Sport plays an important role in Welsh culture. People have developed customs and formed communities entirely around celebrating their favourite sport. It is common to see friends gathered at public houses to watch live matches together or donning their beloved team’s colours when walking around the town. Though many different sports are played in Wales, some are significantly more popular and integral to the culture than others. So, what are these sports? That’s what we are going to be discussing in our article today. You probably already know quite a few of them. Keep reading to find out if your favourites made our list.
Rugby Union
Nothing instils patriotism in the Welsh population quite like rugby does. It is easily the most popular sport in the country – often being described as a symbol of Welsh identity and an expression of national consciousness. With rugby being so integral to the country’s culture, there is a lot of focus on the national team and how it does competitive leagues. Generally, Wales is considered one of the most successful nations in the Rugby Union. It has also done very well in the Rugby World Cup, having reached the semi-finals on 3 separate occasions (most recently in 2019). As such, the Welsh rugby team is now ranked as the 4th best in the world. However, the 1970s club is arguably the best national team of all time.
Football
Wales forms part of the United Kingdom and so inevitably football was going to make an appearance on this list. The Football Association of Wales is the governing body of the sport in the country, running the national teams, the recreational games and the main competitions. Welsh football rose to popularity in the 19th century and it currently has the most participants of any other sport in the country. Generally, the football teams Cardiff City, Swansea City, Newport County, Wrexham and The New Saints are considered to be the most successful. At the moment, there are two national football competitions – the Welsh Cup and the Welsh League Cup. The Wrexham football club has won the Welsh Cup 23 times.
Tennis
Welsh tennis is rising in popularity. The sport is currently being overseen by Tennis Wales, an organisation which is part of the Lawn Tennis Association (the governing body of Tennis in Britain). Just under 100 different sports clubs are affiliated to Tennis Wales. The culture surrounding tennis is growing in Wales, with more and more people taking up the sport or learning how to bet on tennis. Tennis Wales has also started to generate more funding and investment for the sport, giving rise to potential players. Mike Davies is widely thought to be the best Welsh tennis player of all time – even having ranked as the top player in the world at one time.
These are some of the most popular sports in Wales. They all form an important part of the country’s history and culture.
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