Sports are competitive games involving physical skill with accepted rules.[58] Many sports require special equipment and dedicated playing fields, leading to the involvement of a community much larger than the group of players. A city or town may set aside such resources for the organization of sports leagues. Association football (soccer) is the world’s most popular sport by participation, with 250 million players in over 200 countries.[59]
Spectator sports have been part of human culture for thousands of years.[60] Local and national sports teams are arenas for group identity,[61] promoting civic pride in the home team in municipal rivalries.[62]