There are 111 sports that start with the letter C. From Cabers Tossing to Cyclo-Cross. 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 C

Sports origin country player count equipment needed
Cabers Tossing Scotland 1 Caber (log)
Cage Fighting United States 2 Gloves, mouthguard, groin protector
Cage Soccer United States 2-6 Enclosed playing area, soccer ball
Calisthenics Ancient Greece Individual None
Callisthenics Ancient Greece 1+ No equipment
Camel Racing United Arab Emirates 2+ Camel, Saddle
Camels Racing Saudi Arabia 2 per race Camels
Camogie Ireland 15 per team Hurley stick, sliotar ball
Canadian Football Canada 22 Football, field, goal posts
Cane Fighting Philippines 1v1 Bamboo cane
Cani-Cross France 2 (human and dog) Harness, leash, running gear
Canoe Polo Germany 2 teams of 5 Canoe, ball
Canoe Racing Various 1-2 per canoe Canoe
Canoeing Canada 1-2 per canoe Canoe, paddle
Canoeing Freestyle Canada 1 player Canoe, paddle
Canoeing Marathon Various 1 or more players Canoe, paddle
Canoeing Polo Canada 2 teams of 4 players Canoe, paddle, ball
Canoeing Slalom Various 1 player Canoe, paddle
Canoeing Sprint Various 1 or more players Canoe, paddle
Canoepolo Germany 2 teams of 5 Canoe, paddle
Canopy Piloting United States Individual Parachute, specialized canopy
Canyoning Switzerland 1+ Specialized equipment
Capoeira Brazil 2 None
Caqui Argentina 2-4 Racket, ball
Carachama Peru 2 teams of 5 players Net, ball
Cardio Boxing United States 1 Boxing gloves, wraps
Carro de Bois Brazil 2 teams Ox-drawn cart
Carrom India 2-4 players Carrom board, striker, carrom coins
Caster Racing United Kingdom 1-4 Caster board, protective gear
Casterboard United States 1 Casterboard
Castling India 2 Chess set
Catapult Archery Various 1+ Catapult, arrows
Catapult Throwing Uncertain 1 Catapult
Catch Wrestling United Kingdom 2 None
Cattle Penning United States 2 per team Horse, lariat
Cave Diving United Kingdom Individual Specialized diving equipment
Cave Exploring Worldwide 1+ Caving gear
Caving Various 1+ Specialized caving equipment (e.g., helmet, lights, ropes)
Ceilidh Dancing Scotland Several pairs None
Cellball Japan 2-4 Ball, court
Cello Fighting Japan 2 players Cello, bow
Cephalopod Racing United States Individual Aquarium, cephalopod
Cesta Punta Spain 2 players Cesta, ball
Cetacean Surfing Worldwide 1-2 Surfboard
Chainsaw Sculpture United States 1 Chainsaw
Chair Fighting Various 2 combatants Chair
Chakram Throwing India 1+ Chakram
Chamber Pot Curling Canada 2-6 players Chamber pot, ‘stones’
Chanbara Japan 2 opponents Padded swords
Chariot Racing Ancient Rome 2 teams of 2-4 Chariot, horses
Charreria Mexico Varied Horses, traditional Mexican charro attire
Checkers United States 2 Checkers board, checkers pieces
Cheerleading United States Team Pompoms, uniforms
Cheese Rolling United Kingdom Individual Cheese wheel
Chequers Various 2 players Checkers set
Cherry Pit Spitting United States 1+ Cherry pits
Chess Boxing Germany 2 players Chess board, boxing gloves
Chess Clock Ancient Persia 2 Chess set, chess clock
Chess Clock Racing Various 2 Chess clock
Chess Variants worldwide 2+ Chess set
Chess-Based Sports Worldwide 2-4 Chess set
Chessboxing Germany 2 players Chess board, boxing gloves
Chicane France Individual Race car, race track
Chinese Checkers China 2-6 players Chinese checkers board, game pieces
Chinese Kickboxing China 2 Gloves, protective gear
Chinese Yo-Yo China 1 Chinese yo-yo
Chokeball Philippines 2 teams of 5 Ball, goal posts
Chokma United States 2 None
Chole Bhature India 2 or more players None
Chucker Australia 1-4 Chucker board, chucker sticks
Chuckwagon Racing Canada Teams of 4 or more Chuckwagon, horses
Circus Arts Various 1-group Specialized equipment (trapeze, acrobatic gear, etc.)
Cirque du Soleil Canada Ensemble Specialized equipment
Ciser Mexico 2 teams of 6 players Ball, net
Clay Pigeon Shooting United Kingdom 1+ Shotgun, clay targets
Cliff Diving Various 1+ None
Climbing United States Individual or team Climbing harness, ropes, carabiners, chalk bag
Coastal Rowing Various 1-2 Rowing shell, oars
Cochinita Pibil Eating Mexico Varies None
Cockfighting Various 2 Gamecocks, sparring equipment
Codeball Brazil 2-4 Codeball court, ball
Competitive Eating United States Individual No equipment needed
Competitive Eating (Hot Dog Eating) United States 1-group None
Competitive Eskrima Philippines 2 Rattan sticks, padded gear
Competitive Juggling Various 1+ Juggling props
Competitive Paintball United States 2-team Paintball marker, protective gear
Competitive Scrabble Various 2 players Scrabble board and tiles
Competitive Swimming United States Individual or team Swimsuit, goggles, swim cap
Competitive Tug-of-War Various 2 teams of 8+ Thick rope
Composing Music Various 1 Musical instruments, recording equipment
Conkers United Kingdom 2 Chestnut seed, string
Cooperative Fishing Various 2-group Fishing gear
Coracle Racing Wales 1-2 Coracle (small, round boat)
Corkball United States 2-4 Corkball bat, ball
Cornhole United States 2-4 players Cornhole boards, bean bags
Cosplay Japan 1-group Costumes, props
Cow Chip Throwing United States 1-group Dried cow manure
Crabbing Various 1-group Crab traps, bait, nets
Crate Stacking United Kingdom 1 Crates, ladder
Cricket England 11 per team Bat, ball, wickets
Crocodile Wrestling Australia 1-2 None
Croquet England 2-4 players Mallets, balls, wickets
Cross-Country Running Various 1-group Running shoes
Cross-Country Skiing Norway Individual or team Skis, poles, boots
Crossbow Archery Ancient China 1+ Crossbow, bolts
CrossFit United States 1-group Varied equipment (barbells, rings, etc.)
Cryptic Crossword Solving Various 1 player Pencil, paper
Cryptozoology Various 1-group Field equipment (cameras, binoculars, etc.)
Curling Scotland 4 per team Curling stones, brooms
Cycling Belgium Individual or team Bicycle, helmet
Cyclo-Cross Belgium 1+ Cyclo-cross bicycle

Descriptions

Cabers Tossing
A traditional Scottish event in which competitors toss a large, tapered wooden pole (‘caber’) in a bid to flip it end over end.
Cage Fighting
Combative sport where opponents fight in a caged enclosure, with the aim of subduing the opponent through striking or grappling techniques.
Cage Soccer
A variation of soccer played within a cage-like enclosure, emphasizing agility, ball control, and quick decision-making in a confined space.
Calisthenics
A form of strength training that uses one’s body weight as resistance, often performed as a warm-up or as a complete workout routine.
Callisthenics
A system of exercises designed to improve physical strength and development, often using one’s own body weight as resistance.
Camel Racing
A traditional racing sport in which riders compete to guide their camels across a set distance as quickly as possible.
Camels Racing
A traditional racing sport in the Middle East where riders compete on the backs of trained racing camels.
Camogie
A women’s variant of hurling, played with a smaller ball and a curved wooden stick known as a hurley. Originated in Ireland and is considered the oldest women’s sport in the world.
Canadian Football
A version of gridiron football played on a larger field with 12 players per team and a distinct set of rules from American football.
Cane Fighting
A traditional Philippine martial art that uses a bamboo cane as the primary weapon. Practitioners perform intricate strikes, blocks, and disarming techniques.
Cani-Cross
A cross-country running event where a human is attached to a dog by a specialized harness and leash, requiring both to work in harmony to navigate the course.
Canoe Polo
A competitive team sport played on water, where players aim to score goals by throwing a ball into the opposing team’s goal.
Canoe Racing
A variety of racing events involving canoes, ranging from short sprints to long-distance marathons, often in both flatwater and whitewater settings.
Canoeing
A water sport where participants propel a canoe with a single-bladed paddle. Can be done recreationally or competitively, with different disciplines like sprint, slalom, and wild water racing.
Canoeing Freestyle
A discipline of canoeing that focuses on performing acrobatic maneuvers and stunts in the water, often in a specialized white-water canoe.
Canoeing Marathon
Long-distance canoeing races, typically covering distances of 10 to 200 kilometers. Competitors navigate lakes, rivers, and other waterways.
Canoeing Polo
A team sport played in canoes, where the objective is to score goals by throwing a ball through the opposing team’s goal.
Canoeing Slalom
A competitive canoeing event where paddlers navigate a course of upstream and downstream gates on a river. Requires precise boat control and rapid decision-making.
Canoeing Sprint
Short-distance canoeing races, typically covering distances of 200 to 1000 meters. Competitors race in specially designed canoes, often in single or double-person events.
Canoepolo
A team sport played on water where players use canoes to pass and score a ball through the opposing team’s goal.
Canopy Piloting
Also known as ‘swooping,’ it involves performance flying techniques in which skydivers pilot their parachutes at high speeds close to the ground.
Canyoning
The sport of navigating canyons using a variety of techniques, such as rappelling, jumping, sliding, and swimming, often in remote and challenging natural environments.
Capoeira
An Afro-Brazilian martial art that combines elements of dance, acrobatics, and music, with a focus on quick, evasive movements and counterattacks.
Caqui
A traditional Argentine court sport similar to squash, played with a wooden racket and a small, hard ball on an enclosed court.
Carachama
A traditional Peruvian ball sport played in a rectangular court, similar to volleyball but with different rules and tactics.
Cardio Boxing
A high-intensity workout that combines cardiovascular exercise with boxing techniques, such as punching combinations and footwork, to improve overall fitness and cardiovascular health.
Carro de Bois
A traditional Brazilian sport where teams compete to pull an ox-drawn cart the farthest distance in a set amount of time.
Carrom
A tabletop game similar to billiards, where players use a striker to flick wooden or plastic coins into the pockets of a square board. Originated in the Indian subcontinent and is popular in South Asia.
Caster Racing
A high-speed racing sport where participants ride on small wheeled ‘caster boards’ and navigate through a course, often with obstacles and turns.
Casterboard
A type of skateboard-like device with four or more casters instead of wheels, used for tricks and stunts.
Castling
A special chess move where the king and rook are moved simultaneously, allowing the king to move two squares towards the rook and the rook to the square the king crossed.
Catapult Archery
A hybrid sport that combines the use of a catapult-like device to launch arrows at targets, testing both accuracy and power.
Catapult Throwing
A competition where participants use hand-powered catapults to launch projectiles as far as possible.
Catch Wrestling
A style of wrestling that emphasizes submission holds, leverage techniques, and quick transitions, with a focus on pinning the opponent to the ground.
Cattle Penning
A rodeo event where a team of two riders on horseback must separate a specific cow from a herd and ‘pen’ it in a designated area. Requires skill in maneuvering and roping the target animal.
Cave Diving
The exploration of submerged cave systems, requiring advanced diving skills, specialized equipment, and careful planning to navigate the challenging underwater environment.
Cave Exploring
The sport of exploring and navigating through natural or artificial cave systems, often in search of new discoveries.
Caving
The exploration of natural underground cave systems, involving technical climbing, crawling, and navigating through narrow passages and chambers.
Ceilidh Dancing
A traditional Scottish social dance performed at celebrations, characterized by lively music and intricate, partnered dance steps.
Cellball
A sport similar to volleyball, played with a lightweight, air-filled ball that must be kept off the ground using only the hands and arms.
Cello Fighting
A Japanese martial art that uses the cello and bow as weapons. Practitioners engage in choreographed combat, showcasing their skills and control of the instrument.
Cephalopod Racing
A competitive event where participants race various species of cephalopods, such as octopuses or squids, in an aquarium setting.
Cesta Punta
A Basque sport played with a wicker basket-like cesta, used to catch and throw a small hard ball at high speeds.
Cetacean Surfing
The practice of riding on the back of a large whale or dolphin, often for recreational or research purposes.
Chainsaw Sculpture
The art of creating intricate sculptures using a chainsaw as the primary tool, often depicting animals, figures, or natural forms.
Chair Fighting
A combat sport where two opponents fight while seated in chairs, testing their striking and grappling skills in a unique setting.
Chakram Throwing
The practice of throwing a circular disc-like weapon, the chakram, which originated in India and is often associated with Sikh martial traditions.
Chamber Pot Curling
A humorous variation of curling played with chamber pots instead of traditional granite stones, often as a fundraiser or social event.
Chanbara
A Japanese sport that involves choreographed sword fighting with padded weapons, emphasizing technique, strategy, and sportsmanship.
Chariot Racing
A historic sport where teams of charioteers raced horse-drawn chariots around a track, often in the context of ancient Roman entertainment and spectacles.
Charreria
The national sport of Mexico, featuring skilled demonstrations of traditional horse-related activities such as roping, bull riding, and other ranching techniques. Showcases the artistry and horsemanship of the Mexican charro culture.
Checkers
A classic abstract strategy board game in which players take turns moving diagonally and attempting to capture their opponent’s pieces.
Cheerleading
A sport that involves organized teams of performers who engage in organized routines, including acrobatics, tumbling, and stunts, to support other teams at sporting events.
Cheese Rolling
An annual event where participants race down a steep hill in pursuit of a large round of cheese, often resulting in numerous injuries due to the dangerous nature of the descent.
Chequers
A classic abstract strategy board game, also known as draughts, where players aim to capture all of their opponent’s pieces.
Cherry Pit Spitting
A competitive sport where participants attempt to spit cherry pits as far as possible, often as a part of county fairs or festivals.
Chess Boxing
A hybrid sport that combines the mental strategy of chess with the physical combat of boxing. Players alternate between rounds of chess and boxing, testing both their intellectual and athletic abilities.
Chess Clock
A device used in chess games to control the time allotted to each player, ensuring the game progresses at a consistent pace and preventing excessive delays.
Chess Clock Racing
A chess variant where players race against the clock to complete a game, with the winner being the player with the most points when time runs out.
Chess Variants
A wide range of games derived from the classic game of chess, often featuring different rules, board configurations, or pieces, adding new strategic elements to the game.
Chess-Based Sports
Various sports and competitive games that incorporate elements of chess, such as Chess Boxing, Chessboxing, and Chess Clock.
Chessboxing
A hybrid sport that combines the mental strategy of chess with the physical combat of boxing. Players alternate between rounds of chess and boxing, testing both their intellectual and athletic abilities.
Chicane
A series of tight turns in a racing circuit, designed to test a driver’s ability to navigate sharp corners and maintain control of the vehicle at high speeds.
Chinese Checkers
A strategy board game played on a hexagonal board with star-shaped arrays of holes. Players aim to be the first to move all their pieces from their starting position to the opposite corner.
Chinese Kickboxing
Also known as Sanda or Sanshou, it is a combat sport that combines aspects of traditional Chinese martial arts with modern kickboxing techniques, emphasizing full-contact strikes and grappling.
Chinese Yo-Yo
A traditional Chinese skill toy where the player manipulates a yo-yo-like object on the end of two sticks, performing various tricks and stunts.
Chokeball
A team sport similar to volleyball, where players try to score points by throwing a ball through the opposing team’s goal.
Chokma
A Native American ball game played with a small ball that is struck with the palm of the hand, similar to volleyball.
Chole Bhature
A traditional Indian sport that involves eating a dish called chole bhature, which consists of a spicy chickpea curry (chole) served with a fried, fluffy flatbread (bhature). Competitions revolve around speed, technique, and endurance in consuming the dish.
Chucker
A target sport where players use wooden sticks to slide discs across a smooth, flat surface towards a target.
Chuckwagon Racing
A rodeo event where teams of drivers, outriders, and horses race to complete a course while pulling a chuckwagon, a wagon used to transport food and supplies during cattle drives.
Circus Arts
Disciplines within the circus industry, such as acrobatics, aerial performance, juggling, and other feats of physical skill and artistry.
Cirque du Soleil
A renowned Canadian entertainment company that presents theatrical circus performances, combining acrobatics, dance, music, and visual spectacle.
Ciser
A traditional Mexican team sport played with a rubber ball, similar to volleyball but with different rules and gameplay.
Clay Pigeon Shooting
A shooting sport where participants use shotguns to break flying clay discs, known as clay pigeons”
Cliff Diving
The extreme sport of diving from high natural or man-made cliff structures into water below, requiring precise technique and courage.
Climbing
A sport that involves ascending rock formations, artificial walls, or other challenging terrain using specialized equipment and techniques. Disciplines include bouldering, lead climbing, and speed climbing.
Coastal Rowing
A form of competitive rowing that takes place in coastal waters, often in the ocean or near shorelines, requiring specialized boats and techniques to navigate the challenging conditions.
Cochinita Pibil Eating
A traditional Mexican eating contest that involves consuming large quantities of cochinita pibil, a slow-roasted pork dish seasoned with achiote, citrus, and other spices.
Cockfighting
A controversial blood sport where two specially bred and trained fighting roosters are placed in a ring to fight each other to the death.
Codeball
A team sport similar to volleyball, where players use their hands, arms, and body to hit a ball back and forth over a net.
Competitive Eating
A sport where contestants attempt to consume large quantities of food in a short period of time. Participants compete in timed events, vying to eat the most of a particular food item.
Competitive Eating (Hot Dog Eating)
A specific type of competitive eating where contestants compete to consume the most hot dogs (and buns) within a given time frame, usually at events like the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest.
Competitive Eskrima
A Filipino martial art that involves the use of rattan sticks or other weapons in a sparring or competitive setting, emphasizing strikes, blocks, and disarming techniques.
Competitive Juggling
The sport of performing complex and difficult juggling routines, often in a competitive setting with set criteria and judging.
Competitive Paintball
A team-based sport where players use compressed-air-powered markers to shoot paint-filled projectiles at each other, often in specialized outdoor or indoor arenas.
Competitive Scrabble
A highly strategic game where players compete to form the highest-scoring words on a Scrabble game board, testing their vocabulary and tactical skills.
Competitive Swimming
A water sport where athletes compete in various swimming events, including freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly. Competitions are held in pools or open water and are timed events.
Competitive Tug-of-War
A test of strength and teamwork where two teams pull on opposite ends of a rope, with the goal of pulling the middle of the rope a certain distance in their direction.
Composing Music
The creative process of writing, arranging, and producing original musical compositions, often for performance, recording, or other artistic purposes.
Conkers
A traditional game where players take turns swinging a hard chestnut seed (a ‘conker’) on a string, attempting to break the opponent’s conker.
Cooperative Fishing
A form of recreational fishing where a group of anglers work together to catch fish, often using specialized techniques and equipment to increase their chances of success.
Coracle Racing
A traditional boat race where participants navigate small, round boats called coracles, which are made of a woven frame covered in animal hides or waterproof fabric.
Corkball
A variation of baseball played on a smaller diamond, where a cork-centered ball is hit with a narrow bat, emphasizing quick reflexes and precise hitting.
Cornhole
A lawn game where players take turns throwing bags of corn (or bean-filled bags) at a raised platform with a hole in the center. The objective is to land the bags in the hole or on the platform.
Cosplay
The creative practice of dressing up as characters from anime, manga, video games, movies, or other fictional media, often for conventions, competitions, or personal enjoyment.
Cow Chip Throwing
A quirky competitive event where participants attempt to throw dried cow feces (known as ‘cow chips’) as far as possible, often as a display of rural culture and humor.
Crabbing
The activity of catching crabs, either for sport or for commercial purposes, using specialized equipment and techniques.
Crate Stacking
A gravity-defying stunt where participants climb up a precariously stacked tower of milk crates, testing their balance, agility, and nerve.
Cricket
A bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a large oval-shaped field. The objective is to score runs by hitting the ball and running between two sets of small wooden posts called wickets.
Crocodile Wrestling
A dangerous traditional sport in which individuals wrestle and attempt to subdue wild crocodiles, often as a display of strength and bravery.
Croquet
A lawn game where players use mallets to hit balls through a series of hoops or wickets arranged on a grass playing field. The goal is to be the first player to complete the course.
Cross-Country Running
A form of long-distance running that takes place on open, natural terrain, such as trails, fields, and forests, often as part of organized competitions or recreational activities.
Cross-Country Skiing
A winter sport where participants use specialized skis to travel across snow-covered terrain, often over varying elevations and terrain. Competitions include distance races and sprint events.
Crossbow Archery
The sport of shooting bolts or quarrels from a crossbow at targets, combining the mechanics of a bow with the power of a small firearm.
CrossFit
A high-intensity fitness program that combines elements of weightlifting, gymnastics, and cardiovascular exercise, emphasizing functional movements and overall physical conditioning.
Cryptic Crossword Solving
A type of crossword puzzle that features hidden themes, obscure clues, and word play, challenging players’ linguistic and analytical skills.
Cryptozoology
The study and search for animals that are not recognized by mainstream science, often focused on legendary or unconfirmed creatures such as Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, or the Yeti.
Curling
A winter sport played on ice, where players slide heavy, polished granite stones towards a target area. Team members use brooms to sweep the ice in front of the stone to influence its path and speed.
Cycling
A sport involving the use of bicycles, with various competitive and recreational disciplines such as road cycling, track cycling, mountain biking, and BMX racing.
Cyclo-Cross
A form of bicycle racing that takes place on a mixed-surface course, combining paved and off-road sections, with obstacles that riders must dismount to traverse.

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