Sports – Middle East

Sports in the Middle East is a diverse activity that reflects its multi-ethnic population. The region has long been a hub of cultural exchange and sports activities, with games like football (soccer), cricket and martial arts being particularly popular.

Football is by far the most popular sport in the Middle East, with various leagues such as Saudi Professional League, Qatar Stars League and UAE Pro-League drawing large crowds to stadiums across the region. Football clubs from countries including Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Turkey have achieved considerable success both domestically and internationally over recent years. In addition to this there are several international tournaments held annually which involve teams from all around the world; amongst them are AFC Champions League (Asian Football Confederation) , World Cup qualifiers for FIFA as well as numerous other competitions sponsored by local organizations or individual nations .

Cricket too enjoys an enthusiastic following throughout much of South Asia due to its colonial links with Britain – it was first introduced into India during British rule – but has also become increasingly popular in parts of West Asia such as Palestine where it may be seen on television channels dedicated solely to broadcasting cricket matches live. Similarly tennis receives strong viewership ratings especially when major stars come round for exhibitions or competitive events while basketball continues slowly gaining ground among younger generations who idolize NBA icons like Michael Jordan & Kobe Bryant . Other traditional sports include horse racing , camel racing , volleyball ; athletics ; rugby union ; swimming etc., although these often lack official recognition compared their more widely practiced counterparts .

Finally extreme sports such as snowboarding/skiing skiing continue growing in popularity each year thanks largely due credit given them by celebrities who take part regularly every season – Lebanon’s very own Jackie Chamoun being one example – thus making winter holidays even more exciting than ever before!