National sports team

A team selected to represent a nation in international sporting competitions. Its players are chosen under sport-specific eligibility rules and compete under national symbols.

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International sports federation: An organization that governs a sport across national boundaries and sets rules for international competition. Federations define competition rules and often set the eligibility framework national teams must follow.
FIFA World Cup: The international association football championship contested by men's national teams under FIFA. It is a prominent tournament in which national teams compete for a world title.
Sports club: An organization that fields teams or athletes in organized sport, usually through membership or professional competition. A club represents its organization or locality rather than a nation.
Sports diplomacy: The use of sport and sporting relationships to pursue diplomatic or political aims. National teams can become instruments of contact, protest, or diplomacy between states.
Nationality law: The legal rules by which a state determines citizenship and related rights or obligations. Citizenship rules can affect which country an athlete is eligible to represent.
Rugby World Cup: The international championship contested by men's national rugby union teams. It provides a major tournament setting for national rugby teams.
National Olympic Committee: An organization recognized by the International Olympic Committee to represent a territory in the Olympic movement. It selects or supports Olympic delegations, which are broader than any single national sports team.
National identity: A sense of belonging to a nation, shaped by shared history, culture, symbols, and institutions. Team colors and performances can give national identity a visible public focus.
Sports eligibility: The rules determining whether an athlete may enter a particular sporting competition. Eligibility rules decide which athletes may be selected for a national team.
Davis Cup: An international men's tennis competition in which national teams represent their countries. It applies national-team competition to a sport usually organized around individual players.