Aruba is a unique melting pot of cultures located in the Caribbean. As a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, they have a noticeable Dutch influence, but Aruba takes influence from nearby Venezuela and Colombia as well. The result is a populace that speaks four different languages and prides itself in baseball and water sports. Sailing, windsurfing, kite boarding, and wing foiling are all popular in Aruba, as are conventional sports like soccer, basketball, and volleyball. Tell us about your home country, suggest a topic, or just reach out at [email protected]

Bhutan carries an air of mystery around it. The Himalayan country has slowly opened itself up to the rest of the world, but maintains a rich cultural identity. This is reflected in the sports Bhutan plays as most of the popular sports are traditional to the country. We tell you all about khuru, soksom, dego, and the national sport: archery. And if you're looking for the popular ball sports of the world, Bhutan is on the rise in football and cricket. Tell us about your home country, suggest a topic, or just reach out at [email protected]

Spain doesn't need much of an introduction when it comes to sports. FIFA World Cup? Check. FIBA World Cup? Check. Over 170 Olympic medals? Of course they have that. We do our best to paint the picture of Spanish sports for you, covering their excellence in team sports as well as their famous athletes in individual sports. And if you're looking for some unique sports, we've got Basque pelota, jai alai, calva, and of course... bull fighting. Tell us about your home country, suggest a topic, or just reach out at [email protected]

Libya is a sparsely populated country in North Africa, covered primarily by the Sahara Desert. So what sports do Libyans take part in? Well, association football for one. Libya have had their fair share of notable performances as a national team and have a decent domestic league as well. If you're looking for something more unique, we cover Ta Kurt Om El Mahag, also referred to as "Berber Baseball". Tell us about your home country, suggest a topic, or just reach out at [email protected]

Kiribati is a collection of 33 islands that straddles the international date line in the Pacific Ocean. Many people haven't even heard of this country, let alone know about their sports, so we get you up to speed on everything in this episode. Kiribati enjoys a lot of the team sports that the rest of the world plays such as association football, basketball, and volleyball, and they've made a name for themselves in weightlifting. This is quite the feat given the struggles they face as a small, isolated country with few resources. Tell us about your home country, suggest a topic, or just reach out at [email protected]

The 19th edition of the FIBA Basketball World Cup is upon us! Spain enter the tournament as reigning champions and will look to fend off competition from 31 other countries, four of whom will be making their World Cup debut. We go through the format of the tournament and each of the nations competing this year, as well as provide streaming info so you can check out the games yourself (check out the link below). Tell us about your home country, suggest a topic, or just reach out at [email protected] https://basketnews.com/news-193630-fiba-world-cup-2023-where-and-how-to-watch.html#:~:text=The%20global%20sports%20media%20giant,on%20the%20ESPN%2B%20online%20platform.

Latvia haven't been competing as an independent nation for very long, but since leaving the Soviet Union, they've put up quite the impressive sporting resume. In 2023 alone, the men's ice hockey team grabbed their first ever medal at the World Championships and the men's basketball team qualified for the FIBA World Cup for the first time. In addition, Latvia have made a name for themselves in more niche sports like BMX and skeleton. And if you're looking for a sport native to the country, we bring up the cue sport, novuss. Tell us about your home country, suggest a topic, or just reach out at [email protected]

There's a lot of complexity surrounding Taiwan which is reflected in the name they use in many international sporting events: Chinese Taipei. We do our best to explain the political background of Taiwan as we dive into the many sports the country is known for, including baseball, association football, and badminton. And while Taiwan may not always be at the same level as the Asian giants of Japan, China, and South Korea, they certainly punch above their weight and have produced several athletes who reached the top of their respective sport (like Yani Tseng and Hsieh Su-wei). Tell us about your home country, suggest a topic, or just reach out at [email protected]

Malawi is one of the lesser-known countries in Africa, but that doesn't mean they lack in sporting success. In fact, Malawi are one of the top nations in the world in netball, even finishing on the podium in world championship tournaments. Of course association football/soccer is the most popular sport, and Malawi have put in some admirable performances over the years against the powerhouse teams of Africa. And if you're into water sports or looking for an underrated tourist attraction, we discuss Lake Malawi and all its glory. Tell us about your home country, suggest a topic, or just reach out at [email protected]

One of the biggest sporting events in the world is here: the FIFA Women's World Cup. With 32 nations competing in the tournament for the first time, we'll get to see plenty of newcomers in addition to the usual juggernauts of the beautiful game. In this episode, we cover the background of the tournament, share some info about the host nations (Australia and New Zealand), and give you the rundown on each team competing this year. The 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup begins July 20 and runs until August 20. Tell us about your home country, suggest a topic, or just reach out at [email protected]

Haiti may not be the first country that comes to mind when you think about sporting nations in the Caribbean. But it turns out that Haiti has had a lot of athletes make waves in the world of sports. Name any popular sport in North America and Haiti has had someone play it at the highest level (yes, even ice hockey). From a surprise world cup appearance to traditional pinge wrestling, we cover it all in this episode on Haiti. Link to ESPN article on Haitian-Dominican baseball players http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/18900471/the-complicated-state-haitian-dominicans-mlb Tell us about your home country, suggest a topic, or just reach out at [email protected]

There is no bigger race in the world of cycling than the Tour de France. To get you ready for the 2023 edition, we've brought in our friend Eric to share his knowledge of the race and cycling in general. We cover everything from top riders, notable stages, cycling lingo, and even some historic shenanigans from the early days of the race. The 2023 Tour de France runs from July 1 to July 23. Tell us about your home country, suggest a topic, or just reach out at [email protected]

When you think Scandinavia, you might think of skiing and various winter sports, but that is not what Denmark is known for. Denmark has stood at the top of the world in both men's and women's handball and surprisingly in badminton as well. Their underdog story in the Euro 1992 football tournament is one of the greatest tales from the beautiful game, and we can't forget about all the Danish athletes in cycling, sailing, and rowing. And if you're interested in some unique sports, we've got you covered with krolf! Tell us about your home country, suggest a topic, or just reach out at [email protected]

Guinea is one of the least visited countries in the world and admittedly info on their sports was a bit hard to come by. But we make up for that by going a bit deeper than usual on their two most popular sports: association football and basketball. With a surprisingly storied history in these sports and some promising youngsters on the rise, Guinea could make a name for themselves in the realm of African sports. And if you were wondering who became champs of Guinea football, matches got postponed until June 18. We'll update here at that time. Tell us about your home country, suggest a topic, or just reach out at [email protected]

The biggest event in sports at the club level is the UEFA Champions League Final. In 2023, Manchester City and Inter Milan will compete for the title of club football champs of Europe. We talk about this year's matchup and give you some background on what the Champions League is all about in this one. The 2023 final will take place in Istanbul on June 10, beginning at 3 pm eastern time in the United States. Tell us about sports in your home country, suggest a topic, or just reach out at [email protected]

Oman may not get the same attention as their neighbors in the Arab World, but they still have a lot to offer in the world of sports. With a rapidly growing population and economy, Oman is making huge strides in football and cricket, even qualifying for the T20 Cricket World Cup on two occasions. Their desert climate has led to the popularity of beach soccer and beach handball, and with a large coastline, traditional dhow racing is a perfect way to cool off. And if you're into animal sports, Oman has camel racing and bull fighting too (yes, you read that right)! Tell us about your home country, suggest a topic, or just reach out at [email protected]

With the 2023 French Open getting underway, what better time to take a dive into one of the most prestigious tournaments in tennis. We cover everything from the origins of the tournament, to the clay court surface, and mention some of the notable players to win the tournament before (as well as the stars who never won the French Open). The tournament proper for the 2023 French Open begins May 28 and goes until June 11. Tell us about your home country, suggest a topic, or just reach out at [email protected]

Argentina are one of the giants of the sports world. This rings true in just about every conventional sport you can think of: association football, basketball, rugby union, field hockey, etc. But Argentina also show a considerable level of talent in things like polo and cricket that the rest of their South American neighbors aren't known for. Throw in individual sports like auto racing and tennis, as well as sports native to Argentina such as pato and tejo, and you can see why Argentina is known around the world for their sporting accomplishments. We also apologize for not mentioning tango in this episode. Tell us about your home country, suggest a topic, or just reach out at [email protected]

Professional sports leagues around the world continue to look for ways to expand their influence. And in North America, what better way to do this than to expand your league with new teams. We talk about what factors go into deciding what city deserves a professional team and why league expansions aren't as common on other continents. We also share our thoughts on the future of expansion in the major North American sports leagues as well as the rapidly growing European League of Football. Tell us about your home country, suggest a topic, or just reach out at [email protected]

Madagascar is well-known for being a large tropical island off the coast of Africa with an abundance of wildlife. But how do they fare in sports? As it turns out, surprisingly well. Madagascar has been among the best countries in Africa in sports like rugby union, basketball, and pétanque in recent years, and have even played at the world cup level in some of these sports. Of course traditional sports remain popular too, such as savika (zebu wrestling/rodeo) and moraingy (traditional martial art). Oh and if you're into board games, check out fanorona, an abstract strategy game created in Madagascar. Tell us about your country, suggest a topic, or just reach out at [email protected]

Horses and horse racing have been a part of human culture for millennia. This week, we take a look at arguably the biggest horse race in the world: The Kentucky Derby. As the first race of the American Triple Crown of horse racing, The Kentucky Derby garners considerable attention every year from even the most casual of sports fans. We'll get you up to speed on the storied history of the race and some of the notable horses to take part in "The Fastest Two Minutes in Sports." The 2023 Kentucky Derby takes place on May 6 with coverage on NBC and Peacock in the United States. Tell us about your home country, suggest a topic, or just reach out at [email protected]

Laos may not be as well-known as their neighbors in Southeast Asia, but they've proven they can hang with them in the world of sports. While their population is far behind that of Vietnam or Thailand, Laos has put in strong performances in the realm of combat sports (such as Muay Lao) and the popular regional sport of Sepak Takraw. Association football is popular in the country as well, and you can find many Laotians partaking in a game of pétanque in their spare time. Tell us about your country, suggest a topic, or just reach out at [email protected]

While all sports in the world require a large degree of skill and expertise, sometimes a bit of luck is required in order to be the last team or person standing. Inspired by the book "The Success Equation: Untangling Skill in Business, Sports, and Investing" by Michael J. Mauboussin, we take a look at what role luck plays in some of the world's biggest sports. Specifically, we dive into the "big five" of American sports (soccer, baseball, basketball, football, and hockey) as well as their respective leagues to see what sports have more random elements to them. It's a fun discussion and change of pace for us so we hope you enjoy! Tell us about your home country, suggest a topic, or just reach out at [email protected]

Northern Ireland is known for many of the sports you associate with the British Isles: football, rugby, cricket, golf, etc. While they may not get as much attention as their neighbors in the sports world, Northern Ireland has produced world class stars like George Best, Joey Dunlop, and Rory McIlroy among others. And of course we have to mention the Gaelic Games, including hurling and Gaelic football. Oh and if the semantics of Northern Ireland vs Ireland vs United Kingdom confuse you, don't worry, we do our best to explain all of that. Tell us about your home country, suggest a topic, or just email us at [email protected]

This week, we're taking a look at all the things that make the Masters Tournament special. Arguably the most prestigious golf tournament in the world, the Masters is held every year in Augusta, Georgia and features the greatest players in the sport competing for glory. We cover everything from the famous green jackets to the greatest players in tournament history, as well as give some insight into this year's edition. The 2023 Masters will take place from April 6-9. Tell us about your country, suggest a topic, or just reach out at [email protected]

Uganda may have a difficult past, but its athletes have risen to the top of the sporting world on more than one occasion. You have football stars such as Denis Onyango, world record runners like Joshua Cheptegei, and top basketball prospects like Arthur Kaluma representing Uganda in big ways. With a rapidly growing population, Uganda are a country to look out for in several team sports including netball, rugby, and surprisingly baseball. Tell us about your country, suggest a topic, or just reach out at [email protected]

The NCAA Men's Division 1 Basketball Tournament is upon us! Also known as March Madness, the exciting single-elimination tournament sees the best basketball programs in the country compete to be national champion. We cover the tournament favorites, some of the exciting matchups, and games with upset potential to get you up to speed on this year's tournament.  Tell us about your country, suggest a topic, or just reach out at [email protected]

Nicaragua has had a difficult past thanks to a number of reasons, but they've had athletes break through in the world of sports in some big ways. From baseball stars such as Dennis Martínez to boxing world champs like Román González, Nicaragua has every reason to be proud of their sporting accomplishments. While a lack of funding has hindered the country's growth in some team sports, Nicaragua has still managed to qualify for events like the World Baseball Classic. And we can't forget about ash boarding down volcanoes because they do that too! Tell us about your country, suggest a topic, or just reach out at [email protected]

Baseball on the world's biggest stage is back! David and Bobby provide some background on the World Baseball Classic and take a look at all 20 nations participating at this year's event. Powerhouses such as Japan, the Dominican Republic, and the United States will enter as favorites to win it all, while newcomers Nicaragua, Great Britain, and the Czech Republic will look to make a name for themselves. The tournament will run from March 8 to March 21 and you can check the link below to find where to watch in your country. (Tournament may begin on March 7 depending on your time zone). https://www.mlb.com/world-baseball-classic/where-to-watch Tell us about your country, suggest a topic, or just reach out at [email protected]

Slovenia has had a ton of athletes make an impact in the world of sports, ranging from the conventional (football, basketball, etc.) to the extreme (like skiing down Mt. Everest). We take a look at Slovenia's performance as a team in events such as the FIBA World Cup and how their individual athletes have excelled, such as alpine skier Tina Maze. Name any sport and you can bet that Slovenia has someone participating in it at the highest level. And yes, we talk about Luka Dončić. Read about Davo Karničar's life here: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/22/sports/skiing/Davo-Karnicar-Dies.html Tell us about your country, suggest a topic, or just reach out at [email protected]

David and Bobby bring on their friend Alex to get you up to speed on the current state of NASCAR. We cover everything from the history of the sport, favorite drivers, and some of the exciting races you can watch during the 2023 season, such as the Daytona 500 on February 19th. Check out the 2023 race schedule here: https://www.nascar.com/nascar-cup-series/2023/schedule/ Tell us about your country, suggest a topic, or just reach out at [email protected]

Kyrgyzstan is a country filled with strong people doing sports that require a great amount of strength. These sports range from conventional events like Olympic-style wrestling to the wonderfully bizarre horseback game of kok boru (basically dead goat polo/rugby). Kyrgyzstan is home to plenty of your favorite ball sports as well, such as football, handball, and the winter sport of bandy. Tell us about sports in your country, suggest a topic, or just reach out at [email protected]

The 2023 ICC Women's T20 World Cup begins February 10 in South Africa! David and Bobby take a look at the host stadiums, the teams involved, and who the favorites are to win the tournament. The tournament will run from Feb. 10-26 and can be viewed on ESPN+ in the United States. Check the first link below for streaming information if based outside the US. https://www.t20worldcup.com/news/2445214 Players to watch at the tournament: https://sportstar.thehindu.com/cricket/womens-cricket/icc-awards-2022-women-tahlia-mcgrath-t20-cricketer-beats-smriti-mandhana-renuka-singh-thakur-emerging-player/article66432666.ece Tell us about sports in your country, suggest a topic, or say hi at [email protected]

In our smallest country profile yet, we take a look at Djibouti. Like other countries in East Africa, Djibouti excels at long distance running, including marathons. While they don't produce the same quantity as Ethiopia or Kenya, Djiboutian runners have excelled on the continental and global stage. Djibouti enjoys their ball sports too (association football, basketball, handball, etc), but boules sport pétanque is arguably the most popular recreational pastime. Don't worry, we explain what pétanque is! Tell us about your home country or suggest a topic! Email us at [email protected]

Handball seems to be a popular sport just about everywhere except for the United States. So what better time for two Americans to dive into the sport than during the 2023 World Men's Handball Championship. We begin with a look at the basics of handball, followed by the tournament structure, and ending with some players to watch this year.  Contact us at [email protected] Find where to watch this year's tournament here:  https://www.ihf.info/media-center/news/where-watch-and-listen-polandsweden-2023#:~:text=For%20all%20territories%20without%20rights,official%20IHF%20%2D%20Competitions%20YouTube%20channel.&text=Geo%2Dblocking%20will%20apply%20on,not%20show%20every%20match%20live.

There are really three major sports to talk about with North Macedonia: association football, basketball, and handball. The country has made some major waves in football and basketball in the last decade, usually surprising the rest of Europe with some unexpected performances. As for handball, North Macedonia have established themselves as a steady presence in international tournaments and have even had club-level teams win major trophies. Having been an independent nation since 1991, perhaps the best is yet to come for sports in North Macedonia. Wanna tell us about your home country or suggest a future topic? Contact us at [email protected]

Australia is a major player in the world of sports and are really good at just about everything. While there were a lot of sports and athletes we could highlight, we stuck to the ones we felt were most representative of Australia's sporting culture. So sports like cricket, rugby league, and Australian Rules Football to name a few! In hindsight, we could have made this one longer and talked about more sports, but maybe we'll get around to those in a future episode. Wanna tell us about your home country? Maybe suggest a future topic? Email us at [email protected]

Volleyball is a sport that just about everyone is familiar with, but in the United States, it doesn't get much attention beyond the college level. We take a look at the many, many international tournaments that FIVB hosts and get frustrated with the naming conventions for said tournaments. We also talk about volleyball's interesting history that saw the sport spread from a Massachusetts YMCA to the rest of the world in a surprising way. Wanna tell us about your home country? Maybe suggest a topic or just reach out? Contact us at [email protected]

Samoa is a nation filled with strong people doing strong things. From rugby to wrestling to any form of football, you'll find Samoans playing sports at the highest level and making their people proud. Not sure where Samoa is or thought it was called American Samoa? Don't worry, we'll cover that too. (American Samoa will be covered in a separate episode by the way). Want to help us with country research or suggest a future topic? Contact us at [email protected]

With the FIFA World Cup still going on, we decided to take a look at two infamous matches in football history that led to rule changes afterwards: the 1994 Caribbean Cup match between Barbados and Grenada, and the 1982 World Cup match between Austria and West Germany.  Want to suggest a topic or help us out with a country profile episode? Contact us at [email protected]

In our first bonus episode, Bobby and David recount the World Cup so far and look at the match-ups for the round of 16 (and make their best guesses for the rest of the bracket too!) Contact us at [email protected]

Bulgaria have a strong sporting history filled with Olympic successes and dominating performances in sports like wrestling, weightlifting, and gymnastics. While their sporting fortunes have changed a bit since 1990 (and their population has declined significantly), Bulgaria remains relevant in the aforementioned sports and have had great showings in volleyball and their miraculous 1994 semi final run in the FIFA World Cup.  Contact us at [email protected]

Collegiate basketball in the United States serves as a proving ground for the best amateur players who want to pursue the sport at the professional level. While the player pool is far and away composed of Americans, there are several notable players from abroad playing at top-ranked schools. Bobby and David take a look at a dozen or so of the best international players in NCAA basketball in the 2022-23 season and explain a few of the basics of college basketball too. Contact us at [email protected]

As is the case with most of South America, association football is by far the most popular sport in Ecuador. With notable clubs on the domestic level and recent successes for the national teams (including the 2022 FIFA World Cup), football is a major source of pride in the country. Ecuador is also home to some unique sports such as Ecuavoley and Pelota Nacional. And you can't forget about the diverse landscape of the country, making it a great spot for adventure sports and surfing. Contact us at [email protected]

The 2022 FIFA World Cup is finally here! David provides background on the host nation Qatar and how the tournament works, followed by some insight from Bobby on each of the teams participating. The World Cup kicks off on November 20 with Qatar taking on Ecuador and finishes up on December 18. Feel free to contact us at [email protected]

Bangladesh may look small on a map, but this country has a massive population and a massive passion for cricket. In the past 20 years, cricket has become a source of national pride for the Bangladeshi people and the progress their country has made in that time. Team sports like association football, field hockey, and kabaddi are also popular in Bangladesh, as are individual sports like archery and golf. Only time will tell if the country's economic growth will lead to Bangladesh becoming a big name in international sports beyond cricket.

With the 2022-23 National Hockey League (NHL) season getting under way, David and Bobby take a look at the history of the league and its star players from outside of North America. With about a third of the league's players hailing from outside the US and Canada, you'll find no shortage of hockey talent from places such as Sweden, Finland, Russia, and the Czech Republic just to name a few.

Zimbabwe have had their fair share of troubles in the past century, with some of those troubles seeping their way into the world of sports. In this episode, Bobby and David look at the good and bad of Zimbabwean sports including cricket, football (soccer), and rugby.

Aside from association football, cricket may be the most popular sport in the world. While the bat-and-ball game may be unfamiliar to most Americans (including us), we took it upon ourselves to learn the basics and share them with you before the ICC Men's T20 World Cup kicks off. If you don't know what T20 is, don't worry! We go over that too. The 2022 ICC Men's T20 World Cup takes place in Australia from October 16 to November 13. Catch the action on ESPN+ in the US or find where to watch in your country at https://www.t20worldcup.com/official-broadcasters

While The Bahamas only has a population of around 400,000 people, they have definitely made their mark on the world of sports. The island nation has produced star athletes in basketball, baseball, and tennis, and has even had a few players in the NFL. But of course, where The Bahamas shines brightest in the world of sports is on the Olympic stage where they have had a consistent stream of medal-winning sprinters.

League of Legends is one of the most popular Esports on the planet, and this week, David provides a preview on the World Championship for the sport. We cover everything from gameplay basics to tournament structure, as well as mention the notable teams and players that will be in action at the tournament. The 2022 League of Legends World Championship will take place from September 29 to November 5. Follow the action on the LoL Esports YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/c/lolesports

Despite having a population around 10 million people, Jordan can hang with the giants of Asian sports. They field competitive teams in their two biggest team sports (association football and basketball) and have recently broken through at the Olympics in combat sports such as taekwondo and karate. Oh and they had a princess compete in the Olympics in 2000. Ya know, normal stuff.

With the NFL kicking off in the United States, we decided to take a look at how American football has grown around the world. Believe it or not, the sport has gained a following in Europe and Asia to an extent, and national federations have been established in countries in Africa and South America. While American football still has a long way to go to truly become more than just an American game, its international growth points to a promising future for the sport.

Located in Central Europe with a landscape dominated by the Eastern Alps, Austria's sporting culture is molded by its terrain and climate. From alpine skiing to ice hockey, from football to motorsports, Austria has a storied history with sports. Join Bobby and David as they explore all that Austria has to offer in the sporting world!

David shares his passion for disc golf by sharing his favorites to win the 2022 PDGA World Championships as well as sharing some info on how to play and watch the sport. The 2022 Professional Disc Golf World Championships are happening from August 30 to September 3 in Emporia, Kansas. 

When it comes to sports in Mali, there are really only two to talk about: association football and basketball. The country’s success at the youth level in these two sports in recent years has led to an influx in Malians competing at a high level in their respective sport. While Mali is not quite a household name in global sports, the country looks primed to become one of the elite sporting nations on the African continent during the 2020s and beyond. Feel free to contact us at [email protected]