Cricket still runs India. That's not changing. But Nielsen's latest research makes one thing clear: football is right behind it, and with the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, that gap is worth watching.
The data, compiled as part of a broader pre-World Cup study spanning seven Asian nations, shows football ranking first among adults in South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, and Indonesia. In India and Japan, it sits second — behind cricket and baseball respectively. The rankings aren't shocking, but the scale of football's footprint in markets once considered purely cricket or baseball territory is notable.
Asia's football audience is bigger than the sport's commercial deals suggest
For a long time, broadcasters and sponsors treated Asia as a secondary market for football. These numbers push back on that framing. India alone has over a billion adults. Second place in that market isn't a consolation prize.
Nielsen also dug into audience patterns beyond Asia. Black Caribbean consumers are 52% more likely to be interested in football than adults overall. Middle Eastern and Black audiences sit 40% above the general adult average. These aren't marginal groups — they represent a significant chunk of the global fanbase that the sport's biggest commercial partners are still underserving.
What this means for 2026 specifically: the tournament co-hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico is being positioned as football's American breakthrough moment. The Nielsen research supports that ambition, particularly given the detailed look at the growing Hispanic audience in the United States — a demographic the sport has been quietly building on for years.
India's betting market is one to watch
From a markets perspective, India's growing football fandom matters. As engagement deepens ahead of the World Cup, Indian betting interest in international football — already rising — is likely to accelerate. Second most popular sport in a country that size produces real volume.
The 2026 World Cup will be the biggest test of whether football's Asian and diaspora audience growth translates into sustained, long-term engagement — or just a tournament-window spike. Either way, Nielsen's research confirms the foundation is there.
