European Sports have always been regarded as containing high-quality athletes and having a vast range of sport across the continent. Every country you visit in Europe you will be able to find a sporting event available to spectate. I will be writing about a few sports that have become the most popular and most played across Europe.
Football
From travelling around Europe I have noticed that football is one of the most popular sports throughout Europe, hosting globally watched events and competitions. The most successful leagues in Europe are the English Premier League, Spanish La Liga, French Ligue 1, German Bundesliga and the Italian Serie A. These are the most successful Leagues because the teams and players in them are competing at the highest level in the sport. Making them the highest earning and paid Leagues in Europe
One of the big differences between the English Football League and the rest of the European Leagues is the price. The English Leagues seem to be generally higher in price in relation to the same leagues in European Leagues. For example, the price of an adult budget ticket for a mid-table team in the Premier League would be between £35 – £45. However, for the same adult budget ticket in the French Ligue 1, you will be paying a smaller price of between £10 – £20. If you are on a budget, watching football in mainland Europe is economical and has the same quality and appeal as the English leagues.
Leagues do. You can obviously buy more expensive seats in better positions but if you are going for the atmosphere in a different stadium or country I would recommend the cheaper seats which are mainly placed behind the home teams goal. I have watched various football matches in Europe which include West ham in England, Toulouse in France, Bologna in Italy and Anderlecht in Belgium to name a few and each of these teams have a different atmosphere in the stadium and all will provide a unique experience on game day. Which is what is so appealing about the sport.
If your planning on trying to attend a football match while on holiday or while travelling remember that teams as a rule normally play one game at home then the next away so be wary of this and make sure you confirm the team you want to see is playing at home the day your planning on travelling to see them.
Rugby
Rugby is a European sport that is spreading in popularity across Europe and it is getting more recognition as it deserves. The stand out nations that are most well known for competing at the highest level are England, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, France and Italy. Also known as the six nations. These nations I’ve listed have a prolific national sides and have a very competitive and large supported county and local sides.
However, there are lots of countries that are becoming more developed and have more established rugby sides such as Georgia, Portugal, Romania, Russia and Spain. These teams have all started to establish themselves by making it into global rugby events like the Rugby World Cup and are all in the top 30 teams in the world.
There are many Rugby events that you can go and experience in Europe. Rugby generally takes the same route in seasonal fixtures as football does and is played during the winter months. Rugby in Europe tends to be played between September and June this includes National and Domestic games.
Two of the most famous Rugby Competitions are played opposite each other in the calendar. The World Cups are played at the start between September and November and this happens once every four years just like the football world cup and is hosted all over the world. However, the 6 nations is also a major tournament which contains the best teams in Europe (England, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, France and Italy). This tournament is held at the starting days of February and finishes about mid-March.
Tickets prices vary massively for tournaments but you can expect to pay upwards of £60 for a basic seat at the 6 nations or World cup match. Domestic Rugby is a lot more affordable for the holidaymaker or traveller who hasn’t travelled just to see the sport but wants to experience the atmosphere. You can be looking for a ticket as cheap as £8 in some parts of Europe.
Winter Sports
Europe has the opportunity to watch and do a vast amount of winter sports throughout Europe. As there are many mountains and a vast change in weather around the continent this European Sport event can be achieved all year round.
Skiing and Snowboarding
A good place to start in the European winter sports list is skiing and snowboarding. These winter activities can be done throughout Europe at most times of the year. Skiing and snowboarding are highly accessible in mainland Europe in countries such as France, Italy, Switzerland, Bulgaria and Austria to name a few and Scandinavian countries. Skiing and snowboarding are very costly from the transportation to reach the resorts to renting the equipment. If you’re looking to save money and have the same quality of experience look for smaller less touristy skiing resorts in cheaper countries. For example, Bulgaria has lots of mountain peaks with skiing resorts which aren’t as expensive as the well-known resorts in the alps but still have access to the same facilities and experience.
Ice-skating and Curling
Ice skating is a highly accessible sport that can be done at any time of year. Many cities and towns all across Europe have Ice skating rinks that can be accessed by the public and are open all year round. The picture on the right was taken in early December in the Warsaw National Stadium which housed an ice skating rink and curling platform.
However, in late November and throughout December Christmas markets will start to appear throughout Europe. At the big Christmas markets, there is usually an open-air ice rink.