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Australians consider sports to be a part of the nation's identity and not just a hobby. They are known for their focus on active lifestyles and a healthy competitive spirit. Surfing, soccer, cricket, and rugby are among those that top the list of sports for fans and participants. This is also reflected in their real money casino gambling entertainment.
Its climate makes Australia an ideal place for sports all year 'round, and attracts athletes from all over the world, making it a true sporting destination.
Aside from those activities already mentioned, many people on the island continent enjoy Australian Rules Football, as well as basketball.
The Australian Football League (AFL) was founded in 1896 and is known and watched worldwide. It's predecessor was the Victoria Football League which began in 1877. Now, the season runs in the country's fall through winter months, from March through September.
It is the most famous sport in all regions of the country with the states of Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, and Tasmania boasting the largest number of fans. This action-packed, unique game combines elements of soccer, rugby, basketball and American football and is played on an oval field that would contain roughly two American football gridirons.
The stadiums used for this sport are essentially cricket stadiums, such as the Melbourne Cricket Grounds. The MCG is the southern hemisphere's largest stadium with a capacity of just over 100,000 fans. Eighteen teams participate in the AFL from every state except Tasmania which is expected to field a team in 2028.
There is also a quickly increasing interest in the women's league, the AFLW, which began with 8 teams in 2017 and had grown to 18 for the 2024 season. It's 10-week season runs August through November.
The AFL's Grand Final is the national equivalence of America's NFL Super Bowl.
Cricket contains The Big Bash League (men) and the Women's National Cricket League (WNCL). Victoria and Tasmania are credited with staging the inaugural first-class cricket match in 1855 with the latter winning by 3 wickets.
The greatest number of meetings are held in the summer season. Millions of Australians attend national tournaments and leagues, as well as accompany their favorite athletes to international competitions.
The national team won the sports' World Cup in 1987, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2015, and 2023.
Rugby Union has over 80,000 players nationwide, but is particularly popular in New South Wales and Queensland. It is characterized by its forceful and dynamic play, and draws ardent supporters to its fierce competition.
Soccer is gaining in popularity, little by little. The A-League Men, is the top-level men's soccer league in the country. For sponsorship reasons, it's also known as the Isuzu UTE A-League. The A-League Women was previously known as the Women's National Soccer League (WNSL).
The Australian men's soccer team first qualified for the World Cup in 1974, but not again until 2006 when it began its current string of five consecutive World Cups,
Soccer has also been a force among Australia's women with leagues established in most states by 1974. The women's national team officially began in 1978 and has been known as the Matildas since 1995. The first women's World Cup took place in 1991 the FIFA World Cup and Australia has qualified for every tournament since 1999. The country hosted in 2023 and reached its highest finish (4th).
Basketball, according to Ausplay, was the second-highest team participation sport in the nation in 2024 with 1,056,012 Australian adults playing the game.
The national men's team is known as the Boomers and the women's team is called the Opals. The Boomers claimed their first Olympic medal (bronze) in 2021 in Japan, and have zero FIBA World Cup medals. Meanwhile, the Opals have 6 FIBA World Cup medals, including the Gold in 2006, and 6 Olympic medals with 3 silver and 3 bronze.
Tennis takes center stage every mid-summer (January) with the Australia Open in Melbourne serving as one of the world's four Grand Slam events. Rod Laver (men) and Margaret Court (women) have been long-hailed as the nation's top players of this sport. Both dominated the 1960's with Court claiming 24 Grand Slam singles titles which still tops Serena Williams (23) as number one all-time. Laver won 11 Grand Slam titles and 8 Pro major titles.
Nine Australian men were ranked in the world's top 100 at the end of last season.
Golf also has its version of the Australian Open, the oldest and most prestigious golf tournament on the PGA Tour of Australasia, dating back to 1904. The ladies version operated from 1974 to 1978 and was resurrected in 1994 when Annika Sorenstam notched her first professional win.
Popular pro golfers from Australia through the years have included the likes of Greg Norman, Adam Scott, Cameron Smith, Jan Stephenson, Karrie Webb and Jason Day.
Sport in Australia is much more than a collection of games and competitions. It is part of a national culture that touches all walks of life. Facilities for all sports are abundant and growing, for both indoor and outdoor use. And the nation's athletes are true heroes who set an example for the younger generation.