British Sports

     Soccer (football) is Britain’s most popular team game. There are about 129 professional clubs in Britain and the season lasts from August to May. Football matches are usually on Saturday afternoons and the highlight is the FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium in London in May.

     Rugby is also very popular and is played in two versions: Rugby Union with fifteen amateur players per side, and Rugby League with thirteen-a-side professional teams. The season starts in September and you can watch matches every Saturday during the winter.

     Cricket is often considered the English national sport and is difficult to understanding. It is played with a bat and ball with two teams of eleven players. A match can last up to five days. The season starts in April and people love watching games on village greens and County grounds. The main international competitors are: the West Indies, New Zealand, Pakistan, Australia, South Africa and India.

     Tennis is also a popular sport. The world's top tennis players come to Wimbledon (in London) every year in the last week of June and the first week of July for the Lawn Tennis Championships.

     Motor-racing is very popular. Britain’s motor racing championship for Formula One cars, is the British Grand Prix, held in July every year at Silverstone racing circuit.

     Golf is a very old game and St Andrews in Scotland is the oldest Course in the world. The most important annual golf tournament in Britain is the British Open Golf Championship. It takes place in July and is for professional and amateur players, and is on a different course every year.

     Rowing s a very popular sport and is about 500 different schools, colleges and rowing clubs Every year there are about 250 regattas in England — the most traditional is the 6.8 km long Oxford and Cambridge University Boat Race held at the end of March on the River Thames in London. Another AP important event is the Henley Royal Regatta in July.

     Equestrian events can be seen all year round and many people love ‘a day at the races’. The most famous events are the Derby (in June at Epsom), the Grand National that takes place each spring (March or April) at Aintree, and Ascot (June) famous for its hats! The main showjumping events are the Royal International Horse Show in July, and the Horse of the Year Show in October. Both are at Wembley, in London. 

     Source: Excursion, an old Italian book.