 | This article needs additional citations for verification .(June 2023) |
Sport is an important part of the culture of Western Australia.
Association football is one of the most participated in sports in Western Australia.
The Perth Glory currently competes in the national A-League as the only representative from WA.
They were crowned A-League Premiers in the 2018-19 season. In the previous National Soccer League, Perth Glory was a relatively successful team by winning the last titles of the NSL (2002-03 & 2003-04). Perth Glory's home games are played at Perth Oval, although they have played finals at Perth Stadium.
Western Australia’s most popular sport, with the largest number of registered participants is swimming, with competition and training carried out throughout the year.
See also: List of Western Australian Olympic and Paralympic medallists in swimming
The 20 km Rottnest Channel Swim is an individual and teams swimming race from Cottesloe to Rottnest and held annually.
The FINA World Championships were held in Perth in 1991 and 1998.
Australian rules football is the third most played sport in Western Australia, with its popularity elevated due to excellent marketing and lobbying at state and national level. Western Australia has two teams in the national league: the West Coast Eagles and the Fremantle Football Club (the "Fremantle Dockers"). Both teams use Optus Stadium as their home ground. The state's local league is the West Australian Football League (WAFL) with nine clubs representing metropolitan regions. Australian rules football is the most popular football codes in Western Australia with over 1,030,000 spectators attending WAFL and AFL matches in 2004. [1]
Western Australia's number one basketball team is the Perth Wildcats of the National Basketball League. The Wildcats' sister team is the Perth Lynx of the Women's National Basketball League. Western Australia also has a second-tier basketball league, the State Basketball League, with teams located in Perth, Mandurah, Bunbury, Kalgoorlie and Geraldton.
Cricket is one of the main sports in Western Australia. Western Australia has a state cricket team, the Western Australian Club (Formerly the Western Warriors), based at the WACA Ground. They play in the Sheffield Shield and the One Day Cup Series. The Perth Scorchers also represent WA in the Twenty20 Big Bash domestic competition and have been the most successful franchise since the competition's inception. The WACA also hosts international Test and One Day International cricket matches. The Western Fury represent WA in the Women's National Cricket League.
Perth has a strong regional field hockey competition. There are many field hockey clubs for children, men, women and veterans (over 40 year of age). Western Australia contributes significantly to the national Australian men's and ladies' hockey teams which have both been winners of Olympic Gold Medals.
The Australian Institute of Sport hockey unit has been based in Perth since 1984, when it was the first sport to be decentralised. [2]
The 6,000 seat Perth Hockey Stadium at Curtin University is the premier hockey venue in the state and is the home of state teams Perth Thundersticks and the WA Diamonds.
Normally at least one international golf tournament is held in WA each year, with the Johnnie Walker Classic at The Vines Resort & Country Club in Jan 2006 as part of both the European Tour and PGA Tour of Australasia. In past years international tournaments have also been held at the Karrinyup Country Club. The Heineken Classic was held in WA throughout the 1990s and was at times the richest tournament held in Australia.
Horse racing is very popular with a metropolitan race meeting every Saturday, fortnightly mid week meetings and weekly meetings at one of the major country centres. The Perth Cup is the state's premier race held each New Year's Day at Ascot Racecourse. The metropolitan tracks are Ascot for the spring and summer months and Belmont Park during the wetter autumn and winter months.
Harness racing is held all year round at Gloucester Park, with additional meeting in country areas. Greyhound racing is held at Cannington Raceway, Mandurah and Northam.
Many country towns have a racecourse and a major race day each year. These meetings are often the centrepiece of the communities activities, coinciding with other local events.
Netball is the highest female participation sport in females in Western Australia, with more than 150,000 participants. West Coast Fever plays in the National Netball League, and is the premier netball team in WA. Their home court is Perth Arena.
Western Australia's first rugby league team to play in a national competition were the Western Reds, who played in the 1995 and 1996 seasons of the Australian Rugby League. In 1997 they changed their name to the Perth Reds and joined the Super League as inaugural members.
Despite showing some promise (particularly in the underage competitions) the Reds were not invited to join the National Rugby League in 1998 as part of the agreement to end the Super League war.
In 2006 the Western Australia Rugby League resurrected the team as the WA Reds to compete in the Jim Beam Cup (2008-2011) with a failed attempt to enter the National Rugby League competition in 2012. [3] Their home ground is Perth Oval.
In 2012, the WA Reds were rebranded as the West Coast Pirates. [4] Both West Coast Pirates and the WA Reds played out of Perth Oval in the under-age S. G. Ball Cup, with an aim to having a number of WA-born juniors when the bid joins the NRL [5] West Coast Pirates in the 2022 NRL expansion.
Western Australia is the home of the Western Force, a professional rugby union team which plays in Super Rugby. Their home ground is NIB Stadium. The governing body Rugby Australia, under financial pressure due after funding bailouts to Rebels, Force and Reds, axed the Force from Super Rugby after the 2017 season. Andrew Forrest rescued the Perth-based Force and set up the World Series Rugby competition in 2018. From 2020, however, the Western Force were re-invited into the Super Rugby competition as Australia's fifth franchise in the tournament.
Western Australia, along with 2 other states, hosts the annual ATP Cup at Perth Arena starting in 2020. Previously, WA hosted the annual Hopman Cup mixed tennis tournament at Perth Arena (previously at the Burswood Dome) between the years of 1989 and 2019 annually. Davis Cup and Federation Cup ties have also been held at the Royal King's Park Tennis Club. [6]
The Western Australian Athletics Stadium opened in 2009. The main grandstand is named after Shirley Strickland.
Baseball is becoming increasingly popular in Western Australia. Baseball WA is the governing body of baseball in Western Australia and oversees the organization of the sport in the area. The highest level of play in Australia is the Australian Baseball League (ABL) and has a team in Western Australia, the Perth Heat. The Heat won the inaugural championship during the 2010–2011 season and a further 3 championships in 2011-2012, 2013-2014, 2014–2015 and 15 total Claxton Shield Championships. The team plays at the Perth Harley-Davidson Ballpark.
Gel ball is a new but increasingly popular skirmish sport in Western Australia. Games are played at a number of locations across the state, usually at paintball fields. [7] The Western Australia Airsoft and Gel Ball Club was established in 2017, and is the main lobbying body for the sport. [8]
In 2002, Perth hosted the World Lacrosse Games, [9] which included the World Lacrosse Championships (won by the United States), the Australian Youth Lacrosse Championship, a Masters (35+ year old), Grandmasters (45+), and International Open Championships.
Motorsport is very popular in Western Australia with numerous national and international events being held.
Rally Australia, which is a part of the World Rally Championship (WRC) was held each year on the gravel roads in the south-west jarrah forests as well as special stages held in central Perth at either Gloucester Park or on Langley Park. It was recognised as one of the best rallies internationally and attracted thousands of overseas tourists each year. There has been a large push to have the event returned to Western Australia, as of 2016 there has not been any of the required support from the state government. The final running of the event in WA occurred in October 2006.
The first round of the Australian Rally Championship is held yearly in the forests near Nannup.
The Western Australian Rally Championship is held throughout the south west between March and November. The championship is host to some of the longest running rallies in the world and has seen increasing numbers of both competitors and spectators each year.
Targa West is held near Perth and Toodyay yearly and attracts large crowds. A similar event Targa South West is held yearly in the southwest towns of Pemberton and Manjimup.
Wanneroo Raceway hosts the Perth 360, a Supercars Championship round first held in 1973.
The Champion Lakes Regatta Centre south of Perth includes a 2,000 metre buoyed racing course used for rowing, kayaking and dragon boat racing.
Perth is also home to the annual Avon Descent whitewater event.
The PSA Head of the River rowing event is held each year.
A Mediterranean climate with reliable fresh winds create ideal conditions for sailing, both off the coast in the Indian Ocean and in the Swan River.
Perth hosted the ISAF Sailing World Championships at Fremantle in 2011.
There are numerous yacht clubs in Perth and regional centres.
A number of decorated international players have come from Perth. The Tom Hoad Cup is held each December.
In 2023 Former West Coast Eagles Will Schofield started the first ever WA Fistball side The ID Athletic Western Fisters, The first tournament they entered was on the 16th December 2023 in Geelong.
A list of professional sports teams from Western Australia who have won national competitions. Current as of 28 October 2023.
| Team | Competition | Total Championships | Year of championship/s | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perth Wildcats | NBL | 10 | 1990, 1991, 1995, 2000, 2010, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020 | |
| Perth Scorchers | BBL | 5 | 2013–14, 2014–15, 2016–17, 2021–22, 2022–23 | |
| West Coast Eagles | AFL | 4 | 1992, 1994, 2006, 2018 | |
| Perth Glory | NSL | 2 | 2002–03, 2003–04 | |
| Fremantle Dockers | AFL | 0 | N/A | |
| Western Force | Super Rugby | 0 | N/A | |
Perth has hosted a number of international and national sporing events, including:
Two sports awards are given each year:
Sport in Ireland plays an important role in Irish society. The many sports played and followed in Ireland include Gaelic games, association football, horse racing, show jumping, greyhound racing, basketball, fishing, handball, motorsport, boxing, tennis, hockey, golf, rowing, cricket, and rugby union.
Sports in Canada consist of a wide variety of games. The roots of organized sports in Canada date back to the 1770s, culminating in the development and popularization of the major professional games of ice hockey, lacrosse, basketball, baseball, soccer, football and cricket. Canada's official national sports are ice hockey and lacrosse. Golf, baseball, tennis, skiing, ringette, badminton, cricket, volleyball, cycling, swimming, bowling, rugby union, canoeing, curling, squash, and the study of martial arts are widely enjoyed at the youth and amateur levels. Great achievements in Canadian sports are recognized by Canada's Sports Hall of Fame, while the Lou Marsh Trophy is awarded annually to Canada's top athlete by a panel of journalists. There are numerous other Sports Halls of Fame in Canada.
The Western Force is an Australian professional rugby union team based in Perth, Western Australia, currently competing in Super Rugby Pacific. They previously played in Super Rugby from 2006 until they were axed from the competition in 2017. Following their axing they played in the National Rugby Championship in 2018 and 2019, replacing the Perth Spirit, and Global Rapid Rugby from 2018 to 2020, an Indo-Pacific competition organised by Andrew Forrest.
Sport in New Zealand largely reflects the nation's colonial heritage, with some of the most popular sports being rugby union, rugby league, cricket, association football, basketball, horse racing and netball, which are primarily played in Commonwealth countries. New Zealand has enjoyed success in many sports, notably rugby union, rugby league, cricket, America's Cup sailing, world championship and Olympics events, and motorsport.
NRL Western Australia is responsible for administering the game of rugby league football in the state of Western Australia.
Perth Rectangular Stadium is a sports stadium in Perth, the capital of the Australian state of Western Australia. Located close to Perth's central business district, the stadium currently has a maximum capacity of 20,500 people for sporting events and 25,000 people for concerts, with the ground's record attendance of 32,000 people set during an Ed Sheeran concert in 2015. The land on which the stadium was built, known as Loton Park, was made a public reserve in 1904, with the main ground developed several years later.
Sport is a significant aspect of the Brisbane lifestyle. Activities range from the occasional international event, annual competitions, competitive leagues and individual recreational pursuits.
Lacrosse in Australia is a minor sport, with a long and proud history dating back to 1876, with a small but dedicated community of participants and volunteers. The established centres for lacrosse are in the greater metropolitan areas of Melbourne, Adelaide, and Perth. In these cities there are organised weekend field lacrosse competitions for men and women at senior and junior levels, played over the winter months. In the off-season, there are informal box lacrosse and sofcrosse competitions, though the majority of players in Australia are mostly of the field lacrosse type. Some lacrosse is also played in Sydney, South East Queensland, Canberra, Ballarat and Bendigo, it is very much at the developmental level.
Sport plays a central role in Scottish culture. The temperate, oceanic climate has played a key part in the evolution of sport in Scotland, with all-weather sports like association football and golf dominating the national sporting consciousness. However, many other sports are played in the country, with popularity varying between sports and between regions.
The state of Victoria, Australia, has a strong sporting culture and includes many popular sports.
Netball is the most popular women's team participation sport in Australia. In 1985, there were 347,000 players, and in 1995, there were over 360,000 Australian netball players. Throughout most of Australia's netball history, the game has largely been a participation sport; it has not managed to become a large spectator sport. In 2005 and 2006, 56,100 Australians attended one to two netball matches, of these, 41,600 were women. 46,200 attended three to five netball matches, with 34,400 of those spectators being women. 86,400 attended six or more netball matches, with 54,800 spectators being female. Overall, 188,800 people attended netball matches, with 130,800 being female. In 2005 and 2006, netball was the 10th most popular spectator sport for women with Australian rules football (1,011,300), horse racing (912,200), rugby league (542,600), motor sports (462,100), rugby union (232,400), football (212,200), harness racing (190,500), cricket (183,200) and tennis (163,500) all being more popular. The country set an attendance record for a Netball match with a record crowd of 14,339 at the Australia–New Zealand Netball Test held at the Sydney Super Dome game in 2004.
Arena Joondalup, known as HBF Arena under a commercial naming rights arrangement, is a multi-purpose sports complex in Joondalup, Western Australia, located on 35 ha of parkland approximately 25 km north of Perth. It was officially opened in 1994. An $11 million indoor aquatic centre, including a 50 m 10-lane competition pool, was completed in 2000.
Sport in England plays a prominent role in English society. Popular teams sports in England include association football, field hockey, cricket, rugby union, rugby league, and netball. Major individual sports include badminton, athletics, tennis, boxing, golf, cycling, motorsport, and horseracing. Cricket is regarded as the national summer sport. Association football is the most popular sport, followed by Cricket, Tennis and Rugby. A number of modern sports were codified in England during the nineteenth century, among them cricket, rugby union, rugby league, football, field hockey, bandy, squash, tennis, and badminton. The game of baseball was first described in 18th century England.
Sport in Wales plays a prominent role in Welsh culture. Like the other countries of the United Kingdom, Wales enjoys independent representation in major world sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup and in the Rugby World Cup, but competes as part of Great Britain in some other competitions, including the Olympics.
Sport plays an important role in the business, community, social and cultural life in the state of South Australia.
Sport in Tasmania is participation in and attendance at organised sports events in the state of Tasmania in Australia.
Hockey WA is the organisation responsible for the sport of Field Hockey in the state of Western Australia. Hockey WA is represented in the Hockey One competition by the Perth Thundersticks. Hockey WA also run the top club competitions in Australia, the Hockey WA Premier League for both Men and Women.
Rugby league in Western Australia is played at amateur level, but attracts an audience particularly for the State of Origin series.
On the club, national and international level, men's netball teams exist, but attract less attention than women's netball. Mixed teams are not uncommon in Australia and are very popular. Men's national teams do exist in Antigua & Barbuda, Australia, Brunei, Canada, England, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, the Isle of Man, Jamaica, Kenya, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Grenada, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, South Africa, Uganda, the United Arab Emirates, United States, and Zambia.
The history of sport in Australia dates back to the pre-colonial period of the country.