Paris Tops the 2025 Ranking of Sports Cities

Paris Tops the 2025 Ranking of Sports Cities.
Los Angeles takes second place, while New York holds third position

Lausanne, Switzerland - September 9th 2025 - Burson, the global communications leader purpose-built to create value for clients through reputation, today published its highly anticipated 2025 Ranking of Sport Cities, revealing Paris as the world's top sports city for the third consecutive year. Los Angeles maintains second place with New York City securing third. London remains in fourth position, while Madrid completes the top five.

The annual 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 social media and media coverage analytics. For the first time, this year's edition also includes PR metrics derived from comprehensive media tracking.

The 2025 ranking highlights five key trends reshaping the global sports landscape:

• The Olympic lifecycle effect: rise, peak, decline, recovery: Olympic hosting follows a predictable cycle: pre-Games momentum, peak visibility during the event, followed by post-Games decline. Strategic cities, however, can achieve recovery through legacy activation, as seen with Rio de Janeiro's remarkable 41-position jump since 2023 (#74 to #33). Milan's 18-position rise to #9 ahead of the 2026 Winter Games also highlights pre-Games momentum, while Salt Lake City (#31) is already improving as it prepares for the 2034 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.
• Major international events boost North America' sports cities' profile: North American cities are significantly elevating their global sports standing by attracting major international events. The unprecedented series of upcoming events in the U.S., including the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, FIFA World Cup 2026 and 2028 Olympic Games, is driving this. Miami's climb to #8 (from #16 in 2023) and Boston's nine-spot jump to #17 exemplify this impact. This trend extends beyond the US: Mexico City (#18) rose 12 spots in anticipation of 2026. Canadian cities are also seeing a rise in their ranking, especially Montreal (#27 - gaining 31 positions) and Edmonton (#22 - gaining 13 positions).
• Investing in women's sports is a strategy that pays off: Strategic investment in women's sports directly correlates with a city's accelerated rise in sports prominence and overall profile. Lyon's entry at #75, largely due to its dominant women's football team, underscores this trend. Established sports hubs like London (#4) are consolidating their women's sports leadership, for example, with the return of a WTA 500 tournament and hosting the Women's Rugby World Cup finals in 2025.
• Diversification beats one-off events for sports tourism: Top-performing cities are moving beyond isolated events to embrace year-round sports ecosystems. Madrid (#5) balances elite football clubs and major tennis events, while Miami (#8) leverages a diverse mix including Lionel Messi's presence, Formula 1 and tennis. Lausanne (#11) excels as both a sports governance hub and event host. In the Middle East, Abu Dhabi (#23) and Riyadh (#38) leverage consistent hosting of major international events, from Formula 1 to golf and football, to boost tourism and global appeal.
• AI is reshaping the sports landscape: Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the sports landscape, offering new competitive advantages. Cities benefit as their hosted events and leagues use AI to amplify reach and engagement. Real Madrid's "Madrid Innovation District" and partnership with Adobe, leveraging AI for fan engagement, bolsters Madrid's #5 ranking, while Munich (#7) and Boston (#17) also show gains from digital initiatives and advanced fan experiences.

"The 2025 Ranking of Sport Cities underscores the dynamic and evolving nature of the global sports landscape," said Greg Curchod, CEO of Burson Switzerland. "While mega-events remain crucial, this year's findings highlight the increasing importance of strategic long-term planning, investment in diverse sports offerings, particularly women's sports, and the innovative application of technology like AI to enhance a city's sports reputation and engagement."

The complete 2025 Burson Ranking of Sports Cities, including the full methodology and in-depth analysis, is available here.

About the Burson Ranking of Sports Cities
Burson annually evaluates the top 100 sports cities worldwide based on both perception and in-depth quantitative analysis, including feedback from international sports leaders, sports media representatives and industry experts, as well as social media analytics and PR metrics. Each year, the five lowest-ranked cities are replaced by emerging sports destinations. Operating at the heart of international sports as a valuable partner of the International Federations, host cities, and leading brands, Burson's Lausanne Sports Regional Excellence Centre harnesses the power of sport for impactful communications and to elevate brand reputation.

About Burson
Burson is the global communications leader built to create value for clients through reputation. With highly specialised teams, industry-leading technologies and breakthrough creative, we help brands and businesses redefine reputation as a competitive advantage so they can lead today and into the future. Burson is part of WPP (LSE/NYSE: WPP), the creative transformation company.

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