New Zealand

Best Sports

2025

Top Positions Points % Chg
1 Rugby Union 88 29.5
2 Softball 48 16.1
3 Canoe/Kayak Sprint 44 14.7
4 Freestyle Skiing 34 11.4 -1
5 Swimming 27 9.0
6 Alpine Skiing 20 6.7 -2
7 Snowboarding 16 5.4 -2
8 Road Cycling 14 4.7 -2
9 Squash 6 1.8 -2
10 Diving 2 0.7

2024

More
Top Positions Points % Chg
1 Swimming 198 21.0 6
2 Rugby Union 149 15.8 -1
3 Track Cycling 94 10.0
4 Football 80 8.5
5 Canoe/Kayak Sprint 72 7.6 -1
6 Cricket 60 6.4 -4
7 Sailing 46 4.9 1
8 Rowing 46 4.9 1
9 Athletics 42 4.4 2
10 Golf 40 4.2

2023

More
Top Positions Points % Chg
1 Rugby Union 456 47.1
2 Cricket 98 10.1 1
3 Track Cycling 68 7.0 2
4 Canoe/Kayak Sprint 66 6.8 -2
5 Netball 40 4.1
6 Mountain Bike 36 3.7
7 Swimming 36 3.7
8 Sailing 34 3.5
9 Rowing 30 3.1 -1
10 Hockey 28 2.9 -6

2022

More
Top Positions Points % Chg
1 Rugby Union 288 37.0
2 Canoe/Kayak Sprint 58 7.5
3 Cricket 57 7.3
4 Hockey 56 7.2 11
5 Track Cycling 50 6.4 2
6 Rugby League 44 5.7
7 Swimming 42 5.4 12
8 Rowing 33 4.2 -4
9 Snowboarding 26 3.3 3
10 Equestrian 24 3.1 13

2021

More
Top Positions Points % Chg
1 Rugby Union 120 16.6
2 Canoe/Kayak Sprint 98 13.5
3 Cricket 56 7.7
4 Rowing 52 7.2
5 Football 50 6.9
6 Sailing 36 5.0
7 Track Cycling 35 4.8 -5
8 Golf 31 4.3 -2
9 Athletics 30 4.1
10 Tennis 30 4.1

New Zealand Positions

2025

Global Cup Positions
Category Position
Overall 24
Gender:Men 27
Gender:Women 23
Continent:Oceania 2
Per Capita Cup Positions
Category Position
Overall 8
Gender:Men 7
Gender:Women 6
Continent:Oceania 1

2024

Global Cup Positions
Category Position
Overall 19
Gender:Men 24
Gender:Women 15
Continent:Oceania 2
Per Capita Cup Positions
Category Position
Overall 3
Gender:Men 3
Gender:Women 1
Continent:Oceania 1

2023

Global Cup Positions
Category Position
Overall 17
Gender:Men 14
Gender:Women 27
Continent:Oceania 2
Per Capita Cup Positions
Category Position
Overall 4
Gender:Men 3
Gender:Women 8
Continent:Oceania 1

2022

Global Cup Positions
Category Position
Overall 24
Gender:Men 30
Gender:Women 17
Continent:Oceania 2
Per Capita Cup Positions
Category Position
Overall 4
Gender:Men 7
Gender:Women 2
Continent:Oceania 1

2021

Global Cup Positions
Category Position
Overall 30
Gender:Men 31
Gender:Women 29
Continent:Oceania 2
Per Capita Cup Positions
Category Position
Overall 8
Gender:Men 6
Gender:Women 8
Continent:Oceania 1
Will New Zealand be able to mesmerise its Per Capita Cup competitors in the last part of the 2019 sporting year? Photo: Reuters/

New Zealand gains 5 places as race for sportiest nation title heats up

After the first 7 months of the year, the table in the Per Capita Cup, GSN’s ranking of the world’s sportiest nations (see below* for more details on how the ranking...

E. Murray and H. Bond win Rowing gold in the men's pair at Rio 2016

New Zealand sportiest nation on earth in 2016

New Zealand is the sportiest nation on the planet in 2016!

New Zealand were too strong for Australia in the 2015 Rugby World Cup final

New Zealand, Cuba win month of October

We love sporting countries that punch above their weight, and the monthly ranking for the Global Cup, the most accurate statistical measurement of how the...