Sport in the Czech Republic facts for kids
Sport is a really important part of Czech culture. It helps people feel proud of their country. The two most popular sports in the Czech Republic are football and ice hockey. These sports get a lot of attention from the news and the public. Other sports with professional teams include basketball, volleyball, handball, athletics, and floorball.
The biggest sporting events for Czechs are the Ice Hockey World Championships and the Olympic ice hockey tournament. People also love watching the European football championship and the Football World Cup. Any international game with the Czech national ice hockey or football team is exciting. This is especially true when they play against their traditional rivals. For football, these are Germany and Slovakia. For ice hockey, they are Russia, Finland, Sweden, Canada, and Slovakia.
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Team Sports in the Czech Republic
Ice Hockey: A Czech Favorite
The Czech national ice hockey team is one of the best in the world. They often play in the Ice Hockey World Championships, the Olympic Games, and the Euro Hockey Tour. The team won their first Olympic Gold medal at the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano. They also won six World Championship medals between 1996 and 2011. The top ice hockey league in the Czech Republic is called the Extraliga. Some famous Czech players are Jaromír Jágr, Dominik Hašek, and Patrik Eliáš.
Football: A Long Tradition
Football has been very popular in the Czech Republic for many years. The old Czechoslovakia team was once a very strong international team. In 2006, the Czech national team played in their first World Cup since Czechoslovakia split up. Players like Petr Čech, Tomáš Rosický, and Pavel Nedvěd have become national heroes. They achieved great success playing for top European clubs.
American Football: Growing in Popularity
American football started being played in the Czech Republic in the 1980s. The Czech Association of American Football was created in 1994. Since then, they have developed a league system with two divisions: ČLAF A and ČLAF B. The Prague Panthers are the most successful team, winning 12 titles.
The A7 series is a separate league. It was made for smaller or new teams. This league plays 7-on-7 football. The final game of the season is called the Rice Bowl. The A7 series is cheaper than ČLAF. This allows teams from smaller towns without big sponsors to play.
Other Team Sports
- Baseball is becoming more popular, but it is still a smaller sport. The Czech Republic hosted the Baseball World Cup in 2009.
- Cricket has been played in the Czech Republic since 1997. They joined the International Cricket Council in 2000.
- Rugby union was brought to Czechoslovakia in 1895. Czechoslovakia helped start FIRA in 1934 and joined the IRB in 1988. This sport is mostly played in Brno and Prague.
- A national Australian rules football team represents the Czech Republic. In 2009, they finished second in the Australian Rules football European Shield.
Individual Sports
Shooting is the third most popular sport in the Czech Republic. Winter sports are also very popular. The country has hosted world championships for Nordic skiing, ski jumping, and luge. Many Czech athletes have won medals in these sports internationally, including at the Winter Olympics.
The Czech Republic hosts several tennis events each year. These include the UniCredit Czech Open in Prostějov and Prosperita Open in Ostrava. There are also the Sparta Prague Open and Strabag Prague Open in Prague. Some of the best Czech tennis players are Tomáš Berdych, Radek Štěpánek, Martina Navratilova, and Petra Kvitová.
Related Pages
Images for kids
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Jaromír Jágr is a top scorer in the NHL.
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Generali Arena is home to AC Sparta Prague.
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FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2009 in Liberec.
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Eden Arena is the largest modern football stadium in the Czech Republic.
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