There are several things that make Canada unique and interesting. The country’s great climate, strong economy, low crime rate, and proximity to the US make it one of the best places to visit or live in.
Canadians value several sporting contests not just for fun but also as a means of fostering the country’s unity. The wide variety of sporting activities offers perfect opportunities for Canadians to display their talents and to effectively compete with the rest of the world at the international level.
Thus Canada has become a country of a variety of games and sports. The country has also shown its dominance in world sports as well as in the Olympic Games. It is already known that winter sports in Canada are very much popular all over the world.
Today, our team has taken an initiative to enlist the top 10 most popular sports in Canada. So, let’s find out, what is the most popular sport in Canada?
10) Golf:
Golf was first played in Scotland in the last half of the 15th century. When the native Scots emigrated to Canada, they took the game of tennis with them, which was better known as the “Royal and Ancient Game”. The first Canadian golf club was founded in November 1873 and was named as “Montreal Golf Club”.
9) Curling:
Curling is a popular sport in Canada, especially in the Prairie Provinces with several popular teams in the country based in Alberta and Manitoba. Curling in Canada has always been associated with the military and was brought into the country from Scotland.
8) Basketball:
The root of basketball is firmly embedded in Canada. The modern basketball game was founded by a Canadian, James Naismith, in 1891 while working as a physical education instructor in the US. Several players who took part in the first game came from Canada.
7) Rugby:
Rugby was probably introduced in Canada by the Royal Navy in 1823 that also fostered its development in different parts of the country. Although the game disappeared completely from the country, it was re-introduced by the formation of the national team and an armature domestic competition.
6) Tennis:
Tennis is another popular sport played in Canada. The governing body of Canadian tennis is known as “Tennis Canada”. The organization maintains its commitment to developing tennis in Canada by stimulating participation in this game at local, national and international level.
5) Cricket:
Although Canada is not sanctioned to participate in test matches, the national team is allowed to participate in One Day International Matches. The country has had a very competitive women’s cricket team and the U-19 that has taken part in three U-19 World Cup events.
4) Baseball:
Baseball has been played in Canada since the beginning and is one of the most popular sports in the country. The oldest baseball park in the world is still in operation in Labatt Park in Ontario. The country has only one Major League, the Toronto Blue Jays.
3) Soccer:
Soccer has gained popularity in Canada over many years. Although soccer in Canada was played under a variety of rules, the main concept of soccer was there. The first soccer game had taken place in Toronto in October 1876 between two local clubs. The Canadian Women soccer team has succeeded numerous times at an international level. The team qualified for the 2012 London summer Olympics and performed remarkably well throughout the tournament.
2) Lacrosse:
Lacrosse was declared a national game of Canada in 1859 and a summer sport in 1994. It is played by thousands of people across Canada. Lacrosse is governed by the Canadian Lacrosse Association formed in 1925.
1) Ice Hockey:
Ice hockey is considered to be the most popular sport in Canada, as the sport has been named as the official national sport in Canada. The Canadian Ice hockey league, “National Hockey League (NHL)” is established both in Canada and the United States. Canada has 7 teams currently playing in NHL, namely Calgary, Edmonton, Calgary, Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, and Winnipeg.
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