Star power: Which athletes have the greatest appeal in Australia in 2025?
Star power International football and basketball stars lead the way as top male athletes among Australian sports fans
Football stars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo top the list as favourite male athletes among Australian sports fans, with Alex de Minaur as the top Australian athlete, coming in at fifth place. Australia's Steve Smith and Oscar Piastri also make the top 10 list.
Favourite current male athletes in Australia:
Question: Who are your favourite current male athletes across any sport? Please name up to 3 athletes in the text boxes. YouGov Surveys, March 14 - April 9, 2025. Australian sports fans n> 400 (Among those who have at least 1 favorite male athlete). "Other" responses not shown. Indicates homegrown athlete.
Star power Homegrown stars play a greater role in female sports fandom
The majority of the top 10 list of favourite female athletes is comprised of Australian athletes, showing a clear allegiance to homegrown talent. Football player Sam Kerr is a significant favorite with 23% citing her as a favourite.
Favourite current female athletes in Australia:
Question: Who are your favourite current female athletes across any sport? Please name up to 3 athletes in the text boxes. YouGov Surveys, March 14 - April 9, 2025. Australian sports fans n> 200 (Among those who have at least 1 favorite female athlete). "Other" responses not shown. Indicates homegrown athlete.
Star power Industry-defining talents: Gout Gout, Piastri, Cleary, and Barty
Australian athletes Sam Kerr, Gout Gout, Oscar Piastri, Nathan Clearly and Ash Barty all make the top 10 list of athletes people believe have boosted the popularity of their entire sport.
Question: Can you name a current athlete whose popularity, in your opinion, has significantly boosted the popularity of their entire sport? YouGov Surveys, March 14 - April 9, 2025. Australian sports fans n> 400 (Among those who have at least 1 favorite male/female athlete). "Other" responses not shown. Indicates homegrown athlete.
Star power What's driving athlete appeal in 2025?
Almost two-thirds of Australian sports fans state that they favour athletes due to their skill level (64%).
Beyond skill and style of play, 29% of sports fans value an athlete's off-field personality.
13% like athletes because they speak about issues – highlighting the impact of aligning with social causes on positive sentiment.
Skill level
Style of play
Off-field personality
Play for my team
Physical appearance
Interaction with fans
Social media presence
Stylish/cool
Speak out about issues
From my local area
Question: What are the main reasons that you like your favorite athletes? Please select up to 3 reasons. YouGov Surveys, March 14 - April 9, 2025.
Australian sports fans n> 200 (Among those who have at least 1 favorite male/female athlete). "Don't know" and "Other" responses not shown.
