24 countries for 75 sports

India was the best nation in Archery in 2023 – pict. by 165106 from Pixabay

In 2023, in the quest to find the world’s best sporting nation, GSN tracked the results of the major international tournaments for 75 sports

(out of the 80-plus sports GSN will track over any four-year period), awarding 65,929 points to the athletes/nations that finished in each tournament’s (and each event’s within multi-event tournaments) top eight places.

In total, 136 countries scored points in the 2023 Global Cup, from North Macedonia in last place with 2 points to the USA in first with 6,018, and 24 different nations (one more than in 2022) won at least one sport - please see below for the full list of all the sports’ top-three ranked nations.
Among multiple winners, the following countries won at least three sports each: the USA (10 wins), Germany (eight wins), France (seven wins), Great Britain, the Netherlands and Japan (six wins each), China (five wins), Norway, Canada and Egypt (three wins each).
 
Finally, special mentions to three countries that won a sport for their first time in GSN history – India in Archery, Azerbaijan in Greco-Roman Wrestling, and Israel in Rhythmic Gymnastics – and the two inaugural winners of GSN’s newly tracked sports, Japan in Breaking and France in Stand-up Paddling.
 
2023 GLOBAL CUP - sport winners and podium places
SPORT
1ST
2ND
3RD
Alpine Skiing
Switzerland
Norway
Italy
Archery
India
South Korea
Netherlands
Artistic Gym
USA
China
Japan
Athletics (Track + Field)
USA
Kenya
Jamaica
Badminton
China
South Korea
Japan
Bandy
Sweden
Finland
USA
Baseball
Japan
USA
Mexico
Basketball
Germany
Serbia
USA
Beach Volleyball
USA
Brazil
Czech Rep
Biathlon
Norway
Sweden
France
BMX
France
Great Britain
China
Bobsleigh
Germany
Switzerland
USA
Body Boarding
France
Japan
Brazil
Boxing (Amateur)
Uzbekistan
Kazakhstan
Russia
Breaking
Japan
USA
Lithuania
Canoe/Kayak Slalom
Great Britain
France
Czech Rep
Canoe/Kayak Sprint
Germany
Hungary
Spain
Climbing
Japan
USA
France
Cricket
Australia
India
South Africa
Cross Country Skiing
Norway
Sweden
USA
Curling
Canada
Switzerland
Norway
Cyclocross
Netherlands
Belgium
Italy
Diving
China
Mexico
Australia
Fencing
Italy
France
Hungary
Figure Skating
USA
Japan
Canada
Fistball
Germany
Austria
Brazil
Floorball
Sweden
Finland
Czech Rep
Football
Spain
Great Britain
Sweden
Freestyle Skiing
Canada
USA
Switzerland
Golf
USA
Great Britain
South Korea
Handball
France
Denmark
Norway
Hockey
Germany
Belgium
Netherlands
Ice Hockey
Canada
USA
Germany
Judo
Japan
France
Georgia
Karate
Egypt
Japan
Turkey
Korfball
Netherlands
Taiwan
Belgium
Lacrosse
USA
Canada
Australia
Luge
Germany
Austria
Latvia
Marathon
Ethiopia
Kenya
Netherlands
Modern Pentathlon
Egypt
Italy
Great Britain
MTB
France
Great Britain
Switzerland
Netball
Australia
Great Britain
Jamaica
Nordic Combined
Norway
Germany
Austria
Open Water Swimming
Germany
Italy
Hungary
Orienteering
Switzerland
Sweden
Norway
Rhythmic Gymnastics
Israel
Italy
Germany
Road Cycling
Netherlands
Belgium
Great Britain
Rowing
Netherlands
USA
Italy
Rugby Union
New Zealand
South Africa
Argentina
Sailing
Great Britain
Netherlands
Italy
Shooting
China
USA
India
Short Track
Netherlands
South Korea
Canada
Skateboarding
Japan
Brazil
USA
Skeleton
Great Britain
Germany
Italy
Ski Jumping
Germany
Norway
Austria
Ski Mountaineering
France
Italy
Switzerland
Snooker
Great Britain
Belgium
China
Snowboarding
Austria
Japan
Switzerland
Speedskating
Netherlands
Canada
USA
Squash
Egypt
New Zealand
Great Britain
Stand-up Paddling
France
Spain
USA
Surfing
USA
Australia
Brazil
Swimming
USA
Australia
China
Synchronised Swimming
Japan
Spain
China
Table Tennis
China
Japan
South Korea
Taekwondo
Croatia
Turkey
South Korea
Tennis
USA
Serbia
Czech Rep
Track Cycling
Great Britain
Netherlands
Germany
Trampoline
Great Britain
USA
Portugal
Triathlon
France
Great Britain
New Zealand
Volleyball
Poland
USA
Turkey
Water Polo
Spain
Hungary
Netherlands
Weightlifting
China
Colombia
South Korea
Wrestling Free
USA
Japan
Iran
Wrestling Greco-Roman
Azerbaijan
Iran
Turkey
 
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Greatest Sporting Nation is a ranking of countries based on their performance in top-level international tournaments in sports in which there is genuine global competition. Countries (national teams and/or individual athletes) score Qualifying Points by finishing in the top eight places in Qualifying Events.
 
These Qualifying Points are then weighted to produce GSN Points, based on a formula that takes into account individual vs team sports, the sport’s participation (number of countries) and the frequency (annual/biennial/quadrennial) of the tournaments.
 
The Country scoring the most Points in a calendar year wins the Global Cup for that year. The country that scores the most points relative to its population wins the Per Capita Cup. For a more detailed explanation, please refer to the ‘How It Works’ section on the site.