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Explore the most unusual and entertaining spectator sports around the globe, featuring quirky events like sheep shearing and lawnmower racing. Discover how these unique competitions embody culture and provide thrilling experiences for travelers.

Unusual Spectator Sports to Experience Around the World

Never underestimate humanity’s ability to turn the mad or the mundane into a competitive sport. In our pursuit of amusement, we have brought some wonderfully weird sports to the fore, which offer insight into the psyche of nations and provide travelers with a unique opportunity to meet eccentric—and passionate—locals.

So switch up that afternoon at the football or evening hockey game for something a little more…unique, and catch the excitement of these unusual spectator sports from around the world.

1. Sheep Shearing, New Zealand

Competitive sheep shearing? Ewe better believe it. In fact, it’s a major event in New Zealand, proudly hosting the annual Golden Shears International Championships; a lanolin-infused jamboree touted as ‘the Wimbledon of sheep shearing’. Due to the pandemic, the competition was canceled in 2022.

Held in the town of Masterton in March, the four-day event aims to identify the world’s fastest sheep shearer, while spectators place bets on the outcome. The event provides an illuminating insight into local life, but it’s not solely about shearing; live bands inject a party vibe into the proceedings along with delicious food and drink. Can’t make the Masterton event? Fear not, shearing competitions are also held in Europe, Australia, and the US.

2. Lawnmower Racing, UK

Like all the best ideas, lawnmower racing originated in a pub. It was 1973, and as Jackie Stewart clinched his third Formula One title, a group of aspiring racers from West Sussex dreamed of making motorsport—typically reserved for the wealthy—more accessible to the masses.

Over a few pints, they conceived lawnmower racing, which now boasts its own governing body, the British Lawn Mower Racing Association (BLRA), and a 30-race championship running from May to October. Most races are part of larger rural events, like the Cranleigh Show in Surrey, where spectators can enjoy eccentric pursuits, such as ferret racing. The BLRA remains uncommercial, donating all profits to charity and advising spectators to bring packed lunches to races.

3. Lucha Libre, Mexico

Part sport, part amateur dramatics, lucha libre is a form of freestyle wrestling with a devoted fan base in Mexico. Competitors are renowned for their elaborate masks, which conceal their identities until a high-stakes fight reveals them, often requiring losers to show their faces (other humiliating forfeits include having their heads shaved).

This captivating spectacle is heightened by a tequila-charged atmosphere, making for an unforgettable experience. Spectators are known to throw money at victorious wrestlers, who collect it in a commemorative vase to commemorate their triumph.

4. Wife Carrying, Finland

This curious sport humorously nods to the ancient custom of wife stealing, where Finnish robbers allegedly raided villages. Fortunately, this nefarious activity now resides only in folklore. In a lighthearted twist, wife carrying continues, but with consenting females who cling to their male counterparts as they navigate an obstacle course—climbing over wooden barriers and splashing into cold water along the way. The quickest pair win the wife’s weight in beer. In Sonkajärvi, Finland, the original Wife Carrying Championships takes place every July, along with competitions sprouting in Australia, Estonia, Hong Kong, the US, and UK. Interestingly, participating couples don’t need to be married.

5. Kabaddi, India

A variation of a game many played in schoolyards, kabaddi resembles tag but comes with a complex rulebook. Essentially, two teams of seven face off in a rectangular arena. One offensive player, the ‘raider’, crosses the midline to tag as many opposition players as possible and must return to their side to score points. The opposing team can physically prevent the raider from returning, in which case they score nothing. Points are also awarded for stepping over the ‘bonus line’, all done in a single breath, making it an exhilarating contest.

While kabaddi holds national sport status in Bangladesh, India boasts the most competitive league—dubbed Pro Kabaddi—which unfolds dramatically in stadiums across the country. Players twist, kick, duck, and dive, cheered on by vociferous crowds.

6. Chess Boxing, Worldwide

Brains and brawn unite in the unique combat sport of chess boxing, where competitors engage in six rounds of chess and five rounds of boxing. Athletes, often dubbed ‘nerdletes’, must either knock out their opponent in the ring or outwit them on the chessboard.

This sport is popular in India, believed to be chess’s birthplace, and has elevated some professional competitors from poverty. However, one of the best places to watch a match is London, where spectators can relish the all-out action of a boxing match combined with the suspense of a chess contest, culminating in one of the most memorable events in the city. Fights are organized by London Chess Boxing throughout the year, also hosting the hotly anticipated World Amateur Championships every December, which will occur in Turkey in 2019.

7. Call of Duty Championship, US

Once a tedious waiting game for your turn on Mario Kart, watching others play video games has now transformed into a legitimate spectator sport, with e-sport events thriving globally and streaming to vast audiences online.

Particularly popular in the US, fans often pay upwards of $50 to witness professional gamers battle it out in the highly acclaimed Call of Duty franchise. This first-person shooter series has captivated gamers for over a decade and features its own World League Championship. Held in August, the winning team takes home a whopping $2.5 million. The spectator demographic tends to be largely male and millennial, typically sitting in neat rows, clutching beers while watching the drama unfold on massive screens.

Safety recommendations and restrictions during a pandemic can change rapidly. It is advised that travelers always check with local authorities for up-to-date guidance before making travel arrangements.

This article was first published Aug 15, 2019, and updated Feb 1, 2022.