Just like in all major countries in Europe, sports are a big part of popular culture in Spain, with football, basketball, tennis, and golf among the most watched and played.

Here is a look at three sports you may not know take place in the country.

Greyhound Racing

With a rich history there, greyhound racing is very popular in the UK and Ireland. They hold the most prestigious and lucrative races in the world, including the Greyhound Derby, where Links Maverick is the +16000 in the greyhound betting to win the race in 2024.

The Spanish Greyhound Federation looks after the greyhound fixtures across Spain. This is split up into six regional federations. The biggest difference between greyhound racing in the UK and Ireland is that the racing takes place on a straight track here, rather than around a bend.

Villarrubia in Andalusia is one of the areas of Spain where regular greyhound meetings take place. Barcelona also hosts greyhound racing at various stages of the year.

Horse Racing

With a warm climate, the sport of horse racing flourishes in Spain throughout the year, as the ground is often perfect for Flat horses. You can find horse racing meetings in all the major cities in Spain, including Madrid, Barcelona, and Seville.

One of the biggest races of the year is the Grand Premio De Madrid, which takes place in June over 2,500 meters at the Hipodromo de la Zarzuela. It is open to three-year-olds and above, and it often attracts some of the best thoroughbred horses from across Europe.

If you are looking for something unique, then racing at Sanlucar de Barrameda in Andalusia will provide that. They race on the beach in what a great spectacle. These meetings are very popular with locals and tourists alike.

American Football

As the name suggests, American Football, particularly the National Football League (NFL), is mainly played in the USA. However, there is a strong push from the league to appeal to sports fans in Europe. NFL games were played in both London and Frankfurt in 2023. There is talk about Madrid hosting a regular season contest in 2024, as the NFL looks to break into another market.

American Football is already played in Spain in the Liga Nacional de Futbol Americano (LNFA). It is run by the Spanish Federation of American Football. Las Rozas Black Demons were the champions in 2023, as they defeated Rivas Osos in Madrid in the final.

Badalone Dracs from Barcelona is the most successful team in LNFA history. They have won the LNFA bowl on 11 occasions and have also been runners-up seven times. Their last victory came in 2021.

With the help of the NFL, the LNFA has a great chance of growing further, as it will become a much stronger league financially if attendances increase in the league.

If you are planning to take in one of the above three sports in the near future, have a great time and hopefully, you enjoy it enough to want to go back again.

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