Sport in Glasgow

Glasgow, Scotland has a long sporting history, with the world's first international football match held in 1872 at the West of Scotland Cricket Club's Hamilton Crescent ground in the Partick area of Glasgow. The match was between Scotland and England and resulted in a 0–0 draw.

Sports

Football

The city is home to Scotland's largest football stadia: Celtic Park (60,832 seats), Ibrox Stadium (51,082 seats) and Hampden Park (52,670 seats), which is Scotland's national football stadium. Hampden Park holds the European record for attendance at a football match: 149,547 saw Scotland beat England 3-1 in 1937, in the days before British stadia became all-seated (though Wembley has been reputed to hold over 200,000 unofficially).

Glasgow has three professional football clubs: Celtic and Rangers, which together make the Old Firm, and Partick Thistle. A fourth club, Queen's Park, is an amateur club that plays in the Scottish professional league system. Prior to this, Glasgow had six other professional clubs: Clyde, which moved to Cumbernauld, plus Third Lanark, Cambuslang F.C, Port Glasgow Athletic F.C., Cowlairs F.C. and Clydesdale F.C., who all went bankrupt. Senior teams such as St. Mirren, Hamilton Academical, Clyde, Albion Rovers, Airdrie United and Motherwell play in Greater Glasgow, as well as the long defunct Abercorn F.C.

The history of football in the city, as well as the status of the Old Firm, attracts many visitors to football matches in the city throughout the season. Hampden Park and Ibrox have been awarded UEFA 5 star status, meaning that they are capable of hosting the final of the Champions' League. Hampden Park has hosted the final on three occasions, most recently in 2002 and hosted the UEFA Cup Final in 2007. The Scottish Football Association, the national governing body, and the Scottish Football Museum are based in Glasgow, as are the Scottish Football League, Scottish Premier League, Scottish Junior Football Association and Scottish Amateur Football Association. The Glasgow Cup was a once popular tournament, were all professional teams from the city would compete, however, now only Junior teams do.

Here is a list of Junior teams from the Glasgow area which have played in the West Region of the Scottish Junior Football Association. More could be included if the complete Greater Glasgow conurbanition was taken into consideration:
*Arthurlie F.C.
*Bellshill Athletic F.C.
*Benburb F.C.
*Cambuslang Rangers F.C.
*Clydebank F.C.
*Glasgow Perthshire F.C.
*Linthouse F.C.
*Maryhill F.C.
*Parkhead F.C.
*Petershill F.C.
*Pollok F.C.
*Port Glasgow F.C.
*Renfrew F.C.
*Rutherglen Glencairn F.C.
*Shettleston F.C.
*St Anthony's F.C.
*St Roch's F.C.
*Thorniewood United F.C.
*Vale of Clyde F.C.
*Yoker Athletic F.C.

Rugby

Glasgow also boasts a professional rugby union team, the Glasgow Warriors, which play in the Celtic League alongside teams from Scotland, Ireland and Wales.

In addition, Glasgow Hawks was formed in 1997 by the merger of two of Glasgow's oldest sporting teams, Glasgow Accies RFC (1866) and Glasgow High Kelvinside RFC (1884).

Other Sports

Major international sporting arenas include Kelvin Hall and Scotstoun Sports Centre. In 2003 the National Academy for Badminton was completed in Scotstoun. In 2003 Glasgow was also given the title of European Capital of Sport.

Smaller sporting facilities include an abundance of small outdoor football pitches, as well as golf clubs such as Haggs Castle and artificial ski slopes.

Befitting its strong Highland connections as the City of the Gael "Baile Mòr nan Gàidheal", Glasgow is also one of five places in Scotland which hosts the final of the Scottish Cup of Shinty, better known as the Camanachd Cup. This is usually held at Old Anniesland. Once home to numerous Shinty clubs, there is now only one senior club in Glasgow, Glasgow Mid-Argyll, as well as two university sides, Strathclyde University and Glasgow University

Glasgow was also the birthplace of Scotland's American football scene, which although not as strong as in its early years continues to the present day. The Glasgow Lions were the first team to be formed in Scotland in 1984. Between 1998 and 2004,the Scottish Claymores played some or all of their home games each season at Hampden and the venue also hosted World Bowl XI.

Glasgow is also host to Scotland's only professional basketball team, the Scottish Rocks.

Speedway racing is staged at Saracen Park in Hawthorn Street,on the north side of the City. During March to October the Glasgow Tigers race in the British Premier League.

Glasgow Green has been home to Glasgow's rowing clubs since the mid-nineteenth century. Crowds of spectators turned up to watch regattas in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Although the crowds now watch football instead, rowing on the Clyde continues to this day. Glasgow University Boat Club thrives alongside other academic and public clubs and there are a number of competitions held on the river every year.

Venues and Stadiums

Football

*Hampden Park
*Celtic Park
*Ibrox Stadium
*Firhill Stadium

Athletics

*Kelvin Hall International Sports Arena
*Scotstoun Stadium

2014 Commonwealth Games Bid

Glasgow will host the Commonwealth Games in 2014. Glasgow's bid beat the bid from Abuja in Nigeria. It will be based around a number of exising and new-built sporting venues across the city, including; a revamped Hampden Park with a Commonwealth Games village planned for the East End. It was Glasgow's first bid for the Games, and will be Scotland's third Games, the previous two held in Edinburgh in 1970 and 1986.

Although London has won the 2012 Olympic Games, because the Home Countries are classed as separate nations within the Commonwealth, this issue did not adversely affect Glasgow's bid.