gaelic football is one of the most popular sports in ireland in terms of match attendance, and in 2003 had 34% of total sports attendances at events in the republic of ireland, followed by hurling at 23%, soccer at 16% and rugby at 8%. initiative's viewertrack study, which measured 2005 sports audiences, showed the sport's highest-profile match, the all-ireland football final, to be the most watched event of the nation's sporting year. soccer is the most played team sport in ireland.