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Brisbane has been declared Australia’s top sporting city – and the 20th best in the world – in the 2025 Ranking of Sports Cities.
The index, released by global consultancy Burson, measured 100 sporting cities around the world to gauge destinations on the rise, and those falling behind.
Events across the city during Magic Round – including Queen’s Wharf’s “Fan Land” – helped elevate Brisbane’s standing as a sporting hub. Credit: Star Entertainment
Brisbane ranked 20 out of 100, outshining Sydney, Melbourne and the Gold Coast as the most popular destination in Australia for sports.
It was the second time the city had surpassed its southern counterparts, after placing 15th on the index in 2023.
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Paris scored the world’s top sports city for the third consecutive year, followed by Los Angeles, New York, London, Madrid, Barcelona, Munich, Miami, Milan and Manchester to complete the top 10.
The report highlighted how hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games affected a city’s place in the sporting world, with Brisbane predicted to climb higher as the 2032 Games draw near.
Brisbane Economic Development Agency chief operating officer Juliet Alabaster said Brisbane’s embrace of year-round calendar events, including the NRL Magic Round and recent British and Irish Lions Rugby Tour, had boosted its appeal as a sporting destination.
“Over the past 10 years, Brisbane’s sporting and cultural sectors have experienced remarkable growth of 76 per cent – and momentum is still building,” she said.
