London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Aug 17, 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
Sarah Ferguson Reportedly Retreats to Late Ex-Boyfriend's Swiss Chalet
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez Sign Prenup Protecting Their Separate Fortunes
Thieves Steal Antonello da Messina Renaissance Masterpieces From Sicilian Museum
Better.com Founder Who Fired 900 Employees on Zoom Is Ousted as CEO
Italian Speed Camera Issues Nearly 32,000 Fines in 10 Weeks, Worth More Than €3 Million
AI Manager at San Francisco Store Recommends Firing Human Employee
Google Launches Pixel 11 With Gemini AI at the Center of Its Hardware Strategy
Reform UK Unveils Plan to Cut Welfare Spending by More Than £50 Billion a Year
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Praised Extinction Rebellion for Doing a 'Great Service'
UK Wildfire Phone Alert Triggers Backlash as Users Switch Off Emergency Warnings
Heathrow Roads Reopen After Burst Water Main Floods Access to Terminals 2 and 3
Former NBA Players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White Say They Will Enter 2027 WNBA Draft
Former Cambridge Professor Jason Arday Found Dead Days After Resigning Amid Plagiarism Row
US Appeals Court Rules AI Agent's Website Actions Are Legally Attributed to the User
France's Constitutional Council Blocks Social Media Ban for Children Under 15
Liechtenstein Changes Royal Succession Rules to Allow Women to Inherit the Throne
Women Allege Rape and Sexual Abuse at British Army College for Teenage Recruits
Minnesota: Two independent investigators posed as Muslims (one wearing a burqa) and showed how they could vote in elections without identification.
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham Takes Regional Tour to Highlight Local Infrastructure and Environmental Problems
Nigel Farage Wins Clacton By-Election to Return to the House of Commons
Bank of England Warns Rising Inflation Could Squeeze UK Household Incomes
UK Government Announces £65 Million Aid Package for Farmers Hit by Severe Drought
UK Economy Grows 0.4% in Second Quarter Despite Energy Market Pressures
UK Issues Emergency Alert as Severe Wildfires Spread Across England and Wales
UK and Finland Discuss European Defence and Continued Support for Ukraine
Nigel Farage Wins Clacton By-Election to Return to the House of Commons
UK Government Deploys Military to Help Fight Wildfires and Bans Disposable Barbecues
UK Records Hottest Day of the Year as Fifth Summer Heatwave Peaks in Southern England
UK Condemns Houthi Actions and Warns of Red Sea Threat to Global Trade
UK and Solomon Islands Open Wildlife Photography Exhibition in Honiara
UK Small Businesses Face Continued Cash Flow and Tax Pressures
Greatham Marsh Restoration Restores Tidal Wetland in Hartlepool After More Than 200 Years
UK Health Regulator Urges University Students to Check Meningitis and Measles Vaccination Status
Mining Remediation Authority Completes Major Ground Stabilization Works in Scottish Community
UK Food Crime Investigators Seize 33 Tonnes of Illegal Food in Multi-Agency Operation
Technical Qualification Uptake Hits Record High as Advanced Mathematics Results Improve
UK Summer Temperatures on Course to Challenge Long-Standing Records, Met Office Says
UK Farmers Bring Forward Cereal Harvests as Drought Threatens Yields
Wildfires Surge Across England and Wales as Fire Chiefs Report Record July
UK Nurses Warn of Heat Risks as Hospital Staff Struggle With Extreme Temperatures
Southern Water Seeks Drought Order for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Amid Water Shortages
UK Heatwave Pushes West London Temperature to 38.1 Degrees as Health Alerts Continue
UK Economy Grows 0.4% in Second Quarter Despite Global Uncertainty
China’s Kimi Launches AI-Focused Credit Card With Agricultural Bank of China and American Express
UK Residents Gather to Watch Rare Partial Solar Eclipse
Reform UK Deputy Leader Richard Tice Faces Criticism Over Legal Threat Against Guardian Journalist
Michael Forsyth Elected Speaker of the House of Lords
Cambridge Researchers Launch £20 Million Human Organoid Drug Testing Programme
Heathrow Loses European Passenger Traffic Lead to Istanbul Airport
Households Near New UK Electricity Pylons to Receive £250 Annual Energy Bill Discount
×