Sports businesses in Zambia

Find details of places that offer a range of sporting activities and facilities, including fishing and golf. Sports include team sports, athletics and extreme sports and are usually competitive physical activities which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical ability and skills while providing entertainment to participants, and in some cases, spectators. So many sports exist, from those between single contestants to those with hundreds of simultaneous participants, either in teams or competing as individuals. Sports are usually governed by a set of rules, which serve to ensure fair competition for participants.

The sports clubs range from organisations whose members play together, unpaid, and may play other similar clubs on occasion, watched mostly by family and friends, to large commercial organisations with professional players which have teams which regularly compete against those of other clubs and attract sometimes very large crowds of paying spectators. Clubs may be dedicated to a single sport, or be a multi-sport club.

Sports are the most common unifying culture for the Zambian people. Sports is a very common language for almost every human being around the globe. However, not all kinds of sports are popular in each country or continent. Each nation just like individuals has its choice of popular African sports. Some of these sports are not even played in other countries. Several sports are played in Zambia and the African continent is indeed blessed with all sports weather except winter games.

List of the most popular Zambian sports:

1. Football

Zambia’s premier national team was founded in 1973 and they were the team, that perished in the 1993 Gabon plane crush. The Zambian Soccer team made their first appearance in the World Cup finals and has three Africa Cup of Nations final appearances to its credit in 1934. Currently, several African teams have succeeded in the World Cup. This popular Zambian sport has been putting Zambia on the international map, more especially after winning the Africa Cup of Nations, in the 2012 final against Ivory Coast. Football is a sport for almost everyone in Zambia and Africa is no exception.

2. Running (Athletics)

Several people participate in running, and most of them hope to make it to the Olympics. There are several marathons, races, and competitions that take place throughout the year. Zambian athletes also participate in international races and competitions where they often emerge as second winners. Most young people actively take part in running at local schools and no school sports program in Zambia is complete without athletics. Other than football, athletics is a sport that has the fiercest competition in Africa.

3. Volleyball

The sport is played in several schools and government institutions in the continent. Volleyball, just like other ball games has a firm footing on the continent. The country hosts several championships which schools and youth’s can prove their prowess, there are programs as well that people can use to horn young talent.

4. Basketball

Basketball is played by many Zambian youths across the country even though, Zambia has no professional basketball player who has ever joined the NBA Development League. Several young Zambian boys and girls love Basketball and many schools also have basketball training facilities to help young basketball players polish their skills.

5. Rugby

Rugby is another one of Zambia's upcoming popular sport, most institutions especially colleges, universities and high schools offer training amenities to encourage more people to take up the sport. Zambia 7's Rugby team is Zambia's popular rugby team that has participated in various international tournaments which have opened up Zambia as an emerging rugby-playing nation.

6. Golf

Many people outside the continent don’t think Zambia is a country of golfers. However, most golf tourists worldwide prefer Zambia as their destination. Most towns have mine golf clubs designed by renowned pros hence earning Zambia a reputation as one of the top-class golf destinations. Nchanga golf club, in Chingola which was formed in 1936, is home to rival Europe or North America.

7. Tennis

Zambia is struggling to produce top-level professional players in tennis. However, aspiring stars have chances to participate in tournaments where they gain experience and find exposure.

8. Swimming

Zambia is endowed with rivers and lakes, people who dwell along these water bodies maybe some of the strongest swimmers in the world. Despite this, Zambia has some promising talent in the sport with countries like South Africa and Kenya doing well on the international stage especially in the Commonwealth Games. The country did not sustain an active swimming culture due to various social, economic and political factors.