Lahore, 15 September, 2026 (Kamran Raja): New York has been ranked the world’s leading sports city for 2026, climbing from third place in the previous ranking, while no Pakistani city has secured a place among the global top 100. According to the 2026 Sports Cities Ranking released by Swiss-based Burson, Paris slipped to second place after holding the top position for three consecutive years, while Los Angeles ranked third. The ranking assesses 100 cities with strong connections to the global sports industry and incorporates the views of experts, sports media representatives and international sports leaders, along with analysis of social media activity and media coverage. New York’s rise to the top was attributed in part to major sporting events, including the NBA championship and the FIFA World Cup final. London secured fourth place, followed by Madrid in fifth, Barcelona in sixth, Milan in seventh and Lausanne in eighth, while Manchester took 10th position. Washington was ranked 11th and Miami 12th. Among other major international cities, Tokyo stood at 16th, Sydney at 24th and Dubai at 29th. Mumbai was ranked 51st and New Delhi 65th, while Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh occupied 68th position. Cape Town was placed 85th, Jeddah 98th and Japan’s Sapporo 99th. Despite Pakistan’s strong sporting traditions and large following for cricket and other sports, no Pakistani city was represented among the 100 cities included in the 2026 ranking.