10 Unusual Sports From Around the World That You Won’t Believe Exist!
Get ready to have your mind blown and your sides split with our hilarious take on “10 Jaw-Dropping Sports From Around the World That You Won’t Believe Exist!” Ever thought about ironing on a mountaintop or chasing a wheel of cheese down a hill like it’s the last pizza slice at a party?
Well, some folks do it for sport! From the quirky to the downright wacky, we’ve scoured the globe for games that prove humans really will compete in anything. Strap in for a wild ride through the most outrageously fun sports you’ve never heard of – laughter and disbelief guaranteed.
1. Wife Carrying
Wife Carrying is a sport originating from Finland, where male competitors race while carrying a female teammate, typically their wives, through an obstacle course. What makes it unusual is the combination of strength, speed, and strategy, all while maintaining a grip on their partner. It’s a test of endurance and teamwork, celebrated annually with participants from around the globe.
2. Chess Boxing
Chess Boxing is a hybrid sport that combines the cerebral challenge of chess with the physical demand of boxing in alternating rounds. Originating from Berlin, Germany, it tests participants’ mental and physical prowess, requiring them to be both a skilled boxer and a sharp chess player. This peculiar blend makes it a unique spectator sport, attracting a diverse following.
3. Sepak Takraw
Sepak Takraw is a sport native to Southeast Asia, often described as “kick volleyball.” The game is played with a rattan ball, and players use everything but their hands to touch the ball, mainly their feet, head, knees, and chest, to get the ball over the net. Its high-flying acrobatics and agility make it an unusual and thrilling game to watch.
4. Ferret Legging
Ferret Legging is an old and peculiar sport from England, where competitors place live ferrets inside their trousers; the winner is the one who can endure it the longest. The sport tests participants’ pain tolerance and endurance, with records going over five hours. It’s unusual due to the sheer oddity of the concept and the challenge it presents.
5. Shin Kicking
Shin Kicking, a traditional English sport, is exactly as it sounds. Competitors kick each other’s shins until one yields, part of the Cotswold Olimpick Games. It’s a test of pain tolerance and endurance. Participants often stuff their trousers with straw for minimal protection, making this an unusual and somewhat brutal village pastime.
6. Underwater Hockey
Underwater Hockey, also known as Octopush, is a globally played sport that takes hockey beneath the surface of a swimming pool. Players use a small stick to maneuver a puck across the pool floor into the opposing team’s goal. The need for breath control, along with the underwater tactics, makes it a unique and challenging sport.
7. Quidditch
Quidditch, inspired by the Harry Potter series, has been adapted by fans into a real-life sport played worldwide. Teams run with brooms between their legs, aiming to score points through various goals while a player called the “seeker” tries to catch the “snitch.” Its fantasy origin and adaptation to real-world play make it an unusual and captivating game.
8. Bossaball
Bossaball combines elements of volleyball, soccer, gymnastics, and Capoeira, played on an inflatable court with trampolines on each side of the net. Originating in Spain, this high-energy sport encourages spectacular aerial moves and serves, creating a dynamic and visually impressive game that’s as fun to play as it is to watch.
9. Extreme Ironing
Extreme Ironing is a sport where participants take ironing boards to remote or extreme locations and iron items of clothing. This bizarre sport combines the thrill of an extreme outdoor activity with the mundane task of ironing, making it one of the most unusual sports in the world. It’s been performed on mountainsides, in canoes, and while skydiving.
10. Cheese Rolling
Cheese Rolling involves chasing a 9-pound wheel of Double Gloucester cheese down the steep Cooper’s Hill in Gloucestershire, England. The first person to cross the finish line wins the cheese. The event is known for its high risk of injury due to the hill’s steepness, making it an unusual and dangerous pursuit for a wheel of cheese.
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We are Mary and Eric, the founders of Be Right Back, a blog dedicated to romance around the globe and at home.
We are Mary and Eric, the founders of Be Right Back, a blog dedicated to romance around the globe and at home. With over 10 years of experience in dating and traveling to romantic places, we share our favorite date ideas and romantic destinations to help couples level up their relationships. Having lived in and traveled through the USA, we also share our favourite things to do in the States.
With 70,000 monthly readers and 16,000 followers on social media, Be Right Back is your go-to resource for romantic trip ideas and couple activities at home and abroad.