Sport in Glasgow

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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.

Contents 1 Sports 1.1 Football 1.2 Rugby 1.3 Other Sports 2 Venues and Stadiums 2.1 Football 2.2 Athletics 3 2014 Commonwealth Games Bid

[edit] Sports

[edit] Football

The city is home to Scotland's largest football stadia: Celtic Park (60,832 seats); Ibrox Stadium (50,411 seats); and Hampden Park (52,670 seats), which is Scotland's national football stadium. 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. It had two other professional clubs in the late 20th century: Clyde, which moved to Cumbernauld, and Third Lanark, which went bankrupt.

The history of football in the city, as well as the status of the Old Firm, attract many visitors to football matches in the city throughout the season. The standard of the national stadium has enabled the European football governing body UEFA to hold the final of the Champions League competition at Hampden Park three times, most recently in 2002. Hampden Park was awarded the 2007 UEFA Cup finals. The Scottish Football Association, the national governing body, and the Scottish Football Museum are based in Glasgow.

Club	Sport	League	Venue
Celtic F.C.	Association Football	Scottish Premier League	Celtic Park
Glasgow Rangers	Association Football	Scottish Premier League	Ibrox Stadium
Partick Thistle	Association Football	Scottish Football League Division One	Firhill
Queen's Park	Association Football	Scottish Football League Division Three	Hampden Park

[edit] Rugby

Glasgow also boasts a professional rugby 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).

[edit] 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.

[edit] Venues and Stadiums

[edit] Football

• Hampden Park
• Celtic Park
• Ibrox Stadium
• Firhill Stadium

[edit] Athletics

• Kelvin Hall International Sports Arena
• Scotstoun Stadium

[edit] 2014 Commonwealth Games Bid

Glasgow is currently bidding for the Commonwealth Games in 2014, to 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. This will be Glasgow's first bid for the Games, and would be Scotland's third Games, the previous two held in Edinburgh in 1970 and 1986.

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