Sport in Cardiff is governed by the governing bodies of sports in Wales and is dictated by, among other things, its position as Wales' capital city, meaning that national home sporting fixtures are nearly always played in the city. All of Wales' multi-sport agencies have their headquarters in Cardiff and its many top quality venues have attracted sport events, sometimes unrelated to the city or to Wales.
The city hosts numerous international sporting events, be it independently or on behalf of Wales or the United Kingdom. Rugby union fans around the world have long been familiar with the Cardiff Arms Park and its successor the Millennium Stadium, a visible presence from in and around the city. Early this century, hundreds of thousands of English football and rugby league supporters visited Cardiff during the six years (from 2001 to 2006) it took to rebuild Wembley Stadium, as the FA Cup and Rugby League Challenge Cup finals (and several other competitions) were played at the Millennium Stadium. In 2009, Cardiff hosted the first Ashes cricket test, between England and Australia, to be held in Wales. Cardiff hosted eight football matches of the London 2012 Olympics and was the training base for certain participating nations.
In 2008/09, 61% of Cardiff residents regularly participated in sport and active recreation, the highest percentage out of all 22 local authorities in Wales.Welsh Assembly Government | Local Area Summary Statistics p44
Overview
Cardiff plays host to many high-profile sporting events at a local, national and international level. In recognition of the city's commitment to sport for all, Cardiff was awarded the title of European City of Sport 2009. Organised sports have been held in the city since the early 19th century. Cardiff Arms Park (), in central Cardiff, is among the world's most famous venues—being the scene of three Welsh Grand Slams in the 1970s (1971, 1976 and 1978) and six Five Nations titles in nine years – and was the venue for Wales' games in the 1991 Rugby World Cup. The Arms Park has a sporting history dating back to at least the 1850s, when Cardiff Cricket Club (formed 1819) relocated to the site. The ground was donated to Cardiff CC in 1867 by the Marquess of Bute. Cardiff Cricket Club shared the ground with Cardiff Rugby Football Club (founded 1876)—forming Cardiff Athletic Club between them—until 1966, when the cricket section moved to Sophia Gardens. Cardiff Athletic Club and the Welsh Rugby Union established two stadia on the site—Cardiff RFC played at their stadium at the northern end of the site, and the Wales national rugby union team played international matches at the National Stadium, Cardiff Arms Park, which opened in 1970. The National Stadium was replaced by the 74,500 capacity Millennium Stadium () in 1999—in time for the 1999 Rugby World Cup—and is home stadium to the Wales national rugby and football teams for international matches. In addition to Wales' Six Nations Championship and other international games, the Millennium Stadium held four matches in the 2007 Rugby World Cup and six FA Cup finals (from the 2000–01 to 2005–06 seasons) while Wembley Stadium was being rebuilt.
Multi-sport organisations
Sport Wales (), the Welsh Sports Association () and the Federation of Disability Sport Wales (), the country's multi-sport agencies, are based at the Sport Wales National Centre, Sophia Gardens.
Sport Wales is responsible for developing and promoting sport and active lifestyles in Wales. It was established in 1972 with the objectives of "fostering the knowledge and practice of sport and physical recreation among the public at large in Wales and the provision of facilities thereto". Sport Wales is the Welsh Assembly Government's main adviser on sporting matters and is responsible for distributing National Lottery awards to sports in Wales.
The Welsh Sports Association (WSA) (established 1972) is an independent, umbrella body, supporting and representing the national and international interests of all the national governing bodies (NGBs) of sport and physical recreation in Wales. It has a membership of over 60 NGBs. The WSA acts as an independent consultative body to the Welsh Assembly Government, Sport Wales and to UK Sport.
The Federation of Disability Sport Wales is the national pan-disability governing body of sports organisations that provide local sporting and physical activity opportunities to disabled people in Wales.
Cardiff Athletic Club is a multi-sport club and owns the Cardiff Arms Park site. It was established in 1922, and has been the main body responsible for much of the premier amateur sporting activities in Cardiff. The Athletic Club has cricket (Cardiff Cricket Club), rugby union (Cardiff RFC), field hockey (Cardiff Hockey Club), tennis (Lisvane Tennis Club) and bowls (Cardiff Athletic Bowls Club) sections.
Team sports
Baseball Cardiff is one of the centres of British baseball and hosts the annual Wales vs England international game every other year, usually at Roath Park, although the 2008 game – marking the centenary of the fixture between the two countries – was held in Llanrumney. Wales won the encounter again, having not lost to England, home or away, since 1995.
Welsh Baseball Union (WBU) – formed 1892 – the governing body of men's British baseball in Wales, is based in Heath, Cardiff.
Welsh Ladies Baseball Union (WLBU), the governing body of women's British baseball in Wales, is based in Grangetown, Cardiff. It was formed in 2006 when the WLBU decided to break away from the men's WBU.
Basketball The Cardiff City basketball team compete in the English Basketball League, Division 2. They play their home games at the Cardiff City Housevof Sport.
Basketball Wales (), the sole controller and the governing body of all aspects of the game of basketball in Wales, is based at the Sport Wales National Centre, Sophia Gardens. It is responsible for the management of the Welsh National Basketball League, the national teams and for the organisation of all national and international basketball competitions held in Wales.
Camogie Camogie was played in Cardiff in the 1980s.
Cricket
Cricket has been played in Cardiff since at least the early 19th century and the city's first cricket club was formed in 1819. Cardiff Cricket Club, and the clubs they played—their fixture list included teams from south Wales and the west of England—were originally considered as 'gentlemen's clubs'. As the city grew, working class players formed their own clubs and, by 1885, Cardiff had 65 cricket teams. Cardiff Cricket Club, whose first XI now play in the South Wales Cricket League – Premier Division, field a further 12 sides, including 'Midweek' and 'Sunday Friendly' XIs.
In the north west of the county, Clwb Criced Creigiau Cricket Club, whose first XI plays in the South Wales Cricket League, field another 16 sides, from Juniors to Veterans. Lisvane CC, the only club in the east of Cardiff, plays at Llwynarthen Cricket Ground and has the largest youth section in Cardiff.
Glamorgan County Cricket Club (), the Welsh first class, professional club, played their first county match – against Monmouthshire – in 1869, and played many regular county and exhibition matches at the Arms Park, including a game against a West Gloucestershire XI that included both G. F. and W. G. Grace.
Glamorgan CCC play in the England and Wales Cricket Board County Championship and have competed as a first class county since 1921. Their headquarters and ground is the SWALEC Stadium, Sophia Gardens, since moving from Cardiff Arms Park in 1966. The club, which has over 7000 members, also runs the Welsh Cricket Academy. The Sophia Gardens stadium underwent a multimillion-pound improvement since being selected to host the first 'England' v Australia Test match of the 2009 Ashes series.
As well as running club sides, three South Wales universities—Cardiff University, UWIC and the (Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf based) University of Glamorgan— formed the Cardiff/Glamorgan Centre of Cricketing Excellence, one of six Centres of Cricketing Excellence established by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in October 2000. The centres are aimed at male students with the potential to play first class cricket, and at female students who have played to senior county level. The Centre's day-to-day operations are at UWIC and their home matches are played at grounds used by Glamorgan CCC, including Sophia Gardens.
The Cricket Board of Wales () (CBW) – an umbrella partnership body comprising the Welsh Cricket Association, Glamorgan Cricket, Wales Minor Counties, the Welsh Schools Cricket Association and Sport Wales – is based at the SWALEC Stadium. It regulates the sport of cricket in Wales and organises competitions up to national level.
The Welsh Asians Cricket Club is based in Grangetown, Cardiff.
The Welsh Cricket Academy (), run by Glamorgan Cricket, is based at the SWALEC Stadium.
The Welsh Cricket Association () (WCA) (founded 1969), the governing body of Welsh amateur cricket, is based at the SWALEC Stadium. It also runs the Welsh Cup and convenes the Welsh Coaching Forum. The WCA aims to promote, encourage, and improve amateur cricket in Wales, and to encourage and develop active participation in the game. Over 270 counties, associations, leagues and clubs are affiliated to the WCA.
The Welsh Clubs Cricket Conference is based in Llanishen.
Football
Cardiff City F.C. (founded 1899 as Riverside FC) played their home games at Ninian Park from 1910 until the end of the 2008–09 season. The Bluebirds' (as Cardiff City are known) new home is the Cardiff City Stadium, which they share with Cardiff Blues. Cardiff City have played in the English Football League since the 1920–21 season, climbing to Division 1 after one season. Cardiff City are the only non-English team to have won The Football Association Challenge Cup, beating Arsenal in the 1927 final at Wembley Stadium. The Bluebirds were runners up to Portsmouth in the 2008 final, losing 1–0 at the new Wembley Stadium. Cardiff City currently play in the EFL Championship, the second highest tier of the English football league system.
Cardiff Metropolitan University F.C. of the Athletic Union of Cardiff Metropolitan University, based in Cyncoed, play in the Cymru Premier, having been promoted from Welsh League Division One in 2016. They were winners of the Welsh League Cup for the 2018-19 season.
Cardiff has numerous smaller clubs including Bridgend Street A.F.C., Caerau (Ely) A.F.C., Cardiff Corinthians F.C., Cardiff Grange Harlequins A.F.C., and Ely Rangers A.F.C. who all play in the Welsh football league system.
In addition to men's football teams Cardiff City Ladies of the FA Women's Premier League Southern Division are based in the city. Teams in the Welsh Premier Women's Football League are Cardiff Met. Ladies, Cyncoed Ladies and Cardiff City.
Gôl is Wales' first purpose built 5 a side football centre. Based in Canton, there are ten floodlit outdoor 5-a-side courts and one 7-a-side pitch, all using artificial 'Soccer turf'—designed to play and feel like grass.
Six FA Cup finals were held at the Millennium Stadium (from the 2000–01 to 2005–06 seasons) while Wembley Stadium was being rebuilt.
The Football Association of Wales () (FAW), based at East Moors, Cardiff Bay, is the third oldest football association in the world. It has been the governing body of football in Wales since its formation in 1876. The FAW is one of the five associations—the others are FIFA, the English FA, the Scottish FA and the Irish FA—that make up a body called the International Football Association Board (IFAB). The IFAB maintain the laws that govern football, known officially as the "Laws of the Game".
Gaelic football Cardiff is home to the St Colmcilles club, at the western edge of the Gloucestershire County Board. Gloucestershire's Welsh operations are based about there.