Kabaddi is the national sport of Bangladesh and has been popular in South Asia since the 20th century. This contact sport is played by both men and women. In short, teams have their offensive player, known as the raider, invade the other team’s defense and tag as many players as possible before returning safely to their original side.
Hurling is an ancient Gaelic sport that originated in Ireland and is considered one of the oldest field games in the world. It involves teams of 15 players who use a wooden stick called a hurley to hit a small ball, or sliotar, between the opponent’s goalposts for points.
Cheese rolling is an annual sport held at Cooper's Hill in Gloucestershire, England. Participants chase a round of Double Gloucester cheese down a very steep hill, and the first person to cross the finish line at the bottom is declared the winner.
Underwater rugby is a sport that was developed in Germany in the 1960s. The aquatic game is played in a swimming pool with two teams of six players each, who are aiming to score by placing a ball in the opposing team’s underwater basket.
Wife carrying is a sport that originated in Finland and involves male competitors racing while carrying a female teammate, often their wife, through an obstacle course. The winner is the team that completes the course in the fastest time and the prize is traditionally the wife’s weight in beer.
Tchoukball is a non-contact team sport invented by a Swiss biologist in the 1970s. The game is played on an indoor court where teams score points by bouncing a ball off a framed net and ensuring it lands in the opposing team's play area without being caught.
Bandy is a sport played in the winter that originated in Scandinavia and Russia, resembling ice hockey but played with a ball instead of a puck. The game is played on a large ice rink with 11 players per team who use curved sticks to score goals in a similar manner to soccer.
Sources: (Stacker) (Britannica) (Topend Sports)
See also: The 10 most popular sports in the world, ranked by fan numbers
Sports have always been a favorite pastime across the globe. They not only bring people together and build a sense of comradery, but they also add an exciting, fun aspect to everyday life. They give people something to believe in and teams to cheer for and follow. Sports can be played one-on-one or in large groups, with contact or without, formally or informally. Sports are multifaceted and range greatly in their rules, how they are played, and where they originated. In this list. you’ll find over two dozen unique sports from around the world that are not typically viewed as mainstream!
Curious which sports made the list? Click through to explore.
In this sport, players use a racket, stick, basket, or club and bounce a hard and small rubber ball off a wall known as the frontis. Pelota games are played one-on-one or in teams on larger courts. Today, some versions of pelota can be found in Latin America and Western Europe.
Hornussen is a traditional Swiss sport that combines elements of golf and baseball. Played primarily in rural Switzerland, it involves hitting a puck, called a "Nouss," with a long, flexible rod, aiming to land it as far as possible into the opponent's field.
Chess boxing is a hybrid sport that challenges both the body and mind. It combines chess and boxing in alternating rounds where competitors face each other in a boxing ring and engage in four-minute rounds of chess followed by three-minute rounds of boxing.
Unique sports from around the globe
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LIFESTYLE Society
Sports have always been a favorite pastime across the globe. They not only bring people together and build a sense of comradery, but they also add an exciting, fun aspect to everyday life. They give people something to believe in and teams to cheer for and follow. Sports can be played one-on-one or in large groups, with contact or without, formally or informally. Sports are multifaceted and range greatly in their rules, how they are played, and where they originated. In this list. you’ll find over two dozen unique sports from around the world that are not typically viewed as mainstream!
Curious which sports made the list? Click through to explore.