London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Aug 24, 2026

The most popular sports in Great Britain in 2020

The most popular sports in Great Britain in 2020

Sport is one of the favourite past times of the Great British public, both watching and playing. Here is a rundown of the most popular sports in Great Britain 2020.
Football


Football is without a doubt one of the most popular sports in Great Britain. The British public loves nothing more than cheering on their team, be it in the home stands or following players around the world. With its traditional league set up, the Premier League is probably the most-watched, as the top 20 teams from Great Britain play for the Cup. The FA Cup is also followed by millions of Brits each year, with a staggering 92 teams all competing to win. Some British teams have gained a global following, and juggernauts like Manchester United, Chelsea, and Arsenal regularly sign up the best players from around the world. Despite the global reach of football, many Brits feel very closely tied to their team, be it local or not, and it is this sense of football as a community that inspires Great British fans in 2020.

Tennis


Wimbledon is probably the most famous of all British tennis tournaments and has been a fixture in British sport since 1877. Playing for just two weeks in June, the British obsession with tennis reaches its peak during this fortnight. Along with the French, Australian, and US Open tournaments, Wimbledon is the most-watched grand slam tennis event in the UK. Top British players, such as Tim Henman, Kyle Edmund and Andy Murray, often enjoy high ranking worldwide positions, with Murray himself ranked number 1 in the world back in 2016.

Fast forward to a few years later, and unfortunately, his 2020 position has seen him slip to 111th place. Despite the somewhat inconsistent performance levels of many British tennis players, it is still a spectacular spectator sport that can be enjoyed courtside (if you are lucky enough to get a ticket!), from the views of Murray Mound (once nicknamed Henman Hill), or at home. Female tennis players have also garnered plenty of support from the Great British public too. Sadly, due to the current pandemic, Wimbledon was called off for 2020, but other matches continue to be watched and enjoyed by UK audiences.

Cricket


Great Britain has a long history of participating in cricket matches as well as watching them, and in 2020 it is still one of the nation’s best-loved sports. Created in the UK, cricket was first played way back in the 13th Century and is still just as popular for Great British audiences in 2020. Once synonymous with the upper-middle class, cricket is now enjoyed across the country by fans from all walks of life.

Millions in the UK tune in for world cup fixtures, such as the World Cup and of course the Ashes, where England often goes head to head with their old rivals, Australia. For those wanting to place a bet on cricket, the best providers can be found on www.cricketbettingadvice.com. Not every bookmaker is best suited for cricket betting concerning odds, betting types and bonus offers. Be sure to always compare the most trustworthy cricket sportsbooks with each other and be sure to look at the different betting odds as well.

Badminton


Perhaps one of the less popular sports in the UK compared to others such as football and cricket, badminton still ranks as the most-watched racket sport in Great Britain. Since 1893, badminton matches have been played throughout the UK. Despite this, it often flies under the radar, with not much coverage from the media and hardly any famous names associated with the sport, unlike football or tennis. British badminton players tend to rank lower in the world than other countries, so perhaps this may also contribute to its lower profile.

Rugby


Both Rugby League and Rugby Union are the two most popularised forms of rugby currently enjoyed in Great Britain today. With very different rules, these two leagues are exciting and exhilarating. Established in 1823 by William Webb Ellis, rugby began as a variation on football and has since grown to become one of the most popular sports in its own right. Every four years, audiences can enjoy the World Cup League, along with other international competitions such as the European Cup and the Five Nations Championship.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Iranian Hackers Shut Down British Power Plant for Four Days in Landmark Cyber Attack
Novak Djokovic Reveals Relentless Self-Doubt and Rejects Retirement in New Documentary
Trump Imposes 50% Tariffs on Canadian Goods After Bilateral Trade Talks Collapse
Australia Combines Indigenous Fire Knowledge With Satellite Tech to Combat Catastrophic Wildfires
Father and Son Jailed in Scotland Over £900,000 Airport Cannabis Smuggling Operation
UK Fraud Reports Surge Sevenfold as Criminals Exploit QR Codes in Parking Meters and Phishing Emails
Brighton Thrash Aston Villa in Four-Goal Opening Half as Manchester City Trail Bournemouth
Erin Patterson Appeals Triple Murder Convictions After Hotel Mixed Sequestered Jury With Prosecution
Bank of England Maintains Close Watch on Banks Amid Global Economic Uncertainty
Warm Weather and Tourism Support UK High Street Spending During Summer
Westminster Faces Continuing Political and Administrative Fallout From Epstein Files Release
UK Invests in Domestic Defence Drone Manufacturing to Strengthen Military Supply Chains
Around Five Million UK Households Face Higher Mortgage Payments by 2028
Bluetongue Virus Cases Rise Across England, Wales and Scotland
UK Government Holds First National Day for Victims and Survivors of Terrorism
Historic Summer Droughts Threaten UK Harvests and Put Further Pressure on Food Prices
UK Economy Holds Up in Second Quarter Despite Global Energy and Geopolitical Pressures
UK Opens National Artificial Intelligence Safety Testing Facility
UK Government Finalizes Plans to Bring Remaining Regional Rail Services Into Public Ownership
Environment Agency Imposes Record Penalties on Water Companies Over Illegal Sewage Discharges
Great British Energy Announces Offshore Wind Partnership in North Sea
UK Government Tightens Planning Rules to Accelerate Housing Development
NHS Launches Digital Overhaul to Cut Elective Care Waiting Lists
Bank of England Signals Interest Rates May Stay Higher for Longer as Inflation Pressures Persist
The rise and fall of Hui Ka Yan, China’s richest man
Woke: Britain Considers Plain Packaging for Cigars as Specialist Shops Warn of Industry Collapse
Britain's Public-Service Productivity Remains Below 2019 as £80 Billion Output Gap Fuels WFH Debate
Mandelson Epstein Case in Jeopardy as U.S. Files Stay Out of Reach
Prince Harry and Six Others Ordered to Pay £9.5 Million After High Court Defeat
Bank of England Holds Interest Rate at 3.75% as Inflation and Energy Risks Persist
UK AI Security Tests Find Autonomous Agent Attempting Malicious Code Injection
UK Economy Grows 0.4% in Second Quarter Amid Global Pressures
UK Joins European Allies in Condemning Israeli Settlement Plans in West Bank E1 Area
Multiple People Killed in A66 Collision Near Middlesbrough Involving Police Vehicle
UK Government Holds First National Day for Victims and Survivors of Terrorism
UK Met Office Warns of Severe Autumn Storms as Strong El Niño Follows Historic Drought
Petrol Bombs Set Luxury Cars Alight Outside Birmingham Wedding as Police Hunt Three Men
Bitcoin Surges Toward $80,000 as Short Squeeze and ETF Inflows Ignite Crypto Rally
Prince Harry and Co-Claimants Ordered to Pay £9.5 Million Toward Daily Mail Publisher’s Legal Costs
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Reportedly Plan Return to Britain With Their Children
UK Court Ruling Threatens Deportation Plans for Potential Trafficking Victims to Albania
Kemi Badenoch Presses UK Government for Decisions on Rosebank and Jackdaw Oil Fields
UK Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Calls for Ban on Goods from Occupied West Bank
Andy Burnham Government to Place Civil Servants Directly in English Mayoral Offices
Met Office Warns Major El Niño Could Bring Stormier, Wetter Autumn to UK
UK Economy Gains Unexpected Momentum Ahead of Andy Burnham Government’s First Budget
Twenty-Nine US States Take Meta to Trial Over Alleged Child Addiction on Instagram and Facebook
Former Scottish National Party Executive Peter Murrell Jailed for Five Years Over £400,000 Embezzlement
Moderna and Merck's Personalized Cancer Vaccine Succeeds in Historic Late-Stage Melanoma Trial
Prince Harry and Meghan to Move Back to Britain With Their Children
×