Sport in Sierra Leone Sport in Sierra Leone Sports are an important part of Sierra Leonean society and Football is the most played sport in the country. Athletics, basketball, boxing and cricket are also common sports in the country. Sierra Leone became the first African country to join International Floorball Federation. Football is by far the most popular sport in Sierra Leone. The Sierra Leone national football team, governed by the Sierra Leone Football Association, is popularly known as the Leone Stars and represents the country in international football competitions. Though the team has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup, they did participate
Sport in France runner-up on three occasions, most recently in 2011. France hosted the 2007 Rugby World Cup. Rugby league ("rugby à treize" or "jeu à treize") has been played in France since the 1930s, and is most popular, like rugby union, in the south of the country. The sport arguably achieved its height in popularity in the 1950s and 1960s when the French national team made it to World Cup finals and won test series against Australia, Great Britain and New Zealand. A France-based team, the Catalans Dragons, participates in the European Super League tournament, which has helped boost the sport's profile