The 10 Most Popular Sports in Canada
The Top 10 Most Popular Sports in Canada!
Did you know that Canada has many unique traits?
It is considered one of the best places to live or visit because of its remarkable natural surroundings, low crime rate, strong economy and proximity to the US.
Canadians also value numerous national sporting events, as they support togetherness and offer great entertainment for the masses!
But what are Canadians’ favourite sports?
The wide array of sporting competitions in Canada provides Canadians with the best opportunities to highlight their skills and prevail in global tournaments.
This article will outline the top 10 most popular sports in Canada, in no particular order. Let’s dive in!
1. Ice Hockey
Ice Hockey is an all-year-round sport in Canada.
Modern ice hockey in the region started in the 19th century, and it is still a great pastime for all ages.
In fact, during the 2021/22 season there were over 513,000 registered ice hockey players in Canada according to the International Ice Hockey Federation.
In 1893, Canada founded the Stanley Cup, now considered the top prize in professional ice hockey.
For national championships in Canada, some prominent prizes are the Allan Cup (for senior-age men’s teams) and the Memorial Cup (for junior-age men’s teams).
Ice Hockey is a religion in Canada and it is by far the most popular sport to watch and play. The highest level of Ice hockey is the National Hockey League, or NHL.
Famous Canadian Hockey teams playing in the NHL include household names like the Edmonton Oilers and the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Check out our NHL quiz - over 100 questions and answers on the National Hockey League.
2. Golf
In golf, players use different clubs to hit balls into a series of holes in as few strokes as possible.
Since there’s no set playing area in this sport, a vital aspect of the game is adapting to the topography of different courses.
Recreational courses may only involve 9 holes, but standard golf courses have an organised sequence of 18 holes.
Canada’s first golf club, Montreal Golf Club, was established in 1873. Alexander Dennistoun founded the organisation and since then, Canada has experienced a boom in the game.
It has become one of the globe’s leading golfing countries, with over 1.5 million golfers in Canada.
3. Curling
Curling is a famous sport in Canada, particularly in the Prairie Provinces, which is home to numerous illustrious teams.
Players slide stones across the ice to reach a circular target area. Shuffleboard, bowling and boules are also connected to curling.
The sport was first introduced to the region from Scotland, and it has been associated with the Armed Forces.
The men’s competition is considered the Tim Hortons Brier, while the women’s championship is called the Scotties Tournament of Hearts.
In fact, the latter is one of Canada’s most televised sports for women, with more than 3 million TV viewers watching the Scotties championship final every year.
4. Basketball
Among all the Canadian sports, basketball is one of the most popular.
Professional basketball in Canada started in 1946, and their national basketball competition features 30 teams.
The Vancouver Grizzlies and Toronto Raptors received NBA franchises in 1994, which helped increase the sport’s popularity in the nation.
Basketball is the second-most popular sport among Canadian millennials, according to Solutions Research Group, a market research organisation in Toronto.
5. Rugby
Rugby was first introduced in Canada by the Royal Navy in 1823. Also known as Rugby Union, this team sport involves close contact and it relies on players running while carrying the ball.
Even though the sport vanished for a while, it was re-introduced through the Canadian national team and a domestic league.
Both Rugby Union and Rugby League have grown in popularity since their re-introduction, and the Canadian Rugby League hosts many local and global competitions.
6. Canadian Football
The Super Bowl is probably the largest sporting event in North America.
However, the Grey Cup has existed for a little longer in the Canadian Football League.
The Grey Cup has been played 108 times since its founding in 1909. On the other hand, the Super Bowl has only been played 56 times.
With that in mind, Canadian Football and American Football are somewhat identical.
There are 12 players on each side. CFL stadiums are a lot bigger than NFL stadiums, along with 2 timeouts and 3 turnovers for each game.
The Canadian Football League, which has 9 teams and runs from Summer to the end of November, is likewise more compact.
Numerous people watch the NFL, particularly football lovers who have nothing else to stream before the NFL begins.
7. Cricket
A bat and ball team sport known as cricket, this sport comprises 2 teams of 11 players apiece.
Did you know that cricket is one of the most popular games in the world?
More than 2 billion people across the globe are fans of cricket. It’s also widely played in different continents such as Australia, Asia and Europe.
Even though the Canadian national cricket team has not made any iconic breakthroughs, the sport is still one of the most popular in the country.
Canada’s massive Asian population may contribute to the sport’s huge appeal, with well over 40,000 cricketers across the nation.
8. Baseball
Baseball is one of the most mainstream games in Canada, and it has been played since the beginning!
The oldest operating baseball park on the globe is in Labatt Park, Ontario. It’s also the homeland of the semi-pro London Majors, part of the Intercountry Baseball League.
Canada has only one major league, the Toronto Blue Jays.
From 1969 to 2004, the Montreal Expos played their home games in Montreal before moving to Washington DC, where they played as the Washington Nationals.
The Blue Jays were also the first non-American team to host a World Series game and the only non-American club to win the World Series in 1992.
They also had the most supporters for Major League Baseball (MLB) in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
9. Wrestling
Wrestling is another popular entertainment sport in Canada.
The sport first began in the 19th century, and it is played in different formats and divisions worldwide.
The first recognised professional wrestling group in Canada is Maple Leaf Wrestling, and it opened its doors in 1930. This group is accredited with starting professional wrestling in Canada.
The most prestigious professional wrestling organisation is the WWE, and numerous popular WWE stars are from Canada, such as “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.
10. Lacrosse
There are 20 players involved in this sport, with 10 on each side playing on an outdoor field.
Every player is equipped with a long stick with a basket on the end. The players pass, dribble and score goals using the stick and net.
This is Canada’s official Summer sport because of how it’s widely played in the region.
In fact, the Canadian Lacrosse League is one of the biggest lacrosse leagues in the world!
