The most popular sports in Turkey
Sport is one of the top leisure time activities in Turkey and is a key part of Turkish culture. Therefore, in this article from Ebla Real Estate, we will talk about the most popular sports in Turkey.
An introduction:
Sports play an important role in Turkish people’ lives. There are many enjoyable and popular sports in Turkey, but in this article, we will look at the most popular sports in Turkey.
The most popular sports in Turkey
Football (Soccer):
The most popular sport in Turkey is football. Turkey’s top teams are Fenerbahçe, Galatasaray and Beşiktaş.
At this stage, Turkish football is at a very important point. Moreover, Turkish national teams are struggling with the strongest teams in the world and are getting more and more successful results.
In 2000, Galatasaray won the UEFA Cup and UEFA Super Cup. Two years later, the Turkish national team finished third in the 2002 FIFA World Cup Finals in Japan and South Korea. Furthermore, the national team reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Euro 2008 competition and became one of the best 4 teams of Europe.
Basketball:
Basketball is the second most popular sport in Turkey. Similar to football, the Turkish national basketball team made history in 2001, by reaching the second place at the European Basketball Championship in Istanbul. Additionally, they came in ninth at the FIBA World Cup in 2002.
The most successful local clubs are Fenerbahçe S.K. and Anadolu Efes S.K., the latter having won the 2021 Euroleague.
Volleyball:
Volleyball in Turkey is mostly popular amongst women. Turkey women’s national volleyball team secured 6th place at the FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship in 2010 in Japan.
The national team also won a bronze medal at the Women’s European Volleyball Championship in 2011 in Serbia. Turkey’s top women’s volleyball team is Vakıfbank, which have won 3 Championships at the FIVB Volleyball Women’s Club World Championship in 2013,2017 and 2018.
Wrestling:
The national sport in Turkey, oil wrestling, and wrestling as a whole is very popular in the country. It is considered an ancestral sport.
Turkish wrestlers have won several awards in Olympic tournaments, making it one of the most popular sports in Turkey, where free wrestling training centers are available in various regions of Turkey.
Weightlifting sport:
Weightlifting has been another popular sport for Turkey. The most famous weightlifters, Naim Süleymanoğlu and Halil Mutlu, are only two of four weightlifters in the world to have won three gold medals in three Olympics. Among women, Nurcan Taylan broke one world record.
Motorsports:
The popularity of Motorsports has risen in the past few years, and it continues to grow. Motorsports have become very popular, especially following the inclusion of the Rally of Turkey to the FIA World Rally Championship calendar in 2003, and the inclusion of the Turkish Grand Prix to the Formula One racing calendar in 2005.
Edited by: Ebla Group Real Estate
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