8 most popular sports in Africa

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FILE PHOTO: Sports

Credit: Guardian Nigeria

FILE PHOTO: Sports
Credit: Guardian Nigeria

Africa is known as a continent that “produces” talents for many sports disciplines.

Many sports legends come from Africa. They improve the image of the continent and promote African talents worldwide.

It is mostly because of successful athletes that the continent hosts many important sports events, which at the end contributes its economy and many industries, such as the Naija betting sites, Kenyan sportsbook sector and South African gambling niche.

Here is the list of 8 most popular sports in Africa.

1. Football

Football is, without any doubt, the most popular sport in Africa. Because it requires minimum resources, it penetrated each part of the continent.

Nowadays, there are many local, regional and continental leagues in Africa. In 2010, South Africa hosted the World Cup. African countries such as: Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Cameroon perform very well in such world tournaments. Some of the most remarkable African names in soccer are: Samuel Eto’o, Didier Drogba, Sadio Mane and Yaya Toure.

The sport also attracts a lot of punters, as betting on football markets in countries like Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana are bigger than even in some European countries.

2. Rugby

Believe it or not, Rugby is within the most popular sports in Africa. Rugby’s popularity comes from South Africa where there are more than 600000 registered Rugby players. In South Africa, Rugby is a symbol of a new era and reducing racial tensions.

3. Cycling

Cycling is a real sensation in South Africa, also resonating with more and more athletes across the continent. The routes in South Africa are extremely attractive for cyclists because they ride bikes through variety of ecosystems.

The Cape Town Cycle Tour, which attracts over 35,000 cyclists and in South Africa, there are more than 25600 registered cyclists.

4. Athletics

Athletics is probably the sport that promotes African continent more than any other sport. The best performances are usually presented by athletes who compete in long trucks racing.

Notable names include Abebe Bikila, Haile Gebrselassie, Asbel Kiprop, Ezekiel Kemboi, and Julius Yego. When it comes to women, the best-known names are: Catherine Ndereba, Vivian Cheruiyot, Tirunesh Dibaba, and Maria Mutola.

5. Cricket

This sport is popular all over the continent, but its popularity is the greatest in South Africa, Kenya, and Zimbabwe. Because of the apartheid regime, South Africa has been banned from international competitions for 20 years. Omar Henry was the first South African black player in history to play for the national team.

6. Wrestling

Nubian wrestling has a history of more than 3,000 years. Wrestling is the most popular sport in Senegal. There, it is more a representation of a culture that it is a sport, actually. Wrestlers can earn up to $200000 per game and the sports gets donations valued from $1 to $2 million.

The sport attracts crowds and the event often includes singing and dancing.

7. Rally

African roads are what Rally drivers love the most. Countries where rallying is popular include Kenya, Senegal, Zimbabwe, and Uganda. One of the most popular sports events in Africa is The KCB Safari Rally in Kenya.

The biggest problem for this sport is a lack of sponsorships.

8. Basketball

Basketball has been popular since the 1960s. Some of the countries where basketball is common to include Egypt, Tunisia, Cameroon, Ghana, Uganda, Kenya, and Nigeria. The most notable names are former NBA stars, Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon and Dikembe Mutombo.

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