Burson has published its 2025 Ranking of Sport Cities report, which identified the top 100 cities globally with the strongest association with sport.
The report is based on perception and quantitative analysis, including feedback from international sports leaders, industry experts, and over 1,000 sports media representatives globally, as well as PR metrics and enhanced social media and media coverage analytics, covering 1st July 2024 to 30th June 2025.
The 2025 list featured 19 cities from Asia Pacific and five from the Middle East. At 13th, Tokyo ranked highest within these two regions, followed by Beijing at 14th, Brisbane at 20th, and Dubai at 21st. Regional rankings are as follows:
- Australia and New Zealand: Brisbane (20), Sydney (28), Melbourne (32), Gold Coast (57), Perth (82), Auckland (84).
- Greater China: Beijing (14), Hong Kong (50), Shanghai (63), Chengdu (72), Guangzhou (74).
- Southeast Asia: Singapore (52), Jakarta (96), Bangkok (97).
- Middle East: Dubai (21), Abu Dhabi (23), Doha (25), Riyadh (38), Jeddah (91).
Key findings include:
- As a 'major riser,' Abu Dhabi rose 23 positions from its 46th rank in 2024, a result attributed to the city's diversification in its sports hosting strategy beyond its traditional Formula 1 events.
- As a ‘stable leader’, Tokyo maintained rankings between 8th and 13th from 2023-2025, which was credited to its 2021 Olympic Games host city legacy as well as its upcoming hosting of the World Athletics Championships in September 2025.
- Another ‘stable leader,' Dubai placed between 19th and 21st from 2023-2025, which was attributed to its strategy of combining both elite and mass participation events for locals.
The Olympic lifecycle effect demonstrates predictable patterns of rise and decline.
Olympic and Paralympic host cities experience pre-Games momentum, peak visibility during the Olympic year, and post-Games decline (as seen with Tokyo dropping from 8th place in 2023 to 13th in 2021). The report suggested that strategic cities can achieve recovery through legacy activation by planning for the full Olympic lifecycle - not just the Games itself.
Based on this trend, Brisbane’s ranking should rise significantly as the 2032 Games approaches, and cities bidding for 2036 should see ranking improvements during the bidding process. These predictions suggested strategic opportunities for timing investments to maximise global sports positioning.
Diversification of sports offerings outperforming one-off events.
Top-performing cities strategically diversified their sports portfolios, balancing prestigious events, regular league fixtures, and daily sports attractions. Abu Dhabi, whose ranking rose from 46th in 2024 to 23rd in 2025, has consistently hosted major international events, such as Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and large golf and tennis tournaments. Riyadh’s jump from 42nd to 38th reflected Saudi Arabia’s growing investment across sports, from golf (LIV Golf) and football (Spanish Soccer Cup) to mixed martial arts (UFC Fight Night).
Based on this observation, Jeddah is poised for a potential ranking jump thanks to hosting events like the F1H2O and the Next Gen ATP Finals.
AI’s role in reshaping the sports landscape, enabling new competitive advantages.
Events and leagues are using AI to amplify their reach and engagement. In leveraging sports for reputational gains, cities can look towards AI to enhance the communications around their hosting and sports initiatives, especially around fan engagement workflows.
The report predicted that cities investing in advanced fan experiences should result in continued digital acceleration. But it also recognised that the pace of AI development renders it difficult to predict which cities will benefit from increased visibility from AI investment.
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