Aditi Sinha
September 07, 2023 10:30
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Explore a diverse list of countries and their national games, reflecting the cultural and sporting diversity across the globe. Discover the significance and pride associated with these unique national sports.
Countries and Their National Games: The introduction of games aimed to promote active participation and foster national unity while also enhancing physical fitness and providing entertainment to the masses. This idea has successfully achieved its objectives, making games a celebrated tradition across nations for many years. Due to variations in popularity and historical significance, certain games have been officially designated as the national sport of their respective nations.
National games serve as a powerful tool for fostering unity and camaraderie among the citizens of a nation. These sporting events provide a common ground, a shared interest, and a collective passion that transcends social, economic, and cultural differences. They bring people together to cheer for their country’s athletes and teams, creating a sense of national pride and accomplishment.
National games offer an opportunity for a nation to showcase its talent on the global stage. Athletes represent their country internationally, competing against the best from around the world. This participation not only promotes a sense of identity and patriotism but also establishes a country’s presence and reputation in the world of sports.
While some national games have achieved global recognition and popularity, others remain unique to their country of origin. For instance, football (soccer) is a beloved national game in many countries, cricket holds a special place in the hearts of Indians, and baseball is a cultural phenomenon in Japan. These sports not only reflect the diversity of national interests but also contribute to the rich tapestry of global sports culture.
Some sports are considered national sports De Facto, meaning they are not formally established by law, like Cricket in Australia and Football in France. On the other hand, certain national sports are recognized by De Jure, indicating they have been officially established by law, as seen with taekwondo in South Korea.
To facilitate the preparation of candidates for general awareness sections in various competitive exams, we have compiled a comprehensive list of countries and their national games, categorized into DeFacto and DeJure (along with the respective years of establishment). This list is conveniently available in PDF format for easy access and reference.
| List of National Games of All Countries | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name of Countries | National Games in the World | Establishment Year (DeJure) |
| Afghanistan | Buzkashi (Also called Kopar, Kupari and Ulak Tartysh) (DeFacto) | – |
| Antigua and Barbuda | Cricket (DeFacto) | – |
| Argentina | Pato (DeJure) | 1953 |
| Australia | Cricket (DeFacto) | – |
| Bangladesh | Kabaddi (DeJure) | 1972 |
| Barbados | Cricket (DeFacto) | – |
| Bermuda | Cricket (DeFacto) | – |
| Bhutan | Archery (DeJure) | 1971 |
| Brazil | Capoeira (DeJure) | 1972 |
| Bulgaria | Weightlifting (DeFacto) | – |
| Canada | Ice hockey (In Winter) & Lacrosse (In Summer) (DeJure) | 1994 |
| Chile | Chilean rodeo (DeJure) | 1962 |
| China | Ping Pong (Table Tennis) (DeFacto) | – |
| Cuba | Baseball (DeFacto) | – |
| Columbia | Tejo (DeJure) | 2000 |
| Czech Republic | Ice Hockey (DeFacto) | – |
| Dominican Republic | Baseball (DeFacto) | – |
| England | Cricket (DeFacto) | – |
| France | Football (Defacto) | – |
| Haiti | Soccer (DeFacto) | – |
| Hungary | Water Polo (DeFacto) | – |
| India | Field Hockey (DeFacto) (Otherwise Undeclared) | – |
| Israel | Football (DeFacto) | – |
| Italy | Football (DeFacto) | – |
| Indonesia | Badminton (DeFacto) | – |
| Lithuania | Basketball (DeFacto) | – |
| Iran | Wrestling (DeFacto) | – |
| Jamaica | Cricket (DeFacto) | – |
| Japan | Sumo Wrestling (DeFacto) | – |
| 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) | – |
| Mauritius | Football (DeFacto) | – |
| Mexico | Charreria- similar to Rodeo (DeJure) | 1933 |
| Nepal | Dandi Biyo – similar to Indian Gilli Danda (Till 2017) Volleyball (DeJure ) | 2017 |
| New Zealand | Rugby (DeFacto) | – |
| Norway | Cross-country skiing (DeFacto) | – |
| Namibia | Rugby (DeJure) | 2018 |
| Pakistan | Field Hockey (DeFacto) | – |
| Philippines | Arnis – Type of Fighting Art (DeJure) | 2009 |
| Poland | Football (DeFacto) | – |
| Peru | Paleta Frontón – type of Tennis (DeFacto) | – |
| Puerto Rico (United States) | Paso Fino (DeJure ) | 1966 |
| Russia | Bandy- a type of Ice Hockey (DeFacto) | – |
| Scotland | Golf (DeFacto) | – |
| Serbia | Football, basketball, volleyball and water polo (DeFacto) | – |
| Slovenia | Alpine Skiing (DeFacto) | – |
| South Korea | Tae-kwon-do (DeJure) | 2018 |
| SriLanka | Volleyball (DeFacto) | – |
| Switzerland | Shooting and Gymnastics (DeFacto) | – |
| Tajikistan | Gushtigiri- type of wrestling (DeFacto) | – |
| Turkey | Oil wrestling (DeFacto) | – |
| USA | Baseball (DeFacto) | – |
| Uruguay | Destrezas Criollas (DeJure) | 2006 |
| Venezuela | Baseball (DeFacto) | – |
Different countries have their own national games or sports that hold cultural and historical significance. Here are some examples of national games from various countries:
Many people assume hockey to be the national game of India, but this is not true. [Source: RTI] Neither Hockey nor Kabaddi is the national game of India. In fact, India does not have an officially declared national game. While field hockey has historically been associated with India and has enjoyed immense popularity, there has been no official designation of any sport as the national game by the Indian government.
Hockey was considered the National Game of the country because of its golden era from 1928 to 1956 when India won 6 successive gold medals in the Olympic games. However, recently, the Ministry of Sports Affairs has made it clear that it has not declared any sports to be the National Sports of the country. Despite this clarification, field hockey holds a special place in the hearts of many Indians and continues to be cherished and celebrated across the nation.
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