Ever wondered where Australia’s sporting stars come from? Net World Sports just crunched the data on more than 1,700 professional athletes—across NRL, AFL, cricket, netball, basketball, soccer, rugby union, and our 2024 Olympic team—and found the hotspots.
Top cities:
Sydney leads the pack with 449 athletes, including David Warner, Nathan Cleary and Pat Cummins. Melbourne comes next with 214, boasting names like Ben Simmons and Steph Catley. Brisbane (147) takes third place, followed by Wollongong (42), Gold Coast/Tweed Heads (29), and Townsville (25), hometown of Valentine Holmes.
Top states:
New South Wales dominates with 701 athletes, more than double Victoria’s 341 and well ahead of Queensland’s 307. But adjusted for population, smaller regions like the Northern Territory and ACT climb the ranks. NSW still tops athlete density with 11.14 per 100,000 people.
By sport:
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AFL: Melbourne is the undisputed hub with 59 players.
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Rugby League: Sydney produces 171 pros, thanks to its rich league history.
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Cricket: Sydney again leads (40), supported by strong school networks and elite facilities.
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Soccer: Sydney tops with 88 players, triple Melbourne’s 34.
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Rugby Union: Sydney claims 40 athletes, with strong showings from regional NSW.
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Basketball: Melbourne leads with 24 pros. Surprisingly, Sydney has just four.
One standout stat? Male athletes still far outnumber female athletes nationwide, with a ratio of 2.53 to 1—most extreme in the ACT and NT.1
