There are 75 sports that start with the letter Y. From Yabuki to Yoyo. 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 Y

Sports origin country player count equipment needed
Yabuki Japan 2 players Baseball equipment
Yabuki-Nage Japan 2 players None
Yabusame Japan 1 archer Bow, arrow, horse
Yabwir Yabwir-Pul Yacutinga Yaga
Yachak Ecuador 1 player None
Yacht Racing United Kingdom 2-12 Yacht, Sailing equipment
Yachting United Kingdom 1-12 Yacht, Sailing equipment
Yada-Yada Argentina 1+ None
Yaga Russia 2 Bow and arrow
Yagai Sumo Japan 2 or more wrestlers None
Yagi Japan 2 teams Ball, goal posts
Yagli Gures Turkey 2 wrestlers None
Yaird Scotland 2+ Ball, target
Yakan Philippines 2 teams Ball
Yakatorob Mexico 2 or more players Ball
Yakee Malaysia 2 teams Ball
Yakima Stick Game United States 2 teams Carved sticks
Yakisoba-Noodle Eating Japan 1 competitor Chopsticks, bowl of yakisoba
Yakkyoku Japan 2 or more players Dice, game board
Yakyu Japan 18-36 Baseball equipment
Yakyuken Japan 2 None
Yalda Night Games Iran 2+ None
Yama Dachi Japan 2 players None
Yama-Ichi Japan 2+ Ball
Yama-Shogi Japan 2 Shogi pieces, board
Yamani Yemen 2 teams None
Yamani Stick Fighting Yemen 2 players Wooden sticks
Yamato-Dori Japan 2+ Wooden sticks
Yan-Kan-Pon Japan 2 or more players None
Yangge China Group None
Yanggu China 2-4 Wooden clubs, Targets
Yango Indonesia 2 teams Ball
Yangshou China 2-4 Wooden swords, Targets
Yanhe China 2 or more players Ball
Yanki Japan 2 or more players None
Yantaroppu Japan 2 players Wooden poles
Yantra Patrika India 2+ Paper, pen
Yao Ball China 2 teams Ball
Yao Diu China 2+ Shuttlecock, racket
Yapa Argentina 2 or more players Ball
Yapese Stick Dance Yap Islands Group Wooden sticks
Yaq Chog Tibet 2-4 Wooden clubs, Targets
Yaqona Fiji 2+ Kava root
Yaqui Ball Game Mexico 2-4 Rubber ball, Wooden bat
Yar Ball Guyana 2+ Ball, court
Yaraandoo Australia 2+ None
Yari Kote Japan 2 opponents Wooden sword (yari)
Yasa Iran 2+ None
Yass Australia 2-4 Wooden clubs, Targets
Yassa Burkina Faso 2 teams Ball
Yath Maroo Sri Lanka 2+ None
Yaya Nigeria 2 or more players Ball
Yazu Japan 2+ Ball
Yee Tschi China 2 or more players Shuttlecock, rackets
Yeesu Mongolia 2 wrestlers None
Yefestiyo Ethiopia 2 or more players Ball
Yemanja Brazil 2 or more players Ball
Yenga Africa 2+ Wooden blocks
Yeni Turkey 2 or more players Ball
Yeo-Seul-Nori Korea 2 or more players Ball
Yeshmagel Ethiopia 2 or more players Ball
Yezi China 2 or more players Ball
Ygotz Spain 2+ None
Yibel Ethiopia 2 or more players Ball
Yidis India 2+ None
Yijheng Taiwan 2 or more players Ball
Yim Pok Thailand 2+ Ball
Yinling China 2 or more players Ball
Yirga Ethiopia 2 or more players Ball
Yirnpa Australia 2 or more players Ball
Yok Yor Thailand 2 teams None
Yokushi Japan 2 or more players Racket, ball
Yomi-Iri Japan 2+ None
Yosal Philippines 2 or more players Ball
Yoyo Various 1 or more players Yoyo, string

Descriptions

Yabuki
A bat-and-ball game played in Japan, similar to baseball but with a smaller field and some unique rules.
Yabuki-Nage
A traditional Japanese martial art that involves throwing techniques, similar to judo.
Yabusame
Traditional Japanese horseback archery, where an archer on a galloping horse aims to strike three wooden targets with a bow and arrow.
Yabwir
Yago
Yachak
A traditional Ecuadorian sport where a ‘yachak’ or spiritual leader performs rituals and divination.
Yacht Racing
A competitive water sport where yachts or sailboats race against each other on a designated course. Requires skill in maneuvering the vessel and utilizing wind power effectively.
Yachting
The sport of sailing and racing yachts, which are large, decked sailing vessels. Yachting competitions often involve navigating complex courses and demonstrating seamanship skills.
Yada-Yada
A traditional Argentine dance that involves rapid back-and-forth movements, often accompanied by the rhythmic clapping of hands.
Yaga
A traditional Russian sport where archers compete to hit a target placed on a long pole. Requires precision, strength, and archery skills.
Yagai Sumo
Traditional Japanese outdoor sumo wrestling, often held at festivals and other events, with no ring or formal attire required.
Yagi
A traditional Japanese sport that combines elements of soccer and handball, played with a ball that must be passed and shot through a goal.
Yagli Gures
Traditional Turkish oil wrestling, where two opponents covered in olive oil attempt to gain advantage and pin each other to the ground.
Yaird
A traditional Scottish bowling game played on a grass field, where players take turns rolling a spherical ‘bowl’ towards a ‘jack’ or target.
Yakan
A traditional Filipino game played with a small, woven ball, where players use their hands, feet, and head to keep the ball in the air.
Yakatorob
A traditional Indigenous Mexican game played with a rubber ball, where players use their hips to keep the ball in the air and pass it to teammates.
Yakee
A traditional Malaysian sport similar to volleyball, played with a rattan ball.
Yakima Stick Game
A traditional Native American game from the Yakima tribe, played with carved sticks and a small ball.
Yakisoba-Noodle Eating
Competitive eating event involving rapidly consuming a large portion of the Japanese stir-fried noodle dish yakisoba.
Yakkyoku
A Japanese dice game similar to Backgammon, with players moving their pieces around a board and trying to be the first to remove all their pieces.
Yakyu
The Japanese version of baseball, with similar rules but distinct cultural elements and traditions. Played professionally in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball league.
Yakyuken
A Japanese strip rock-paper-scissors game, where the loser must remove an article of clothing.
Yalda Night Games
Traditional Iranian games played on the winter solstice, including fortune-telling, poetry recitation, and riddle-solving.
Yama Dachi
A Japanese martial art focusing on strong, stable stances and balance.
Yama-Ichi
A traditional Japanese game similar to hacky sack, where players use their feet, knees, and other body parts to keep a ball in the air.
Yama-Shogi
A Japanese chess variant played on an 8×8 board with Shogi pieces, featuring unique movement rules and the potential for ‘Yama’ or ‘mountain’ positions.
Yamani
Traditional Yemeni sport where two teams attempt to kick a ball made of goat skin between two parallel sticks placed a distance apart.
Yamani Stick Fighting
A traditional Yemeni combat sport involving the use of wooden sticks in various striking and blocking techniques.
Yamato-Dori
A Japanese martial arts practice that involves the use of long wooden sticks, emphasizing coordination, balance, and spiritual discipline.
Yan-Kan-Pon
A hand-gesture game played in Japan, similar to ‘Rock, Paper, Scissors,’ where players make a hand motion to determine the winner.
Yangge
Traditional Chinese folk dance performed during the Lunar New Year, characterized by synchronized movements and colorful costumes.
Yanggu
A traditional Chinese sport where players use wooden clubs to strike targets placed on the ground. Emphasizes accuracy, coordination, and strategy.
Yango
A traditional Indonesian game similar to volleyball, played with a woven rattan ball.
Yangshou
A traditional Chinese sport where players use wooden swords to strike targets placed on the ground. Combines elements of martial arts and target shooting.
Yanhe
A traditional Chinese game played with a small, weighted ball, where players use their feet, knees, and other body parts to keep the ball in the air.
Yanki
A traditional Japanese game where players compete to see who can jump the highest or farthest, using a variety of techniques and strategies.
Yantaroppu
A traditional Japanese sport where two players use long wooden poles to push each other off a platform.
Yantra Patrika
An ancient Indian game of geometric patterns and symbols, played for spiritual and artistic expression.
Yao Ball
A traditional Chinese game similar to basketball, played with a small, hard ball.
Yao Diu
A traditional Chinese sport similar to badminton, played with a feathered shuttlecock and wooden rackets on a court.
Yapa
A traditional Argentine game played with a small, leather ball, where players use their hands, feet, and other body parts to keep the ball in the air and pass it to teammates.
Yapese Stick Dance
Traditional dance from the Yap Islands in Micronesia, where performers use decorated wooden sticks to create rhythmic patterns and movements.
Yaq Chog
A traditional Tibetan sport where players use wooden clubs to strike targets placed on the ground. Requires skill, precision, and strategic placement of the clubs.
Yaqona
A traditional Fijian ceremonial drinking ritual and social activity, often accompanied by storytelling and music.
Yaqui Ball Game
A traditional Mexican ball game played with a rubber ball and wooden bat. Players must strike the ball through a high hoop to score points.
Yar Ball
A sport originating in Guyana, where players hit a ball against a wall, attempting to score points by making it bounce in designated areas.
Yaraandoo
An Aboriginal Australian game involving the use of sticks and ball-like objects, promoting hand-eye coordination and teamwork.
Yari Kote
Japanese martial art involving the use of a long wooden sword called a yari, which is wielded with both hands to strike and thrust at an opponent.
Yasa
A traditional Iranian game where players use their hands and feet to keep a small ball in the air, similar to hacky sack.
Yass
A traditional Australian sport where players use wooden clubs to strike targets placed on the ground. Emphasizes accuracy, coordination, and strategy.
Yassa
Traditional Burkinabe sport where two teams attempt to kick a ball made from woven plant fibers through opposing goal posts.
Yath Maroo
A traditional Sri Lankan game involving the throwing and catching of a small ball, often played as a social and recreational activity.
Yaya
A traditional Nigerian game played with a small, woven ball, where players use their feet, head, and other body parts to keep the ball in the air and score goals.
Yazu
A traditional Japanese game similar to hacky sack, where players use their hands, feet, and other body parts to keep a ball in the air.
Yee Tschi
A traditional Chinese game similar to badminton, played with a shuttlecock and small, handheld rackets.
Yeesu
Traditional Mongolian wrestling style where two opponents engage in a physical contest, trying to throw each other to the ground.
Yefestiyo
A traditional Ethiopian game played with a small, leather ball, where players use their feet, head, and other body parts to keep the ball in the air and pass it to teammates.
Yemanja
A traditional Brazilian game played with a ball, where players use their hands, feet, and other body parts to keep the ball in the air and score points by hitting it through a goal or over a net.
Yenga
A dexterity game where players carefully remove and stack wooden blocks, testing their balance and concentration.
Yeni
A traditional Turkish game played with a ball, where players use their feet, head, and other body parts to keep the ball in the air and pass it to teammates.
Yeo-Seul-Nori
A traditional Korean game played with a ball, where players use their feet, head, and other body parts to keep the ball in the air and pass it to teammates.
Yeshmagel
A traditional Ethiopian game played with a ball, where players use their feet, head, and other body parts to keep the ball in the air and pass it to teammates.
Yezi
A traditional Chinese game played with a ball, where players use their feet, head, and other body parts to keep the ball in the air and pass it to teammates.
Ygotz
A traditional Basque game involving the throwing and catching of a small ball, often played as a social and recreational activity.
Yibel
A traditional Ethiopian game played with a ball, where players use their feet, head, and other body parts to keep the ball in the air and pass it to teammates.
Yidis
A traditional Indian game where players use their hands and feet to keep a small ball in the air, similar to hacky sack.
Yijheng
A traditional Taiwanese game played with a ball, where players use their feet, head, and other body parts to keep the ball in the air and pass it to teammates.
Yim Pok
A traditional Thai game similar to volleyball, where players use their hands, arms, and other body parts to keep a ball in the air.
Yinling
A traditional Chinese game played with a ball, where players use their feet, head, and other body parts to keep the ball in the air and pass it to teammates.
Yirga
A traditional Ethiopian game played with a ball, where players use their feet, head, and other body parts to keep the ball in the air and pass it to teammates.
Yirnpa
A traditional Australian Aboriginal game played with a ball, where players use their feet, head, and other body parts to keep the ball in the air and pass it to teammates.
Yok Yor
Traditional Thai sport where two teams attempt to kick a small woven ball back and forth using only their feet.
Yokushi
A Japanese sport similar to squash, played on a smaller court with a handheld racket and a rubber ball.
Yomi-Iri
A traditional Japanese game where players take turns removing stones from a pile, testing their strategic thinking and hand-eye coordination.
Yosal
A traditional Filipino game played with a small, woven ball, where players use their hands, feet, and other body parts to keep the ball in the air and pass it to teammates.
Yoyo
A toy consisting of a small, circular object attached to a long string, which is used to perform various tricks and stunts.

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