Germany is a world leader in tennis, track and field, cycling and Formula One auto racing. Germany has many excellent sports facilities for both players and spectators.  For many years the German Sports Federation (Deutscher Sportbund) has sponsored physical fitness programs. Swimming is very popular and almost every town has a public Schwimmbad (swimming pool).

The national sport, soccer (Fussball), is played at thousands of amateur clubs, while professional matches are regularly attended by hundreds of thousands of spectators every week. Tennis is also popular, thanks to players such as Boris Becker and Steffi Graf.

In winter, skiers flock to the German Alps. Germany has many popular ski resorts that attract skiers from around the world. Germans excel at winter sports, and have won Olympic gold medals for luge, bobsled and speed skating.

The varied geography of Germany makes it possible for sports enthusiasts to enjoy almost any sport. The mountainous areas have hundreds of kilometers of hiking trails. On the lakes and rivers, windsurfing and sailing are enjoyed. Cycling is another popular sport in summer and winter