The city has a strong sporting heritage, with Yorkshire County Cricket Club, Leeds Rhinos Rugby League Football Club and Leeds Carnegie Rugby Union Football Club playing at Headingley, Hunslet Hawks Rugby League Footbal Club, based at the South Leeds Stadium, and Leeds United Football Club playing at Elland Road.

Football

Unlike many other large cities such as Manchester, London, and Liverpool, Leeds has only one league football team. Leeds United were formed in 1919 in Salem Chapel just south of Leeds Bridge. During the late 1960s and early 1970s they were a major force in English football, winning the Football League title twice, FA Cup once, Football League Cup once and UEFA Cup once.

Women's football

Leeds City Vixens L.F.C. play in the Northern Combination Women's Football League and last season the finished 2nd in the league. Another women's football team is Leeds United Ladies Football Club who play their home games at Tadcaster Albion's ground 'The Park'.

Rugby league

Rugby League is Leeds' second most popular spectator sport. Hunslet Hawks, Leeds Rhinos ("The Loiners"), Bramley Buffaloes and Leeds Akkies are Leeds-based rugby league teams.

Hunslet Hawks are based in the working class area of South Leeds. Hunslet's greatest achievement was being the first club to win All Four Cups, which they did in the 1907-08 season.

Leeds Rhinos ("The Loiners") were crowned Super League champions in 2004 after defeating arch rivals Bradford Bulls at Old Trafford, Manchester. They then went on to be crowned world champions but unfortunately lost the Grand Final to Bradford Bulls in 2005.

The Rhinos are now yet again the Super League Champions and will play the Melbourne Storm to see who will become the "Best Club in the world".

Athletic

Leeds City AC is amongst the biggest and most successful athletics clubs in the north of England and has had the most successful men's harriers section in the country in the 21st century. Since the turn of the millennium the team has never been out of the top 4 in the National Cross Country Championships, winning in 2003, 2006 and 2007. In 2006 and 2007 the team achieved the 'Grand Slam' of wins - Yorkshire, North of England and English National Champions.