For those of you who consider yourselves to be sports enthusiasts, there are certain cities that cater to your interests by providing strong athletic traditions, state-of-the-art stadiums, and an enthusiastic sports culture. If you are someone that lives and breathes professional athletic competition, then here are nine cities that you won’t want to miss.
London
Why It’s Great
The Premier League, which many consider to be the best soccer (or football) league in the world, is headquartered in London, and the city is also home to ten of its clubs and several stadiums.
The city is known for the extreme support that its fans have for their home clubs, and the intense and energetic soccer matches reflect this phenomenon. Apart from soccer, sports such as tennis, rugby, and cricket are also very popular in London.
Notable Attractions
Wembley Stadium: The second largest stadium in Europe, Wembley plays host to the English National Football team and the FA Cup Final, among other things.
Wimbledon: This neighborhood in South West London is home to The Wimbledon Championships, one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, and the oldest tennis tournament in the world.
Barcelona
Why It’s Great
Another country where soccer is king is Spain, and no other city represents this love for the beautiful game like Barcelona. The city is home to FC Barcelona, one of the richest professional sports teams in the world and one of the winningest member clubs of the Spanish soccer league, LaLiga.
FC Barcelona also competes in the Spanish national basketball league called Liga ACB, and the city has produced several international basketball stars including both Paul and Marc Gasol.
Key Attractions
Camp Nou: The iconic home of FC Barcelona. The stadium is currently under going a nearly $2 billion renovation, and when completed in 2026, will become the second largest football stadium in the world.
Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya: Home of the Spanish Grand Prix, a key Formula 1 event, and one of the oldest automobile races in the world.
Melbourne, Australia
Why It’s Great
Melbourne is widely considered to be the sports capital of Australia, and is the epicenter of many of its leagues. The Australian Football League (AFL) is headquartered in Melbourne, and is one of the most popular professional sports leagues in Australia.
Melbourne also hosts The Australian Open, another of the four tennis Grand Slam tournaments, and is home to the Australian National Basketball League.
Key Attractions
Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG): The largest stadium in the Southern Hemisphere is primarily known for being the home of the Melbourne Cricket Club and Australian Rules Football.
Rod Laver Arena: The home of the first Grand Slam tournament of the year, as well as swimming, basketball, and other events.
New York City
Why It’s Great
It should come to no one’s surprise that New York City is a sports lover’s paradise. It is one of two cities in the United States that is home to multiple teams in each of the country’s major sports leagues, and many of the franchises that call the city home are founding members of their respective leagues.
The city boasts more than 50 combined championships won by its home teams, and has been dominating US professional sports since the early 1900s.
Key Attractions
Yankee Stadium: Located in the NYC borough of The Bronx and home to the New York Yankees, Major League Baseball’s most successful team and the 2nd richest professional sports franchise in the world..
Madison Square Garden: One of the most famous sports arenas in the world, it hosts the New York Knicks, the New York Rangers, and various other events.
Arthur Ashe Stadium: The largest tennis stadium in the world and host of the US Open, another one of tennis’s four Grand Slam events.
Tokyo, Japan
Why It’s Great
Sumo wrestling dates back thousands of years, and is still very popular in Japan. 3 out of the six Grand Sumo Tournaments, or honbasho, held each year are in Tokyo. These matches attract thousands of spectators both in person and on broadcasts played around the world.
Fans of baseball should make experiencing a baseball game in Japan one of their life’s goals, and Tokyo is the perfect city to do just that. The classic American pastime has become Japan’s as well, and Tokyo is home to two teams that play in Japan’s national baseball league, or the NPB. While you’re there, sit back and enjoy a cold beer served straight from a keg while snacking on ramen, chicken katsu, and rice balls to your heart’s content.
Key Attractions
Tokyo Dome: Home to the Yomiuri Giants baseball team and the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame. The stadium is a centerpiece of the larger entertainment complex called Tokyo Dome City, which features attractions such as an amusement park, hotels, and shopping malls.
Ryogoku Kokugikan: The host venue to Tokyo’s three honbasho sumo matches, as well as other events such as boxing and professional wrestling.
Munich, Germany
Why It’s Great
Germany is another European country where soccer is ingrained within the nation’s culture, and the city of Munich is well known for being the home city of FC Bayern, Bundesliga’s most championship winning club.
Key Attractions
Allianz Arena: The second largest soccer stadium in Germany, and home to FC Bayern Munich.
Englischer Garten: A massive urban park known for its popular river surfing area along the man-made Eisbach River.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Why It’s Great
The most popular sport in both Rio de Janeiro and Brazil is soccer, and Rio has contributed heavily to Brazil’s record of 5 World Cup Championships. Rio de Janeiro is also home to 4 clubs that compete in Brazil’s top professional soccer league, Campeonato Brasileiro Série A.
Second in popularity to soccer is mixed-martial arts. Rio has produced some of the greatest fighters to have ever competed in MMA including legends such as Royce Gracie and Vitor Belfort.
Key Attractions
Maracanã Stadium: Home to the Rio based soccer clubs of Fluminense FC and CR Flamengo, and the largest stadium in Brazil.
Copacabana Beach: Famous for its beach volleyball courts and beach soccer games, as well as various water sports.
Los Angeles
Why It’s Great
The home of the world famous LA Lakers, joins New York as the only other city in the United States with multiple sports franchises in each of the major sports leagues. Los Angeles sports teams have also dominated their respective leagues, most notably the Lakers with 12 NBA championships.
Outside of professional sports, Los Angeles is also known for its college athletics with powerhouse programs such as UCLA and USC producing frequent contenders in multiple sports.
Key Attractions
Crypto.com Arena: Formerly the Staples Center, this legendary venue is home to both the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Kings hockey team.
Dodger Stadium: The oldest baseball stadium west of the Mississippi River, and the largest baseball stadium in the world.
Paris, France
Why It’s Great
The city of light is not just a city of romance and beauty; it’s also a great destination for sports fans. The city is home to Paris Saint-Germain F.C., whose eleven Ligue 1 titles are the most by any team in the French professional soccer league.
Paris also hosts the second of the four tennis Grand Slams, known as the French Open. Other popular sports in Paris include basketball, cycling, and motorsports.
Key Attractions
Parc des Princes: Home to Paris Saint-Germain, and formerly home to the French National Football Team.
Stade Roland Garros: A multi-court tennis complex that hosts the French Open annually during the late spring.
If you’re a fan of both sports and travel, then any of these nine cities offer incredible experiences that are sure to scratch multiple itches. If you’re looking to see the best athletes in the world compete in sports like soccer, basketball, tennis, or baseball, booking a trip to these destinations will give you a trip that you won’t soon forget.
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