24 countries for 75 sports
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
|
Follow GSN also on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) and keep up with the latest in the quest for the world’s best sporting nation!
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.
