Sport is a popular pastime in Germany, both in terms of watching and playing in the game. In fact, forty million people, that’s almost half of the population, are members of sporting clubs or organizations. Find out about the most well-loved sports in the German culture:

 

Soccer or Football

• Popular throughout Germany and is considered as the national sport

• Most popular professional football teams: FC Bayern München and Borussia Dortmund

• Check out the Allianz Arena in Munich, it is the home base for FC Bayern München

 

Motorsport and Formula 1

• Many of the top Formula 1 car manufacturing teams consist of the best German sports car producers, including BMW, Porsche and Mercedes
• Also, some of the world’s most celebrated racing drivers such as Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel are German

 

Handball

• Originated in Northern Europe

• Also a popular sport in Germany after Football

• The German Handball League is one of the best of the world

 

Skiing

• More of a participation sport than media entertainment

• With the Alps in the south of Germany, people have excellent access to skiing

 

Other Sports

• There are also many other sports in Germany, like tennis, golf, American football, etc.

• If you’re interested in joining a sports team or sport activities outside of work or university, check out the chapter about “Doing Sports”