Top 10 Most Famous Sporting Events in The World
The FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, one of the most famous sporting events, is an international association football competition. In the event, the senior men’s national teams, who are the members of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) participate. The most-watched event electrifies the globe for nearly a month, once every four years.
It began in the year 1930. Now France is the champion. And the French team won its second title in the 2018 tournament held in Russia. The tournament was not held in the years 1942 and 1946 because of World War II.
The qualification phase takes place for three years. The teams play matches to get a place in the tournament round. Finally, 32 teams compete in the mega event. However, it includes the naturally qualifying host nation(s). And the venues will be in the host nation(s).
So far eight national teams won the 21 World Cup tournaments. Among them, Brazil has won it five times, Germany and Italy won it four times each, Argentina, France, and Uruguay won it two times each, and England and Spain won it one time each.
The World Cup is the most prestigious association football tournament in the world. And the viewership for this tournament usually exceeds even the Olympic games.
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Olympic Games
The modern Olympic Games or Olympics is on the top of the list in the mega sporting events. To make it exciting, thousands of athletes from around the world participate in various competitions. It is the event that unifies the whole world by the spirit of the game. And it is a treat for sports enthusiasts.
In the Olympics, more than 200 countries participate and the organization conducts it every four years. Summer and Winter Olympics occur every four years but with a gap of two years.
People in Olympia, Greece played the Olympic games from the 8th century BC to the 4th Century AD. Then, Baron Pierre de Coubertin founded the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1894. It helped the beginning of the first modern Games in Athens in 1896. From its inception, the IOC serves as the governing body of the Olympic games. And the Olympic Charter defines its structure and authority.
Winter Olympic Games, Youth Olympic Games, five continental games, World games, Deaflympics, and Special Olympics are the versions endorsed by the IOC. Simultaneously, the IOC adapts to economic, political and technological advancements which ensured participation, professionalism, and commercialization of games.
World wars led to the cancellation of 1916, 1940, and 1944 Games. Moreover, large boycotts during the Cold War limited participation in the 1980 and 1984 Games.
The UEFA Champions League
The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) organizes the UEFA champions league. In this annual club football competition, the top-division European clubs compete to decide the best team in Europe. The national league champions and one or more runner ups participate to make it one of the most prestigious tournaments in the world.
One of the most followed sporting events came into existence in the year 1955 as the European Champion Clubs’ Cup. Then it was popularly known as the European Cup. Initially, it was a knockout tournament and only the champion club from each nation participated. Subsequently, in the year 1992, the competition took the current name and began to adopt the round-robin group stage. Also, multiple entrants from certain countries can participate.
Clubs that finish next to the qualifying team are eligible for the second-tier UEFA Europa League competition.
The league matches usually begin in June and it contains a preliminary round, three qualifying rounds, and a play-off round. The six teams which survive join with the already qualified 26 teams. Then the 32 teams form eight groups with four teams in each group. And the teams play each other in a double round-robin system.
The winners and the runners from the eight groups play the next knockout phase that ends with the final match in late May or early June. Moreover, the winner of the Champions League qualifies for the following year’s Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup.
Cricket World Cup
It’s one of the most sought-after sporting events in the world of sports. The International Cricket Council – ICC is the governing body that conducts this gala event every four years. The tournament is one of the most viewed, prestigious events. And it is the “flagship event of the international cricket calendar” for the ICC.
In June 1975, the first world cup was organized in England. Only four years earlier, the first-ever one-day international match was played. But a separate Women’s tournament was held two years before the first men’s tournament.
And also, tournaments involving multiple teams had been held as early as 1912. In the year, Australia, England, and South Africa played a triangular test series. The ICC held the first three World Cup matches in England. From the year 1987, the fourteen-member countries began to host at least one match in the tournament.
All member countries of the ICC can participate in the World Cup and the top-ranking countries get an automatic qualification. So far, twenty countries have participated in the eleven editions of the game. Australia leads the list with five winnings of the tournament. India and West Indies won it two times while Pakistan, Srilanka, and England won it one time. And England is the current champion which won the 2019 World cup.
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the annual championship game of the National Football League. The champion from the National Football Conference and the American Football Conference clash in this annual meet. However, the long season of games begins in the late summer of the previous year.
Instead of the year, the Super Bowl is identified by the Roman Numerals. Super Bowl I was played on January 15, 1967. Similarly, Super Bowl LI was played in the year 2017. One exception in naming is Super Bowl 50, which didn’t get the Roman Numeral.
The game was the result of the merger agreement between the NFL and AFL. As per the agreement, the two leagues decided to play the AFL-NFL World Championship match until the merger begin officially in 1970. After the merger, the leagues became National Football Conference and American Football Conference.
The food consumption in the U.S. soars high on the day of the Super Bowl. By the amount consumed, it is the second-largest day for U.S. food consumption, after Thanksgiving Day. And the Super Bowl remains the most-watched broadcast in U.S. television history. The airtime value of the Super Bowl broadcast becomes the most expensive one. To make use of it, companies develop expensive advertisements for this broadcast.
Wimbledon Tennis
The most prestigious The Championships, Wimbledon, is the oldest tennis tournament in the world. From the year 1877, the championship matches go on at the All England Club in Wimbledon.
Generally, it takes two weeks’ time. Usually, the event begins in late June and ends in early July. But, with the recent changes in the Wimbledon Calendar, the event begins in early July.
Wimbledon enforces strict dress code for competitors and royal patronage. And people consume Strawberries and cream during the tournament. After the Australian Open shifted to hardcourt in the year 1988, Wimbledon is the only Grand Slam played on grass.
The unique thing to observe is the absence of any sponsor advertising around the court. The only exception is the Rolex, which provides the technology of timekeeping during the matches. In the year 2009, the administration fitted a retractable roof to protect the center court from the rains.
Tour de France Cycling
It is an annual sporting event for cycling. The multiple stage bicycle race is primarily held in France. But in times, it also passes through nearby countries. The event consists of 21 day-long stages over the course of 23 days. Moreover, it is the most prestigious and most difficult bicycle race.
The organizers belonged to the newspaper L’Auto, began this race in the year 1903. They tried to increase sales. From its beginning, it continues without interruption except during the two World Wars. With the growing popularity, the organizers lengthened the race and riders from all around the globe take part in the race. The Amaury Sport Organisation currently runs the event and it has become “the world’s biggest annual sporting event.”
One of the most popular sporting events, Tour de France Cycling happens in the month of July. Though the route changes each year, the format of the match remains the same. Now it consists of 21 day-long segments. It extends over a period of 23 days and the distance it covers is 3,500 km.
Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup is one of the famous sporting events. In this event, top international teams clash for winning the title. It happens once in four years. The event began in the year 1987. To start with, Australia and New Zealand co-hosted the tournament.
World Rugby is the governing body for this event. It organises events and governs the rules and regulations of the game. In the 1987 inaugural tournament, sixteen teams participated. But from the year 1999, twenty teams participate in the event.
The Winners get the Webb Ellis Cup. It got the name from Webb Ellis – a student of rugby school, who picked the ball during a football game. And it is widely believed that he was instrumental in the beginning of the Rugby game. So far, four countries – New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, and England have won the trophy,
In its announcement on 21 August 2019, World Rugby said that there would be no gender discrimination in the titles of men’s and women’s World cups. Subsequently, the next world women’s tournament in Newzealand in 2021 will bear the title “Rugby World Cup 2021”.
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Formula One Racing
Formula One, Formula 1 or F1 is the top single-seater auto racing. The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) sanctioned it and Formula One Group owns it. To start with, FIA held the first racing season in the year 1950. Moreover, the word ‘formula’ implies the set of conditions to which all participating cars should conform.
One of the most popular sporting events, F1 consists of a series of races happen all over the world. We know the races as Grand Prix. It takes place on artificial circuits and on public roads. By using a points system, the FIA evaluates the results to determine annual World Championships for drivers and constructors.
The racing events happen on the approved tracks which got FIA grade 1 standard. And also, the racers should hold a valid Super License, which the FIA issue to them. Most of the events occur in rural locations on purpose-built tracks, but some events also take place on city streets.
Europe is the base for the racing event. But the championship operates with 11 of the 21 races, now happening outside Europe. Maintaining a Formula one team requires a huge amount of money. And so Formula One has great job creation and economic effect. Also, the high profile and popularity related to the racing is conducive for merchandise. Moreover, it involves huge investments from sponsors and budgets.
National Basketball Association
It’s the most popular men’s professional league for the game of Basketball. Famously known as the NBA, the sporting event consists of 30 teams. And among them, 29 are from the United States and one from Canada.
One of the famous sporting events, the NBA came into existence on June 6, 1946, in New York. Then the name was the Basketball Association of America (BAA). After the merger with its competitor National Basketball League (NBL) on August 3, 1949, it changed the name to National Basketball Association.
The NBA season runs from October to April, every year. In the tournament, every team plays 82 games and the playoffs extend into the month of June. The NBA players get the best salary. Moreover, they are the athletes who get the best pay by the average annual salary per player.
The NBA is an active member of USA Basketball (USAB). Further, FIBA – the International Basketball Federation recognized USAB as the national governing body for basketball in the United States.
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