The most popular sport in Ethiopia, as in most of the world, is football. You're bound to come across impromptu games and formal matches all over Addis Ababa. Soccer continues to sustain its popularity even though the national team hasn't fared too well recently in the African Cup of Nations or in the FIFA World Cup.

Tennis and table tennis are also popular and there are various leagues and federations.

The sport that Ethiopia is most well-known for internationally though is its prowess in the field of long-distance running. The high altitude provides an optimal environment for runners' bodies to acclimatise to endurance challenges on less oxygen, giving them a key advantage over opponents.

Ethiopia's most famous marathon runners are Abebe Bikila, who ran barefoot in the 1960 Rome Olympics and won two gold medals for the marathon in back- to-back Olympics, and current marathon world record holder Haile Gebreselassie (known as Emperor Gabe by his fans). Long-distance runner Kenenisa Bekele set world record and Olympic record both in the 5000 and 10,000 meters events.