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TOP TEN SPORTS IN THE UK »
Top ten sports in the UK rated by the LoveToKnow editors. |
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Top 10 List how we choose |
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Badminton
Badminton is a sport that evolved from Ancient Greece and was once
called shuttlecock. However, the game that we know today started in
the 1800s in Gloucestershire, England when the Duke of Beaufort
named the game after his house called "Badminton". In 1887, the Bath
Badminton Club was formed and official rules were made up for the
game. Today,
Badminton England is the body that governs the sport in England.
They offer a variety of
tournaments for both children and adults and offer player
statistics and rankings. |
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Basketball
The YMCA brought basketball to England in the late 1800s.
Basketball was actually invented in the United States, but England
fell in the love with the sport almost immediately and it has risen
in popularity ever since. The country has an elite professional
league made up of both English and Scottish players and a semi-pro
league as well. The British Basketball League (BBL) is the
professional league and the English Basketball League (EBL) is the
semi-professional made up of men, women and teens. You can get a
complete
events calendar on the EBL site as well as info on coaching,
basketball camps and upcoming tournaments. |
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Cricket
Cricket is another popular sport in the United Kingdom (UK). The
game is played with a bat and ball and is somewhat like baseball,
yet with different rules and many variations on the game. There are
conflicting reports on when Cricket began. Some believe as early as
the 1300s and others say the 1500s. One thing is certain, however,
and that is the love England has for this sport. By the 1800s,
England adopted Cricket as their national sport. The sport is now
played all around the world. When checking the
rankings, you'll see that the UK does well in this sport. |
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Football (Soccer)
The Football Association is a good place to get all the latest
news on England's football (called soccer in the United States). The
site has a page devoted to
England that lists game rankings, player states and links to
info on upcoming games and tournaments. Football was played in the
country back in medieval times. However, the Football League was not
officially established until 1888. Wembley Stadium is England's
national stadium and holds about 90,000 people. Due to the
popularity of football in the country, the stadium is typically
filled to capacity during big tournaments like the World Cup. |
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Golf
The origins of the game of golf are hotly debated as the game
resembles several ancient games from Rome. The first written
appearance of the modern game of golf as we know it was in 1457 in
Scotland. Golf is popular all over the world. Some of golf's great
players have hailed from England, including Nick Faldo. You can get
lists of players and see which country they are from on this
website. While there, you can also see what each player's stats are
and get information on upcoming golf tours. |
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Horse Racing
Unless you are a rider, horse racing is more of a spectator sport,
but it is still one of the UK's more popular sports. There are two
basic types of racing in England, flat racing and point to point. In
flat racing, the rider jumps over fences and hurdles. Point to point
is more of an amateur sport and is officially called national hunt
racing. It involves jumping fences, hedges and ditches. You can
learn more about any of the more than 60
race courses in Britain, find out which races are considered
principal races and even learn about special events. |
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Netball
Netball is one of the biggest sports for English women, even
though it is played by both sexes. Netball is very much like
basketball. You can get a complete list of the
rules and regulations to see where the two games differ and
where they are similar. You can also discover more about the
different divisions within the league and individual players that
seem to be rising stars. The organization also oversees youth
netball. You can also get information on coaching, clinics, upcoming
schedules and upcoming competitions. |
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Polo
The goal of this game is to score against the other team by
driving a small ball with a wooden mallet all while riding on
horseback. The game originated in Persia and is thought to date as
far back as the first century or perhaps even earlier. The horses
are full size but are called polo ponies. A team is made up of at
least four players. Although polo is present in many countries, it
is only recognized as a professional sport in a handful and Britain
is one of them. You can get a complete
list of British polo clubs on the site or learn about polo
players and get the latest news from the world of polo. |
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Rugby
Rugby is probably closer to American football than any other UK
sport. The player runs with a ball to score points. However, Rugby
has its own very specific set of rules and regulations. You can get
a game guide on the site to help you learn the ins and outs to
playing the game. Learn how to become a coach, how to become part of
a team and championships around the world. You can also find
detailed articles on what equipment you need to play rugby, how to
become a referee, or volunteer opportunities to help out the league. |
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Tennis
Although tennis likely originated from ancient games, the modern
game of tennis was originally called lawn tennis and actually began
in the UK in the late 1800s. Today, tennis is even an Olympic sport
and is played by people from all walks of life. Learn more about the
rankings of British tennis players. Get info on country
favorites like Elena Baltacha and Andy Murray. The site even offers
advice for competition and gives information to junior players to
help them get interested in and excel in the sport of tennis. |
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