10 Most Popular Sports In England (+ Fun Facts)
So what are the most popular sports in England? I let my buddy from the UK take over the blog to answer this one, and I am here for the education as much as you!
I’m Billy – a deaf travel blogger from Birmingham, UK. Through my blog, BRB Gone Somewhere Epic, I break down the myth that travel is too expensive and that you can still enjoy hidden gems even in the most popular tourist destinations.
As someone born and bred in England, I’ve been utterly immersed in my country’s sports culture. Our passion for English sports can be summed up by the fact we practically eat, sleep, and breathe it, and while debating sports with friends and family can be a daily occurrence, it also can get pretty heated – especially when the team I follow loses to theirs, and vice versa!
While sports in America seem dominated by American football, baseball, and basketball, the sports landscape here in England couldn’t be more different. Football (soccer) reigns supreme as our national sport, with cricket and rugby not far behind in popularity.
👉 IMPORTANT: Check out the fun facts about each sport along the way and the English sports slang at the bottom – so you know what the heck we’re talking about.
My personal favorite, as is most English folks’, is football. I’ve gone to countless football matches and debated the footie with many a Brit down at the pub weekly. Through these lifelong experiences, I’ve gained deep insight into which sports we English go absolutely mad for.
Top 10 Most Popular Sports In England
Based on popularity, tradition, and the sheer passion they evoke here, here are the top 10 sports of my homeland:
1. Football (Soccer)
As the beautiful game that originated in England, it’s no surprise that football is the national sport and by far the most popular sport in the country. The English Premier League is widely considered the best league in the world, with hundreds of millions of fans globally. And for many Brits, Saturday football is like a religion.
The roots of British football can be traced back to medieval times when “mob football” pitted neighboring towns and villages against each other in often chaotic matches involving unlimited players.
👉 Fun Fact: The official rules of modern football were established in 1863, and the sport’s global governing body, FIFA, was founded in Paris in 1904.
Today, millions watch high-stakes rivalries between top clubs like Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea. Stars like David Beckham and Wayne Rooney enjoy godlike status.
While England’s national team performance has been inconsistent, their strong showing in recent World Cups and Euro Championships keeps fans ever hopeful for the next trophy.
With a football match happening almost daily in towns and cities across England, you won’t have trouble finding a game. For the ultimate experience, try to catch one of the hotly contested derbies, such as Arsenal vs Tottenham or the Manchester derby (United vs City).
👉 Fun Fact: Manchester is home to England’s most successful football clubs, with Manchester United having won a record 20 league titles and Manchester City having won 8 league titles. The Manchester Derby match between these cross-town rivals is considered one of the biggest games in football.
Read more interesting facts about Manchester here.
2. Cricket
Known as the quintessential English summer sport, cricket has been popular since Tudor times 500 years ago and its rules developed by the 18th century into the modern game loved by the Brits today.
Played over one or more days, depending on the format, cricket may seem leisurely to many Americans. But make no mistake, with its intricacies of tactics and techniques, cricket has plenty of nail-biting excitement between bat and ball.
Each summer, there are major test match series between national rivals Australia and England in packed stadiums full of facepaint and costumed fans taunting each other. Domestic matches also draw huge crowds for Twenty20 games, a faster-paced and more intense version of cricket with a typical game spanning just three hours.
Legends like Ian Botham, Andrew Flintoff, and Kevin Pietersen have been national heroes.
One of the best places to catch a county cricket match with a distinctly English vibe is the County Ground in Bristol, where cider, rather than beer, is the traditional drink of choice.
👉 Fun fact: The name of the sport originated from the French term “criquet,” meaning goalpost stick back when informal games involved them as wickets!
3. Rugby
With two codes of rugby played in England — Rugby Union and Rugby League — it ranks highly as both a participation and spectator sport. Rugby Union has a greater international following, whereas Rugby League dominates parts of northern England.
Rugby Union matches involve fifteen players, while Rugby League has thirteen players per team. Both deliver hard-hitting, fast-paced action to excite diehard rugby fans. The Rugby League split from the Union in 1895 over disagreements about compensation for injuries and lost wages!
The Six Nations Championship, held every February to March, is a popular Rugby Union tournament with England competing against other European national teams.
Premiership Rugby is the top domestic club competition that runs through the regular season from September to June every year. Teams battle their way through 22 grueling rounds of play before the top four clubs compete in the play-off semi-finals and, ultimately, the Premiership Final at Twickenham Stadium in May.
Legends Jonny Wilkinson, Martin Johnson, and Jason Robinson were Rugby Union heroes. See northern England’s Super League for the more raw, working-class version of rugby.
👉 Fun fact: Rugby was invented at a school in an English town called Rugby during a game of football when one of the players picked up the ball and started running with it!
✅ Rugby Union
There’s a reason Rugby Union is nicknamed ‘the game played in heaven.’ When played at the highest levels, it delivers sublime feats of skill and superhuman physical effort.
With international matches held at England’s national stadium, Twickenham, the atmosphere with 82,000 English fans belting out ‘Swing Low, Sweet Chariot’ is goosebump-inducing material for any sports lover.
✅ Rugby League
While less celebrated nationally, the Rugby League dominates sporting culture in northern former mill towns. Through the winter months, hardcore fans proudly brave the cold-wearing team scarves and jerseys as they converge on local rugby stadiums in cities like Leeds, Warrington, and Wigan that seem improbably large venues for such small towns!
Originating from class divides and northern grit, Rugby League moves at a faster clip compared to Union, resulting in equally captivating contests of brawn and brains. England contests the Rugby League World Cup every four years against giants Australia and New Zealand.
👉 Fun Fact: Like football, Rugby shares many of the same terms and rules since the sport is an offset of football.
4. Tennis
While England hasn’t produced the sheer volume of tennis talent of other nations, when a Brit does break through internationally, it whips up tennis fever across parts of England, particularly in the south.
The birthplace of modern tennis can be traced to Birmingham, England, during the late 19th Century, when the city was famously the ‘workshop of the world.’ You can discover more fun facts about Birmingham UK here.
The treasured Wimbledon Championships, held every summer in London, is revered as the world’s premier Grand Slam. The manicured grass courts of the All England Lawn Tennis Club are steeped in tradition, with players wearing white uniforms, officials in blazers, and patrons enjoying strawberries and cream.
When British players go deep into the Wimbledon draw, the hopes and expectations rise from the British press and public alike, desperate to crown a homegrown champion.
Spanish superstar Rafael Nadal has faced boisterous opposition from England crowds during hard-fought Wimbledon matches, wary of his threat against British darlings like Andy Murray and rising star Emma Raducanu.
Domestically, the grass warm-up at Queen’s Club and the Birmingham Classic lead to Wimbledon at the height of the English summer sports schedule. So try to catch the tennis action in London if you’re visiting in June and July!
👉 Fun fact: Wimbledon has strict rules on wearing white uniforms, while officials must wear blazers and ties, adding to tradition.
5. Golf
With many world-class golf courses scattered across England, golf holds an important place in English sports, even if professional success has ebbed and flowed over the years.
The Open Championship, known more commonly as The British Open on U.S. TV broadcasts, is England’s annual major, dating back to 1860 in Scotland. Hosted on classic links courses like Royal Birkdale, Royal Liverpool, and Royal St George’s in England, the Open’s challenging conditions thrill golf fans worldwide.
Wentworth in Surrey also grabs international golf headlines by hosting the BMW PGA Championship, the European Tour’s flagship tournament, each May.
Beyond the pros, playing golf remains an ever-popular pastime, with many golfers taking advantage of England’s municipal courses that make the sport accessible and inclusive at an amateur level.
👉 Fun fact: Golf began with Scottish shepherds hitting rocks into rabbit holes with sticks and evolved into hitting balls into holes!
6. Horse Racing
A passion for horse racing and breeding racehorses runs deep in British culture for centuries, making it one of England’s most cherished pastimes. Many fans enjoy the tradition of donning their finest racewear while socializing and networking at race meetings across the country calendar.
The steeplechase jumps racing provides plenty of entertainment value with spectacular spills and exciting finishes. But flat racing garners higher prestige, particularly the five English Classic Races open only to three-year-old horses during the summer months. These Classics offer large prize money and coveted titles that can instantly increase a horse’s breeding value.
The most prestigious race in Britain is Royal Ascot in June. While the racing takes center stage, Royal Ascot is also huge as a fashion event with strict dress codes enforced.
Women wear ornate hats and formal dresses, while men arrive wearing top hats and tails. With British Royalty regularly in attendance, it exemplifies how horse racing intertwines sport, high society, and pageantry in England like nowhere else.
Famous jockeys like Lester Piggott, Frankie Dettori, and Gordon Richards have been national sports celebrities enjoying fame beyond racing diehards.
👉 Fun fact: Queen Elizabeth II is one of the most famous horse owners and breeders in the world today!
7. Boxing
From its bare-knuckle prizefighting origins to modern-day giants like ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson and Anthony Joshua, England has a long pugilistic tradition.
In the early 20th century, Boxing was arguably the number one sport in Britain. Bare-knuckle champion Jem Mace is recognized as the father of modern boxing for pioneering the introduction of gloves and the Queensbury Rules.
Many all-time boxing greats have emerged from England’s working-class communities to achieve fame and fortune on their fists. Legends like Bob Fitzsimmons, Ted ‘Kid’ Lewis, Lennox Lewis, and ‘The Dark Destroyer’ Nigel Benn brought honor and titles home, putting British boxing on the map.
While no longer its 1960s heyday, boxing remains a prominent sport in England today. Sold-out arena title fights featuring charismatic English heavyweight champion Tyson Fury or Olympic gold medalist Anthony Joshua ignite strong public interest.
With many boxing gyms found in England’s major cities, recreational and competitive boxing participation continues to thrive at the grassroots level as well.
👉 Fun fact: In the 18th century, boxers fought bare-knuckle bouts that lasted until one man conceded defeat! Fights were gruesomely brutal affairs.
8. Badminton
While lacking the global prestige of tennis, badminton is popular in England as both a backyard pastime and a serious competitive sport. It’s one of the fastest racket sports around, requiring lightning reflexes and superb fitness.
First played in the mid-19th century in Gloucestershire, badminton was later named after Badminton House, where it became a hit at garden parties for British nobility. The first official rules were drafted there in 1877 before the Badminton World Federation was established in 1934.
The All-England Open, held annually in Birmingham, draws the world’s best badminton players competing for the prestigious title. While Denmark, China and Indonesia lead the world rankings, English shuttlers rely on strong home support trying to conquer the All-England trophy.
Among recreational players, badminton continues to grow in schools and local communities as an accessible activity requiring minimal equipment for hours of sweaty fun!
👉 Fun fact: Badminton traces its origins to British India officers in the 1870s before the first official rules were published in 1877! You can read more fascinating English facts here.
9. Snooker
A cue sport adored in Britain but little played overseas, snooker rose to prominence in England during the late 19th century after evolving from billiards. Today, snooker spectating and wagering rivals football and horse racing as major gambling attractions.
The pinnacle for snooker professionals is the prestigious World Snooker Championship, held annually at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield through April and May. Top English players like Ronnie O’Sullivan, Judd Trump, and Mark Selby continue Britain’s strong snooker pedigree first established by past masters like Joe Davis and Alex Higgins, who helped popularize televised snooker in the 1970s and 80s.
While sometimes labeled boring by outsiders, snooker delivers suspenseful psychological drama with nail-biting shotmaking finesse to its loyal connoisseurs.
Easy to learn but extremely difficult to master, snooker’s technical challenges have made it a passport to fame and fortune for talented English players from gritty working-class towns.
👉 Fun fact: Snooker evolved as a recreational twist from billiards with its name originating as military slang for inexperienced or first year cadets!
10. Darts
The British have an amusing knack for transforming ordinary pub pastimes into highly competitive professional sports. Darts epitomizes this mentality as a former drinking game that evolved into a multi-million dollar professional circuit with extensive TV coverage and lucrative endorsements.
Today, darts ranks just behind football as Britain’s hottest television sport. High-stakes tournaments are held in raucous arenas packed with face-painted, costume-clad, and beer-swigging fans who showcase how darts’ brilliance intertwines effortlessly with British eccentricity.
Far from its greater London origins, darts receive their most fervent support in working-class strongholds surrounding cities like Stoke, Birmingham, Nottingham, Belfast, and Glasgow, where sold-out crowds create electrifying atmospheres inspiring comebacks and upsets from local heroes.
In recent times, darts have become increasingly international and competitive at the highest levels. Yet top English players like inaugural PDC world champion Dennis Priestley, 16-time world champ Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor, and former world #1 Michael ‘Mighty Mike’ van Gerwen continue England’s dominance in the sport.
👉 Fun fact: Before catching on as a professional sport, darts had a reputation as an activity for those who spent more time drinking at the pub than working!
➡️ English Sports Slang ⬅️
Debating sports with an English person can be confusing if you’re unfamiliar with the local slang.
✅ When discussing the score in football and rugby, for example, “nil” means zero, the “gaffer’ is the club boss/manager, and “the woodwork” refers to the frame of the goal.
✅ A great goal can be described in many different ways, including screamer, belter, banger, stunner, and stinger, to name a few.
✅ A “squeaky bum time” refers to the pressure on a losing side when there are just 10 minutes left of gameplay. Following that, players in the losing team may be given the “hairdryer treatment” by their gaffer back in the club changing rooms – meaning, the manager may shout at them for their poor performance.
For more slang, check out this traveler’s guide to British Slang Words
FAQ: National Sports In the UK
Because I know all of you are wondering a bit beyond the borders of England, here are some frequently asked questions about national sports in all of the UK.
What Is The Most Popular Sport in England?
Football is by far the most popular sport in England, measured by participation rates, fan following, media coverage, and cultural importance. Other leading mainstream sports are cricket and rugby.
What Is The Most Popular Sport in the United Kingdom?
Similar to England, football clearly dominates as the number one sport across Britain. Rugby union enjoys immense popularity in Wales, while Scots prefer football and golf as their first and second national sports.
What Is The National Sport of England?
Despite football being the most popular sport today, cricket is officially designated as England’s sole national sport. This recognition has remained unchanged for over 200 years since cricket became codified in 1788.
What Is The National Sport of the United Kingdom?
No single sport has received formal designation as the national sport across all of Britain. However, football has effectively become Britain’s national sport based on its unmatched popularity and widespread participation across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
What Is The Most Popular Sport In Europe?
Football (soccer) overwhelmingly reigns as Europe’s most popular sport, hands down, in terms of participation rates, economic impact, media coverage, and passionate supporter bases. No other team sport comes close continent-wide.
What is soccer called in Europe?
Outside Britain, the term soccer is often used in countries like America, Canada, and Australia to distinguish Association Football from other football codes. However, the simple name football is used overwhelmingly across Europe and the rest of the world.
Final Thoughts: Most Popular Sports In England
I hope this gives perspective into the central role sports play in English identity and culture. While fandom runs deep in America, sports here are woven into our social fabric. Chat sports at the pub or catch a Saturday match to see passions resembling tribal loyalty – a contrast to the US.
Another interesting thing to note: the most popular sports in the UK varies from country to country – in Wales, Rugby is king, whereas football reigns supreme in Scotland as it does in England.
If you ever visit England, attend live events and talk with fans. Beyond the athleticism and fun, you’ll discover how sports illuminate English heritage and psyche. From football mania to cricket’s genteel aesthetic, embracing English sports provides a window into the English soul – and the slang that comes along with it!
