EvidenSe // Sport Attention Index

EvidenSe Sport Attention Index

Where the attention is, federation by federation.

August 2026 edition

Every month, EvidenSe ranks the 43 Olympic International Federations on one thing: how much of the world's attention they actually hold.

Attention isn't demand, and it isn't revenue. It's the earliest sign of both.

The full method, and this month's movers, are below.

Published on the third of each month by EvidenSe, an independent evidence-led advisory practice for sport organisations, brands and investors, based in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Summer federations

EvidenSe Sport Attention Index — Summer Federations, August 2026
RankFederationTierIndex scoreYoY
1FIFAFootballB100
2ICCCricketNEW84
3FIBABasketballB67
4World AthleticsAthleticsA57
5World TennisTennisB54
6FIVBVolleyballB52
7World BoxingBoxingC52
8WBSCBaseball / softballNEW51
9BWFBadmintonC50
10World RugbyRugbyE48
11World AquaticsAquaticsA45
12UCICyclingB43
13UWWWrestlingD42
14IGFGolfE40
15ITTFTable tennisC37
16IHFHandballD37
17FEIEquestrianD36
18World TaekwondoTaekwondoD35
19World GymnasticsGymnasticsA34
20IJFJudoC33
21World LacrosseLacrosseNEW32
22FIHHockeyD31
23FIEFencingD28
24World TriathlonTriathlonD25
25IFAFFlag footballNEW23
26World SquashSquashNEW23
27ISASurfing23
28IWFWeightliftingC21
29World SkateSkateboarding20
30ISSFShootingC20
31World ArcheryArcheryC20
32World RowingRowingC19
33UIPMModern pentathlonE18
34World ClimbingSport climbing16
35World SailingSailingD12
36Paddle WorldwideCanoeD0

Winter federations

EvidenSe Sport Attention Index — Winter Federations, August 2026
RankFederationTierIndex scoreYoY
1IIHFIce hockeyW100
2FISSkiing / snowboardW72
3World CurlingCurlingW65
4ISUSkatingW59
5IBSFBobsleigh / skeletonW43
6IBUBiathlonW17
7FILLugeW0
Method. Four signals per federation: Wikipedia readership of the sport's articles and of the federation's own article (monthly, twelve-month mean, 16 language editions, each weighted by the size of its market), and Google Trends worldwide search interest for the sport topic and the federation topic (all languages, expressed against a fixed anchor so months and federations compare). Ranks are computed within summer and within winter, since the Olympic cycle inflates winter attention this year. Index 0 to 100 is a rescaling of the level score. The arrow compares each federation's year-on-year change with the median of its group, which removes the drift of Wikipedia readership as a whole.

Limits. Language is a proxy for market, not for country. Tier is the IOC revenue-distribution group, shown for orientation and to be confirmed against the current ASOIF allocation. Attention is not demand and not revenue; it is an early signal of both.

Seeking a place in the Games

IOC-recognised federations outside the 43, some publicly pursuing Olympic inclusion. Not scored or ranked alongside the Index.

How the Index is built

Two public signals, measured for both the sport and its federation: Wikipedia monthly pageviews across 16 language editions, weighted by the approximate economic weight of each market; and Google Trends worldwide search interest. Scores are rescaled 0 to 100. Summer and winter federations are ranked separately, since the Olympic cycle would otherwise distort winter readings against summer ones.

This measures earned attention, what the public and the press already give a federation, not owned media (what a federation itself publishes) and not commercial value. A federation can rank highly here and still be undermonetised, or rank modestly and be commercially disciplined. The Index is a starting signal for that conversation, not its conclusion.

The EvidenSe Sport Attention Index

One email a month: the updated ranking, and which federations are moving and why it is worth watching.

Frequently asked questions

What is the EvidenSe Sport Attention Index?

A monthly, independent ranking of the 43 Olympic International Federations by global public attention, built from Wikipedia readership and worldwide Google Trends data.

How often is it updated?

Monthly, published on the third of each month.

Which federations are included?

All 43 Olympic International Federations recognised by the IOC: 36 summer federations and 7 winter federations, ranked separately. A further group of IOC-recognised federations seeking future inclusion is tracked separately, below the ranked Index.

What data does it use?

Two public signals for each federation and its sport: Wikipedia readership across 16 language editions, weighted by market, and worldwide Google Trends search interest.

Does a high attention score mean a federation earns more money?

No. Attention is an early signal of demand, not a measure of revenue, sponsorship value or commercial value. The two can move independently.

Can I see the detail behind a specific federation's score?

That level of detail, what moved, why, and what it means for the Bureau, is the Federation Radar, EvidenSe's monthly report for individual federations. See Beyond the ranking below, or book a 30 minute call.

What about sports that aren't on the Olympic programme yet?

A separate list tracks IOC-recognised federations outside the 43, including some publicly pursuing Olympic inclusion. See Seeking a place in the Games above. They are not scored or ranked alongside the Index.

Who publishes the Index?

EvidenSe, an independent evidence-led advisory practice for sport organisations, brands and investors, based in Lausanne, Switzerland.

How should I cite this data?

"Source: EvidenSe Sport Attention Index, index.evidense.io, August 2026." A link to index.evidense.io is appreciated.

Beyond the ranking

The free Index shows where the attention is. The Federation Radar tells your federation what moved this month, why, and what it means for the Bureau: a monthly note, delivered directly, with a quarterly call built in.

For a larger decision, a leadership transition, a broadcast renewal, a new investment case, the Decision Sprint turns three to four weeks of evidence into a board-ready recommendation.

Book a 30 minute call

Talk through what the Index shows for your federation. Thirty minutes, no material required in advance.