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What are the most popular sports in New Zealand?

New Zealand is a passionate sporting nation. Sport is actively encouraged throughout the New Zealand school system and, as a result, tends to extend into adulthood. With our outdoor lifestyle, abundance of sports facilities and proximity to beach and bush, there is no reason not to get sporty.

New Zealand’s national sport is rugby. However, New Zealanders participate in a full range of sporting activities from equestrian to mountain running – often with great success internationally. Most adults actively participate in at least one team or individual sport, and masters’ teams (players aged 40 +) are a standard feature of the sporting scene.

Based on the participation of New Zealanders aged 18 and over, the top 10 sports are: golf, tennis, touch rugby, cricket, netball, basketball, skiing, motor sport, rugby union and shooting.

We have more golf courses per capita than anywhere else in the world and almost 15 percent of New Zealand families own a boat. Our city and regional councils provide extensive playgrounds, swimming pools and other recreational facilities. On weekends, parks across the country host organized (and impromptu!) team sports like tennis, rugby, netball, soccer, cricket and hockey.

See the Sport and Recreation New Zealand website for more information.

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