The 2025 ranking of sports cities, compiled by the Burson consultancy, has been unveiled. For the third consecutive year, Paris has taken first place in the ranking. Despite ongoing debates over the legacy of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the French capital has managed to " attract the world's attention before, during and after the Games ", notes the report. Los Angeles and New York complete the podium. The top five is identical to that of the 5 edition, with London in fourth place and Madrid in fifth. What else should we learn from this?
Europe and the United States in force
This ranking was compiled based on responses from IF presidents, sports industry experts, and sports media representatives, supplemented by an analysis of social media and press articles, to determine which cities were most strongly associated with sport. The Old Continent places seven cities in the top 10. In addition to the three already mentioned, Barcelona (6th), Munich (7th), Milan (9th), and Manchester (10th) stand out as model students. A total of 37 European cities feature in the top 100.
Great Britain is represented six times and Italy four times. With the Winter Games approaching, Milan is making strong progress, gaining 18 places, as is Cortina d'Ampezzo, which has moved up from 82nd to 47th. Monaco also makes a notable entry into the rankings, ranking 30th. The city hosts the Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix, the Monte Carlo Masters 1000, and events such as the European Football Cup draws.
The United States is unsurprisingly the most represented country with 19 cities in the top 100. Behind the podium, where we count Los Angeles and New York, Miami (8th), Washington (12th), Chicago (15th), Las Vegas (16th), Boston (17th), Philadelphia (26th), Salt Lake City (31st), Dallas (34th), Indianapolis (36th), Atlanta (40th), Houston (41st), Detroit (44th) and San Francisco (45th) make a place in the 50 best-ranked cities. The United States is preparing to welcome " an unprecedented series of major international competitions » until 2033: in the front line, the 2025 Club World Cup, the 2026 Football World Cup, the Olympic Games in 2028 and, for the first time, the Rugby World Cup (men's in 2031, women's in 2033). Which has " significantly raised the profile of American cities in the global sports landscape ».
Think long term, diversify and focus on women's sport
Elsewhere, Canada is the strongest city with seven, and Australia with five (Brisbane leading the way, in 20th place). You have to go down to 13th place to find the first Asian city (Tokyo). Five African cities are ranked: Cairo (67th), Cape Town (69th), Dakar (80th), host city of the next YOG, Lagos (87th), Rabat (92nd) and Johannesburg (100th). The report draws several key lessons, including the need to think long-term about the Olympic legacy. In this regard, " Barcelona is a perfect example of successful long-term Olympic legacy management., retaining its elite status decades after hosting the Games thanks to a strong football presence, while other former host cities have struggled in the post-Olympic transition ».
Given the dynamics usually observed, " Brisbane (20th) is expected to improve significantly in the run-up to the 2032 Games, while Los Angeles (2nd) is expected to strengthen ahead of 2028, potentially rivalling Paris. ", which could experience a decline. " Milan (9th) and Cortina d'Ampezzo (47th) will continue their ascent through 2026, while Salt Lake City (31st) is expected to advance as it prepares for the 2034 Winter Olympics. The 2036 candidate cities will see their rankings improve during the bidding process, creating strategic opportunities to synchronize investments to maximize their global sporting positioning. »
The report highlights that investing in women's sport is paying off, particularly for medium-sized cities, such as Lyon (75th), which has entered the rankings, thanks in part to the strength of its women's football club. The authors also predict progress for Zurich (70th), host city of the Women's Euro 11, and Lausanne (2026th), with the Grand Départ of the Women's Tour de France in August 1. They also emphasize the relevance of a diversification strategy, taking the example of Abu Dhabi (Formula 23, tennis, golf, etc.), which climbed 23 places (38rd). Riyadh also stands out by climbing to XNUMXth place, rewarded for its investment in football, MMA, golf, and motorsport.
