Sports

While we could think the traditional Basque sport - la Pelota - is the main sport in the Basque Country, football is the most popular competitive sport, followed by basketball.

The largest football team is the famous Athletic Bilbao Club. It plays at the San Manés stadium, called la catedral del fútbol (the football's cathedral), which is Spain's oldest built stadium and which can seats 39,750 spectators. Athletic Bilbao Club was one of the founder members of the Spanish football league, La Ligua, and has played in the First Division ever since - winning it on eight occasions.

The main basketball team is Bizkaia Bilbao Basket and they play at the Bizkaia Arena located in the Bilbao Exhibition Center (BEC).
In addition, others sports are well practiced in Bilbao, as the location and the great landscapes offer many possibilities. Hiking is very popular as well as rock climbing in the nearby mountains. Water sports and especially surfing is practised in the beaches of Bakio, Sopelana and Mundaka, with worldwide championship.
 
Traditional basque games are an exclusive atraction of basque country. A very popular one is "Pelota basca", "cesta punta" and "Pala", play on a traditional Fronton. These games are also "exported" to Argentina or France.

Socatira (people pulling a rope from each side), is an Olympic game and Basque Contry has a gold medal and worldwide recognition.
During poplar fair, every villages has old tradition games like "raising stone", dragging of stones from Ox, and different ways of chopping wood contest.