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Story: Gender and sport

Most popular sports by gender, 2007–8

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This graph shows the 15 most popular participatory sports for New Zealand women and men aged 18 and over in 2007–8. Netball was the most popular women's sport and golf the most popular men's sport. Women and men largely enjoyed the same sports, but there were some differences: netball, equestrian sports, indoor bowls and badminton featured exclusively in the women's list and rugby union, shooting, motor sports and indoor cricket in the men's list.

Using this item

Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

Source: Sport New Zealand

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How to cite this page

Sally Shaw, Gender and sport – Gender equality and sport, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/interactive/40404/most-popular-sports-by-gender-2007-8 (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Sally Shaw, published 3 December 2012, updated 1 June 2016.