The most popular sports in North American countries
Apart from combat sports, the games that dominated the Ancient World, were sports like foot racing, horse racing, chariot racing, discus and javelin. In terms of entertainment, kickball games were not uncommon as well. Some of these sports have endured the test of time, and have survived until today. However, most have been replaced by other sports, that today dominate the world of sports.
Games like soccer, basketball, cricket, etc. have risen, drastically, in popularity in the past century, and today dominate the sports world. Soccer, especially, stands atop, being watched by 3.5 billion fans the world over, with bets being placed on matches through online sports betting websites with increasing frequency. But soccer is not the dominant sport in every country. In this article, we are going to take a look at the most popular sports in three North American countries.
USA – American Football
The United States is a country with a deep love and passion for sports. The four major league organizations are some of the biggest sports organizations in the world, and among them, the most successful and popular one, is the National Football League. American football was invented in 1900, in an American college, and soon became the country’s favorite sport. And interesting fact about American football is that, while it is the most popular watched sport, it is not the most popular participation sport in the USA. In fact, in terms of participation, it is outshined by basketball, baseball, and even soccer. Still, the NFL draws in the largest crowd of American fans from all over the country, and the Super Bowl is by far America’s biggest sporting event, and one of the biggest in the world.
Canada – Ice Hockey
The Canadian love for ice hockey is a well-known fact across the world. The game was invented in Montreal, and soon spread throughout the country, and the world. Canada has produced some of the greatest, and most beloved ice hockey athletes in the world, most popular among which is Wayne Gretski. The country is also considered one of the “Big Six” of ice hockey, along with Russia, Finland, the Czech Republic, The United States, and Sweden
Mexico – Association Football/Soccer
Finally, we get to Mexico, whose favorite sport is, by far, soccer. Created in the 1800s in England, soccer is the world’s most popular sport, followed by over 3 billion fans globally. The sport reached Mexican shore in the early 1900s, and grew in popularity overnight, quickly becoming Mexico’s favorite game. The Mexican national team have participated in 16 World Cups, since their debut in 1930, though they have never won the gold medal. The biggest football clubs in the country, lovingly dubbed the Big 4, are the America, Guadalajara, Cruz Azul and the Universidad Nacional football club.