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    ET Graphics | India’s sports interest breaks new groundReuters
    The new adidas Trionda Final ball, the official match ball for the semi-finals, the third-place play-off and final of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, on the pitch at Dallas Stadium, Arlington, Texas, U.S., July 12, 2026.
    The men’s singles final of Wimbledon drew a peak audience of 2.7 million past midnight on its India OTT livestream on Sunday—a marker of how fast tennis is gaining a following in India.

    That’s part of a bigger shift in India’s sporting appetite beyond cricket: Google interest in the ongoing FIFA World Cup ran nearly double that for this year’s T20 World Cup.

    The two tournaments are also winning fans in very different pockets—Wimbledon’s craze runs strongest in Karnataka and Goa; football’s biggest gains are in the north-east.


    However, tennis’s rise is much slower, and is led by Wimbledon, even as the sport as a whole still trails cricket (especially the IPL) and football by miles.

    FIFA WC Got More Google Searches Than This Year’s T20 Tournament

    ET Graphics | India’s sports interest breaks new ground

    Karnataka, Goa Lead Wimbledon Craze; N-E States High On Football

    ET Graphics | India’s sports interest breaks new ground

    Wimbledon is Leading Tennis’ Slow Rise in India

    ET Graphics | India’s sports interest breaks new ground

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    Published on 13 July 2026 by economictimes_indiatimes

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