This year the Summer Olympic Games are going to be held for first time in South America. With more than 200 countries participating, there is a lot of excitement building to watch our favorite teams in Rio.

Starting on August 5, more than 10,000 athletes will compete in 42 Olympic sports. If you were wondering about the most popular sports in Latin America, here are the top 5.

Soccer 

Soccer is a passion and an important component of the Latin American culture. It’s practically the most religiously followed of sports between young and old and rich and poor. Copa América, the oldest international continental football competition is happening right now and people in Latin America are locos de la cabeza! (out of their mind.)

Getty Image: Pelé, widely regarded as the best player of all time.

Baseball

This is the sport Cuba and the Dominican Republic are the most passionate about. For them, baseball is at the same level for soccer elsewhere in Latin America. Many professional players from these countries play in the US Major League Baseball.

Photo: National Baseball Hall of Fame. Juan Marichal is widely recognized as the best Dominican pitcher of all-time.

Boxing

 

Basketball

Basketball is a very popular sport in Argentina. Along with the United States, Argentina is the only country to have won five of FIBA’s most important titles in the sport. 

Photo: Wikimedia Commons. Manu Ginobilli, the greatest South American-born basketball player of all time.

Athletics

Photo: Wikimedia Commons. Ana Gabriela Guevara Espinoza is the most recognized Mexican athlete.

Is your family ready for the Summer Olympics?

I have teamed up with other bloggers to bring you a whole month of Olympic-related crafts, activities, sensory play and fun ways to learn with your children. 

We have more than 50 ideas to choose from so browse the list throughout the month & find the ones that your kids will enjoy the most.

See ya in Rio!