Which countries are popular for rugby?
Emily Ross
Published Jan 09, 2026
Top 20 rugby union countries with most registered players
- Sri Lanka. Players: 53,282.
- Kenya. Players: 50,541. ...
- Scotland. Players: 49,265. ...
- China. Players: 35,361. ...
- Spain. Players: 34,822. ...
- Madagascar. Players: 34,393. World ranking: 51st.
- Canada. Players: 27,512. World ranking: 23rd.
- Russia. Players: 25,558. World ranking: 20th.
In which country is rugby most popular?
In 2016, the total number of registered players increased from 2.82 million to 3.2 million while the total number of non-registered rugby players rose from 4.91 million to 5.3 million. South Africa has the most registered players with 651,146 and England the most players overall with 2,139,604.
In which countries is rugby particularly popular?
International Rugby League is dominated by Australia, England and New Zealand. In Papua New Guinea, it is the national sport. Other nations from the South Pacific and Europe also play in the Pacific Cup and European Cup respectively.
What countries is rugby league most popular in?
Rugby league is the national sport of Papua New Guinea, and is a popular sport in countries such as England, Australia, New Zealand, France, Tonga, Fiji, Samoa, and Lebanon. The first Rugby League World Cup was held in France in 1954, the first World Cup of either Rugby code; the current holders are Australia.
Is rugby popular in Spain?
There are over 51,123 registered rugby union players in Spain, with more than 221 clubs across the country. Participation rates for rugby union jumped by 20% in the Madrid area during the two years following the national team's participation in their first ever Rugby World Cup in 1999.
29 related questions foundWhere is rugby popular in the US?
The numbers of registered rugby members are highest in California, New York and Pennsylvania. On a per-person basis, rugby membership is highest in New England and in the Rocky Mountain states of Colorado and Utah. There are 32,754 men and 11,790 women playing senior-level rugby.
Is rugby popular in France?
Rugby union in France is a popular team sport. Rugby union was first introduced in the early 1870s by British residents, which makes the country one of the few early exponents of the sport. Elite French clubs participate in the professional domestic club league, the Top 14.
How popular is rugby in UK?
Rugby union is one of the most popular sports across the UK with 224,400 adult players taking part in England alone (source: Statista, 2019).
How popular is rugby in Japan?
Rugby union in Japan is a moderately popular sport. Japan has the fourth largest population of rugby union players in the world and the sport has been played there for over a century. There are 125,000 Japanese rugby players, 3,631 official rugby clubs, and the Japan national team is ranked 10th in the world.
Is rugby popular in Germany?
Rugby is booming in Germany – among top athletes and in sports clubs. Admittedly, most people think of New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Great Britain, Ireland or France when they hear the word rugby. Germany does not have a reputation as a traditional rugby-playing nation, as football outshines everything else.
Is rugby popular in Canada?
The sport is played across Canada, with clubs even in places like Yukon. It is most popular on Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland in British Columbia on the west coast, and Newfoundland, where rugby is considered to be the most popular summer sport.
Is rugby popular in Australia?
Rugby league in Australia has been one of Australia's most popular sports since it started being played there in 1908. It is the dominant winter football code in the states of New South Wales and Queensland.
What is Japan famous sport?
Soccer and baseball are arguably the most popular sports in Japan, and one of the most widely watched. However there are so many more sports and activities, many of them traditional to Japan that are still praticed even today.
Do Japanese like rugby?
The Japanese love their Rugby
Rugby remains in the top three competitive sports in Japan, with over 120,000 players playing rugby professionally which is far more than any other country in Asia relative to its population.
What is the most popular sport in Japan 2021?
Most popular sports in Japan 2021
According to a survey conducted in September 2021, 17.6 percent of respondents stated that baseball was their favorite sport. Soccer was the second most popular sport among respondents, reaching around ten percent.
Is rugby bigger than cricket?
According to website mostpopularsports.net, cricket sits third behind basketball and football as the world's most popular sport with 2.5 billion followers world-wide. Rugby comes in a distant but commendable 10th , behind those sporting powerhouses badminton and volleyball.
Is England or cricket more popular than rugby?
The rugby world cup final had a peak rating of 12.8 whereas the cricket world cup final had a peak rating of 7.8. Its obvious rugby is the more popular in England.
Why is rugby popular in Argentina?
Like with football, the game of rugby was brought over to Latin America by British immigrants. In fact, the River Plate Rugby Football Union team from which the Argentine national team derives originally consisted solely of decedents from British immigrants.
Is rugby big in Italy?
Popularity. There are 1,024 rugby clubs within Italy. These clubs support 73,419 registered male players, as well as 8,118 registered female players. Many teams are either from Veneto or Lombardy in the north of Italy.
Is rugby big in UK?
Historically, rugby league has been the second biggest spectator sport in England with 6.8 million spectators attending the 1948–1949 English season. Rugby league is most popular in its traditional heartlands and, in those areas, interest in the sport can rival that of association football.
What sport is growing the most?
America's fastest-growing sport is pickleball With 4.8 million people now playing, pickleball is ready for the big time.
Is American football same as rugby?
American football is a game of intense physical play with complex strategy to score points by advancing the ball to the opponent team's end-zone. Rugby is best described as a blend of the contact of American football, the running of soccer, and the transition of basketball.
Is rugby the fastest growing sport?
Yes! In fact, rugby union is the fastest growing sport in the nation, with over 2,600 rugby union clubs across the country, including college rugby teams.