London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Sep 17, 2025

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
Hong Kong Industry Group Calls for HK$20 Billion Support Fund to Ease Property Market Stress
Joe Biden’s Post-Presidency Speaking Fees Face Weak Demand amid Corporate Reluctance
Charlie Kirk's murder will break the left's hateful cancel tactics
Kash Patel erupts at ‘buffoon’ Sen. Adam Schiff over Russiagate: ‘You are the biggest fraud’
Homeland Security says Emmy speech ‘fanning the flames of hatred’ after Einbinder’s ‘F— ICE’ remark
Charlie Kirk’s Alleged Assassin Tyler Robinson Faces Death Penalty as Charges Formally Announced
Actor, director, environmentalist Robert Redford dies at 89
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
JD Vance Says There Is “No Unity” with Those Who Celebrate Charlie Kirk’s Killing, and he is right!
Trump sues the 'New York Times' for an astronomical sum of 15 billion dollars
Florida Hospital Welcomes Its Largest-Ever Baby: Annan, Nearly Fourteen Pounds at Birth
U.S. and Britain Poised to Finalize Over $10 Billion in High-Tech, Nuclear and Defense Deals During Trump State Visit
China Finds Nvidia Violated Antitrust Laws in Mellanox Deal, Deepens Trade Tensions with US
US Air Force Begins Modifications on Qatar-Donated Jet Amid Plans to Use It as Air Force One
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
Elon Musk Retakes Lead as World’s Richest After Brief Ellison Surge
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
London Daily Podcast: London Massive Pro Democracy Rally, Musk Support, UK Economic Data and Premier League Results Mark Eventful Weekend
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Musk calls for new UK government at huge pro-democracy rally in London, but Britons have been brainwashed to obey instead of fighting for their human rights
Elon Musk responds to post calling for the murder of Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk: 'Either we fight back or they will kill us'
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
USA: Office Depot Employees Refused to Print Poster in Memory of Charlie Kirk – and Were Fired
Proposed U.S. Bill Would Allow Civil Suits Against Judges Who Release Repeat Violent Offenders
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
French Debt Downgrade Piles Pressure on Macron’s New Prime Minister
US and UK Near Tech, Nuclear and Whisky Deals Ahead of Trump Trip
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
Anesthesiologist Left Operation Mid-Surgery to Have Sex with Nurse
Tens of Thousands of Young Chinese Get Up Every Morning and Go to Work Where They Do Nothing
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
The German Owner of Politico Mathias Döpfner Eyes Further U.S. Media Expansion After Axel Springer Restructuring
Suspect Arrested: Utah Man in Custody for Charlie Kirk’s Fatal Shooting
In a politically motivated trial: Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Plotting Coup After 2022 Defeat
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
×