All sound good.
You could modify other Earth games:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Olympic_Games#Events
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletics_(sport)
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tailteann_Games
and
http://www.cradleboard.org/curriculum/powwow/supplements/traditional.html
are good starts.
But on a quick look around, it seems that group competitive sports originated in Pre-Colombian Americas (i.e. lacrosse and ōllamaliztli/ballgame) as I didn't see anything coming close in pre 1500s Europe, just singular competitive sports like wrestling, boxing, running, throwing, or horse/chariot racing (but I may have just missed it/them).
Hunting is another sport that, for evil creatures, could bring the PCs into interesting territory. Though typically the wealthy hunt for sport while the commoners hunt for survival.
Flying creatures could have sports for aerial races, races to capture the flags on mountain cliffs, or even just stamina races to see who can fly the highest or the highest fastest or the highest fastest and drop a rock on a target below.
Cultures that value stealth could have competitions for who can get the "item" from the "lions den" without getting caught/eaten/etc.
Etc. :)
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Hurling (Irish: Iománaíocht/Iomáint) is Irelands National Sport. It is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic and Irish origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for over 3,000 years,[1] and is thought to be the world's fastest field team game in game play.[1][2][3] One of Ireland's native Gaelic games, it shares a number of features with Gaelic football, such as the field and goals, number of players, and much terminology. There is a similar game for women called camogie (camógaíocht). It shares a common Gaelic root with the sport of shinty (camanachd) which is played predominantly in Scotland.
Also the Romans and Greeks were playing games very similar to soccer.
Marn Grook or marngrook, from the Gunditjmara language for "game ball", is a collective name given to a number of traditional Indigenous Australian recreational pastimes believed to have been played at gatherings and celebrations of up to fifty players. It is distinct from the indigenous ball game Woggabaliri which is believed to be the subject of William Blandowski's engraving "never let the ball hit the ground" (see picture on right).[1]
Generally speaking, observers commented that Marn Grook was a football game which featured punt kicking and catching a stuffed "ball". It involved large numbers of players, and games were played over an extremely large area. Totemic teams may have been formed, however to observers the game appeared to lack a team objective, having no real rules, scoring or winner. Individual players who consistently exhibited outstanding skills, such as leaping high over others to catch the ball, were often commented on.[2]
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Harpastum, was a form of ball game played in the Roman Empire. The Romans also referred to it as the small ball game. The ball used was small (and hard, probably about the size and solidity of a softball.
This game was apparently a romanized version of a Greek game called phaininda or of another Greek game called ἐπίσκυρος (episkuros). It involved considerable speed, agility, and physical exertion. Little is known about the exact rules of the game, but sources indicate the game was a violent one with players often ending up on the ground. In Greece, a spectator (of the Greek form of the game) once had his leg broken when he got caught in the middle of play.
The general impression from these descriptions is of a game quite similar to rugby. Additional descriptions suggest a line was drawn in the dirt, and that the teams would endeavor to keep the ball behind their side of the line and prevent the opponents from reaching it. This seems rather like an "inverted" form of football. If the opponents had the ball on their side of the line, the objective would seem to be to get in and "pass" it to another player, or somehow get it back over the line. The ancient accounts of the game are not precise enough to enable the reconstruction the rules in any detail.
Cuju is an ancient Chinese ball game. It is a competitive game that involves kicking a ball through an opening into a net.[1] The use of hands is not allowed.[1] It is seen by FIFA as the earliest form of football for which there is evidence, being first mentioned as an exercise in a military work from 3rd-2nd century BC.[1] This assertion is however speculative as there are conflicting interpretations of the ancient text[2] with no historical connection to Association football the sport governed by FIFA. This game was based on Cambridge rules football the origins of which can be traced back to a very different ball game known as "Mob football" first played in Britain during the Middle Ages.[3][4] Cuju is a competitive sport[1] which originated in China and was also played in Korea, Japan and Vietnam.
Kemari (Japanese: 蹴鞠) is a ball game that was popular in Japan during the Heian Period. It is a non-competitive sport.[3] The object of Kemari is to keep one ball in the air,[2] with all players cooperating to do so. Players may use their head, feet, knees, back, and possibly elbows to keep the ball aloft. The ball, known as a Mari, is made of deerskin with the hair facing inside and the hide on the outside. The ball is stuffed with barley grains to give it shape. When the hide has set in this shape, the grains are removed from the ball, and it is then sewn together using the skin of a horse. The one who kicks the ball is called a mariashi. A good mariashi makes it easy for the receiver to control the mari, and serves it with a soft touch to make it easy to keep the mari in the air.
Kemari is played on a flat ground, about 6–7 meters squared.[1] The uniforms that the players wear are reminiscent of the clothes of the Asuka age and include a crow hat. This type of clothing was called kariginu and it was fashionable at that time.
Lelo burti is a Georgian folk sport, which is a full contact ball game, and very similar to rugby. It appears in the 12th century Georgian poem The Knight in the Panther's Skin in which the heroes play Lelo burti.
Ki-o-rahi is a ball sport played in New Zealand with a small round ball called a 'ki'. The game is widely known in Māori communities and in scattered mainstream locations throughout the country.[1] It is a fast-paced sport incorporating skills similar to Australian Rules, rugby union, netball and touch.[1] Two teams of seven players play on a circular field divided into zones, and score points by touching the 'pou' (boundary markers) and hitting a central 'tupu' or target.[1][2] The game is played with varying rules( e.g. number of people, size of field, tag ripping rules etc.) depending on the geographic area it is played in. A process called Tatu, before the game, determines which rules the two teams will use.
Honestly, usually when I'm looking for a fantasy sport now it's some minor variation on Blood Bowl. I've had it on the brain ever since I got the Chaos edition of the PC game and read the novels. Most of my campaign worlds have a Blood Bowl game in there somewhere, even if the players don't find out about it.
The dwarves might have a tradition where, one arm behind their back, they shove at one another and refuse to give ground. This would be a test of endurance and stability (which they're known for).
An alternate idea could have them "stand their ground" while an increasingly weighted log or battering ram is swung at their chest.
Treat this as an increasingly difficult Bull Rush maneuver which also does damage each turn. Then, the dwarves are defending on two ends: their stability (the bull rush) and their fortitude (the repeated damage).
Bonus points if done while drinking.
EDIT: To bring the players into it, I'd have them roll for the battering ram. Damage and DC increases would be based roughly around the CR chart.
Whoever can go highest CR above their level would win the game. In this way, level differences are less of a determining factor.