Sport in Wales
Wales is part of the United Kingdom, though it has a unique history and sporting culture, and plays many sports in international competitions as a team from Wales, though at the Olympic Games athletes from Wales represent Great Britain. The England cricket team represents England and Wales in international cricket (and so did Scotland until 1992).
The sport of Cnapan is a type of Celtic Medieval Football. Cnapan was part of the codified football games first developed by Public Schools which led to the development of Association Football and Rugby.
Below are details of sports, sporting events and sports people related to Scotland. See also about sport in the UK, and the individual pages for England, Scotland, Northern Ireland.
running race in WalesPopular Sports of Wales
- Football (Soccer), rugby union, cricket, netball, field hockey, rugby league, sailing
Regional or Traditional Sports of Wales
- British Baseball (Welsh Baseball) — a bat-and-ball game played in Wales and England similar to rounders.
- Cnapan — a Celtic form of Medieval Football, played between parishes where the object of the game was to take the ball to the church of the home parish using any means possible. A small wooden ball was used, soaked in fat to make it hard to handle.
- Bando — a team sport played in 18th and 19th century in Wales using sticks with curved ends like hockey, and goals at either end of a large rectangular field. It has similarities to modern day sports of hurling, hockey, shinty and bandy.
- Stone Lift or Carry — involves moving stones as a test of strength.
- Bog Snorkeling — an annual bog swimming event held in August each year along the dense Waen Rhydd Peat bog near Llanwrtyd Wells, in Powys.
- Real Ale Wobble and Ramble — the best way to enjoy a ride or walk around the Welsh countryside.
- Welsh handball
Wales Sporting Successes
- Winner 2009 Rugby World Cup Sevens
- Geraint Thomas was the first Welshman to win the Tour de France in 2018.
- Wales has qualified for the FIFA World Cup twice, in 1958 and again in 2022.
Great athletes from Wales
- Sir Gareth Owen Edwards - a former Welsh rugby union player who is widely considered as the best Welsh rugby player of all time.
- Gareth Bale (football)
- Geraint Thomas (cycling)
- Colin Jackson (110m hurdles)
- Steve Jones (marathon)
- Ian Woosnam (golf)
- Ray Reardon (snooker)
Wales Sports trivia
- Wales have only ever won one Olympic medal as Wales, when the men's field hockey team won a bronze medal at the 1908 Summer Games.
Wales at major events
- Great Britain at the Summer Olympics
- Great Britain at the Winter Olympics
- Wales at the Commonwealth Games
- Wales at the FIFA World Cup
- Wales at the Rugby World Cup
- Wales at the Netball World Cup
- Wales at the UEFA Euros
Past sporting events events hosted in Wales
- 1958 Commonwealth Games Cardiff
- 1999 Rugby World Cup Wales
- 2010 Ryder Cup - held at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, South Wales.
- 2012 Summer Olympics - the Millennium Stadium hosted some games in both the men's and women's football events.
- 2015 Rugby World Cup - some matches were played in Cardiff, Wales, although England, and its governing body the Rugby Football Union, was officially the sole host nation.
Upcoming sporting events in Wales
Annual sporting events held in Wales
Sporting Facilities in Wales
- Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
- Cardiff City Stadium
Other
Is there something missing? If you know of something that should be listed here, please let me know.
Related Pages
- Countries list
- About sport in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland
- World of Sport Home
Any comments, suggestions, or corrections? Please let us know.
Current Events