Cricket fans drop from 75% to 70% as Basketball, Motorsport rise to 43%: Nielsen
Cricket, historically the most-followed sport in India, saw a drop from 75% in 2019 to 70% in 2025, while soccer fell slightly from 59% to 57%. In contrast, motorsport (including Formula 1) climbed from 38% to 43% and basketball from 39% to 43% in the same period, marking the sharpest upward trend among emerging sports.
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Indian youth are increasingly branching out beyond cricket and football, with newer sports gaining popularity, according to the latest data from Nielsen Fan Insights 2025. The study reveals a notable shift over the past six years, while cricket and soccer remain dominant, sports like motor sports, basketball, mixed martial arts (MMA), and golf are steadily gaining traction among the young audience.
Cricket, historically the most-followed sport in India, saw a drop from 75% in 2019 to 70% in 2025, while soccer fell slightly from 59% to 57%. In contrast, motorsport (including Formula 1) climbed from 38% to 43% and basketball from 39% to 43% in the same period, marking the sharpest upward trend among emerging sports.
Golf and MMA also registered gains of 4% each, indicating a broadening spectrum of sports interests among younger fans. Badminton remains an outlier among traditional sports, holding steady at 56%, while kabaddi saw a noticeable decline from 55% to 49%.
This study analyses data collected across two periods, August 2019 to January 2020 and December 2024 to May 2025, covering a sample size of 6,000 respondents aged 16-30 across 10 major cities of India. The takeaways are in continuation of last year’s Nielsen Fan Insights 2024 report, which revealed that other emerging sports like Pickleball have also skyrocketed in popularity in India. Notably, 23% of Indians are fans of the paddle sport - primarily driven by social media fandom.
The data signals an evolution in India’s sporting landscape, where global sports are beginning to rival homegrown ones, aided by increased streaming access, social media coverage, and the rise of star athletes in these categories. The shift suggests growing opportunities for brands and leagues to tap into new communities of fans seeking fresh and diverse sporting experiences.
