game every season. In fact, it’s a sport that’s watched more often been any other kind of game in the United States. It is worth noting that the US has an edge on any other country when it comes to basketball.

9. Water Polo

Water polo is the kind of Olympic sport that looks easier than it actually is. It’s an exhausting sport that requires endurance and skill.

Source: Shutterstock

Source: Shutterstock

Some describe water polo as simultaneously swimming while playing a secondary sport, which requires twice as much energy.

10. Weightlifting

Weightlifting is an incredible sport, especially at the Olympic level. Most people can’t even imagine being able to live the amount of weight that’s required to compete on an international scale. Being able to watch some of the strongest human beings that exist continues to be an enjoyable pastime.

11. Handball

If you watch the Olympics because you want to see the United States win, you might want to skip handball. That’s because other countries tend to do much better while playing this game. Handball is complicated and requires a tremendous amount of flexibility. Once you learn the rules of the game, it can be quite exciting to watch.

12. Figure Skating

There was a time when figure skating was one of the most popular Olympic sports to watch. Although there are still a good number of people that enjoy watching notable figure skaters, interest has decreased over the years. As a result of YouTube videos that I’ve gone viral, a larger number of people have become interested in watching figure skaters. This will likely bode well during the next Olympics.

Watching sports is enjoyable for many reasons. One of them is that we all enjoy seeing someone win. This is elevated by the fact that one needs to train for many years to become an Olympic athlete. Watching the Olympics allows you to champion the success of others, which further motivates them to win. 

Which of these most watched Olympics sports are your favorites?