The Most Popular Sports in India

India has a long history of sports. The people of India have a lot of love for boxing, tennis, badminton, and field hockey (which is the most successful sport in the country). The big diversity of people in India caused widespread love for all sports, which is a thing to be proud of. With all that being said, we wanted to give you the top 3 most popular sports, as voted by the people. 

Cricket

Played in almost every corner in the country, cricket is by far, the most popular sport in India. The India national team is a fierce team with many achievements throughout its history. They won the ICC Cricket World Cup in 1983 and 2011, the ICC T20 World Cup in 2007, and the ICC Champions Trophy in 2002 and 2013. They also dominate the Asia Cup with a total of 7 titles. India’s biggest cricket rival is Pakistan.

On the domestic scene, India has some great competitions like the Ranji Trophy, the Duleep Trophy, and the Indian Premier League, which is the most popular cricket league in the world. There is no doubt that cricket is embedded in their culture and there are many reasons as to why. 

Kabaddi

The first Amateur Kabaddi Federation was established in 1973 and since then kabaddi became one of the most popular sports in India. Although its popularity it’s nowhere near as cricket, it is still part of their culture. This game is a contact sport and usually played in smaller areas, like the villages. The interesting fact about Kabaddi is that India has won a gold medal every time they participated in the Asian Games, except in 2018.  There are two variations of Kabaddi – Standard and Circle Style. 

Speaking of international success, the India national Kabaddi team has a big trophy cabinet. We already stated how successful they are in the Asian Games. They are also champions of every Kabaddi World Cup – in 2004, 2007, and 2017. In each of these years, they played the final against Iran. The next World Cup is scheduled this year in Dubai. 

Football

This comes as no surprise because we all know that football is the most popular sport in the world. Although it’s not as popular as cricket and kabaddi, this magical game is loved by millions of people in India. The Indian Super League is their dominant domestic league, along with the I-League. The Indian Super League differs from the rest of the football leagues by its system – there’s no promotion or relegation. Instead, they use expansion, similar to the MLS.

Wildz – Alternative Popular Activity 

For the residents in Goa, Sikkim, and Daman have another love for an activity that is somewhat connected to sport – betting/gambling. Although the country of India has a strict system when it comes to this activity, the aforementioned states have legalized it and people there enjoy it. Apart from land-based casinos and betting shops, online casinos are also popular. Many people have referred to Wildz casino as one of the sites with the best service and tremendous games.