Western sports are sports that are strongly associated with the West.[a] Many modern sports were invented in or standardized by Western countries;[1] in particular, many major sports were invented in the United Kingdom after the Industrial Revolution,[2][3] and later, America invented some major sports such as basketball and baseball.[4]
Western European colonialism and American influence were the initial causes of the spread of Western sports around the world.[5] Later, globalization and the prominent role of Western sports in the Olympic Games helped further grow Western sports.[1][6][7] The most-watched international sporting event is the FIFA World Cup, which showcases the Western sport of football (also known as soccer).[8]
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^Vamplew, Wray (15 March 2016). "Sport, industry and industrial sport in Britain before 1914: review and revision". Sport in Society. 19 (3): 340–355. doi:10.1080/17430437.2015.1057942. S2CID145543051.
^Manzenreiter, Wolfram (22 March 2010). "Global movements, sports spectacles and the transformation of representational power". Asia Pacific World. 1 (1): 37–56. doi:10.3167/apw2010010104 (inactive 2024-11-13). GaleA397005606.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of November 2024 (link)