Sport is very much ingrained in the culture of Australia and plays an important part in every day life of the nation, with the country one of the most active in the world. There are many popular sports in Australia including Australian rules football, Basketball, Cricket, Football (Soccer), Motorsport, Rugby League, Rugby Union and Tennis.
Australia has hosted the summer Olympic Games twice (1956 in Melbourne and 2000 in Sydney), as well as the Commonwealth Games on five occasions. High profile events in the country include the Australian Open tennis tournament and the Melbourne Grand Prix.
Key Information
Capital – Canberra
Currency – Australian Dollar (AUD)
Official Languages – English
Population – 25 million
Time – Australian Eastern Standard Time (GMT+10), Australian Central Standard Time (GMT+9½), Australian Western Time (GMT+8)
Sport in Australia
Australian rules football in Australia
Probably the most popular sport in Australia is Aussie rules footy, with the professional Australian Football League (AFL) having the highest number of total spectators and highest average attendance of all the professional leagues in the country. The Grand Final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground is one of the most watched televised events.
Basketball in Australia
Basketball is another hugely sport in Australia, with the professional National Basketball League (NBL) being highly competitive. The national men’s team (the Boomers) have competed in the most amount of Olympic Games without winning a medal.
Cricket in Australia
There are several domestic cricket competitions in Australia, including the Big Bash League and Sheffield Shield. The national cricket team, is one of the most successful in the world with the Ashes series against England being one sport’s greatest rivalries.
Football (Soccer) in Australia
Although not as popular as across much of the world, Football (or Soccer as it is known in Australia) is still one of the most watched sports in the country. The A-League is the premier football league in the country, with the national team (the Socceroos) competing in the FIFA World Cup on five occasions.
Motorsport in Australia
The Supercars Championship is a touring car racing series, receiving on average over 100,000 spectators per event. The Australian Grand Prix held on the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit is usually the curtain raiser to the Formula One season.
Rugby League in Australia
The National Rugby League is one of the most competitive rugby league competitions in the world. The national team, the ‘Kangaroos’ is the most successful at the Rugby League World Cup – winning 11 of the 15 events held and only failing to reach the final once.
Rugby Union in Australia
There are four teams from Australia that compete in the Super Rugby championship. In addition, the national team compete in the Rugby Championship with Argentina, New Zealand and South Africa and have won the Rugby World Cup twice.
Tennis in Australia
The beginning of the professional tennis season usually begins in Australia, with a number of events held across the country in late December/early January. This culminates in the first Grand Slam event of the season in the last 2 weeks of January with the Australian Open in Melbourne.
Travelling to Australia & Visa
There are major international airports at Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Gold Coast, Cairns, Canberra, Hobart and Darwin. Between them, they serve the majority of the world’s destinations.
Thinking of flying? Search & book your flights through Skyscanner here.
Most countries will require a visa to visit Australia, please consult your country’s travel advice for Australia regarding obtaining a visa.
If you are a UK citizen, you can view the UK’s government advice on entry requirements by clicking here. There are several different types of visa, depending on the length and purpose of your visit.
Travelling around Australia
Australia is a vast country, with its major cities spread out and largely on the East Coast.
Air – There are several large airlines which offer reasonably priced domestic travel between the major cities, including Jetstar, Qantas, Tigerair and Virgin Australia.
Thinking of flying? Search & book your flights through Skyscanner here.
Bus/Coach – Long distance buses are an alternative to flying, but require a lot of patience as the journey’s can be long! Greyhound is one of the most well known companies and tickets can be booked through the official website here.
Train – Australia has some of the most scenic and famous long-distance train routes in the world. This includes the Indian Pacific which travels Sydney to Adelaide to Perth, The Ghan which runs from Adelaide to Alice Springs to Darwin, and The Overland which goes from Melbourne to Adelaide.
Australia City Guides
Click on the below for a guide to some of Australia’s major cities and most popular stops for Sports Tourist’s:
Brisbane
Melbourne
Last Updated on September 14, 2022 by Sports Tourist