There are 56 sports that start with the letter L. From Lacrosse to Lutte Bretonne. Sports, as a structured form of physical activity, play a vital role in cultures worldwide, serving as a means of entertainment, competition, and community engagement. Activities can range from team sports, like soccer and basketball, to individual pursuits like athletics and swimming. The evolution of sports has been influenced by various cultural, social, and technological factors, leading to the establishment of governing bodies, international competitions like the Olympics, and extensive professional leagues. Sports contribute significantly to physical health, social bonding, and can even have a positive economic impact on communities through events and tourism.

One interesting fun fact about sports is that cricket, often regarded as a national pastime in countries like India and England, is played by more than 120 countries and has a dedicated following of over 2.5 billion fans worldwide, making it one of the most popular sports globally.

Here’s what each of the columns in the table means:

Origin Country: This column indicates the country where the sport was first developed or is considered to have originated.

Player Count: This represents the typical number of players involved in a game or match, reflecting the format of the sport—whether it is individual or team-based.

Equipment Needed: This column lists the primary gear or tools necessary to participate in the sport, which could vary widely depending on the nature of the activity.

Description: This provides a brief overview of the sport, outlining its rules, objectives, and how it is generally played or competed.

Sports That Start With L

Sports origin country player count equipment needed
Lacrosse Canada 10-12 Stick, ball, protective gear
Lacrosse of the Iroquois Canada, United States 10-12 per team Stick, ball
Lacrosse Polo Lamba Leicestershire Rounders Lethbridge Curling
Ladder Ball United States 2-4 players Ladder ball set (includes 2 bolas and a ladder toss base)
Ladder Golf United States 2-4 players Ladder golf set (includes 2 bolas and a ladder toss base)
Lanchester Ball Game United Kingdom 2-4 Ball, sticks
Land Archery UK 1+ Bow, arrows
Land Diving Vanuatu 1 Wooden tower, vines
Land Sailing United Kingdom 1-3 Land yacht, sail
Lapta Russia 2 teams of 5-11 players Bat, ball
Laser Sailing United States 1 Laser sailboat
Laser Skeet United States 1+ Laser tag gun, clay targets
Lashball Egypt 2-6 Ball, ‘lashball’
Lasso United States 1 or more Lasso
Lawn Billiards United Kingdom 2 Cue, balls
Lawn Billiards (Indoor) United Kingdom 2 Cue, balls
Lawn Bocce Italy 2-8 Bocce balls
Lawn Bowls United Kingdom 2-8 Bowls
Lawn Croquet United Kingdom 2-6 Mallet, balls, wickets
Lawn Darts United States 2-4 Darts, target
Lawn Fishing United States 2 or more Fishing rod, hook, bait
Lawn Hockey United Kingdom 2-4 Stick, ball
Lawn Horseshoes United States 2 or more Horseshoes
Lawn Polo United Kingdom 4-8 Mallets, ball, horses
Lawn Scrabble United Kingdom 2-4 Scrabble board, tiles
Lawn Shuffleboard United States 2-4 Cue, discs
Lawn Skittles United Kingdom 2 or more Skittles
Lawn Snooker United Kingdom 2 Cue, balls
Lawn Tennis United Kingdom 2-4 Racket, ball, net
Lawn Ultimate United States 7v7 Frisbee
Lawnbowls United Kingdom 4 Bowls
Lawnmower Racing UK 1-10 Riding lawnmower
Leap Frog Ancient Greece 2+ None
Leapfrogging United Kingdom 2+ None
Leg Wrestling Ireland 2 None
Leisure Archery United Kingdom Individual or team Bow, arrows, archery equipment
Lengthened Bowls United Kingdom 2-8 Bowls
Lethbridge Curling Canada 4 Curling stones, broom
Liceball Brazil 2-4 per team Ball
Lie Dart United States 1 Dart
Lifesaving Sport Australia 1-4 Rescue equipment
Lift Ball India 2-4 Ball
Lightweight Canoeing Canada 1-2 Canoe, paddle
Lightweight Rowing United Kingdom 1-2 Oars, boat
Lilla Sweden 2 or more Ball, sticks
Lingti India 2 teams Ball
Lip Balancing United States 1 Lip balm container
Lofty Ball United Kingdom 2-4 Ball, bat
Log Throwing Scotland 1 Log
Logrolling United States 2 Log, pole
Long Jump United Kingdom Individual Running track, sand pit
Long-Distance Running United Kingdom Individual Running shoes, athletic clothing
Longboard Skateboarding USA 1 Longboard
Longboarding United States 1 Longboard
Luge Switzerland 1 Sled, helmet, suit
Lutte Bretonne France 2 competitors None

Descriptions

Lacrosse
A team sport where players use a stick with a net to catch, carry, and pass a ball, with the objective of scoring by throwing the ball into the opposing team’s goal.
Lacrosse of the Iroquois
Traditional Native American team sport played with a netted stick to move and score a small hard ball.
Lacrosse Polo
Ligretto
Ladder Ball
A tossing game where players throw bolas (2 balls connected by a string) at a ladder-shaped target trying to wrap them around the rungs to score points.
Ladder Golf
A game similar to ladder ball, where players toss bolas (2 balls connected by a string) at a ladder-shaped target, attempting to wrap them around the rungs to score points.
Lanchester Ball Game
A game played on a field with a ball that is hit with sticks, with the objective of scoring points by getting the ball through the opposing team’s goal.
Land Archery
A form of archery where targets are set up on land rather than water. Requires skill in aiming and shot placement.
Land Diving
A traditional ritual from Vanuatu where participants jump from a wooden tower with vines tied to their ankles, simulating a bungee jump.
Land Sailing
A form of sailing that uses a three-wheeled vehicle with a sail to harness the power of the wind and move across a flat, dry surface, such as a beach or a desert.
Lapta
A bat-and-ball game played on a rectangular field, similar to baseball, where the objective is to hit the ball thrown by the opposing team and run between designated spots to score points.
Laser Sailing
A single-handed, high-performance dinghy class of sailboat used in both recreational sailing and competitive racing.
Laser Skeet
A variant of skeet shooting using laser tag equipment instead of traditional firearms. Players take turns shooting at clay targets launched into the air.
Lashball
A game where players use a lashed or whipped ‘lashball’ to knock down targets or opponents. Developed in ancient Egypt.
Lasso
Skill-based sport and recreation activity of catching objects or animals with a lasso, a type of a rope designed to be thrown and looped over the target.
Lawn Billiards
A game played on a large, grassy area where players use a cue to strike balls into pockets or through a series of hoops or gates.
Lawn Billiards (Indoor)
A variant of lawn billiards played indoors on a specialized table, with the same objective of using a cue to strike balls into pockets or through a series of hoops or gates.
Lawn Bocce
A variant of bocce ball played on a manicured lawn. Players take turns throwing balls closest to a smaller target ball to score points.
Lawn Bowls
A game where players roll biased balls, called bowls, toward a smaller ball, called a jack, with the objective of getting one’s own ball closest to the jack.
Lawn Croquet
A game played on a lawn where players use mallets to hit wooden balls through a series of hoops or wickets arranged in a specific pattern on the lawn.
Lawn Darts
A game where players throw darts, known as lawn darts or jarts
Lawn Fishing
Recreational activity of using a traditional fishing rod and reel to ‘catch’ small objects or targets placed on a lawn or other open area.
Lawn Hockey
A game played on a grass field where players use sticks to hit a small, hard ball into the opposing team’s goal.
Lawn Horseshoes
Game in which horseshoes are pitched at a stake in the ground, with the objective of getting the horseshoe as close to the stake as possible.
Lawn Polo
A team sport played on a large, grassy field where players on horseback use mallets to hit a ball through the opposing team’s goal.
Lawn Scrabble
A version of the classic word game Scrabble that is played outdoors on a lawn, using a larger game board and tiles.
Lawn Shuffleboard
A game played on a long, narrow court where players use cues to propel weighted discs, called weights
Lawn Skittles
Variation of the nine-pin bowling game, played on a lawn or other open space, using larger pins and a ball.
Lawn Snooker
A version of the popular cue sport snooker that is played on a lawn, using larger balls and a modified table layout to accommodate the outdoor setting.
Lawn Tennis
A game in which two or four players hit a ball with rackets over a net on a rectangular court, with the objective of making the ball land within the opposing side’s court.
Lawn Ultimate
An outdoor variant of Ultimate Frisbee played on a grassy field. Teams compete to catch a flying disc in their opponent’s end zone.
Lawnbowls
A game in which players roll biased balls (called bowls) toward a smaller ball (the ‘jack’) with the objective of getting one’s own ball closest to the jack.
Lawnmower Racing
Competitive racing using modified riding lawnmowers on a closed circuit. Emphasizes speed, handling, and driver skill.
Leap Frog
A simple game where players jump over the backs of other players in a line or formation. Originated as a training exercise for ancient Greek soldiers.
Leapfrogging
A race where participants leap over the backs of other players in a line, with the lead player continuously leaping to the back of the line.
Leg Wrestling
A traditional Irish grappling sport where two opponents lock legs and attempt to throw each other to the ground.
Leisure Archery
A form of archery focused on recreational enjoyment rather than competitive scoring, allowing participants to shoot at various targets for leisure and relaxation.
Lengthened Bowls
A variation of lawn bowls where the playing area is longer than a standard lawn bowls court, requiring players to adjust their delivery and strategy.
Lethbridge Curling
A regional variation of curling that is played on a smaller, rectangular sheet of ice, with different rules and scoring compared to standard curling.
Liceball
Traditional Brazilian sport played with a ball, similar to baseball in some aspects, but with unique rules and gameplay.
Lie Dart
Skill-based game where the objective is to throw a dart at a target and have it land in a precise, predetermined position or ‘lie’.
Lifesaving Sport
A series of competitive events that test the skills and fitness of lifeguards and other water safety professionals, such as rescue swimming, manikin towing, and beach sprinting.
Lift Ball
A traditional Indian ball game where players try to lift a ball off the ground using only their feet.
Lightweight Canoeing
A form of canoeing that emphasizes speed and maneuverability, often used in racing and competitive settings.
Lightweight Rowing
A form of competitive rowing where athletes are divided into lightweight and heavyweight categories based on their body weight, with the goal of promoting participation and competition among smaller athletes.
Lilla
Traditional Swedish team sport played with a ball and long, curved sticks, similar to field hockey but with unique rules and gameplay.
Lingti
Traditional Indian sport played with a small, leather-covered ball, involving kicking, passing, and scoring goals.
Lip Balancing
Unique skill-based activity where the goal is to balance various lip balm containers on one’s lips for as long as possible.
Lofty Ball
A game where players strike a ball with a bat, with the objective of hitting it as high and as far as possible.
Log Throwing
A traditional Scottish athletic event where competitors throw a large, heavy log as far as possible.
Logrolling
A competitive sport where two competitors stand on a floating log and try to make the other person lose their balance and fall into the water.
Long Jump
An athletic event where competitors attempt to jump as far as possible from a takeoff point, with the distance measured from the takeoff line to the nearest break in the sand caused by any part of the jumper’s body.
Long-Distance Running
A category of running events that cover distances longer than standard track events, such as marathons, ultramarathons, and cross-country races, requiring exceptional endurance and training.
Longboard Skateboarding
A style of skateboarding that uses longer, wider boards for stability and carving turns at high speeds.
Longboarding
A form of skateboarding that uses longer and wider boards, with larger, softer wheels, for high-speed downhill riding, cruising, and transportation.
Luge
A winter sport in which an individual or a pair of individuals ride a small sled, called a luge, down a frozen track with sharp turns and steep inclines.
Lutte Bretonne
A traditional Breton wrestling style, where two opponents attempt to throw each other to the ground, using various techniques and holds, while maintaining contact with the ground at all times.

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