Sport is a huge part of African culture. As we can see from the list of all betting sites in Nigeria, there’s a diverse range of sports that are watched, played, and betted on. Whilst some mainstream sports in Europe do not exist much in Africa, like tennis, there’s a huge player base for other ball sports like football and basketball. Below are the top 10 sports in Africa.
Football
Football is the most played and watched sport in the world, and in Africa, it’s no different. Impromptu games are easily created, whilst the African Cup of Nations is a big tournament that is watched around the world. Africa has produced some of the best talents in the world, from the likes of Didier Drogba and Yaya Toure to Salah and Eto’o.
Wrestling
Wrestling is another sport that is popular in many different African countries. Senegal is one of the major wrestling hubs in Africa, with it dating back centuries when farmers used to earn money by wrestling in the city. It also became a sport synonymous with wagering, a bit like horse racing in the UK.
Rugby
Rugby is a fast-growing sport in Africa. In 1995, South Africa participated in the world cup, which began a growing trend toward playing the historic game. Today, many African countries participate in international tournaments.
Basketball
Basketball is a huge sport in many western and north African nations, like Nigeria, Egypt, and Tunisia. Some top-level NBA talent is African, but the sport continues to spread south toward other nations.
Cycling
Given the dominance that Africa has over some athletics and endurance sports, cycling is no different. The sport is growing each year and is also becoming a growing part of daily commuting life in Africa.
MMA
Although they have recently lost their titles, the UFC had two Nigerian champions recently in Kamaru Usman and Israel Adesanya. FrancNganou, who is the current heavyweight champion, is also from Africa.
Boxing
Boxing is a popular combat sport around the world, and Africa has had its own variations, like Dambe. However, conventional boxing is also popular, with the likes of Anthony Joshua’s family being Nigerian, as well as Badou Jack, Moruti Mthalane, and Demetrius Andrade.
Athletics
Africa is the homeplace of many of the world’s best athletes. Track and field events are perhaps their strength, with the likes of Ferdinand Omanyala running the 100-meter in 9.77 seconds. Historically, the likes of Caster Semenya and Julius Yego have shocked the world with fantastic performances too.
Cricket
Being a big sport among ex-British colonies and the commonwealth, some African countries like Kenya, Zimbabwe, and South Africa have taken to the game of cricket. For 20 years, apartheid had gotten in the way of South Africa’s international events, but they are back playing to this day.
Rallying
Off-roading and rallying are Africa’s most popular motorsports. In fact, racers from around the world come to Africa to enjoy the off-road terrain, putting them up there as some of the most difficult routes in the world. Because world talent is attracted to Africa, Africans themselves have become increasingly interested in participating in the sport.