Burson Agency has released its 2026 ranking of the world’s top sports cities, with New York taking the lead for the first time, ending Paris's long-held position at the top. Greg Curchod, co-head of clients for Burson in Europe, explained that New York's rise is due to its active sports ecosystem, which includes major teams across different sports and increased visibility during the ongoing FIFA World Cup. The questionnaires used to compile the report were still open during the tournament, which contributed to the city’s strong showing. Curchod noted that the point difference between New York and Paris was not significant, as the top five cities are closely ranked. According to the report, one of the most interesting findings is that few cities successfully combine high visibility with influence in the sports world. Cities that may not have a lot of visibility but maintain constant connections in the sports community perform very well. Lausanne is cited as an example of such a city. Curchod suggested that improving visibility is easier than improving influence, which is good news for cities with lower visibility. However, cities with high visibility but low influence, such as Miami, must undertake long-term efforts to improve their rankings. Five cities stand out for their ability to rank among the best in terms of influence among sports actors, media visibility, and presence in online conversations: New York, Paris, Los Angeles, London, and Madrid. These cities are also among the best-ranked in the influence or visibility indicators. They share attributes such as organizing major international events, having influential economic and media actors, recognized sports heritage, and the ability to generate global conversations. The FIFA World Cup had an uneven impact on host cities, with those that had more to gain, such as Vancouver, San Francisco, Atlanta, Houston, Toronto, and Guadalajara, advancing the most. Cities already high in the rankings, such as New York and Los Angeles, saw smaller advances, while some, like Philadelphia, Miami, and Dallas, declined. The full effect of the World Cup was not captured as the questionnaires stopped at the end of June. Dakar experienced a spectacular rise, entering the top 50 before the Youth Olympics. This is attributed to the city's ability to gain reputation before the event and effectively use the preparation phase. The city has balanced efforts with influencer announcements and government initiatives, benefiting from the pre-event legacy. The International Olympic Committee encourages such programs, leading to increased international visibility before, during, and after events. France has three cities in the ranking, and Nice will be added in 2027. Lyon gained 19 places and Marseille gained 10. Curchod suggested that exchanges about future candidacies might explain some movements. France is generally performing well, and Nice benefited from the noise around the Olympics, despite the negative outcome. Nice has gained more international sports visibility this year.