The world is seeing a bigger trend of retirees returning to work
Total Global Viewers: 4.7 billion
The most watched Olympic Games on record, China enthralled viewers with a US$100 million opening ceremony that set the tone for an unforgettable, record-shattering event.
The USA's Michael Phelps dominated in swimming, taking part in 17 races over nine days in Beijing. He won eight gold medals and set seven world records.
Sources: (Front Office Sports) (Guinness World Records)
See also: The hottest athletes competing at the Paris 2024 Olympics
At just 21 years old, Usain Bolt crossed the line in the final of the men’s 100m dash in a record-smashing 9.69 seconds. The world watched as he turned to smile at the camera, becoming one of the most famous Olympians of the 21st century.
Total Global Viewers: 3.9 billion
As the birthplace of the ancient Olympiad and the host of the inaugural Olympic Games of the modern era in 1896, Athens 2004 was considered a 'homecoming' of the games. The global viewership figures reflect the excitement surrounding them.
Ian Thorpe's win for Australia in the Men's 200-meter freestyle final during the Athens Games thrilled viewers around the globe. He fought off competition from the USA's Michael Phelps and Dutch swimmer Pieter van den Hoogenband.
One of the more bizarre Summer Olympic events ever saw runner Brazil's Vanderlei de Lima pushed off the road as he led the marathon by an Irish former priest. De Lima ended up with a bronze medal, while gold went to Italy's Stefano Baldini.
Team USA's Misty Hyman stunned heavy gold-medal favorite Aussie Susie O’Neill in the women’s 200-meter butterfly. O'Neill, whose nickname was "Madame Butterfly," was the reigning Olympic and World champion and the world record holder on entering the race. Hyman won the gold and had an Olympic and American record swim that was .07 off O’Neill’s world record.
Total Global Viewers: 3.6 billion
At the Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games, several events were contested at the Olympics for the first time. These included men's and women's tae kwon do, trampoline, triathlon, and synchronized diving.
Australian sprinter Cathy Freeman excelled in the 400-meter dash. At the Sydney 2000 Games, she became the first Australian Aboriginal person to win an individual Olympic gold medal.
Total Global Viewers: 3.6 billion
London became the first modern city to hold the Olympic Games three times when it hosted the event in the summer of 2012.
Scottish cyclist Chris Hoy pleased the home crowd by becoming one of the most successful British Olympians of all time. Hoy won six gold and one silver medal, making him the most successful Olympic cyclist of all time.
Meseret Defar of Ethiopia won gold in the Women's 5000m Final on day 14 of the London 2012 Olympic Games. Her second-ever Olympic gold medal, it came eight years after winning her first in the Athens 2004 Games.
Total Global Viewers: 3.5 billion
The arrival of the Olympic Games in Barcelona was historic, beginning the city's transformation into the cosmopolitan hub we know today.
In basketball, before 1992, only European and South American professionals were allowed to compete, while the Americans used college players. The admittance of NBA players led to the formation of the "Dream Team" of the United States, who won the gold medal and featured legendary players Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird, among others.
Belarussian Vitaly Scherbo wowed audiences by winning six gold medals—four of them in a single day—for the newly created Unified Nations, made up of former nations of the Soviet Union (minus the Baltic States).
Total Global Viewers: 3.5 billion
The Seoul Summer Olympic Games weren't just about sport. They presented South Korea in a whole new light to a worldwide audience, transforming its image and opening the country up to greater economic cooperation.
Viewers tuned in to see Florence Griffith-Joyner bring home gold for Team USA in the Women's 100-meter final event.
Canadian Ben Johnson won the 100-meter final with an impressive world-record time of 9.79 seconds, however, he was later disqualified after testing positive for stanozolol, a banned anabolic steroid.
Total Global Viewers: 3.2 billion
In 1996, Atlanta, Georgia, had the honor of hosting the centennial Olympic Games.
One of the world’s top tennis players, especially in doubles, Mary Fernandez competed at the 1996 Olympics for the United States, winning the doubles gold medal alongside her namesake Mary Joe Fernandez.
Derek Mills, Alvin Harrison, Anthuan Maybank, Jason Rouser, and LaMont Smith also won gold for Team USA, in the Men's 4x400 meter relay event during the games.
Total Global Viewers: 3.2 billion
The Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympic Games were full of firsts. They were the first Olympic Games to be held in South America, the first to be held in a Portuguese-speaking country, the first summer edition to be held entirely in the host country's winter season, the first since 1968 to be held in Latin America, and the first since 2000 to be held in the Southern Hemisphere!
Viewers were thrilled to watch South Africa's Wayde van Niekerk explode out of the blocks to win the 400-meter final in 43.03 seconds, a new record.
Puerto Rico’s Monica Puig captured attention early in the tournament, a momentum that continued as she toppled two-time Wimbledon champ Petra Kvitova. She then beat 2016 Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber of Germany with a blistering backhand to win gold.
Total Global Viewers: 3.05 billion
The Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic Games took place in the summer of 2021 amid a worldwide pandemic with major restrictions in place. With a record number of people stuck at home, it was a much-needed distraction for billions of viewers.
Norway's Karsten Warholm broke his world record in the 400-meter hurdles final. His time of 45.94 seconds broke the previous record he set of 46.70 seconds, as he became the first person to break 46 seconds.
Total Global Viewers: 1 billion
The 1976 Games were the first (and as of 2024, the only) Summer Olympic Games to take place in Canada.
Viewers tuned in to watch Soviet gymnast Nikolai Andrianov dominate the 1976 gymnastics competition, winning four golds (including the all-around), two silvers, and a bronze.
But one of the main highlights of the Games was 14-year-old gymnast Nadia Comaneci of Romania. She became the first gymnast to be awarded a perfect 10.0 at the Games and would continue to do so six more times on her way to winning three gold medals.
Team USA swimmer Caeleb Dressel dominated in the pool, winning three individual gold medals in the 50-meter freestyle, 100-meter freestyle, and 100-meter butterfly, as well as a pair of gold medals in the 4x100-meter freestyle and 4x100-meter medley relays (and setting new world records along the way).
Every four years, people worldwide tune in to watch the Summer Olympic Games in anticipation of witnessing incredible feats of athleticism. But, even more importantly—they watch to see if their country will bring home gold! The modern Olympics have been around since 1896 and its popularity with viewers has the edge over the world's other biggest sporting event: the World Cup. Over the years, some games have had an extra special something that gave them an even bigger draw for viewers around the globe.
Can you guess which Games they were? Click on the gallery to find out.
The most watched Summer Olympics ever, ranked
Can you guess the city that drew in the most viewers globally?
LIFESTYLE Sports
Every four years, people worldwide tune in to watch the Summer Olympic Games in anticipation of witnessing incredible feats of athleticism. But, even more importantly—they watch to see if their country will bring home gold! The modern Olympics have been around since 1896 and its popularity with viewers has the edge over the world's other biggest sporting event: the World Cup. Over the years, some games have had an extra special something that gave them an even bigger draw for viewers around the globe.
Can you guess which Games they were? Click on the gallery to find out.