Paris has been ranked as the world’s top sports city for the third consecutive year, according to the 2025 Ranking of Sports Cities by global communications company Burson (part of WPP). Los Angeles maintains second place, with New York City securing third. London remains in fourth position, while Madrid completes the top five.
This ranking identifies the top 100 cities from around the world with the strongest association with sport. It is based on both perception and in-depth quantitative analysis, including feedback from international sports leaders, sports media representatives, and industry experts, as well as enhanced social media and media coverage analytics.
The report reveals five key trends reshaping the global sports landscape: the Olympic lifecycle effect demonstrating predictable patterns of rise and decline; major international events boosting the profile of America’s sports cities; investments in women’s sports delivering accelerated ranking improvements; diversification of sports offerings outperforming one-off events; and AI’s role in reshaping the sports landscape, enabling new competitive advantages.
Major risers in the new 100 rankings are Rio de Janeiro (up from 77th to 33rd), Abu Dhabi (up from 46th to 23rd) and Milan (up from 27th to ninth).
Brisbane was ranked 20th and is officially Australia’s top sporting city and the Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner noted 2025 marked the third consecutive year Brisbane had maintained its position as a Top 25 global sporting powerhouse. “Brisbane’s sporting credentials are unrivalled and our reputation as Australia’s top sporting city will only grow stronger as we head towards the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games,” Cr Schrinner said.
“Whether we’re cheering for the underdog or witnessing new benchmarks being set, Brisbane’s passion for sport is deeply ingrained in our city’s DNA.”
The rankings are an initiative of Burson’s Lausanne office, a city where 60 sporting federations and organisations have their offices. *View the full 2025 Ranking of Sports Cities index HERE.
