Sports of Denmark
Europe
Originating in Denmark
Sports whose history and codification began here.
Handball
From Denmark
7-a-side indoor team sport where players pass, dribble and throw a small ball, trying to score goals into a 3-metre-wide goal — fast, physical and continuous.
Hex
From Denmark
Two-player connection game on a hexagonal grid — connect your two opposite sides to win.
Klask
From Denmark
Magnetic wooden table game — a mix of table football and air hockey; goal by knocking the ball into your opponent's hole.
Widely played in Denmark
Backgammon
From Iraq
A 5,000-year-old race game — roll two dice and bear off all 15 checkers before your opponent, using the doubling cube to raise the stakes.
Badminton
From India
The fastest racket sport in the world — hit a feathered shuttlecock over a 1.55 m net using a light racket; win by driving the shuttle to the floor of your opponent's court.
Canoe Sprint
From GB/DE
Olympic paddling race on flat calm water — athletes race kayaks (K) with double-blade paddles or canoes (C) with single-blade paddles over 200m, 500m, or 1000m in single, pair (K2/C2), or four (K4/C4) crews.
Counter-Strike
From United States
Legendary tactical first-person shooter esport — 5 vs 5 team-based competitive gameplay pitting Terrorists (T) vs Counter-Terrorists (CT) in objective-based rounds on maps like Dust II, Mirage, Inferno.
Disc Golf
From United States
Golf-like outdoor sport played by throwing plastic flying discs (frisbees) at metal chain baskets across an 18-hole course through forested terrain — fewest throws per hole wins, same scoring as ball golf.
Dota 2
From United States
Iconic multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) esport by Valve — 5 vs 5 team battle to destroy opponent's Ancient across three lanes; features 120+ unique heroes with complex ability + item interactions.
Dressage
From France
Equestrian Olympic sport — precision performance of prescribed movements by horse+rider in 20×60m arena. French word 'dressage' = 'training.' Governed by FEI since 1921. Olympic since 1912. Modern era dominated by Germany + Netherlands + UK. Iconic: Charlotte Dujardin (GB, Valegro), Isabell Werth (Germany, most decorated female Olympian).
Kendama
From Japan
Traditional Japanese skill toy — wooden 'ken' (sword-shaped handle) with three cups + spike, connected by string to a wooden 'tama' (ball); players perform tricks catching ball on cups or spike, with modern competitive scene featuring 100+ tricks.
Kubb
From Sweden
Swedish lawn game played with wooden BLOCKS (kubbs) + THROWING STICKS (kastpinnar). Objective: knock down all opponent's kubbs + finally the KING (larger central block). Also called 'VIKING CHESS'. Modern popularity dates to 1990s Gotland, Sweden. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP annually in Rönneby, Sweden. Highly strategic + accessible.
Mixed Martial Arts
From United States
Full-contact combat sport combining striking (boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai) with grappling (wrestling, jiu-jitsu, judo) — most bouts fought in an octagonal cage over 3-5 rounds of 5 minutes.
Mölkky
From Finland
Finnish lawn game invented 1996 by Tuoterengas company (Karelian tradition). Players throw wooden PIN (Mölkky) at 12 numbered SKITTLES (Molkkypins). Complex scoring: knock down 1 = its number; knock 2+ = count of pins. First to EXACTLY 50 wins; over 50 = penalty back to 25. Highly strategic — endgame critical. World Championship annually in Finland.
Nine Men's Morris
From Italy
Ancient 2-player abstract strategy game — dates to Roman Empire (200 AD Egyptian rooftop carvings). Players place + move 9 pieces on 24-point grid; form 'mills' (3 in a row) to capture opponent pieces. Solved as draw (2003); still played worldwide. Featured in Shakespeare (Midsummer Night's Dream).
Pandemic
From United States
Iconic COOPERATIVE modern board game by Matt Leacock (Z-Man Games, 2008) — 2-4 players work TOGETHER as disease specialists racing to cure 4 diseases before outbreaks destroy the world. Revolutionized cooperative board gaming; Pandemic Legacy: Season 1 (2015) is BoardGameGeek's #1 game of all time. 8M+ copies sold.
Pokémon Trading Card Game
From Japan
World's #2 collectible card game — 2 players battle using decks of 60 Pokémon + Trainer cards. Launched Japan 1996; global explosion via Pokémon franchise; 43+ billion cards printed by 2023. Pokémon TCG World Championships since 2004; Charizard rare cards sold for $420,000+; annual sales $1B+.
Reversi / Othello
From United Kingdom
Abstract strategy game invented 1883 in England — 2 players place black/white discs on 8×8 board; flanking opponent's discs converts them to your color. Simple rules ('A minute to learn... a lifetime to master'); huge in Japan; WOF World Othello Championship since 1977; computer-solved for perfect draw (2023).
Road Cycling
From France
Bicycle racing on paved roads — from single-day Classics (Paris-Roubaix, Milan-San Remo) to three-week Grand Tours (Tour de France, Giro d'Italia, Vuelta a España).
Rock Paper Scissors
From China
World's most-played hand game — 2+ players simultaneously make 1 of 3 hand shapes (Rock, Paper, or Scissors). Rock crushes Scissors; Scissors cuts Paper; Paper covers Rock. Origins in ancient China (~200 BC 'shoushiling'); modernized Japan Edo era (jan-ken); global dispute-resolution tool. World RPS Society championships since 2002; $10K+ prizes.
Rowing
From United Kingdom
Endurance water sport in which crews propel long, narrow shells backwards over 2,000 m using single (sculling) or double (sweep) oars, with or without a coxswain.
Sailing
From Netherlands
Wind-powered water sport in which crews race sailboats around a marked course, tacking and gybing to complete windward-leeward, coastal, or offshore legs faster than competitors.
Speedway (Motorcycle)
From Australia
Motorcycle racing on oval dirt track (300-400m) — 4 riders race 4 laps without brakes on single-gear 500cc methanol-fueled bikes. Global sport especially Poland, UK, Sweden, Denmark, Australia. FIM Speedway Grand Prix (SGP) since 1995 dominant international series. Legendary sport for extreme cornering slides.
Texas Hold'em Poker
From United States
World's most popular poker variant — 2-10 players receive 2 hole cards + share 5 community cards. Best 5-card poker hand wins pot. Exploded globally via 2003 WSOP Chris Moneymaker win + online poker boom + televised broadcasts. WSOP Main Event $10K buy-in draws 10,000+ players; $10M+ prizes.
Track Cycling
From United Kingdom
Olympic velodrome-based bicycle racing on a banked oval indoor/outdoor 250m track — includes explosive sprint events (200m flying, keirin, team sprint) and endurance events (individual + team pursuit, points race, omnium).
Warhammer Age of Sigmar
From United Kingdom
Games Workshop's high-fantasy tabletop miniature wargame — successor to Warhammer Fantasy Battle after 2015 'End Times' reboot. Stormcast Eternals + Sylvaneth + Skaven + Nighthaunt + Ogor Mawtribes + 20+ factions battle across Mortal Realms. 4th Edition launched 2024. Sister game to Warhammer 40k.
Yahtzee
From Canada
Dice game where players roll five dice up to three times per turn and try to score in 13 different categories, aiming for the eponymous 'Yahtzee' (5 of a kind).
Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game
From Japan
World's #3 collectible card game — 2 players duel with decks of 40-60 monster/spell/trap cards. Based on manga/anime by Kazuki Takahashi (1996). Launched Japan 1999; global anime boom 2001+. Guinness Record most sold TCG (2011): 25.1+ billion cards sold; Blue-Eyes White Dragon + Dark Magician iconic; Konami owns rights.