How the Balloon World Cup blew up to become your new favourite sport | Gregg Bakowski

The newest sport on the block is wild entertainment and came into being because of lockdown and a footballer's sense of fun

Who hasn't been at a children's party and started an impromptu game of keep-ups with a balloon? It's fun, addictive and can get fiercely competitive. Well, that same game has just had its own World Cup, won by Peru, after a thrilling final watched by a sell-out crowd in Spain and around eight million Twitch viewers online.

If you're wondering how a seemingly childish activity could ever become a legitimate source of sporting entertainment, we need to go back to Covid lockdowns - and how those experiencing cabin fever got creative to stay active at home. Some juggled toilet rolls, did indoor parkour or ran marathons on their balconies.