American football has emerged as the world’s most expensive major sport for fans, with supporters spending an estimated KSh126,678 ($982) annually to follow the National Football League (NFL), according to a September 2026 study by CasinoStreamers.
The research examined the cost of being a fan across 10 major sports by combining the average price of a live event ticket, official merchandise and the monthly streaming cost required to watch the sport.
The study found that the rising cost of tickets, merchandise and fragmented streaming services has made following some of the world’s biggest sports increasingly expensive.
NFL average expenditure
NFL supporters face an average annual cost of KSh126,678, comprising a KSh17,544 ($136) match ticket, a KSh19,350 ($150) Nike Limited jersey and annual streaming expenses of KSh89,784 ($696).
The monthly streaming bill for American football was estimated at KSh7,482 ($58), with fans often needing access to several services to follow the NFL.
Tennis was ranked second at KSh119,841 ($929) per year, because of the high cost of attending major tournaments.
A single Grand Slam ticket averages KSh68,241 ($529), the highest average ticket price among the sports examined. Tennis fans also spend about KSh5,160 ($40) on merchandise and KSh46,440 ($360) annually on streaming.
Formula 1 ranked third, with the annual cost of following the sport estimated at KSh78,174 ($606).
F1 fans pay an average of KSh51,600 ($400) for a race weekend ticket, while merchandise costs around KSh6,450 ($50). Streaming adds another KSh20,124 ($156) annually. The study noted that the figures do not include additional expenses such as travel and accommodation for attending races.
Basketball came in fourth, with fans spending approximately KSh74,562 ($578) a year.
The average basketball ticket was put at KSh12,642 ($98), while a jersey costs about KSh15,480 ($120). Streaming accounts for KSh46,440 ($360) annually.
The UFC completed the top five at KSh73,917 ($573) per year. Fans pay approximately KSh54,180 ($420) for a fight-night ticket, making it the second-most expensive sport for live attendance after tennis.
UFC merchandise costs around KSh5,805 ($45), while its streaming bill was estimated at KSh13,932 ($108) annually.
WWE ranked sixth at KSh65,532 ($508), followed by boxing at KSh62,952 ($488).
Ice hockey was eighth at KSh55,341 ($429), while baseball and golf completed the top 10 at KSh50,310 ($390) and KSh46,827 ($363) respectively.
The study also highlighted the growing complexity of sports streaming, with broadcasting rights increasingly divided among different platforms.
An analyst from the streaming platform behind the research said fans were previously able to access most sporting events through a traditional cable subscription, but now often have to pay for multiple services.
“The streaming situation for sports fans has gotten really confusing. You used to pay for cable and get most games. Now the rights are split across so many platforms that following just one league can mean subscribing to two or three services at once. Some estimates put the total cost of covering all major sports at over $2K a year in streaming alone. We found ourselves in the situation where many fans are paying for stuff they don’t even remember signing up for.”
Meanwhile, soccer emerged as the most affordable major sport in the wider study, with Premier League fans spending just over KSh38,700 ($300) annually on tickets, streaming and a replica kit.
The findings show how the cost of following elite sport is increasingly extending beyond match tickets, with broadcasting subscriptions and official merchandise becoming significant parts of the annual bill.
