Belgium is one of the most prominent sporting-oriented nations in the world. A report released in 2010 indicated that Belgium had 17,000 registered sports clubs with 1.35 million members. Also, close to 13% of the Belgian population is involved in sports in one way or another. The most popular sport in Belgium is football; other popular sports include swimming, athletics, basketball, tennis, hockey, motorsports, volleyball, and cycling.

Belgium’s biggest sporting international events include the 1920 0lympic Games, 1972 UEFA European Championship, and the 2000 UEFA European Championship. Over the years, Belgium has performed exceptionally well on the international stage. Since the inception of the Olympic Games, the country has won 147 medals both in the Summer and Winter Olympics.

Football

Football is Belgium most popular sport. Belgium Pro League teams like Club Brugge, Anderlecht, and Standard Liege attract top talents worldwide. Belgium Pro League matches are played weekly, and they attract up to 30,000 supporters. As you enjoy the numerous soccer games, you can also bet Belgium soccer matches and make money. Most bookies in the country, the major and lower leagues, lined up for you to make money.

With the famous Burrda Sport Belgium Jersey, the Belgium National team is credited as one of the few institutions that unite the country’s three regions. Take, for instance, the last World Cup Finals, most of the offices in the country were empty, and pubs overflew with reveling soccer fans.

While the soccer Women’s National Team may not share the same glory as their male counterparts, they got the country’s attention in 2020 when they qualified for the European Championships for the first time. Apart from the national side, numerous amateur leagues are spread across the country for adults and kids. Read more soccer news and updates here.

Cycling

Cycling is part of life in Belgium. Anyone who has been to the country will tell you cycling is a culture and one of Belgium national sports. Any images that come out of Belgian may not look authentic with a picture of a cyclist. It’s a norm in Belgium to attend cycling road trips.

The Tour of Flanders is the biggest and the most popular cycling race in Belgium. Hundreds of thousands of Belgians line up along the routes to watch their favorite athletes compete. Flemish Brabant, one of Belgium’s greatest cyclists, has won the Tour de France five times. The current Belgium cycling heroes Greg Van Avermaet and Philippe Gilbert won gold in the 2016 Summer Olympics and Tour of Flanders, respectively.

Tennis

Tennis is one of the most popular sport in Belgium. It is the most-watched sport on TV in Belgium. In Belgium, interest in tennis skyrocketed in 2000 when Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin were on top of their games. At one time, both ranked number one in World Tennis.

The comeback of Clijsters out of retirement in 2009 made headlines across the world. He went on to become the first unseeded player to win the Grand Slam tournament. The current big names in Belgian tennis include Elise Mertens, Kirsten Flipkens, and David Goffin.

Running

When it comes to athletics, the Borlée family is the name that comes to everyone’s mind. All the Borlée brothers have always made the 400m relay team and have won multiple medals. Twin brothers Jonathan and Kevin have won 400m gold while their younger brother Dylan won Silver in the same event in 2015.

The eldest sister runs the 100m and 200m and holds the Belgium record the 4x100m, winning Bronze in the World Championships 2007 and Silver in 2008. In the 2008 Olympic Games, the Silver won was later upgraded to gold after a burn on the Russian team.

Hockey

For years, the Belgium Hockey team has consistently participated in international competitions. Last year, the Red Lions (Men) and Red Panthers (Women) made the Euro Hockey finals but lost to the Netherlands. The hockey fan base in Belgium is huge.

Over the years, the Belgium national hockey team has evolved a lot. They are popular fast pace attacks and solid defense playing style. The hockey league in the country is one of the most competitive, attracting some top talents globally. At the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympics, the Belgium hockey team came second, proving the hard work and effort made by the country in this sport. The junior Belgium hockey team made it to the finals of the FIH Junior World Cup in 2016.

Swimming

The success of swimming athletes in Belgium has seen the fanbase of this sport grow. The first major swimming medal came in the 2016 Summer Olympics when Pieter Timmers won Silver for 100m freestyle. Timmers has a wealth of many other medals and national records to his name.

On women, Fanny Lecluyse has more medals in swimming than any other woman in Belgium. Swimming in Belgium does not take place only at the professional level; the sport is ranked as the third most exercise in Belgium after cycling and walking.

Conclusion

Sport is a part of everyday life in Belgium, football and cycling being the two most popular sports. Over the years, Belgium has produced world-class sports figures. The country has put up sufficient hardware to help professional and amateur sports clubs to develop their talents. The National Sport of Belgium has put up state-of-the-art sports facilities to help the country to host various international competitions. ‘As is always, good training facilities follow good results,’ Kate Richardson.