Most Popular Sports in Russia: Football, Hockey, and Athletics

Ask a Muscovite which sport matters more, football or hockey, and you’ll start an argument that goes back generations. Football draws the bigger crowds. Hockey draws the deeper loyalty. Both grew out of a Soviet sports machine that treated athletic dominance as a matter of national prestige, and that inheritance still shapes how Russians watch, play, and talk about sport today.

Football (Soccer)

Football pulls the largest audiences of any sport in Russia. The Russian Premier League fields clubs from Moscow and beyond, and the rivalries between the capital’s teams draw the kind of intensity you’d expect from a century-old feud. Russia hosted the 2018 FIFA World Cup and reached the quarterfinals, a run that set off nationwide celebrations. The domestic game traces its roots back through the Soviet era, long before the current league structure existed.

Ice Hockey

Hockey runs a close second in popularity, and plenty of Russians would put it first. The Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) ranks among the strongest professional leagues outside the NHL, drawing teams from Russia and several neighboring countries. The national program’s record at the World Championships and Olympics goes back decades, built on the legacy of players like Vladislav Tretiak and Valeri Kharlamov and the Soviet “Red Machine” squads that dominated international hockey for years.

Basketball

Basketball has carved out a real following, anchored by clubs in the VTB United League and EuroLeague. Russia has produced a number of players who went on to prominent international careers, and its national team squads have been competitive at European Championships.

Combat Sports: Sambo, Wrestling, and Judo

Combat sports run deep here. Sambo, a grappling discipline developed in the Soviet Union, is a Russian specialty, and the country regularly tops international sambo competitions. Freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling, along with judo, have produced Olympic and World champions across multiple generations.

Athletics and Gymnastics

Track and field, along with artistic gymnastics, built some of the Soviet Union’s and Russia’s most recognizable sporting reputations. Russian gymnasts have historically ranked among the most accomplished in the world, and the athletics program spans sprinting, field events, and distance running.

Winter Sports

Russia’s climate and geography make winter sports a natural fit. Biathlon, cross-country skiing, and figure skating all draw consistent strength at the elite level. Figure skating in particular commands huge public attention, and Russian skaters are frequently among the most technically advanced in the world.

Sport Popularity at a Glance

Sport	Top Competition	Strength Level
Football (Soccer)	Russian Premier League, FIFA	Mass spectator sport
Ice Hockey	KHL, World Championships	Deep cultural passion
Basketball	VTB United League, EuroLeague	Significant following
Sambo / Wrestling	World Championships, Olympics	International elite
Athletics	World Championships, Olympics	Historic elite tradition
Figure Skating	World Championships, Olympics	Very high public interest
Biathlon	IBU World Cup	Strong winter following

The Soviet Legacy

Much of this sporting identity traces back to the Soviet sports system, which poured resources into elite athlete development across dozens of disciplines. Coaching methods, training pipelines, and the weight placed on international results all still carry that imprint today.