I’ve traveled to 109 countries. Here are 5 sporting events from around the globe that should be on everyone’s bucket list.

I took my family to see the Hanshin Tigers at a Japanese baseball game. Despite the persistent rain throughout the afternoon, the crowd sang and chanted nonstop.

We were the only non-Japanese people in our section, and the fans embraced us and taught us their unique cheers for each player.

One tradition they have is releasing yellow balloons after the seventh inning, filling the sky with color. My kids loved this part more than the game itself.

The fan festival I attended in Finland was a great way to experience the locals’ passion for ice hockey.

At many major sporting events, there are free fan events where people can gather to watch the game. These are usually held at large sites with giant TV screens, food trucks, and beer tents. It’s a great way to enjoy the game alongside thousands of other people.

I was fortunate to travel to Finland while they were hosting the Ice Hockey World Championships. If there’s one thing Finns are passionate about it’s ice hockey.

The atmosphere at the festival in Helsinki was amazing, even though learning Finnish songs after a few beers was a bit difficult.

It was incredible to watch archers in Bhutan celebrate hitting a target with song and dance.

I’m an Aussie and married an American in 2022. Since we had our wedding in Texas, many of my friends traveled to the US for a weeklong celebration. I decided to hold my bachelor party at a University of Texas football game.

None of the Aussies had been to an American football game or tailgated before, so watching with about 100,000 passionate Longhorn fans made for a fun and unique bachelor party.

My hometown in Australia is also an excellent place to check out local sporting events.

I’m lucky to have several major sporting events in my home city. After all, my hometown of Melbourne calls itself the sporting capital of the world.

Every year, I attend the Australian Open, which Roger Federer nicknamed the “Happy Slam.”

With so many tourists in attendance, it often feels like I’m on an overseas adventure — without the jetlag, of course.