The World Ranking of Countries in Elite Sport (WRCES) is a precise and comprehensive index that provides an accurate evaluation of nations' performance in elite sports.
The WRCES ranks 206 countries with National Olympic Committees, considering all sports recognized by SportAccord, as well as those with high media popularity that may not have gained official recognition yet. This comprehensive approach takes into account a total of 115 sports in its calculations.
While the Olympic Medal Table is a common tool for comparing nations' sports performance, it has limitations. It does not consider the popularity and universality of each sport and overlooks significant sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup, tennis Grand Slams, Rugby World Cup, and Formula 1. Popularity is gauged by the media exposure of various sports worldwide, while universality is assessed by the number of countries affiliated with the main international sports federations.
One significant distinction of the WRCES from the Olympic medal rankings is that it awards points to all participating countries in a sport, not just the top three. This ensures a more inclusive ranking that encompasses all participating nations.
The WRCES has been presented at numerous international scientific conferences worldwide, emphasizing its credibility and recognition within the academic community.
Ranked Sports and Their Disciplines
2023 World Ranking
2022 World Ranking
2021 World Ranking
2019 World Ranking
2018 World Ranking
2017 World Ranking
2016 World Ranking
2015 World Ranking
2014 World Ranking