Five of the best sporting cities

Melbourne is famous for the Melbourne Cup, this beautiful city hosts a wide variety of sporting events. Photo / Getty Images

Two nations will stop today forthe annualrunning of the Melbourne Cup. Jane Jurgens counts down the world's best destinations for sports lovers.

1 London

There are plenty of opportunities to enjoy some great football on a visit to London. The city is home to a number of clubs that compete in the premier league - think Arsenal, Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Queens Park Rangers, Tottenham and West Ham. London has also hosted the Olympics three times, mostrecently in 2012. And while it's known for soccer culture, the city also hosts American NFL games at Wembley and Twickenham.

2 Melbourne

Famous for the Melbourne Cup, this beautiful city hosts a wide variety of sporting events. There's tennis' Australian Open, as well as the Australian Grand Prix, and of course the ICC Cricket World Cup, held at the historic MCG. Cricket fans will want to visit even when there isn't a game on - the MCG is also home to the National Sports Museum.

3 Tokyo

Baseball is a staple sport in Tokyo, with local teams the Tokyo Yomiuri Giants, Saitama Seibu Lions, Chiba Lotte Marines, Tokyo Yakult Swallows and Yokohama DeNA Baystars drawing crowds into the stadiums every season. Watching a game is an experience to remember and you can even bring your own food and drinks with you, including alcoholic beverages. Rugby is also popular here, especially with Japan hosting the 2019 World Cup and several Super Rugby matches with the Sunwolves.

4 Rio de Janeiro

Brazil football fanatics got a spot underthe spotlight when Rio hosted the FIFA World Cup in 2014. The national team has won five world cups and produced some of the best players in history. Five professional clubs call Rio home, so you're bound to be able to catch a match.

5 Boston

It's home to historic Fenway Park - known as America's Most Beloved Ballpark - and anyone who's been to a Red Sox game will know just how sports-mad Bostonians can be. Boston also boasts the New England Patriots-three times Super Bowl champs in this decade - as well as the Boston Celtics NBA team and the Boston Bruins ice hockey team. The Boston Marathon is another drawcard for active tourists.

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