Play Ball: Why Baseball Is Taiwan's National Sport
Baseball is Taiwan's most beloved sport, a passion inherited from history and carried onto the world stage. A guide to the game that unites the island.
Ask what Taiwan's national sport is, and the answer comes without hesitation: baseball. From packed professional stadiums to dusty neighbourhood diamonds, the game holds a place in Taiwanese hearts that no other sport can match. It is a passion that spans generations and, at key moments, unites the entire island in front of the television.
Baseball arrived in Taiwan over a century ago and took deep root, growing into a homegrown obsession. The sport became tied to national pride, especially through the island's youth teams, which dominated international Little League competition for decades and turned young players into national heroes. Those victories, broadcast to a rapt public, cemented baseball's status as a symbol of Taiwanese determination.
Today the professional game is anchored by the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL), founded in 1990. Its teams command devoted followings, and its ballparks are known for a distinctive, festive atmosphere: organised cheering squads, dancing 'cheerleaders', drums, chanting and choreographed support that make attending a game as much a party as a sporting event. This carnival-like culture has become famous well beyond Taiwan.
Taiwan has also sent a steady stream of talent to the highest levels of the sport abroad, including to Major League Baseball in the United States and Japan's professional leagues. When a Taiwanese player takes the field overseas, fans back home follow every pitch, and the national team's performances in international tournaments can bring the country to a standstill.
The sport's reach extends to the grassroots. Amateur and school baseball remain strong, and the game is woven into community life, particularly in the towns and regions with the deepest baseball traditions. For many families, following a team is something passed from parents to children, a shared language of loyalty and memory.
For international visitors, catching a CPBL game is one of the most enjoyable ways to experience Taiwanese culture first-hand. The energy in the stands, the food, and the unabashed collective joy reveal a side of Taiwan that is warm, communal and exuberant. In a small island facing large challenges, baseball offers a stage where Taiwan competes, celebrates and, win or lose, comes together.
