25 countries for 69 sports
In the quest to find the world’s best sporting nation, in 2025 GSN tracked the results of the major international tournaments for 69 sports (out of the 80-plus sports GSN will track over any four-year period), awarding 54,430 points to the athletes/nations that finished in each tournament’s (and each event’s within multi-event tournaments) top eight places.
In total, 130 countries scored points in the 2025 Global Cup, from Mauritius in last place with 2 points to the USA in first with 4,802, and 25 different nations won at least one sport - please see below for the full list of all the sports’ top-three ranked nations.
Among multiple sport winners, the following countries won at least three sports each: the USA (10 wins), China (eight wins), France, Japan and Great Britain (five wins each), Germany and the Netherlands (four wins), Sweden, Italy, Norway and Egypt (three wins).
Finally, special mentions to three countries that won a sport for their first time in GSN history: Venezuela (Softball), Greece (Water Polo) and North Korea (Weightlifting).
2025 GLOBAL CUP - sport winners and podium places
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1
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2
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3
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Alpine Skiing
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Switzerland
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Italy
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Norway
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Archery
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South Korea
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India
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Mexico
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Artistic Gym
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China
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Japan
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USA
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Athletics (Track + Field)
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USA
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Kenya
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Jamaica
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Badminton
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China
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Japan
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Malaysia
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Bandy
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Sweden
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Norway
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Finland
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Basketball
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Spain
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Netherlands
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Mongolia
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Beach Volleyball
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Sweden
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USA
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Brazil
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Biathlon
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France
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Norway
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Sweden
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BMX
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China
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Australia
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USA
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Bobsleigh
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Germany
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USA
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Great Britain
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Body Boarding
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Brazil
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France
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Japan
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Boxing (Amateur)
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Uzbekistan
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Kazakhstan
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Great Britain
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Breaking
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Japan
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China
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Lithuania
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Canoe/Kayak Slalom
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France
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Great Britain
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Czech Republic
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Canoe/Kayak Sprint
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Hungary
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Spain
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Ukraine
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Cheerleading
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USA
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Norway
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Sweden
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Climbing
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Japan
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Slovenia
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China
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Cricket
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India
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South Africa
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Great Britain
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Cross Country Skiing
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Norway
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Sweden
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Switzerland
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Curling
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Great Britain
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Canada
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Switzerland
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Cyclocross
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Netherlands
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Belgium
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Italy
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Diving
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China
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Mexico
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Australia
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Fencing
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France
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Italy
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Japan
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Figure Skating
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USA
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Japan
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Canada
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Football
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Great Britain
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Spain
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Nigeria
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Floorball
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Switzerland
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Czech Republic
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Finland
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Freestyle Skiing
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USA
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Canada
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Switzerland
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Golf
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USA
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Japan
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Great Britain
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Handball
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Denmark
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France
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Germany
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Ice Hockey
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USA
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Canada
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Switzerland
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Judo
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Japan
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Georgia
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France
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Karate
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Egypt
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Italy
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Iran
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Luge
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Germany
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Austria
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USA
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Marathon
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Kenya
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Ethiopia
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USA
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Modern Pentathlon
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Egypt
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Italy
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France
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MTB
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France
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Switzerland
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Canada
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Nordic Combined
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Norway
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Germany
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Japan
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Open Water Swimming
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Italy
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Germany
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Australia
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Orienteering
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Sweden
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Norway
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Switzerland
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Rhythmic Gymnastics
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Germany
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Bulgaria
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Brazil
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Road Cycling
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Netherlands
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France
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Australia
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Rowing
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Netherlands
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Romania
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Great Britain
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Rugby Union
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Great Britain
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New Zealand
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Canada
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Shooting
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USA
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Italy
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Spain
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Short Track
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Canada
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South Korea
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Netherlands
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Skeleton
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Great Britain
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USA
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Germany
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Ski Jumping
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Norway
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Slovenia
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Austria
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Ski Mountaineering
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France
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Switzerland
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Italy
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Snooker
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China
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Great Britain
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Thailand
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Snowboarding
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Japan
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Austria
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Italy
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Softball
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Venezuela
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New Zealand
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USA
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Speedskating
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Netherlands
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USA
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Canada
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Squash
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Egypt
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Peru
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USA
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Stand-up Paddling
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Spain
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Japan
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Puerto Rico
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Surfing
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USA
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Australia
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Brazil
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Swimming
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USA
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Australia
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China
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Synchronised Swimming
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China
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Spain
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Italy
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Table Tennis
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China
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Japan
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South Korea
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Taekwondo
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China
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South Korea
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Turkey
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Tennis
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Italy
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USA
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Spain
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Track Cycling
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Great Britain
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Netherlands
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Germany
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Trampoline
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USA
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China
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Japan
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Triathlon
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Germany
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France
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Australia
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Volleyball
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Italy
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Turkey
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Bulgaria
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Water Polo
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Greece
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Hungary
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Spain
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Weightlifting
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North Korea
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USA
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Colombia
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Wrestling Free
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Japan
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USA
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North Korea
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Wrestling Greco-Roman
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Iran
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Azerbaijan
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Uzbekistan
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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.
