New York has been crowned the world's leading sport city in a new independent ranking published today, 15 September 2026. London, despite its sporting pedigree, continues to lag in fourth place.
The Big Apple's sporting profile was significantly boosted in 2026 by hosting the World Cup final and the Knicks ending their long wait for the NBA championship. This propelled New York above Paris and Los Angeles in the ranking, which was compiled by WPP-owned sports agency Burson.
London remained in fourth place, even with the return of NBA basketball and Arsenal's Premier League title win. Madrid completed the top five in the list.
Greg Curchod, Senior Client Lead EMEA at Burson Switzerland, stated that the ranking shows "reputation is no longer built around a single event." He added that cities rising fastest combine major events with long-term investment, emerging sports, and strong connections to the global sports community.
London's absence from the top three is seen as a blow to Mayor Sadiq Khan's claims of the city being the world's sporting capital. The city is also reportedly set to lose the Anthony Joshua-Tyson Fury fight to Cardiff.