11 seemingly bizarre sports most Americans haven't even heard of

• Americans love their sports, but there are many popular sports that aren't known in the United States.

• They include variations on soccer and basketball, and unusual hybrid sports like sepak takraw.

• Some of these sports are gaining popularity in America, but they have a ways to go.

America has a passion for sports. They entertain us, they teach us lessons, and they form a huge part of our national identity.

Between our five most popular sports — football, basketball, baseball, ice hockey, and soccer — we have one for every season and every taste.

But there are plenty of other fascinating sports that we're missing out on in the United States. In many cases, some of the most compelling sports are ones that many Americans haven't even heard of.

Take sepak takraw, for example. It's the volleyball/soccer hybrid that is extremely popular in Southeast Asia, but unlikely to come up on American airwaves.

Read on to learn about 11 popular international sports that most Americans don't know the first thing about.

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