From cricket crazy to football frenzy: India picks its No.2 Sport

GLOBAL: A new study by Nielsen ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup has revealed that football is now the second-most popular sport among Indian adults, sitting comfortably behind cricket but ahead of every other sporting obsession in the country.

And India is not alone in this football frenzy. Across Asia, the sport continues to dominate fan culture, ranking as the most popular sport in South Korea, Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore. In Japan, football trails only baseball in popularity, underlining the game’s growing influence across the continent.

The report paints a picture of a sport that is no longer just watched, it is lived online, discussed socially and followed with near-religious passion. Much of that momentum is being driven by younger and digitally savvy audiences, especially among Hispanic communities in the United States.

According to the research, one in two first- and second-generation U.S. Hispanics identify as World Cup fans, while nearly half expect their interest in the tournament to grow even further over the next 18 months. Hispanic fans were also found to be significantly more engaged with football content, with many regularly watching World Cup qualifiers and following leagues such as Major League Soccer.

Social media, unsurprisingly, is playing its own starring role in football’s rise. An overwhelming majority of Hispanic football fans consume football content online, with platforms like TikTok emerging as major hubs for highlights, reactions and fan chatter. Nielsen noted that these audiences are driving the digital conversation around the sport more than ever before.

The report also highlights football’s strong emotional connect with Black Caribbean and Middle Eastern audiences. Black Caribbean consumers are 52 per cent more likely to be interested in football compared to adults overall, while Middle Eastern and Black audiences are 40 per cent more likely to follow the sport passionately.

For brands and marketers, the message is loud and clear: football fandom is no longer niche, it is a cultural force. The study found that Hispanic sports fans are more likely to notice and support brands associated with the sports and tournaments they follow, making football sponsorships increasingly valuable in the run-up to the World Cup.

With the countdown to 2026 already underway, football’s global appeal appears to be entering extra time and in India, the roar for the beautiful game is only getting louder.