Sport in Tunisia
Encyclopedia
Football is the most popular sport in Tunisia. The most watched sports in Tunisia
are football, handball
, volleyball
, basketball
, tennis
, and rugby union
.
Sport
is encouraged in school, and local sports clubs receive financial support from the local governments.
The national stadium is the Stade November 7.
, also known as "The Eagles of Carthage", won the 2004 African Cup of Nations
(CAN) which was held in Tunisia. They also represented Africa in the 2005 Confederations Cup which was held in Germany
, but they could not go beyond the first round. The Eagles of Carthage have participated in 4 FIFA World Cup
Championships.
The Premier Football League is the "Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1
". The main clubs are Espérance Sportive de Tunis, Club Africain
, Sfaxian Sportive Club and Étoile Sportive du Sahel
. The latter team participated in the 2008 World Cup for Clubs and reached the semi-final match, in which it was eliminated by Boca Juniors
from Argentina.
is a popular sport in Tunisia. The national team
is currently ranked 35th in the world, with 15 registered players (3,941 female), and 123456 clubs.
The national team have never qualified for the Rugby World Cup
, or never won a trophy, but regularly participates in the Africa Cup
.
is the second most popular sport in Tunisia. The Tunisia national handball team
has participated in several Handball World Championships. In 2005, Tunisia held the 2005 Handball World Championship, and they came 4th. The national league consists of about 12 teams, with ES Sahel and Esperance S.Tunis dominating. The most famous Tunisian handball player is Wissem Hmam
. In the 2005 World Men's Handball Championship
in Tunis
, Wissem Hmam was ranked as the top scorer of the tournament. The Tunisian national handball team won the African Cup 8 times, being the team dominating the competition. The Tunisians won the 2010 African Cup in Egypt
by defeating the host country.
is also a popular team sport, with the national team winning 8 Championships in Africa.
is a popular recreational sport, with the Tour de Tunisia, the main annual competition of Cycling in Tunisia.
is mostly played in the north of Tunisia. Tunisia has won the world championship many times.
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
are football, handball
Team handball
Handball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team...
, volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, and rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
.
Sport
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
is encouraged in school, and local sports clubs receive financial support from the local governments.
The national stadium is the Stade November 7.
Football
Football is the most popular sport in Tunisia. The national teamTunisia national football team
The Tunisia national football team , nicknamed Les Aigles de Carthage , is the national team of Tunisia and is controlled by the Fédération Tunisienne de Football. They have qualified for four FIFA World Cups, the first one in 1978, but have yet to make it out of the first round...
, also known as "The Eagles of Carthage", won the 2004 African Cup of Nations
2004 African Cup of Nations
The 2004 African Cup of Nations was the 24th edition of the African Cup of Nations, the soccer championship of Africa . It was hosted by Tunisia. Just like in 2002, the field of sixteen teams was split into four groups of four...
(CAN) which was held in Tunisia. They also represented Africa in the 2005 Confederations Cup which was held in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, but they could not go beyond the first round. The Eagles of Carthage have participated in 4 FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
Championships.
The Premier Football League is the "Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1
Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1
The CLP-1 or "Championnat de la Ligue Professionnelle 1" is the top division of the Fédération Tunisienne de Football. It was created in 1921.-History:...
". The main clubs are Espérance Sportive de Tunis, Club Africain
Club Africain
The Club Africain , also known as CA or Al Nadi Al Ifriki, is a Tunisian omnisport club founded in 1920 in Tunis. Club Africain football section is best known for its section of football...
, Sfaxian Sportive Club and Étoile Sportive du Sahel
Étoile Sportive du Sahel
The Étoile Sportive du Sahel is a sports club from Sousse in the Sahel region of Tunisia, known primarily for its football team. The club also has sections for handball, volleyball, basketball, judo and wrestling...
. The latter team participated in the 2008 World Cup for Clubs and reached the semi-final match, in which it was eliminated by Boca Juniors
Boca Juniors
Club Atlético Boca Juniors is an Argentine sports club based in La Boca neighborhood of Buenos Aires. It is best known for its professional football team, which currently plays in the Primera División....
from Argentina.
Rugby union
Rugby unionRugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
is a popular sport in Tunisia. The national team
Tunisia national rugby union team
The Tunisia national rugby union team is the national team of Tunisia, a third tier rugby union nation. They first started competing in 1979 and they competed, unsuccessfully in the African qualification for the 2007 Rugby World Cup....
is currently ranked 35th in the world, with 15 registered players (3,941 female), and 123456 clubs.
The national team have never qualified for the Rugby World Cup
Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup is an international rugby union competition organised by the International Rugby Board and held every four years since 1987....
, or never won a trophy, but regularly participates in the Africa Cup
Africa Cup
The Africa Cup is an annual rugby union tournament involving African nations, organised by the Confederation of African Rugby . The tournament was first held in 2000, and has since been contested on an annual basis...
.
Handball
HandballTeam handball
Handball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team...
is the second most popular sport in Tunisia. The Tunisia national handball team
Tunisia national handball team
The Tunisian national handball team is the national handball team of Tunisia and is controlled by the Tunisian Handball Federation.The Tunisian handball League was founded in 1953...
has participated in several Handball World Championships. In 2005, Tunisia held the 2005 Handball World Championship, and they came 4th. The national league consists of about 12 teams, with ES Sahel and Esperance S.Tunis dominating. The most famous Tunisian handball player is Wissem Hmam
Wissem Hmam
Wissem Hmam is a Tunisian handball player. He currently plays for the Tunisian national team, which reached the semifinals in the 2005 World Handball Championship in Tunisia. Hmam was ranked as top scorer in the 2005 World Championship, scoring a total of 81 goals.-References:...
. In the 2005 World Men's Handball Championship
2005 World Men's Handball Championship
The 2005 World Championship for men in team handball was played in Tunisia between January 23 and February 6, 2005.The winner of the gold medal was Spain, Croatia took silver and France won the bronze.-Group A :-Group B :...
in Tunis
Tunis
Tunis is the capital of both the Tunisian Republic and the Tunis Governorate. It is Tunisia's largest city, with a population of 728,453 as of 2004; the greater metropolitan area holds some 2,412,500 inhabitants....
, Wissem Hmam was ranked as the top scorer of the tournament. The Tunisian national handball team won the African Cup 8 times, being the team dominating the competition. The Tunisians won the 2010 African Cup in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
by defeating the host country.
Volleyball
VolleyballVolleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
is also a popular team sport, with the national team winning 8 Championships in Africa.
Cycling
CyclingCycling
Cycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
is a popular recreational sport, with the Tour de Tunisia, the main annual competition of Cycling in Tunisia.
Pétanque
PétanquePétanque
Pétanque is a form of boules where the goal is, while standing inside a starting circle with both feet on the ground, to throw hollow metal balls as close as possible to a small wooden ball called a cochonnet or jack. It is also sometimes called a bouchon or le petit...
is mostly played in the north of Tunisia. Tunisia has won the world championship many times.