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{{Short description|none}} <!-- "none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]] -->
{{Short description|Overview of sports practised in Europe}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
[[File:Barcelona vs Inter 2019 2.jpg|thumb|[[Association football|Football]] is one of the most popular sports in Europe. This picture shows [[Camp Nou]] in [[Barcelona]] before the renovation works started.]]
[[File:Barcelona vs Inter 2019 2.jpg|thumb|[[Association football|Football]] is by far the most popular sport in Europe. This picture shows [[Camp Nou]] in [[Barcelona]] before the 2023 renovation works started.]]
'''Sport in Europe''' tends to be highly organized with many sports having professional leagues.
'''Sport in Europe''' tends to be highly organized with many sports having professional leagues.
The origins of many of the world's most popular sports today lie in the codification of many traditional games, especially in the United Kingdom. However, a paradoxical feature of European sport is the extent to which local, regional and national variations continue to exist, and even in some instances to predominate.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Sport, Representation and Evolving Identities in Europe|last=Dine|first=Philip|first2= Seán|last2= Crosson|publisher=Peter Lang|year=2010|isbn=9783039119776|location=Bern|pages=2}}</ref>
The origins of many of the world's most popular sports today lie in the codification of many traditional games, especially in the United Kingdom. However, a paradoxical feature of European sport is the extent to which local, regional and national variations continue to exist, and even in some instances to predominate.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Sport, Representation and Evolving Identities in Europe|last1=Dine|first1=Philip|first2= Seán|last2= Crosson|publisher=Peter Lang|year=2010|isbn=9783039119776|location=Bern|pages=2}}</ref>


==Main Events==
==Main events==
* [[European Games]]
* [[European Games]]
* [[European Championship]]
* [[European Championship]]
Line 13: Line 13:
* [[European Para Youth Games]]
* [[European Para Youth Games]]


==Region Events==
==Region events==
* [[Mediterranean Games]]
* [[Mediterranean Games]]
* [[Games of the Small States of Europe]] and Championship
* [[Games of the Small States of Europe]] and Championship
Line 34: Line 34:
* [[Intercontinental Cup (disambiguation)|Intercontinental Cup]]
* [[Intercontinental Cup (disambiguation)|Intercontinental Cup]]


==Team Sports==
==Team sports==
===Association football===
===Association football===
[[File:2016-17 Premier League - Chelsea v Swansea City.jpg|thumb|The [[English Premier League|Premier League]].]]
[[File:2016-17 Premier League - Chelsea v Swansea City.jpg|thumb|The [[English Premier League|Premier League]].]]


[[Association football]] is the most popular sport in almost all countries of [[Europe]].
[[Association football]] is the most popular sport in almost all countries of [[Europe]].
European national teams have won 12 of 21 editions of the [[FIFA World Cup]]. [[Italy national football team|Italy]] and [[Germany national football team|Germany]] have won four titles each, followed by [[France national football team|France]] with two titles and [[England national football team|England]] and [[Spain national football team|Spain]], each won the World Cup once.
European national teams have won 12 of 22 editions of the [[FIFA World Cup]]. [[Italy national football team|Italy]] and [[Germany national football team|Germany]] have won four titles each, followed by [[France national football team|France]] with two titles and [[England national football team|England]] and [[Spain national football team|Spain]], which each won the World Cup once.
[[UEFA]], the governing body for European football, has hosted the [[UEFA European Championship]] since 1960, and the [[UEFA Women's Championship]] since 1984.
[[UEFA]], the governing body for European football, has hosted the [[UEFA European Championship]] since 1960, and the [[UEFA Women's Championship]] since 1984.


The most popular and successful football leagues are the [[Big Five (association football)|Big Five]]: the English [[Premier League]]; the Spanish [[La Liga]]; the German [[Bundesliga]]; the Italian [[Serie A]]; and the French [[Ligue 1]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Samso |first1=R. |title=Main football leagues in Europe in 2018-2019, ranked by average attendance of games |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/976797/attendance-main-european-football-leagues-europe/ |website=Statista |access-date=8 September 2020 |date=19 December 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Bundesliga still top of the league for attendances |url=https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-soccer-europe-attendances/bundesliga-still-top-of-the-league-for-attendances-idUKKBN1F42DL |access-date=8 September 2020 |work=Reuters |date=15 January 2018}}</ref> Other main football leagues on the continent are the Portuguese [[Primeira Liga]] , the Dutch [[Eredivisie]] , the [[Russian Premier League]], the Turkish [[Süper Lig]] . The top clubs in each league play the [[UEFA Champions League]], while lower-ranked clubs compete in [[UEFA Europa League]] and the [[UEFA Europa Conference League]].
The most popular and successful football leagues are the [[Big Five (association football)|Big Five]]: the English [[Premier League]]; the Spanish [[La Liga]]; the German [[Bundesliga]]; the Italian [[Serie A]]; and the French [[Ligue 1]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Samso |first1=R. |title=Main football leagues in Europe in 2018-2019, ranked by average attendance of games |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/976797/attendance-main-european-football-leagues-europe/ |website=Statista |access-date=8 September 2020 |date=19 December 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Bundesliga still top of the league for attendances |url=https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-soccer-europe-attendances/bundesliga-still-top-of-the-league-for-attendances-idUKKBN1F42DL |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181125062157/https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-soccer-europe-attendances/bundesliga-still-top-of-the-league-for-attendances-idUKKBN1F42DL |url-status=dead |archive-date=25 November 2018 |access-date=8 September 2020 |work=Reuters |date=15 January 2018}}</ref> Other main football leagues on the continent include the Portuguese [[Primeira Liga]], the Dutch [[Eredivisie]], the [[Russian Premier League]] and the Turkish [[Süper Lig]]. The top clubs in each league play the [[UEFA Champions League]], while lower-ranked clubs compete in [[UEFA Europa League]] and the [[UEFA Europa Conference League]].


As of 7 February 2024, the top 10 most popular sports clubs on social media are all football clubs from Europe<ref>https://jobsinfootball.com/blog/most-supported-football-clubs-in-the-world/</ref>:
As of 2024, the top 10 most popular sports clubs on social media are all football clubs from Europe:<ref>{{cite web | url=https://jobsinfootball.com/blog/most-supported-football-clubs-in-the-world/ | title=The Top 10 Most Supported Football Clubs in the World }}</ref>
{{row counter|{| class{{=}}"wikitable sortable"
{{row counter|{| class{{=}}"wikitable sortable"
!#!!Football club!!Country!!Followers
!Rank!!Club!!Country!!Followers
|-
|-
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;"| _row_count || [[Real Madrid]] || [[Spain]] || 360.5 million
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;"| _row_count || [[Real Madrid CF]] || [[Spain]] || 360.5 million
|-
|-
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;"| _row_count || [[FC Barcelona]] || [[Spain]] || 318.8 million
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;"| _row_count || [[FC Barcelona]] || [[Spain]] || 318.8 million
|-
|-
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;"| _row_count || [[Manchester United]] || [[United Kingdom]] || 207 million
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;"| _row_count || [[Manchester United F.C.]] || [[United Kingdom]] || 207 million
|-
|-
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;"| _row_count || [[Paris Saint-Germain]] || [[France]] || 163 million
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;"| _row_count || [[Paris Saint-Germain F.C.]] || [[France]] || 163 million
|-
|-
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;"| _row_count || [[Juventus]] || [[Italy]] || 147.4 million
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;"| _row_count || [[Juventus FC]] || [[Italy]] || 147.4 million
|-
|-
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;"| _row_count || [[Manchester City]] || [[United Kingdom]] || 139.7 million
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;"| _row_count || [[Manchester City F.C.]] || [[United Kingdom]] || 139.7 million
|-
|-
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;"| _row_count || [[Chelsea FC]] || [[United Kingdom]] || 136.7 million
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;"| _row_count || [[Chelsea F.C.]] || [[United Kingdom]] || 136.7 million
|-
|-
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;"| _row_count || [[Liverpool FC]] || [[United Kingdom]] || 131.6 million
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;"| _row_count || [[Liverpool F.C.]] || [[United Kingdom]] || 131.6 million
|-
|-
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;"| _row_count || [[Bayern Munich]] || [[Germany]] || 126.5 million
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;"| _row_count || [[FC Bayern Munich]] || [[Germany]] || 126.5 million
⚫
|-
⚫
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;"| _row_count || [[Arsenal FC]] || [[United Kingdom]] || 99.2 million
|-
|-
⚫
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;"| _row_count || [[Arsenal F.C.]] || [[United Kingdom]] || 99.2 million
|} }}
|} }}


===Basketball===
===Basketball===
[[FIle:Lynn Greer2.jpg|thumb|The [[Italian Basketball Cup]].]]
[[FIle:Lynn Greer2.jpg|thumb|The [[Italian Basketball Cup]].]]
[[Basketball]] originated in America. It was invented in 1891 by Canadian [[James Naismith]] in [[Springfield, Massachusetts]]. In Europe, basketball is the second most popular team sport in many countries, including [[Greece]], [[Serbia]], [[Turkey]] and [[Spain]].{{Citation needed|date=March 2022}} In [[Lithuania]], it is the national sport. It is also very popular in [[Italy]], [[France]], [[Germany]], [[Belgium]] and all of the [[ex-Yugoslavia]] countries.
[[Basketball]] originated in America. It was invented in 1891 by Canadian [[James Naismith]] in [[Massachusetts]]. In Europe, basketball is the second most popular team sport in many countries, including [[Greece]], [[Serbia]], [[Turkey]] and [[Spain]]. In [[Lithuania]], it is the national sport. It is also very popular in [[Italy]], [[France]], [[Germany]], [[Belgium]] and all the [[ex-Yugoslavia]] countries.


The [[EuroBasket]] is the main European basketball competition for men's national teams, first held in 1935. The [[Soviet Union]] and Yugoslavia have won the most titles, with Spain claiming three championships since the late 2000s.
The [[EuroBasket]] is the main European basketball competition for men's national teams, first held in 1935. The [[Soviet Union]] and Yugoslavia have won the most titles, with Spain claiming three championships since the late 2000s.


The [[EuroLeague]] is the most important club basketball competition in Europe. it was founded as the [[FIBA European Champions Cup]] in 1958, but is organised by the [[Euroleague Basketball]] association since 2000. It is, globally, the second most popular basketball club competition, after the [[NBA]].
The [[EuroLeague]] is the most important club basketball competition in Europe. it was founded as the [[FIBA European Champions Cup]] in 1958, but is organised by the [[Euroleague Basketball]] association since 2000. It is the second most popular basketball club competition after the [[NBA]].


===Handball===
===Handball===
[[File:SAP Arena Handball ausverkauft.jpg|thumb|A handball game in progress at the [[SAP Arena]] in [[Mannheim]], [[Germany]].]]
[[File:SAP Arena Handball ausverkauft.jpg|thumb|A handball game in progress at the [[SAP Arena]] in [[Mannheim]], [[Germany]].]]
[[Handball]] is played professionally in many European countries. The [[European Handball Federation]] organises continental competitions for men's and women's. European teams have dominated the [[IHF World Men's Handball Championship]] and have also won most editions of the [[IHF World Women's Handball Championship]]. Notable men's teams include [[France men's national handball team|France]], [[Sweden men's national handball team|Sweden]], [[Denmark men's national handball team|Denmark]], [[Spain men's national handball team|Spain]], [[Croatia men's national handball team|Croatia]], [[Germany men's national handball team|Germany]], [[Norway men's national handball team|Norway]], [[Poland men's national handball team|Poland]], [[Slovenia men's national handball team|Slovenia]] and [[Iceland men's national handball team|Iceland]].
[[Handball]] is played professionally in many European countries. The [[European Handball Federation]] organises continental competitions for men's and women's. European teams have dominated the [[IHF World Men's Handball Championship]] and have also won most editions of the [[IHF World Women's Handball Championship]]. Notable men's teams include [[France men's national handball team|France]], [[Sweden men's national handball team|Sweden]], [[Denmark men's national handball team|Denmark]], [[Spain men's national handball team|Spain]], [[Croatia men's national handball team|Croatia]], [[Germany men's national handball team|Germany]], [[Norway men's national handball team|Norway]], [[Poland men's national handball team|Poland]], [[Slovenia men's national handball team|Slovenia]], [[Iceland men's national handball team|Iceland]], [[Hungary men's national handball team|Hungary]], [[Egypt men's national handball team|Egypt]], [[Brazil men's national handball team|Brazil]], [[Argentina men's national handball team|Argentina]], [[Austria men's national handball team|Austria]],[[Portugal men's national handball team|Portugal]] and [[North Macedonia men's national handball team|North Macedonia]].


The [[EHF Champions League]] is the most important handball club competition for men's teams in Europe and involves the leading teams from the top European nations.
The [[EHF Champions League]] is the most important handball club competition for men's teams in Europe and involves the leading teams from the top European nations, i n the 21/22 season, it experienced a record viewership of 1.1 billion people across all streaming platforms around the world. While the 2024 European Championship exceeded the number of spectators in the arena of even 1 million people.


===Cricket===
===Cricket===
Line 162: Line 161:
!American Football
!American Football
|[[European Championship of American football|European Championship of American Football]]
|[[European Championship of American football|European Championship of American Football]]
|'''{{Flagicon|Italy}}''' '''[[Italy national American football team|Italy]]'''
|'''{{Flagicon|Austria}}''' '''[[Austria national American football team|Austria]]'''
|[[2021 European Championship of American football|2021]] ''<small>(next in [[2023 European Championship of American football|2023]])</small>''
|[[2023 European Championship of American football|2023]] ''<small>(next in [[2025 European Championship of American football|2025]])</small>''
|[[Women's European Championship of American football|European Championship of American Football]]
|[[Women's European Championship of American football|European Championship of American Football]]
|'''{{Flagicon|Finland}}''' '''[[Finland women's national American football team|Finland]]'''
|'''{{Flagicon|Finland}}''' '''[[Finland women's national American football team|Finland]]'''
Line 170: Line 169:
!Association Football
!Association Football
|[[UEFA European Championship|Euros]]
|[[UEFA European Championship|Euros]]
|'''{{Flagicon|Italy}}''' '''[[Italy national football team|Italy]]'''
|'''{{Flagicon|Spain}}''' '''[[Spain national football team|Spain]]'''
|[[UEFA Euro 2020|2020]]{{efn|Delayed to 2021}} ''<small>(next in [[UEFA Euro 2024|2024]])</small>''
|[[UEFA Euro 2024|2024]]''<small>(next in [[UEFA Euro 2028|2028]])</small>''
|[[UEFA Women's Championship|Euros]]
|[[UEFA Women's Championship|Euros]]
|'''{{Flagicon|England}} [[England women's national football team|England]]'''
|'''{{Flagicon|England}} [[England women's national football team|England]]'''
Line 218: Line 217:
!Handball
!Handball
|[[European Men's Handball Championship|European Handball Championship]]
|[[European Men's Handball Championship|European Handball Championship]]
|'''{{Flagicon|Sweden}} [[Sweden men's national handball team|Sweden]]'''
|'''{{Flagicon|France}} [[France men's national handball team|France]]'''
|[[2022 European Men's Handball Championship|2022]] ''<small>(next in [[2024 European Men's Handball Championship|2024]])</small>''
|[[2024 European Men's Handball Championship|2024]] ''<small>(next in [[2026 European Men's Handball Championship|2026]])</small>''
|[[European Women's Handball Championship|European Handball Championship]]
|[[European Women's Handball Championship|European Handball Championship]]
|'''{{Flagicon|Norway}} [[Norway women's national handball team|Norway]]'''
|'''{{Flagicon|Norway}} [[Norway women's national handball team|Norway]]'''
|[[2020 European Women's Handball Championship|2020]] ''<small>(next in [[2022 European Women's Handball Championship|2022]])</small>''
|[[2022 European Women's Handball Championship|2022]] ''<small>(next in [[2024 European Women's Handball Championship|2024]])</small>''
|-
|-
!Roller Hockey
!Roller Hockey
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|[[Rugby League European Championship]]
|[[Rugby League European Championship]]
|'''{{Flagicon|France}} [[France national rugby league team|France]]'''
|'''{{Flagicon|France}} [[France national rugby league team|France]]'''
|[[2018 Rugby League European Championship|2018]] ''<small>(next in [[2023 Rugby League European Championship|2023]])</small>''
|[[2018 Rugby League European Championship|2018]] ''<small>(next in TBD)</small>''
|[[Women's Rugby League European Championship|Rugby League European Championship]]
|[[Women's Rugby League European Championship|Rugby League European Championship]]
|'''{{Flagicon|Wales}} [[Wales national rugby league team|Wales]]'''
|'''{{Flagicon|Wales}} [[Wales national rugby league team|Wales]]'''
|[[2022 Women's Rugby League European Championship|2022]] ''<small>(next in [[2023 Women's Rugby League European Championship|2027]])</small>''
|[[2022 Women's Rugby League European Championship|2022]] ''<small>(next in TBD)</small>''
|-
|-
!Rugby Union
!Rugby Union
|[[Six Nations Championship|Six Nations]]
|[[Six Nations Championship|Six Nations]]
|'''{{ru|Ireland}}'''
|'''{{ru|Ireland}}'''
|[[2023 Six Nations Championship|2023]] ''<small>(next in [[2024 Six Nations Championship|2024]])</small>''
|[[2024 Six Nations Championship|2024]] ''<small>(next in [[2025 Six Nations Championship|2025]])</small>''
|[[Women's Six Nations Championship|Six Nations]]
|[[Women's Six Nations Championship|Six Nations]]
|'''{{Flagicon|England}} [[England women's national rugby union team|England]]'''
|'''{{Flagicon|England}} [[England women's national rugby union team|England]]'''
|[[2022 Women's Six Nations Championship|2022]] ''<small>(next in [[2023 Women's Six Nations Championship|2023]])</small>''
|[[2024 Women's Six Nations Championship|2024]] ''<small>(next in [[2025 Women's Six Nations Championship|2025]])</small>''
|-
|-
!Underwater Hockey
!Underwater Hockey
Line 289: Line 288:
!Association Football
!Association Football
|[[UEFA Champions League]]
|[[UEFA Champions League]]
|'''{{flagicon|England}} [[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]]'''
|'''{{flagicon|Spain}} [[Real Madrid F.C.|Real Madrid]]'''
|[[2022–23 UEFA Champions League|2022–23]]
|[[2023–24 UEFA Champions League|2023–24]]
|[[UEFA Women's Champions League]]
|[[UEFA Women's Champions League]]
|'''{{flagicon|Spain}} [[FC Barcelona Femení|Barcelona]]'''
|'''{{flagicon|Spain}} [[FC Barcelona Femení|Barcelona]]'''
|[[2022–23 UEFA Women's Champions League|2022–23]]
|[[2023–24 UEFA Women's Champions League|2023–24]]
|-
|-
!Basketball
!Basketball
|[[EuroLeague]]
|[[EuroLeague]]
|'''{{flagicon|Spain}} [[Real Madrid Baloncesto|Real Madrid]]'''
|'''{{flagicon|Greece}} [[Panathinaikos B.C.|Panathinaikos]]'''
|[[2022–23 EuroLeague|2022–23]]
|[[2023–24 EuroLeague|2023–24]]
|[[EuroLeague Women]]
|[[EuroLeague Women]]
|'''{{flagicon|Turkey}}''' '''[[Fenerbahçe S.K. (women's basketball)|Fenerbahçe]]'''
|'''{{flagicon|Turkey}}''' '''[[Fenerbahçe S.K. (women's basketball)|Fenerbahçe]]'''
|[[2022–23 EuroLeague Women|2022–23]]
|[[2023–24 EuroLeague Women|2023–24]]
|-
|-
!Ice Hockey
!Ice Hockey
|[[Champions Hockey League]]
|[[Champions Hockey League]]
|'''{{flagicon|Finland}}[[Tappara]]'''
|'''{{flagicon|Switzerland}}[[Genève-Servette HC]]'''
|[[2022–23 Champions Hockey League|2022–23]]
|[[2023–24 Champions Hockey League|2023–24]]
|colspan="3"{{N/A|No Competition}}
|colspan="3"{{N/A|No Competition}}
|-
|-
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!Volleyball
!Volleyball
|[[CEV Champions League]]
|[[CEV Champions League]]
|'''{{flagicon|Poland}} [[ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle|ZAKSA]]'''
|'''{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Trentino Volley]]'''
|[[2022–23 CEV Champions League|2022–23]]
|[[2023–24 CEV Champions League|2023–24]]
|[[CEV Women's Champions League]]
|[[CEV Women's Champions League]]
|'''{{flagicon|Turkey}} [[VakıfBank S.K.|Vakıfbank]]'''
|'''{{flagicon|Turkey}} [[VakıfBank S.K.|Vakıfbank]]'''
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!Roller Hockey
!Roller Hockey
|[[WSE Champions League]]
|[[WSE Champions League]]
|'''{{flagicon|Portugal}} [[FC Porto (Roller Hockey)|Porto]]'''
|'''{{flagicon|Portugal}} [[Sporting CP (roller hockey)|Sporting]]'''
|[[2022–23 UEFA Champions League|2022–23]]
|[[2023–24 UEFA Champions League|2023–24]]
|colspan="3"{{N/A|No Competition}}
|colspan="3"{{N/A|No Competition}}
|-
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|+
! rowspan="2" |Sport
! colspan="3" |Mixed
⚫
|-
!Competition
!Team
!Season
|-
!Wheelchair rugby league
|[[European Club Challenge]]
|'''{{flagicon|France}} [[Catalans Dragons Wheelchair|Catalans Dragons]]'''
|2024
|}
|}


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Unlike [[Major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada|major team sports in the United States and Canada]], where franchises are awarded to nominated cities, most European teams have grown from small clubs formed by groups of individuals before growing rapidly. Churches, universities and work places have often been the most fertile birthplace of many of Europe's major sports clubs, particularly in [[Great Britain|Britain]], which in latter part of the nineteenth century led the way in organised sports.<ref>{{Cite book|title = Sports and Games of the 18th and 19th Centuries|url = https://archive.org/details/sportsgamesththc00creg|url-access = limited|last = Crego|first = Robert|publisher = Greenwood Publishing Group|year = 2003|pages = [https://archive.org/details/sportsgamesththc00creg/page/n51 43]–45|isbn = 9780313316104}}</ref>
Unlike [[Major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada|major team sports in the United States and Canada]], where franchises are awarded to nominated cities, most European teams have grown from small clubs formed by groups of individuals before growing rapidly. Churches, universities and work places have often been the most fertile birthplace of many of Europe's major sports clubs, particularly in [[Great Britain|Britain]], which in latter part of the nineteenth century led the way in organised sports.<ref>{{Cite book|title = Sports and Games of the 18th and 19th Centuries|url = https://archive.org/details/sportsgamesththc00creg|url-access = limited|last = Crego|first = Robert|publisher = Greenwood Publishing Group|year = 2003|pages = [https://archive.org/details/sportsgamesththc00creg/page/n51 43]–45|isbn = 9780313316104}}</ref>


Clubs therefore had an equal chance to grow to become among the strongest in their particular sport, specially as in majority of popular sports [[promotion and relegation]] process exists and allows a plethora of places to compete for the top level. The cultural importance of the system has been demonstrated through the public rejection of the [[European Super League]] proposals in Spring 2021.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Niblock |first1=Shane |title=The European Super League – An international culture clash |url=https://www.ocoglobal.com/general/the-european-super-league-an-international-culture-clash/ |publisher=OCO Global |access-date=21 September 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Butler |first1=Robert |title=European Super League collapse: US football owners badly misread supporter culture in England |url=https://theconversation.com/european-super-league-collapse-us-football-owners-badly-misread-supporter-culture-in-england-159476 |access-date=21 September 2022 |work=The Conversation}}</ref>
Clubs therefore had an equal chance to grow to become among the strongest in their particular sport, specially as in majority of popular sports [[promotion and relegation]] process exists and allows a plethora of places to compete for the top level. The cultural importance of the system has been demonstrated through the public rejection of the [[European Super League]] proposals in Spring 2021.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Niblock |first1=Shane |title=The European Super League – An international culture clash |date=6 May 2021 |url=https://www.ocoglobal.com/general/the-european-super-league-an-international-culture-clash/ |publisher=OCO Global |access-date=21 September 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Butler |first1=Robert |title=European Super League collapse: US football owners badly misread supporter culture in England |url=https://theconversation.com/european-super-league-collapse-us-football-owners-badly-misread-supporter-culture-in-england-159476 |access-date=21 September 2022 |work=The Conversation}}</ref>


==See also==
==See also==

Latest revision as of 07:09, 9 November 2024

Football is by far the most popular sport in Europe. This picture shows Camp Nou in Barcelona before the 2023 renovation works started.

Sport in Europe tends to be highly organized with many sports having professional leagues. The origins of many of the world's most popular sports today lie in the codification of many traditional games, especially in the United Kingdom. However, a paradoxical feature of European sport is the extent to which local, regional and national variations continue to exist, and even in some instances to predominate.[1]

Main events

[edit]

Region events

[edit]

Team sports

[edit]

Association football

[edit]
The Premier League.

Association football is the most popular sport in almost all countries of Europe. European national teams have won 12 of 22 editions of the FIFA World Cup. Italy and Germany have won four titles each, followed by France with two titles and England and Spain, which each won the World Cup once. UEFA, the governing body for European football, has hosted the UEFA European Championship since 1960, and the UEFA Women's Championship since 1984.

The most popular and successful football leagues are the Big Five: the English Premier League; the Spanish La Liga; the German Bundesliga; the Italian Serie A; and the French Ligue 1.[2][3] Other main football leagues on the continent include the Portuguese Primeira Liga, the Dutch Eredivisie, the Russian Premier League and the Turkish Süper Lig. The top clubs in each league play the UEFA Champions League, while lower-ranked clubs compete in UEFA Europa League and the UEFA Europa Conference League.

As of 2024, the top 10 most popular sports clubs on social media are all football clubs from Europe:[4]

Rank Club Country Followers
1 Real Madrid CF Spain 360.5 million
2 FC Barcelona Spain 318.8 million
3 Manchester United F.C. United Kingdom 207 million
4 Paris Saint-Germain F.C. France 163 million
5 Juventus FC Italy 147.4 million
6 Manchester City F.C. United Kingdom 139.7 million
7 Chelsea F.C. United Kingdom 136.7 million
8 Liverpool F.C. United Kingdom 131.6 million
9 FC Bayern Munich Germany 126.5 million
10 Arsenal F.C. United Kingdom 99.2 million

Basketball

[edit]
The Italian Basketball Cup.

Basketball originated in America. It was invented in 1891 by Canadian James Naismith in Massachusetts. In Europe, basketball is the second most popular team sport in many countries, including Greece, Serbia, Turkey and Spain. In Lithuania, it is the national sport. It is also very popular in Italy, France, Germany, Belgium and all the ex-Yugoslavia countries.

The EuroBasket is the main European basketball competition for men's national teams, first held in 1935. The Soviet Union and Yugoslavia have won the most titles, with Spain claiming three championships since the late 2000s.

The EuroLeague is the most important club basketball competition in Europe. it was founded as the FIBA European Champions Cup in 1958, but is organised by the Euroleague Basketball association since 2000. It is the second most popular basketball club competition after the NBA.

Handball

[edit]
A handball game in progress at the SAP Arena in Mannheim, Germany.

Handball is played professionally in many European countries. The European Handball Federation organises continental competitions for men's and women's. European teams have dominated the IHF World Men's Handball Championship and have also won most editions of the IHF World Women's Handball Championship. Notable men's teams include France, Sweden, Denmark, Spain, Croatia, Germany, Norway, Poland, Slovenia, Iceland, Hungary, Egypt, Brazil, Argentina, Austria,Portugal and North Macedonia.

The EHF Champions League is the most important handball club competition for men's teams in Europe and involves the leading teams from the top European nations, i n the 21/22 season, it experienced a record viewership of 1.1 billion people across all streaming platforms around the world. While the 2024 European Championship exceeded the number of spectators in the arena of even 1 million people.

Cricket

[edit]
Lord's Cricket Ground is known as the "Home of Cricket".

Cricket is a popular summer sport in the United Kingdom and has been exported to other parts of the former British Empire. Cricket has its origins in south east Britain. It is popular throughout England and Wales, and parts of the Netherlands, Scotland and Ireland. Cricket is also popular in other areas and also played in Northwest Europe.

The England cricket team and Ireland cricket team are the only European teams with Test status. England's main rival is Australia, and they play each other in The Ashes series. England won the Cricket World Cup in 2019 and the ICC World Twenty20 in 2010.

Ireland has recently received Test status in 2017. Ireland traditionally rivalled Scotland, and thereafter the Netherlands before Ireland gained full test status, while more latterly have added ongoing rivalries with Afghanistan who rose to test status with them, Zimbabwe, Pakistan (who they first hosted for test cricket) and the West Indies.

Field hockey

[edit]
The semi-final between Germany and Spain in the 2006 Hockey World Cup.

Field hockey is from England and is one of the most popular sports in Western Europe, The Netherlands and Germany have been champions in both world cups, Belgium has also been champion in the men's tournament, Germany is the most recent champion in Men's Hockey World Cup and The Netherlands is the most recent champion in Women's Hockey World Cup.

In the Olympics, Great Britain, The Netherlands and Germany have been champions in both tournaments, Spain has been the winner in the 1992 Women's tournament, Belgium is the most recent winner in the Men's tournament and The Netherlands is the most recent winner in the Women's tournament.

Ice hockey

[edit]
The Austrian Hockey League.

Ice hockey is the most popular or one of the most popular sports in many European nations, including Czechia, Switzerland, Russia, Sweden, Finland, Slovakia, Latvia, Belarus, and northern and central Europe, where it rivals association football in popularity. It is also popular at a professional level in Germany, Norway, Austria, most of Western Europe and isolated parts of the former Soviet Union and Yugoslavia.

The Kontinental Hockey League originated from Russia but currently features teams from eight other countries. The Austrian Hockey League, Czech Extraliga, Deutsche Eishockey Liga, SM-Liiga, National League A and Swedish Hockey League are other professional leagues, whose top teams meet at the Champions Hockey League.

The Ice Hockey European Championships for national teams was played from 1910 to 1932. National teams currently play the Ice Hockey World Championships, where Russia / Soviet Union have claimed a combined 27 titles, the Czech Republic / Czechoslovakia 12 and Sweden 11.

Rugby union

[edit]
The European Rugby Cup.

Rugby union is popular in France (especially the south), England, Wales, Scotland (especially the main cities and Borders), Ireland, Italy and Georgia. The game is also relatively popular in Portugal, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Russia, Poland, Moldova, Andorra and Romania, as it is at a professional level in these countries. Rugby is regarded as the national sport of Wales and Georgia, and is the strongest professional team sport in Ireland.

Europe's main competition for national teams is the Six Nations Championship, first held in 1883 as the Home Nations Championship. The other European national teams play at the Rugby Europe International Championships. The England national team is the only European team to have won the Rugby World Cup, whereas France was runner-up three times and Wales and Scotland reached the semifinals once.

The three main domestic rugby union competitions are the fully professional Premiership (England), Top 14 (France) and United Rugby Championship (URC)(Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Italy and South Africa). The European Rugby Champions Cup is the premier continental championship, with clubs qualifying from the three professional competitions. South African teams fully compete 'domestically' in Europe since 2022 when their teams, already part of the cross border URC, were given access to European competition, but compete in Southern Hemisphere competition the Rugby Championship at international level.

Rugby league

[edit]

Rugby league is popular in northern England, where the sport formed in 1895.

The Great Britain national team first played in 1908, and entered the World Cup until 1992 and the Tri-Nations until 2006. Great Britain has won the World Cup three times, whereas France has been runner-up twice.

Clubs from England compete in the only fully professional league, the Super League, as well as the Challenge Cup competition.

Volleyball

[edit]

European teams have won most editions of the FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship, led by Italy with three wins. In the FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship, the Soviet Union has won five editions, Russia two, and Italy and Serbia one each. The Soviet Union has won three men's gold medals and four women's gold medals at the Olympics.

The European Volleyball Confederation was founded in 1963, but the Men's European Volleyball Championship was first held in 1948 and the Women's European Volleyball Championship was first held in 1949, with the Soviet Union and Russia leading both in titles.

The CEV Champions League is held annually since the 1959-60 edition. Russian clubs VC CSKA Moscow and VC Zenit-Kazan won 13 and six editions respectively, while Italian clubs Modena Volley and Volley Treviso won four each. The CEV Women's Champions League is held since 1960–61. WVC Dynamo Moscow won 11 editions, Uralochka Ekaterinburg won eight, and Volley Bergamo won seven.

Water polo

[edit]

Water polo is played professionally in several European countries. LEN organises continental competitions for men's and women's. European teams have dominated the World Aquatics Championships and have also won several editions of the Women's Championship.

The LEN Champions League is the most important water polo club competition for teams in Europe and involves the leading teams from the top European nations.

Other sports

[edit]

Other team sports like futsal, beach Soccer, roller hockey, and American football are also popular in some European countries.

Baseball is also gaining popularity in some countries, like in the United Kingdom, where the sport is reputed to have started in the 1800s before exploding in the United States.[5][6][7] In Spain, due to Latin American immigrants bringing the sport, particularly from countries like Cuba, Dominican Republic, and Venezuela.[8][9] In countries like Italy, Ireland, and Germany, growth in the sport is partly due to influence from Italian Americans, Irish Americans, and German Americans.[10] Other countries include France, Netherlands, and Greece, among others.[11]

Some sport competitions features a European team gathering athletes from different European countries. These teams uses the European flag as an emblem. The most famous of these competitions are the Ryder Cup for men, and Solheim Cup for women, in golf, in both of which Europe challenge the United States. Other examples are the Laver Cup in tennis, where Europe face a World team, the Mosconi Cup in pool, the Weber Cup in bowling, the IAAF Continental Cup in athletics, and the Continental Cup of Curling.

Reigning European champions

[edit]

National teams

[edit]
Sport Men Women
Competition Team Year Competition Team Year
American Football European Championship of American Football Austria Austria 2023 (next in 2025) European Championship of American Football Finland Finland 2019 (next in 2023)
Association Football Euros Spain Spain 2024(next in 2028) Euros England England 2021[a] (next in 2025)
Baseball / Softball European Baseball Championship Netherlands Netherlands 2021 (next in 2023) European Softball Championship Italy Italy 2021 (next in 2023)
Basketball EuroBasket Spain Spain 2022 (next in 2025) EuroBasket Serbia Serbia 2021 (next in 2023)
Beach Soccer Euro Beach Soccer League Switzerland Switzerland 2022 (next in 2023) Euro Beach Soccer League Spain Spain 2022 (next in 2023)
Field Hockey EuroHockey Nations Championship Netherlands Netherlands 2021 (next in 2023) EuroHockey Nations Championship Netherlands Netherlands 2021 (next in 2023)
Futsal Futsal Euro Portugal Portugal 2022 (next in 2026) Futsal Euro Spain Spain 2022 (next in 2023)
Handball European Handball Championship France France 2024 (next in 2026) European Handball Championship Norway Norway 2022 (next in 2024)
Roller Hockey Rink Hockey European Championship Spain Spain 2021 (next in 2023) Rink Hockey European Championship Spain Spain 2021 (next in 2023)
Rugby League Rugby League European Championship France France 2018 (next in TBD) Rugby League European Championship Wales Wales 2022 (next in TBD)
Rugby Union Six Nations  Ireland 2024 (next in 2025) Six Nations England England 2024 (next in 2025)
Underwater Hockey UWH Euro Championships Turkey Turkey 2019 (next in TBD) UWH Euro Championships France France 2019 (next in TBD)
Volleyball EuroVolley Italy Italy 2021 (next in 2023) EuroVolley Italy Italy 2021 (next in 2023)
Water Polo European Water Polo Championship Croatia Croatia 2022 (next in 2024) European Water Polo Championship Spain Spain 2022 (next in 2024)

Clubs

[edit]
Sport Men Women
Competition Team Season Competition Team Season
Association Football UEFA Champions League Spain Real Madrid 2023–24 UEFA Women's Champions League Spain Barcelona 2023–24
Basketball EuroLeague Greece Panathinaikos 2023–24 EuroLeague Women Turkey Fenerbahçe 2023–24
Ice Hockey Champions Hockey League SwitzerlandGenève-Servette HC 2023–24 No Competition
Rugby Union European Rugby Champions Cup France La Rochelle 2022–23 No Competition
Volleyball CEV Champions League Italy Trentino Volley 2023–24 CEV Women's Champions League Turkey Vakıfbank 2022–23
American Football European League of Football Austria Vienna Vikings 2022 No Competition
Baseball European Champions Cup (baseball) Netherlands HCAW 2023 No Competition
Floorball Champions Cup (floorball) Sweden IBF Falun Champions Cup (floorball) Sweden sv:Thorengruppen
Water Polo LEN Champions League Italy Pro Recco 2022–23 LEN Women's Champions League Spain Sabadell 2022–23
Handball EHF Champions League Germany Magdeburg 2022–23 Women's EHF Champions League Norway Vipers Kristiansand 2022–23
Field Hockey Euro Hockey League Netherlands Bloemendaal 2022–23 Men's Euro Hockey League Women's Euro Hockey League Netherlands Den Bosch 2023
Roller Hockey WSE Champions League Portugal Sporting 2023–24 No Competition
Sport Mixed
Competition Team Season
Wheelchair rugby league European Club Challenge France Catalans Dragons 2024

European eSports

[edit]

Since the early beginnings of Esports, Europe has had a role in the sport's advancement in world recognition. In the early 1990s, France's Electronic Sports World Cup and Germany's Gamers Gathering together both garnered more than 2,000 participants, being just a popular as other sports competitions in the United States and South Korea.[12] Just recently, Esports has recently become more recognized as a legitimate sporting event in Europe, marked by the formation of the European Esports Federation in 2019.[13] Since its formation, it has grown in size to 44 member nations and is currently headed by its president, Thiago Fernandes.[14] Today, nations like Sweden, Denmark, France, and Germany are all in the top highest earning nations in the world, each earning around $50 million.[citation needed]

Individual sports

[edit]

The European Championships is a new multi-sport event which brings together the existing European Championships of some of the continent's leading sports, including Golf, Cycling, Athletics, Aquatics, and Gymnastics, every four years. The inaugural edition in 2018 will be staged by the host cities of Glasgow, Scotland and Berlin, Germany between 2 and 12 August.

Cycling

[edit]
The 2004 Tour de France rides the Champs Élysées

Road cycling is especially popular in France, Germany, Spain, Denmark, Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands. Nearly every UCI World Tour race is held in Europe, including the three Grands Tours: Tour de France, Vuelta a España and Giro d'Italia, as well as the five Monuments: Milan–San Remo, Tour of Flanders, Paris–Roubaix, Liège–Bastogne–Liège and Giro di Lombardia.

Notable road cyclists include Jacques Anquetil, Louison Bobet, Bernard Hinault, Alberto Contador, Miguel Indurain, Eddy Merckx, Gino Bartali, Alfredo Binda, Fausto Coppi, and Felice Gimondi.

Golf

[edit]
British Open Championship

The Open Championship, also known as the British Open, is one of the four major golf tournaments. Other notable golf tournaments in Europe include the BMW PGA Championship, Scottish Open, Irish Open, French Open and Italian Open, which are part of the European Tour.

Europe competes as a single team in the Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup versus the United States, and the Royal Trophy and EurAsia Cup versus Asia. Also, the Seve Trophy was played between the Great Britain and Ireland and the Continental Europe team.

Notable male golfers include Nick Faldo, Colin Montgomerie, Rory McIlroy, Pádraig Harrington, Ian Woosnam, Lee Westwood, Henrik Stenson, Bernhard Langer, Martin Kaymer, Seve Ballesteros, José María Olazábal and Miguel Ángel Jiménez. Notable female golfers include Annika Sörenstam, Laura Davies and Suzann Pettersen.

Motorsport

[edit]
Michael Schumacher won seven Formula One drivers championships, five of them with Scuderia Ferrari.

Motorsports are popular across nearly all of Europe. The Formula One, FIA World Endurance Championship, World Touring Car Championship, World Rally Championship and World Rallycross Championship are mainly held in Europe, and are traditionally dominated by European drivers and teams. Notable automobile races include the Monaco Grand Prix, Monte Carlo Rally, 24 Hours of Le Mans, 24 Hours Nürburgring and 24 Hours Spa.

Notable racecar drivers include Jackie Stewart, Alain Prost, Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel, Lewis Hamilton, Jacky Ickx, Derek Bell, Tom Kristensen and Sébastien Loeb.

Motorcycle road racing is very popular in Europe, especially in the United Kingdom, Spain and Italy. Most of the Motorcycle Grand Prix are held in Europe. Italian riders Giacomo Agostini and Valentino Rossi are the two most successful of all time, with eight and seven 500cc / MotoGP World Championships respectively.[15] On the Isle of Man, the Isle of Man TT and other road races held in closed public roads are very popular.

Motorcycle speedway is also popular in Poland, Scandinavia, the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom.

Tennis

[edit]
The French Open (Roland Garros) in Paris.

Tennis is popular in most of Europe. Two of the four Grand Slam events are held in Europe: the Roland Garros in France and the Wimbledon Championships in the United Kingdom. The Rome Masters, Madrid Open, Italian Open and Paris Masters have ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events, whereas the Madrid Open and Italian Open are also WTA Tour Tier I events.

Notable male tennis players include Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, Stefan Edberg, Boris Becker, Ivan Lendl and Björn Borg. Notable female tennis players include Steffi Graf, Maria Sharapova, Monica Seles, Justine Henin, Martina Hingis, Simona Halep, Ana Ivanovic, Victoria Azarenka, Caroline Wozniacki, Conchita Martínez, Angelique Kerber, Garbiñe Muguruza, Petra Kvitová, Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, and Iga Świątek.

Other sports

[edit]
Epsom Derby.

The most prestigious and lucrative athletics and aquatics meets are in Europe. The most prestigious sporting event related to athletics is the European Athletics Championships, wherein Mo Farah is the most successful individual athlete.[16]

For those areas with the proper climate, winter sports are also an important. In Scandinavian and Alpine countries, various forms of skiing and snowboarding are popular. European competitors have traditionally dominated at the Winter Olympics and the International Ski Federation World Championships.[17]

Horse racing is very popular in the United Kingdom and France. Major events are the Royal Ascot, Cheltenham Festival, Epsom Derby, Grand National and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Other popular individual sports include snooker, darts, and boxing.

Traditional sports

[edit]
See also: Hastilude and Medieval football

Some regions have games that are particular to their home, for example Gaelic games in Ireland, Calcio storico in Italy, shinty in Scotland, pétanque in southern France, bandy in Russia and Scandinavia, Basque Pelota in Basque Country, or bullfighting in Spain.

Olympic Games

[edit]

Europe was the birthplace of the Olympic Movement that has become so central to modern individual sport, with the International Olympic Committee founded in Switzerland in 1894 and Greece being the first country to hold the First Olympic Games. Europe has hosted a total of 30 Olympic Games (16 Summer and 14 Winter), more than any other region in the world.

During the Cold War, the Soviet Union, East Germany and other communist countries had a fierce rivalry in the Olympic Games with Western Europe and the United States. Notable events include the Blood in the Water match in 1956, the 1972 Olympic Men's Basketball Final, the Miracle on Ice in the 1980 Winter Olympics, and the 1980 and 1984 boycotts.

Club over franchise

[edit]

Unlike major team sports in the United States and Canada, where franchises are awarded to nominated cities, most European teams have grown from small clubs formed by groups of individuals before growing rapidly. Churches, universities and work places have often been the most fertile birthplace of many of Europe's major sports clubs, particularly in Britain, which in latter part of the nineteenth century led the way in organised sports.[18]

Clubs therefore had an equal chance to grow to become among the strongest in their particular sport, specially as in majority of popular sports promotion and relegation process exists and allows a plethora of places to compete for the top level. The cultural importance of the system has been demonstrated through the public rejection of the European Super League proposals in Spring 2021.[19][20]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Delayed to 2022

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Dine, Philip; Crosson, Seán (2010). Sport, Representation and Evolving Identities in Europe. Bern: Peter Lang. p. 2. ISBN 9783039119776.
  2. ^ Samso, R. (19 December 2019). "Main football leagues in Europe in 2018-2019, ranked by average attendance of games". Statista. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  3. ^ "Bundesliga still top of the league for attendances". Reuters. 15 January 2018. Archived from the original on 25 November 2018. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  4. ^ "The Top 10 Most Supported Football Clubs in the World".
  5. ^ Block (2005), pp. 86, 87, 111–113, 118–121, 135–138, 144, 160; Rader (2008), p. 7.
  6. ^ "Rounders (English Game)". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
  7. ^ Cohen, Claire (2 February 2015). "Save rounders! It's the only sport for people who hate sport". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
  8. ^ Baseball in Cuba
  9. ^ Cuban baseball's historical influence in Spain
  10. ^ Josh Chetwynd, op. cit. , p. 40
  11. ^ "Schaerlaeckens: European baseball is providing prospects and gaining popularity". 9 September 2011.
  12. ^ "eSports History: How it all began". www.ispo.com. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  13. ^ "European Esports Federation to Form With 12 National Members – ARCHIVE - The Esports Observer". 18 April 2019. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  14. ^ "About Esports Europe - The Official Website Of Esports Europe". 13 August 2022. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  15. ^ "Valentino Rossi career". Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Official Website. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
  16. ^ "European Championships: Farah & Rutherford help GB top table". BBC. 17 August 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
  17. ^ "A history of winter olympic medals". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
  18. ^ Crego, Robert (2003). Sports and Games of the 18th and 19th Centuries. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 43–45. ISBN 9780313316104.
  19. ^ Niblock, Shane (6 May 2021). "The European Super League – An international culture clash". OCO Global. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
  20. ^ Butler, Robert. "European Super League collapse: US football owners badly misread supporter culture in England". The Conversation. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
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