Sport is woven into British public life and into the citizenship test. The handbook lists a small number of "must-know" facts that are recycled in the exam.
Football
Football (or soccer) is the UK's most popular sport. The Premier League in England is watched in over 200 countries. The English national team has won one major tournament — the 1966 World Cup, played at Wembley Stadium and won 4–2 against West Germany. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own national teams and leagues.
Tennis
Wimbledon is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, founded in 1877 in south-west London. It is one of the four Grand Slam tournaments and the only one still played on grass. Andy Murray (Scottish) became the first British man to win the singles title in 77 years when he won in 2013.
Further reading: a related editorial guide on this topic opens in a new window for additional context.
Cricket
Cricket originated in England and the rules are kept by the Marylebone Cricket Club, based at Lord's Cricket Ground in London. England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are represented separately. The Ashes is the most famous Test cricket series, contested between England and Australia.
Rugby and the Six Nations
Rugby Union and Rugby League are both played in the UK. The Six Nations Championship, contested by England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France and Italy, takes place every spring. The Calcutta Cup is awarded to the winner of the England-Scotland match.
The London Olympics
London is the only city to have hosted the modern Summer Olympic Games three times — in 1908, 1948 and 2012. The 2012 Paralympics that followed are widely credited with transforming public attitudes to disability sport.
Keep going
- Read the full study notes for Modern Society.
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