Top 10 Most Dangerous Sports

Some sports are more exciting than others. Some sports make you feel the speed, the thrill, and the rush of pushing your limits. But these sports also come with a price. They can be dangerous, even deadly. You never know when something can go wrong, and when it does, it can be fatal. Injuries and deaths are common in some sports, but not in others.

That's why we asked you to vote for the most dangerous sports in the world. We wanted to know which sports you think are the most risky and why, and we've ranked the top ten most dangerous sports based on your opinions. These are the sports that can give you the ultimate challenge, but also the ultimate risk.

The Top Ten

Horseback Riding

Horseback riding, or equestrianism, is one of the most intense sports known to man. It is physically challenging but also requires more than just athleticism. The sport demands commitment, time, patience, and most importantly, building a bond with your horse.... read more

Now, I'm not saying any of these sports aren't dangerous. Also, I think you should try it before you compare it. If you try horseback riding, you'll need to learn to balance, use your core, gain leg strength, build major confidence, and be able to let things go. For example, if your horse takes off with you, then you need to sit your butt in the saddle, try to calm the horse down, try not to fall off, and more.
Once the horse has calmed down, you also need to be calm and relaxed. When that happens to me, if I fall off and I'm okay, I might be sore, but I get back up and try again. You're working with a partner that can kill you in under five seconds, that can't speak your language, and that could do anything at any time.
Fun fact: more than 700 people die each year from this sport. I'm not saying horse riding should be at this exact spot on the list, but at least try it before you compare it. Saying cheerleading should be in front of it is wrong. I can say I've done cheerleading and it is a very hard sport, but horseback riding should be ranked higher.
I know this was long, but I want to say that most people think this isn't a sport. Before anyone says that, I think they should try getting bucked off, crashing into a fence, or being reared with. I know I must sound crazy, and sorry for not using much grammar, but whatever. I believe you should try it before you compare. I know I've said that a million times, but if you try it and it's not hard, maybe you're a natural. Still, it has its hard moments and its nice moments.
Bull Riding

Bull riding is a rodeo sport in which a rider attempts to stay mounted on a bucking bull for eight seconds while holding onto a rope with one hand. This event is often referred to as "the most dangerous eight seconds in sports" due to the high risk of injury. Riders are not allowed to touch the bull... read more

Per capita and overall, by far the most dangerous. I did this for years and lost two friends, with an additional two friends in wheelchairs for life. Most of the guys I know have lost teeth and have had multiple concussions.
I had to quit and moved on to mixed martial arts because I could not physically continue bull riding. If you consider the X Games a sport, that also needs to be considered.
Cheerleading is a joke, and soccer is what we do until puberty happens. I guess if you want a sport that consists of crying all the time, soccer could only be second to basketball. Baseball is barely a sport because a position player could almost take a nap. If Prince Fielder is a major athlete in your sport, I'm just saying. He reminds me of golf's John Daly. Oh, and golf is not a sport. It falls somewhere between darts and bowling.
Gymnastics

Gymnastics is a sport involving the performance of exercises requiring strength, flexibility, balance, and control.
It includes various disciplines such as artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline, and acrobatics. Gymnastics is a core sport in the Summer Olympic Games and is governed... read more

I was in gymnastics for nine years and had many minor injuries, but also some serious ones. It's a difficult and super dangerous sport. When I was 14, I fractured my wrist so badly that doctors thought they might have to amputate it from my elbow down.
Luckily, I managed to undergo three emergency surgeries and came out of my four-day hospital stay with my arm intact. I know a lady who had to have both kneecaps replaced due to all the damage from gymnastics over the years. I have weak wrists and knees now, but I'd do it all over again if I could.
I recommend this sport for both males and females. It teaches you discipline, balance, flexibility, coordination, teamwork, and more. It's demanding but well worth it.
Cheerleading

Cheerleading is a sport and performance activity that combines elements of dance, gymnastics, and acrobatics. It originated in the United States and has changed significantly over the years.
The activity has expanded beyond leading cheers for sports teams to become a highly competitive sport.... read more

Here's to the people who say cheerleading isn't a sport and that cheerleaders aren't athletes. The very definition of a sport is, and I quote, "an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature." We practice just as much as you do: every day of the week for two hours.
We condition, we run, we do ab workouts, push-ups, and planks. No, we don't lift weights. We lift our athletes - and we hold them 10-15 feet in the air until our arms shake and our legs quiver. Don't underestimate the flyers either. We have more muscle than you seem to think.
The amount of balance, leg muscle, and core strength it takes to stay in the air is unbelievable to someone who has never done it before. We run full speed at nothing, then flip in the air, twist, and land on our feet. We jump. We jump high - without a trampoline. We concentrate on pointed toes, extended legs, tight arms, jump height, facial expressions, and smiling.
Ever based a basket toss? You get blood blisters on your hands. Softball-sized bruises start to appear as if by magic. As for the flyers, if you're not tight, expect to have your back jammed into your base's knee. Don't forget about the backspots. We are the lifeguards of cheerleading. We save lives every day. We get concussions, get hit, and get rammed into the ground. Without us, your flyers would be injured.
Sprained ankles, broken fingers, and pulled muscles don't slow us down. You practice like it doesn't hurt. Now you have 2.5 minutes on a paneled mat. You have 1,000 people in the crowd every time you go on that floor. Four judges. Two and a half minutes of intense physical activity, and we make it look easy. Perfection doesn't exist, but we strive for it anyway. You hit or you miss. Toes weren't pointed? Deduction. Didn't stick your tumbling? Deduction. Stunt didn't hit? Deduction.... read more
Football

American football is a sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The game involves advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone to score points. It is most popular in the United States, with the NFL being the top professional league.

Football is one of those sports where, in every game, someone gets injured and can't come back for a few weeks! We put our careers at risk every day. One wrong move, and you could have an injury that impacts you for the rest of your life.
Also, concussions from football affect you long-term. A concussion you get in high school can come back 15-20 years later and kill you. That's why we have so much protection.
How many other sports can you play with a broken arm and not even notice it until you get back to the locker room? We play with broken toes, broken fingers, messed-up knees and shoulders, and many other injuries without even coming out of the game.
Coaches constantly scream in your face, but you can't get your feelings hurt. You just understand they're trying to help you. Cheerleading is not a sport more dangerous than football.
Hockey

Alright, I've been playing hockey for 3 years (now in the midget league), and each year I went to the hospital at least once: broken bones, fractures, sprains. I'm lucky! I could have had some bad concussions or had my throat slit by a blade. It's rough, and some people go out to hurt people. On ice, it's hard. Look what happened just the other week: Habs vs. Bruins, Chara. That happens more often than you think. That was just serious. You never know what can happen.
Horseback riding is dangerous too. I do it. Maybe not as dangerous, but soccer? Come on, seriously? Put some hockey players on the ice with just shin pads, and you'll see what happens then! We've broken the glass three times this year with pucks - a midget team! They're hard rubber and go fast. Maybe not number 1, but ahead of soccer? I think so.
Boxing

Boxing is a martial art and combat sport in which two people wearing protective gloves throw punches at each other for a predetermined set of time in a boxing ring.
It is governed by rules that include weight classes, scoring systems, and protective regulations. Boxing is an Olympic sport and... read more

Unlike most sports that require pads, boxing and MMA are pretty much raw fighting with just gloves and shorts. Unlike other sports where causing someone injury isn't always intentional, boxing and MMA are sports where people are really trying to hurt their opponent. I think purposely trying to hurt someone is worse than doing it by accident.
Motocross, bull riding, and horse riding are activities that I do not consider to be sports, only because they require little to no actual physical activity. Cheerleaders don't wear pads either, so they can have that, but most of the injuries caused are unintentional. That's why I think boxing and MMA are the most dangerous sports.
Wrestling

Wrestling is a combat sport involving grappling-type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins, and other grappling holds.
There are different styles including freestyle, Greco-Roman, and professional wrestling. Olympic wrestling focuses on freestyle and Greco-Roman... read more

My brother has wrestled ever since he was four years old. He is 11 now and has had many injuries. He had to get a staple in the back of his head because he was thrown head-first into a table. He has also popped his elbow out of place when someone was arm-barring/chicken-winging him.
I have wrestled for 4.5 to 5 years, and even though I am a female wrestler, I have popped my knee out of place, gotten a few bloody noses, black eyes, and been thrown so hard I couldn't breathe. Wrestling is a tough sport for anyone.
A wrestler has to remember all the moves they have learned and know when to execute them. They also have to persevere through the three matches they have, whether or not they are winning, because there is always a chance. I believe that wrestling should be in the top three, but that's just my opinion.
Rugby

I come from a small province in New Zealand with fewer than 100,000 people living in it. In the last year, two people died and one was paralyzed playing rugby just in my province. That's not including the countless broken bones, concussions, and other injuries.
In rugby, if you run straight at someone and have a head knock, you're going to have a bad time. If you are in the middle of a ruck and the other team starts stomping with cleats, you're going to have a bad time. If you're in a maul and it collapses on you, you're going to have a bad time.
Rugby is bad if you want to be safe. This list irritates me because people vote for their favorite sport, not the most dangerous one. My favorite sport is cricket, which is pretty dangerous but not as bad as rugby. So, don't vote for sports like soccer. Vote for rugby because it's dangerous.
Motocross

Motocross is arguably the hardest sport due to the treacherous tracks. Several competitors have lost their lives from a single fatal error: slipping and then falling, causing a domino effect that involves others. I personally jumped high over a crash only to collide with the track's border, sustaining fractures in my arms from the walls and in my left leg from the dirt bike's weight.
About 30 people were in the race, and over half were involved in the crash. Although I was the eighth person to crash, I don't remember anything after the incident. I was told that 19 people crashed and five died. Most were injured, but the severity of their injuries was unclear. Eleven people were in the back and managed to stop before reaching the crash site. They witnessed the aftermath but did not see the initial cause.
The race was canceled, but the winnings were posthumously awarded to the five who died, acknowledging their skill and proximity to the end of the race. It was a tragic event. Though I can't recall the exact date now that I'm older, the memory of the accident remains vivid. So, for those skeptical of motocross's dangers, I urge you to experience it firsthand.

The Newcomers

?
Bullfighting

It's a disgusting sport and should be banned. The poor bulls don't stand a chance, although a few have been known to gore matadors. Still, I think all the bulls end up dead. It's an utter disgrace!

It's very dangerous because you could get killed by the bull, and that would hurt. It's also scary.
?
Kickboxing

You can hurt people just by kicking them think about it! or search it up

Nah I play kick boxing I bet every body

The Contenders

Lacrosse

Lacrosse is a contact team sport played between two teams using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick.
The objective is to score by shooting the ball into the opponent's goal. Lacrosse has several variations, including field lacrosse, box lacrosse, and... read more

Every lacrosse game, you're nearly guaranteed to have at least one serious injury. In our last game, we had to stop 12 seconds early when one of the kids on the other team got sandwiched hard. Concussion. Dislocated shoulder. The whole shebang. We called in the ambulance, and the kid didn't remember half of it the next day. The best part: it was a completely legal hit.
Today, our goalie got knocked unconscious by a hit. A guy got hit in the throat with a cross-check. Have you ever been hit in the throat by a guy sprinting at you? All we could do was watch him squirm on the ground, struggling for air. Meanwhile, one of the guys on the other team took a shot on goal and hit our teammate straight in the head. That knocked him out for a little bit too.
Mixed Martial Arts

Mixed martial arts is a full-contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, from a variety of other combat sports and martial arts.
It gained mainstream popularity through organizations such as the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship... read more

Let's compare a small horse-riding jockey to a lightweight MMA fighter. The MMA fighter would have enough strength to hold on to and control a horse, while the jockey would stand no chance in a fight. They're fragile compared to any MMA fighter and would get smashed! MMA fighters can take a hit and would have more than three times as much chance of surviving a fall from a horse as any jockey. MMA fighters can kill with their bare hands!
First, let's see if any MMA fighter can ride a horse on a track without falling off. Then let's pit any jockey against an MMA fighter in a full-fledged match and see how long the jockey lasts. Jockeys can't beat MMA fighters!
Rugby League

Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, league, rugby, or football, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field.
It originated in Northern England in the late 19th century and is distinct from rugby union in rules and gameplay. Rugby league... read more

In rugby, people are intentionally trying to bring you down, plus you have no protection. Getting stepped on by a 180-pound man with cleats doesn't feel good. Yes, sports like motocross are dangerous, but in motocross, people aren't trying to hurt you.
For every rugby game you play, there is a guarantee that you will be sore, and if you're lucky, you won't be injured. Imagine running at full speed and then having another person running full speed tackle you from the side. The impact on your spine and ribs is brutal.
It knocks the breath out of you and makes you feel like throwing up, but you have to keep running and keep tackling. Rugby is not for the weak, and it is dangerous, no doubt. Not as dangerous as skydiving, but certainly more dangerous than soccer, cheerleading, and motocross!
Parkour

I challenge anyone to explain how activities like falling off a horse, being tackled by a large opponent, performing high flips, executing gymnastic handstands, and fighting are considered more dangerous than parkour. Parkour involves jumping between buildings over ten stories high and executing acrobatics on solid concrete. If you underestimate parkour's dangers, you're severely mistaken.
I recently began training in parkour and freerunning, and despite only starting a few weeks ago (plus watching numerous professional videos), I already foresee the high risk of severe injury. Whether it's climbing thin fences with minimal support or leaping across large gaps, the dangers are evident. Parkour, with its high risk of severe, life-altering injuries for the slightest mistakes, should top the list of dangerous hobbies.
Soccer

Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players each. It is played with a spherical ball. The objective is to score goals by getting the ball into the opposing team's net. Soccer is the most popular sport globally, governed by FIFA... read more

Ok, for all you haters, let me just tell you something. To be a soccer player, you have to be in amazing physical shape. So listen up, cheerleaders and football players, because you seem to be the biggest haters. In cheerleading, you get 2 minutes and 30 seconds to go out and dance, jump around, and lift up a girl who weighs around 110 pounds with three others helping you. 2 minutes and 30 seconds? Are you kidding me? That's like literally 5% of a soccer game. Plus, you guys get almost six months to practice those same 2 minutes and 30 seconds. We get about an hour and a half to practice something that might happen in a game.
Soccer is unpredictable. You never know when or what's going to happen. And you have mats to protect you from "falling." We have dirt and rocks. Lastly, you guys complain about running two laps around a mat the size of a basketball court. We run around a field that's bigger than a football field for 90 minutes, and it's not a jog. Hell no, if you jog, you're done. You'll be benched for the season. We don't know the definition of jog and certainly not walk. Sprint is all we do. And I love it.
Ok, so football players, let's see. Where do I begin? Oh yeah, let's start with offense and defense. As a soccer player, we play both. You win the ball, you're offense. You lose it, you're defense. In football, when the defense loses the ball, the offense goes on the field. When the offense loses it, the defense goes on the field. And every 15 minutes, you get a break. Basically, you run for maybe 30 seconds a quarter, if the other team is good enough. Just a funny fact for ya. Haha. We play on a bigger field than you, with fewer people, for longer. Ouch.... read more
Skydiving

It's extremely rare for a parachute to just "not open," and it is usually the result of careless packing when it happens. You also have a reserve that has to be packed by an FAA-certified rigger. Not to mention your AAD that automatically fires if you become incapacitated.
Non-jumpers don't realize that almost everyone who is killed or injured skydiving does so underneath a fully open and functional parachute. People don't die from equipment malfunction. People die when they get careless, complacent, or cocky and do something stupid underneath their canopy.

Check out group tracking. Two people head-to-head at over 100 mph. My friends and I, in wingsuits, did a head-to-head with vertical distance between us just to see the reaction time needed to spot and veer.
No chance. From spotting to passing each other took just a couple of seconds. Seriously deadly.
Base Jumping

Much harder than it looks, easily number one. You must make a jump, and then steering is extremely difficult to control. If you don't steer well, you will run into the edge of the cliff and die.
You must open the parachute at the right angle, time, and place if you want to stay alive. Then, you must control your para-suit so that you land in the correct spot.
The landing is also very dangerous. You could get seriously injured.

Famed base jumpers like Steve Sutton died only one year ago from a miscalculation in his wingsuit, striking an alpine ridge at approximately 150 mph. His body was so severely damaged that DNA tests needed to be executed to determine it was his body.
More people than you think have met their demise through base jumping. It's an incredibly dangerous sport and profession. Anyone is susceptible.
Free Climbing

Rock climbing is easily one of the most dangerous sports out there. When you're on belay, you're relying on your equipment and abilities to stay alive, along with other people, especially your belayer, who literally has your life in their hands. If a piece of equipment breaks, or a rope snaps, you're dead.
Free soloing is even more dangerous, without any equipment to break your fall. Many companies such as Cliff don't even sponsor many free climbers anymore, though many have amazing skills such as Alex Honnold. If you rate it out of one-third between climbing and other sports measuring how dangerous they are, climbing will be sure to surpass the other sports by far.
I love climbing and am extremely passionate about it, but it is extremely risky.
Mountaineering

How is this not at number 1 or close to that? Okay, cheerleaders, see you on the mountain. Let's really put you to the test.
So basically, to start out, you save up a few thousand just to start. Then you fly 5,000 miles or so to your destination. Then you take a never-ending hike up the mountains and through all the villages with 30 pounds on your back the entire way.
Finally, you make it to the mountain, out of breath and sweaty but cold. As time goes on, air becomes more and more of a need until you're taking 20 steps with one breath. You can't even enjoy yourself once you get to the top because you have to rush back down due to the lack of oxygen. This may sound like it's a two- or three-day trip. Try two or three weeks, or even months depending on the weather. You stick to your competitions. We will stick to our goals to survive.
Surfing

Surfing is a surface water sport in which the wave rider, referred to as a surfer, rides on the forward or deep face of a moving wave, which typically carries the surfer toward the shore. It originated in ancient Polynesian culture and spread globally in the 20th century, becoming especially popular... read more

Okay, I will always think cheerleading is dangerous, but so is surfing.
My dad was surfing yesterday and cut his foot open. He had to have eight stitches in it. It almost hit his artery and could have killed him. He also had to get 12 staples in his head because one of the fins on the board got stuck there. Long story. He broke his neck when he was 16, and has had many more injuries.
Seriously, I can't believe golf is on the list. Some of the comments are so dumb, like the one that says your back could give out. That has nothing to do with golfing. It could happen at any time.
Yeah, I mean, you could get hit in the head with a golf ball, but you'd have to be pretty clueless to swing your club the wrong way and aim the ball at your own head.
In cheer, you have to throw a 100-pound girl in the air and risk your life for her. If she falls from that height, she could die. My friend had to be rushed to the hospital because her stunt group dropped her. She needed emergency surgery on her arm and got three pins in it.
The same thing happened to me, except I was doing a standing back tuck and broke my finger. I only had two pins. My other friend had the same thing happen to her arm, but like me, just two pins. Another girl I know needed titanium screws in her finger.
My coach broke her back at age 13. Another coach had to get metal plates put in her foot. One girl broke her ribs. My friend broke the same foot three times. Another girl on my team recently broke her ankle.
Cliff Diving

Cliff diving is quite dangerous if you don't know how to land, but at the same time, it's quite fun. I've been cliff diving before, and it was amazing. People should just be aware of their surroundings: rocks, shallow waters - you get the point.

Diving in general is dangerous. If you do it wrong, you can get seriously hurt!

Jumping from a high cliff can give you a thrill... or a heart attack.
Figure Skating

Figure skating is a sport where individuals, pairs, or groups perform routines on ice using figure skates. It became the first winter sport included in the Olympic Games in 1908. The four Olympic disciplines in figure skating are men's singles, women's singles, pair skating, and ice dance.

Almost every figure skater I have met has had to get surgery because of skating. I have a massive scar on my right leg just from doing a single loop. My skate was in the wrong position, and my blade cut through my tights. I've face-planted into the ice so many times from leaning too far forward on my toe pick. Unlike most sports, skaters have no padding or helmets. All we can wear are some tights and a dress.
In pair skating, the man has to be able to lift the girl above his head, throw her at fast speeds, and catch her. As well as spinning side by side, and if one travels, then that can involve a blade in the face. I believe figure skating should be up there with gymnastics and cheerleading, honestly, and not down here at 24.
Skateboarding

Skateboarding is an action sport that involves riding and performing tricks using a skateboard. It is also considered a recreational activity, an art form, a profession, and a method of transportation. Skateboarding originated in the United States in the 1940s and 1950s and has grown into a global culture... read more

Okay, skateboarding is a dangerous sport, and people can be hurt from it. Most people who aren't skateboarders or interested in it are completely ignorant about it. Professionals do what they think they can do. Yes, look at Nitro Circus. They jumped off the Grand Canyon and "had enough time to use his parachute."
Even if you do fall off the stairs because you don't know what you are doing, you won't die like some people have commented. A cut or two? Or maybe even a slight chance of a sprained wrist, sure, but dying? That is one of the stupidest things I've ever read. This isn't all that dangerous. The worst is breaking a bone. Football and a ton of other sports are a lot more dangerous than this.
Horse Racing

I would like to say it's not the same as horse riding. You are racing, not jumping. This should be higher because you are working the horses WAY TOO HARD! They are running too fast, and their leg could give out, and the 1,200-pound horse could land on your head, paralyzing you, giving you a concussion, or even killing you!

Dreadful, dangerous sport. Ditto steeplechasing. Both horse and rider can be killed or badly injured. Horses are often destroyed if they fall and break a leg or legs. While I LOVE horses, I dislike horse racing and steeplechasing intensely. Horses should NEVER be whipped to go faster.
Snowboarding

This should be ahead of cheerleading. Seriously. This should at least be in the top three. This is my opinion for the top five: 5. dance, 4. figure skating, 3. skiing, 2. gymnastics, 1. snowboarding. Seriously, why is cheerleading ahead of snowboarding and gymnastics?
In snowboarding, you catch a lot of air. And you are taking risks, and if one thing goes wrong, you could end up in a hospital. And if you are injured very badly, you could end up dying. I feel bad for those who lost friends and loved ones in snowboarding. Snowboarding should be WAY higher!

I snowboard. Within the first month of ever riding, I broke my wrist and my tailbone. How is this not a very dangerous sport? It should be in the top ten for sure.
On my school's snowboarding team, out of 30 boarders, 15 had concussions in just a three-month time period. Ten were hospitalized for serious injuries, and 17 were injured but never went to the hospital. I had two friends who died from snowboarding. They were both only 16. How isn't this an extremely dangerous sport?