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National sports from around the world
There are 195 countries across the world, all with completely different cultures, languages, foods and sports. From football to Taekwondo, most countries have a sport that is associated with their nation, for example, for Canada, it’s ice hockey and for China, it’s table tennis - these sports have been bringing people and cultures together for centuries.
From the officially declared to the unofficial (but generally accepted) national sports around the world, we are going to take you through as many countries and their designated sports as possible, from ones you may never have heard of, to the most popular and historically significant sports.
Official national sports
Despite what many people may think, there are only a few countries with official national sports. Most national sports are just widely accepted and never officially declared. However, there are a few that have gone through the declarations and claimed a sport to represent their country, and below we’ve created a list of the nations with officially recognised sports, and how they came to represent that country.
South Korea - Taekwondo
Taekwondo is a type of martial arts that originated in South Korea and has been officially practised since the 1950s and was a mandatory part of preparation for war. However, it consists of a blend of traditional fighting styles that go back millennia, meaning it has roots in indigenous heritage. Due to its cultural significance, Taekwondo became a people's sport in 1971 and in 1973 it was finally declared as South Korea’s national sport. It has now become a very popular sport in South Korea that’s well-known and loved around the world.
Canada - Ice Hockey & Lacrosse
Canada is one of the only countries to have two national sports and also have them both officially recognised. In 1964 it was found that ice hockey was seen as the primary sport in Canada and then the same research found the same to be true about Lacrosse. A bill was filed to determine the primary national sport but after much discussion, they decided to declare both of them their national sports. Lacrosse is the summer national sport of Canada and Ice hockey is the winter national sport of Canada.
Nepal - Volleyball
Volleyball was declared the national sport of Nepal in 2017. Prior to 2017, the de facto national sport was more traditional as it was the much-loved game of Dandi Biyo, before the decision was made to replace it. The discussion to change the national sport started years before the decision was finally made based on arguments such as volleyball requiring less space and how it can be played on any kind of land - and the fact it was one of the most popular sports which helped to sway the decision, despite it not having much cultural or historical significance.
Mexico - Charreria
Mexico's national sport is Charreria - which may be one you’ve not heard of. Charreria is similar to rodeo and evolved from the cattle herding traditions created in the 16th century when the Spanish settled in Mexico. The cattlemen later developed playful ways of herding which would later become the sport. Charreria is played by riding an untrained horse with a bull rope and riders attempt to stay on the horse until it stops bucking.
Philippines - Arnis
Arnis is a weapon-based martial art that emphasises fighting with sticks and was officially recognised in 2009 as the Philippines' national sport. It was declared the country's national sport due to its long history and cultural significance that dates all the way back to the training and fighting techniques used in wars in the 1500s.
Unofficial national sports
Now we’ve discussed some of the officially recognised national sports of the world, let’s discuss some countries that have unofficial national sports. There are many nations that have a specific sport that’s associated with their culture, and these sports are often something that holds cultural significance or popularity within a certain nation but lacks official recognition from any governing body.
England - Cricket
While not officially recognised, cricket is generally considered to be England's national sport due to the claims to have been invented in England. The origins claim to date back to Saxon or Norman times in southeast England and were believed to have been a children's game, but over time adults slowly began to catch onto the game as well and eventually, it evolved into the sport we all know today.
USA - Baseball
Historically, baseball has always been considered the national sport of the United States of America ever since immigrants to America brought it over from old bat-and-ball games in Britain and it developed to be the sport played in modern times. However, in recent years, American Football has become the most popular sport in the states, with broadcasting viewerships much higher than baseball. Despite this, baseball is still currently widely considered the national sport.
China - Table Tennis
Table tennis, also known as ping pong, is regarded as China’s national ball game after Rong Guotuan won the table tennis world championship for China in 1959 causing a rise in popularity. Even with the rise in popularity of other sports such as basketball, table tennis is still the most popular recreational sport in China and is still considered the national sport.
Japan - Sumo Wrestling
Although not officially recognised, Sumo is said to be Japan's traditional national sport. Its origins go all the way back to the Yayoi period 300 BE - 300 CE and has been seen as Japan’s national sport for thousands of years due to the country’s rich history with the sport. Even with the rise in popularity of other sports in Japan such as kendo, baseball and volleyball - sumo wrestling’s rich history in the country keeps its place as the sport that is accepted as the national sport.
New Zealand - Rugby
With the largest spectator following of any other sport in New Zealand, Rugby is considered the national sport due to its huge popularity, with sports news coverage being 50% rugby and 50% other sports. Although never officially acknowledged, rugby is generally accepted by the public to be the national sport.
Discover high-quality kits and try one of these national sports for yourself.
From significant cultural and historical reasons to simple popularity, there are many reasons why countries have national sports, both official and unofficial. No matter what country you’re from, why not try out one of these sports for yourself and discover a new hobby?
Get all the kit you need to try out one of these sports with our range of sportswear here at Avec Sport and explore everything you need to train, practise and enhance your performance whether you’re trying something new or sticking to your roots.