A is a the term '''national pastime''' is often used.
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 1995. 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. This article generally goes by the popularity of the sports in all the countries.
- , Canadian Football (but probably also American Football ), Soccer among women, Golf , Baseball , Tennis are all much more popular. Canada also fields one of the major national teams in the sport of Curling .2 Canada also boasts an International Rugby Team that competes in the Rugby World Cup .
- Cambodia - Kickboxing .
- Cameroon - Football (soccer) .
- Cayman Islands - Cricket is the national and most followed sport, closely followed by Rugby Union . Cayman Island Sports
- Chile - Football (soccer) , Rugby Union and Tennis .
- People's Republic Of China - Table Tennis is the national and most popular sport but Basketball and Football are close second. China sport
- --- Hong Kong - Horse racing is the most popular while Dragon Boat racing, Badminton , Windsurfing , Rugby , Cricket and Football are also popular. Hong Kong Sports
- Colombia - Tejo is the traditional sport, as is Bullfighting , but Football (soccer) is the main attraction, followed by Baseball and Basketball .
- Costa Rica - Football (soccer) .
- Côte D'Ivoire - Football (soccer) and Rugby Union .
- Croatia - Football (soccer) . Handball , Water Polo and Basketball are also widely popular.
- Cuba - Baseball . followed by Football (soccer) and Boxing .
- Czech Republic - Ice Hockey and Football (soccer) are almost equally popular.
- Republic Of Macedonia - Football (soccer) , Handball and Basketball are the national sports.
- Madagascar - Rugby Union is very popular, especially amongst the poorer classes. Football (soccer) is also popular.
- Malaysia - Silat , Gasing , and Wau are traditional sports, but Football followed a close second by Badminton are the most popular sports today.
- Maldives - Football (soccer)
- Mexico - Charrería and Bullfighting are traditional sports, but Football is most popular by far. Lucha Libre is the second most watched sport. Baseball and American Football are also widely played and followed.
- Moldova - Rugby Union and Football (soccer) .
- Mongolia - Wrestling and Archery .
- Montenegro - Football (soccer) and Basketball .
- Morocco - Football (soccer) , Athletics , Basketball , Rugby Union , Handball
- Mozambique - Football (soccer) .
- Myanmar / Burma - Football (soccer) .5
- Saint Kitts And Nevis - Cricket is the national sport, with intense inter-island rivalry. Saint Kitts and Nevis Sport
- Saint Lucia - Cricket is the most popular. Saint Lucia Sport
- Samoa - Rugby Union .
- Saudi Arabia - Falconry and Horse Racing are traditional, but Football draws the largest number of spectators.
- Senegal - Football (soccer) .
- Serbia - Football (soccer) with basketball not far behind. Water Polo and Volleyball are also popular.
- Singapore - Football (soccer) , Swimming , Badminton , Basketball and Table Tennis .
- Slovakia - Ice Hockey and Football (soccer) are almost equally popular..
- Slovenia - Alpine Skiing , but Basketball is very popular. Football (soccer) is very popular as well.
- South Africa - Football (soccer) has historically been most popular with black South Africans, with Cricket being the second most popular and being the only sport to feature in the top three of all race groups, and then Rugby Union with Afrikaner s. South Africa Sport
- Spain - Football (soccer) is very popular in Spain, followed by Basketball , Motorcycling and Tennis .
- is the national sport. Sri Lanka Sport
- Sudan - Football (soccer) .
- Switzerland - Schwingen , stone throwing and Hornussen , all traditional games, are popular in rural Switzerland, although Ice Hockey is most popular overall, Football (soccer) and Alpine Skiing are rising in popularity.
- Sweden - Football (soccer) and Ice Hockey are almost equally popular. Bandy is the traditional Swedish winter sport. Although Floorball is the sport with the most active athletes.
- Syria - Football (soccer) .
Countries grouped by their most popular sport.
- ''Total number of countries where given sport is most popular is shown in brackets''
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