This article presents a comprehensive list of countries and their national sports, a crucial topic for those preparing for various competitive or government exams. National sports or games are designated based on either their widespread popularity or their deep historical ties to the nation. But before we delve into the list, here’s a question for you:
Do you know what India’s national game is? You might be tempted to say hockey. However, the answer is actually NO. Contrary to popular belief, neither hockey nor kabaddi holds the title of India’s national sport. (Source: RTI)
Hockey was long assumed to be India’s national game, largely due to the country’s golden era in the sport from 1928 to 1956, during which India secured six consecutive Olympic gold medals. However, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports recently clarified that no sport has officially been declared as the national sport of India.
Given this, it is essential for exam candidates to stay informed about the national sports of different countries. In this article, along with the national sports, candidates will also find a list of other significant sports associated with each country.
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National Games of Various Countries
Certain sports hold the status of national sports either by custom (de facto) or by law (de jure). For example, Gaelic games in Ireland and baseball in the United States are recognized as de facto national sports, while taekwondo is officially designated as the national sport of South Korea by law (de jure).
To assist candidates in preparing effectively for the general awareness sections of competitive exams, we have compiled a comprehensive list of countries and their respective national games, categorized into de facto and de jure, along with the corresponding years. This list is also available for download in PDF format for convenient reference.
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List of Countries and their National Games | ||
Name of Countries | National Games in the World | Other Important Games |
Afghanistan | Buzkashi (Also called Kopar, Kupari and Ulak Tartysh) (DeFacto) | Cricket, football, boxing & basketball |
Antigua and Barbuda | Cricket (DeFacto) | Football |
Argentina | Pato (DeJure – 1953) | Association football, Basketball, Rugby union |
Australia | Cricket (DeFacto) | Australian Rules Football (AFL), Rugby, Horse Racing, Netball |
Bangladesh | Kabaddi (DeJure – 1972) | Cricket & football |
Barbados | Cricket (DeFacto) | Football, Golf, Tennis |
Bermuda | Cricket (DeFacto) | Football, Rugby and Tennis |
Bhutan | Archery (DeJure – 1971) | Basketball, football, futsal |
Brazil | Capoeira (DeJure – 1972) | Volleyball and Basketball |
Bulgaria | Weightlifting (DeFacto) | Gymnastics, Rowing, Biathlon and Cricket |
Canada | Ice hockey (In Winter) & Lacrosse (In Summer) (DeJure – 1994) | Football, Golf, basketball and baseball |
Chile | Chilean rodeo (DeJure – 1962) | Tennis and football |
China | Ping Pong (Table Tennis) (DeFacto) | Volleyball, Martial Arts, Shooting, Badminton |
Cuba | Baseball (DeFacto) | Boxing, Volleyball, Basketball |
Columbia | Tejo (DeJure – 2000) | |
Czech Republic | Ice Hockey (DeFacto) | Football |
Dominican Republic | Baseball (DeFacto) | Football and Boxing |
England | Cricket (DeFacto) | Football, Rugby and Basketball |
France | Football (Defacto) | Rugby, Motor Sports and tennis |
Haiti | Soccer (DeFacto) | – |
Hungary | Water Polo (DeFacto) | – |
India | Field Hockey (DeFacto) (Otherwise Undeclared) | Cricket, badminton, kabaddi |
Israel | Football (DeFacto) | Basketball, Swimming, canoeing |
Italy | Football (DeFacto) | – |
Indonesia | Badminton (DeFacto) | – |
Lithuania | Basketball (DeFacto) | Football, Athletics, Cycling |
Iran | Wrestling (DeFacto) | Polo, football |
Jamaica | Cricket (DeFacto) | Association football, Athletics |
Japan | Sumo Wrestling (DeFacto) | Ju-Jitsu (Martial Arts), Baseball, Football |
Malaysia | Sepak Takraw – similar to Volleyball or Badminton(DeFacto). Players cannot use their hands to play | – |
Mongolia | Mongolian wrestling, archery and horse riding (De Facto) | Football, Basketball |
Mauritius | Football (DeFacto) | Athletics, Basketball, Badminton |
Mexico | Charreria- similar to Rodeo (DeJure – 1933) | Association football and Boxing |
Nepal | Dandi Biyo – similar to Indian Gilli Danda (Till 2017) Volleyball (DeJure – 2017) | Cricket, football |
New Zealand | Rugby (DeFacto) | Cricket, Netball, Basketball, Golf, Tennis |
Norway | Cross-country skiing (DeFacto) | Wrestling, Cycling, Shooting |
Namibia | Rugby (DeJure – 2018) | Football, Netball |
Pakistan | Field Hockey (DeFacto) | Cricket, Kabaddi, Squash, Snooker |
Philippines | Arnis – Type of Fighting Art (DeJure – 2009) | Basketball, Badminton, boxing |
Poland | Football (DeFacto) | – |
Peru | Paleta Frontón – type of Tennis (DeFacto) | – |
Puerto Rico (united States) | Paso Fino (DeJure – 1966) | – |
Russia | Bandy- type of Ice Hockey (DeFacto) | Chess, football, Basketball, Gymnastics |
Scotland | Golf (DeFacto) | Tennis, Rugby |
Serbia | Football, basketball, volleyball and water polo (DeFacto) | – |
Slovenia | Alpine Skiing (DeFacto) | Ski Jumping, Athletics, Basketball and Boxing |
South Korea | Tae-kwon-do (DeJure – 2018) | Football and Basketball |
SriLanka | Volleyball (DeFacto) | Cricket, badminton, Watersports |
Switzerland | Shooting and Gymnastics (DeFacto) | Football and Ice Hockey |
Tajikistan | Gushtigiri- type of wrestling (DeFacto) | – |
Turkey | Oil wrestling (DeFacto) | Soccer, Basketball, VolleyBall |
USA | Baseball (DeFacto) | Football, Ice Hockey, Golf, Tennis |
Uruguay | Destrezas Criollas (DeJure – 2006) | – |
Venezuela | Baseball (DeFacto) | Football |
The list of national games worldwide is a valuable resource for competitive exams such as SSC, RRB, Bank, IBPS, and other government exams. UPSC candidates should also be familiar with this topic, as it may appear in the UPSC prelims.
Candidates preparing for government or competitive exams should review key topics for the General Awareness section, which are provided below.
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National Games In The World – Sample Questions
Q1: Barbados has produced renowned athletes such as Sir Everton Weekes, Sir Garfield Sobers, Sir Clyde Walcott, and Sir Frank Worrell. To which sport do these legends belong?
- (a) Football
- (b) Cricket
- (c) Basketball
- (d) Hockey
Answer: (b) Cricket
Q2: The athletes Nikolay Peshalov, Stefan Botev, Yoto Yotov, and Demir Demirev from Bulgaria are associated with which sport?
- (a) Wrestling
- (b) Judo
- (c) Water Polo
- (d) Weightlifting
Answer: (d) Weightlifting
Q3: Canada’s national sport, ______, is traditionally played with a flat ball.
- (a) Lacrosse
- (b) Golf
- (c) Ice Hockey
- (d) Field Hockey
Answer: (c) Ice Hockey
Q4: What is the national sport of Tajikistan?
- (a) Wrestling
- (b) Horse Racing
- (c) Buzkashi
- (d) Soccer
Answer: (c) Buzkashi
Q5: Russia’s national game, Bandy, is a form of which sport?
- (a) Polo
- (b) Wrestling
- (c) Ice Hockey
- (d) Golf
Answer: (c) Ice Hockey