Although there are normally no official parameters towards defining what is a national sport, there are some general characteristics that most national sports share:
- The rules and objectives of the sport or game are known in fairly great detail in the country or nation.
- The game or sport is widely played or watched in the country or nation.
- The game or sport has a long history of popularity or extreme current popularity in the country or nation.
In some countries, sport or game can become the official national pastime by mandate of the government, such as with Canada and Lacrosse in 1859. {Link without Title}
In other countries, where the sport or game has such a long history, such as with Baseball in the United States or Sumo Wrestling in Japan , the sport or game is often considered a '' De Facto '' "official" national pastime.
- Afghanistan - Buzkashi
- Albania - Football
- Argentina - Football
- Australia - Cricket is the traditional summer sport. Different football codes are the most popular winter sports in different parts of the country. Australian Rules Football is the most popular in Victoria , South Australia , Western Australia , Northern Territory and Tasmania , while Rugby League and/or Rugby Union are more popular in New South Wales , Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory . Australian Football is considered a national sport due to its origins in Australia.
- Austria - Football , Alpine Skiing
- Bangladesh - Cricket
- Barbados - Cricket
- called Cyclocross ("veldrijden") is the pastime for most Belgians (certainly in Flanders ). Belgium dominates this cycling discipline. Football is also quite popular.
- Bhutan - Archery
- Bolivia - Football
- Brazil - Football is considered the national obsession, and Volleyball also has a large number of participants.
- Bulgaria - Football Bulgarians are often dominant in Weightlifting and in Chess
- , Canadian Football (but probably also American Football ), Soccer , Golf , Baseball , Tennis are all much more popular. Canada is also the world's dominant force in the sport of Curling .
- Cameroon - Football is the most popular sport.
- People's Republic Of China - Table Tennis , but Football is gaining popularity at an increasing rate, as demonstrated by the increasing amount of success enjoyed by the national team.
- --- Hong Kong - Dragon Boat racing, Badminton , Windsurfing , Rugby , Fencing
- Republic Of China (Taiwan) - Baseball
- Colombia - Tejo is the traditional sport, as is Bullfighting , but Football (soccer) is the main attraction, followed by Baseball and Basketball .
- Costa Rica - Football is considered the most popular sport in Costa Rica.
- Croatia - Football . Handball , Water Polo and Basketball are also widely popular.
- Cuba - Baseball
- Czech Republic - Ice Hockey and Football are almost equally popular.
- Denmark - Football
- Dominican Republic - Baseball
- Egypt - Football is the most popular and most watched sport.
- Estonia - Football
- Fiji - Rugby Union , particularly Sevens
- Finland - Pesäpallo (Finnish baseball) is the national sport, but Ice Hockey is most followed
- France - Football , but Rugby Union is popular in the south. Basketball is also played. Cycling is also very widely followed.
- Gambia - Wrestling
- Germany - Football
- Greece - Football is most popular, with Basketball and Volleyball right behind.
- Guyana - Cricket
- Haiti - Football
- Iceland - Glima
- India - Field Hockey is the official sport (winners of 8 Olympic Golds), but Cricket is the most popular (Winners of 1983 World Cup)
- Indonesia - Badminton , Football
- Iran - Football (soccer) is by far the most popular sport, although there are many other Sports Played In Iran .
- Ireland - of indigenous games promoted by the Gaelic Athletic Association , Hurling is the most ancient (featuring in such pre-Christian legends as Cúchulainn ) but Gaelic Football is more widely played and popular. Gaelic Handball is increasingly rare. Soccer and rugby union are also popular, and the Irish are noted for turning up in great numbers for virtually any sporting occaison where there are Irish competiting.
- Israel - Football and Basketball
- Italy - Football is the most practised sport by young men. Volleyball is the most practised sport by young women. Bocce is the most practised sport by seniors. Cycling is also widely popular. However, only men's Football has high TV coverage.
- Jamaica - Cricket and Football
- Japan - Sumo Wrestling is traditionally viewed as Japan's national sport, but Baseball is today more popular, and Football is rapidly increasing in popularity. Rugby also has a substantial following.
- Kazakhstan - Boxing
- Kenya - Football is the most watched and followed sport with Athletics being more competitive because of International success. Rugby is also popular and is the fastest growing sport.
- Korea - Tae Kwon Do is traditional, Baseball is highly popular as is Football . South Korea is also a major force in Archery , speed skating (mainly Short Track ), and women's Golf .
- Latvia - Novuss , Football , Ice Hockey
- Lebanon - Football
- Lithuania - Basketball is most closely linked to national identity, with Football also widely followed.
- Malaysia - Silat , Gasing , and Wau are traditional, but Football and Badminton are the most popular today.
- Mexico - Charrería and Bullfighting are traditional sports, but Football is most popular by far. Baseball and American Football are also widely played and followed.
- Mongolia - Wrestling and Archery .
- Nauru - Australian Rules Football
- Netherlands - Football has the largest following, but Cycling and Speed Skating are seen as traditional sports; Volleyball , Baseball (known locally as ''honkbal'') and Field Hockey are also played.
- New Zealand - Rugby Union is the easily the most widely followed and most closely linked to national pride ( Rugby League being very far behind), although more young children today play Soccer . Netball is one of the most popular sports among girls and young women, and men have organised some teams of their own. Cricket is played during summer and is the national summer sport. Yachting and rowing are also popular water sports.
- Nicaragua - Baseball
- Nigeria - Football
- Norway - Skiing , both Nordic and Alpine , but Football is the most popular sport.
- Pakistan - Field Hockey is the official sport (winners of the Gold in 1971, 1978, 1982 and 1994), but Cricket is the most popular (winners of the world cup in 1992)
- Papua New Guinea - Rugby League . Australian Rules Football also very popular.
- Philippines - Basketball is the de facto national pastime, attarcting huge crowds. Badminton , Volleyball and Chess , along with basketball have the largest number of participants. Sipa is the traditional sport. Plus Baseball is increasing in popularity.
- Poland - Football
- Portugal - Football , Rink Hockey and Cycling are very popular and have a great tradition.
- Romania - Oina (very similar but unrelated to Baseball ) is the traditional sport, but Football is much more popular nowadays. Rugby also has a fairly decent stronghold.
- Russia - Football , Ice Hockey , Sambo
- Samoa - Rugby Union
- Saudi Arabia - Falconry and Horse Racing are traditional, but Football draws the largest number of spectators.
- Serbia And Montenegro - Basketball
- Singapore - Football , Swimming , Badminton , Basketball and Table Tennis
- Slovakia - Ice Hockey and Football are almost equally popular.
- Slovenia - Alpine Skiing , but Basketball is very popular.
- South Africa - Football has historically been most popular with blacks, Rugby Union with Afrikaner s, and Cricket with British-descended whites. This ethnic division still exists to some degree, though considerably less so than during the Apartheid era.
- Spain - Football is very popular in Spain.
- Sri Lanka - Cricket
- Sudan - Football
- Switzerland - Schwingen , stone throwing and Hornussen , all traditional games, are popular in rural Switzerland, although Football is most popular overall, and Ice Hockey is rising in popularity.
- Sweden - Football and Ice Hockey are almost equally popular. Bandy is the traditional swedish wintersport.
- Syria - Football
- Thailand - Muay Thai
- Tonga - Rugby Union
- Trinidad And Tobago - Football was the most popular sports on the twin Caribbean islands with Cricket a close second; TT will be part of the partnership in hosting the World Cup Cricket Tournament in the Caribbean in 2006.
- Turkey - Football
- Ukraine - Football
- United Arab Emirates - Camel Racing is traditional, but Football is the most popular.
- United Kingdom
- --- England - Football (soccer) is the most popular sport in England and is their national sport, though Rugby Union is also popular, and Rugby League attracts crowds in the North. Cricket is played more in the summer.
- --- Scotland - Native sport is Shinty , but Football attracts much larger crowds. It was also the birthplace of Golf , which is more often associated with Scotland than anywhere else.
- --- Wales - traditionally Rugby Union , but Football is played by more people. However, the Welsh national rugby team attracts the most interest of any Welsh team, especially due to the weakness of Welsh soccer. Certainly only rugby union can attract instances like the 40,000 supporters who travelled to Scotland for a Six Nations game or the 400,000 who watched Wales win the Grand Slam in a public square.
- --- Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies of the United Kingdom
-- Bermuda - Cricket
- United States - Baseball has historically been considered America's national pastime and a significant aspect of American Culture , but American Football and Stock Car Racing presently have a larger number of Television viewers. Other popular sports include Basketball and Ice Hockey
- --- American Samoa - American Football
- --- Puerto Rico - Baseball
- Uzbekistan - Kurash
- Venezuela - Football is now the most popular, largely in thanks to Colombian, Portuguese, and Italian immigrants, without which Baseball would probably have the most followers.
- Vietnam - Football is the dominant sport. Many others are striving for second place, such as Tennis , Badminton , Volleyball , Table Tennis and Martial Arts .
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