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A timeline of sport
When each sport was first recorded, invented or codified, as dated in open data — from ancient wrestling and polo to the sports of the 21st century. Dates are the earliest recorded; many sports grew out of older folk games.
Ancient and medieval sports
Sports with origins recorded before 1500.
Board game for two players that originated in China more than 2,500 years ago
Ancient game
Qi · part of association football
Equestrian sport
Gupta Empire
Japan · part of budō
part of golf
16th to 18th century
Sports first recorded between 1500 and 1799.
England (United Kingdom)
part of checkers
19th century
Sports codified or invented in the 1800s.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland · part of rugby · Olympic since 1900
United Kingdom · part of rugby union · Olympic since 2016
United States · part of football
Canada · part of gridiron football
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland · Olympic since 1896
England (United Kingdom) · Olympic since 1896
Japan · part of budō · Olympic since 1964
part of cycle sport
United States · Olympic since 1904
England (United Kingdom) · Olympic since 1988
United States · Olympic since 1924
Scotland (United Kingdom) · part of Gaelic games
Traditional board game
1900 to 1949
Sports that appeared in the first half of the 20th century.
United States
part of rock climbing
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland · Olympic since 1900
Netherlands
part of motorcycle sport
part of handball
Brazil · part of judo
Sweden · part of pentathlon · Olympic since 1912
German Empire (Germany) · Olympic since 1936
part of gymnastics
Japan · part of baseball
United States · part of volleyball · Olympic since 1992
part of karate
part of competitive swimming
part of whitewater kayaking
part of gymnastics · Olympic since 2000
part of auto racing
Soviet Union (Russia)
Austria
Japan
1950 to 1999
Sports that appeared in the second half of the 20th century.
part of snooker
part of skydiving
Brazil
Sweden · part of bandy
Canada
Japan
United States
part of flying disc sports
Mexico
part of shooting sports
Sweden · part of bocce
part of fun run
part of half marathon
part of roller hockey
part of marathon
part of half marathon
Japan
part of volleyball
France · part of running
part of aggressive inline skating
Finland · part of running
21st century
The newest sports, from 2000 onwards.
part of basketball
Spain
Italy
Olympic since 2016
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland · part of association football
Hungary
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland · part of rugby