The Most Popular Sports in Moldova
The 8 Most Popular Sports in Moldova: National Sports Overview
The most popular sports in Moldova can tell us a lot about how Moldovans relax, compete and connect. This small Eastern European country relies on sport to get through long winters, tight budgets and big emotions…
Moldova’s Serghei Tarnovschi won a bronze medal in the men’s C-1 1000 metres at Paris 2024. Image credits: Moldova Live
In Moldova, you see kids kicking balls on dusty village pitches, students wrestling on old mats and families gathering around TV screens for big matches. At the same time, Moldova’s athletes quietly collect Olympic medals, particularly in combat and water sports.
In our guide, we take a look at the sports that truly matter to Moldovans, using real stories and solid stats to rank the most popular sports in Moldova. Let’s dive in!
Why Do Sports Matter in Moldova?
Moldova is not a rich country, so sports double as low-cost entertainment and social glue. Streets, schoolyards and small gyms become places where generations meet. Moldovans love competition, but they also use sport to fight poor health trends across the country.
National policies treat physical education as a key tool for youth well-being and social inclusion, especially in rural areas. When you look at people’s routines and the stats behind participation, you can see that sport is central to Moldovan culture and community.
The Most Popular Sports in Moldova
The most popular sports for Moldovans to play and watch are:
Football
Trîntă
Modern wrestling and judo
Rugby Union
Basketball and futsal
Canoeing and rowing
Athletics and cycling
School and university sports
Let’s take a closer look at each of these sports in a little more detail. What are the biggest moments in Moldovan sporting history?
1. Football
Football is by far the most popular sport in Moldova. It dominates TV time and school fields. The Moldovan Football Federation reports that registered players dropped to around 30,000 during the COVID-19 years, but this number has since climbed to around 80,000, with the fastest growth among under-12s.
Read more on our football blog!
These stats show that families really want their kids on the pitch. Clubs like Sheriff Tiraspol, which have previously reached the UEFA Champions League group stage, provide young players with real role models to emulate.
2. Trîntă
Beyond football, Moldova has its own traditional wrestling style called Trîntă. It’s widely recognised as the national sport and often appears at local village fairs and national holiday celebrations.
Two wrestlers grip each other’s belts and try to throw their opponent cleanly to the mat. The rules are simple, but matches are intense.
Trîntă events usually mix sport with music, food and folk dress, turning competition into a whole cultural festival. For many Moldovans, this sport is a strong link to the past.
3. Modern Wrestling and Judo
Traditional Trîntă blends naturally into modern Olympic wrestling and judo. Moldovan wrestlers and judoka have become some of the country’s most successful athletes. Moldovan competitors have earned 10 Olympic medals, mostly in canoeing, wrestling, shooting, boxing and judo.
At the Paris 2024 Games alone, Moldova took home four medals, including a silver in women’s freestyle wrestling. The country’s success keeps combat sports high on the list of the most popular sports in Moldova.
4. Rugby Union
Rugby Union is a surprise hit for such a small country. It’s not as universal as football, but it has a loud, loyal base. The number of registered rugby players in Moldova has doubled over time, and European Nations Cup matches in Chișinău often attract around 10,000 spectators.
These stats show how much people truly enjoy the physical, no-nonsense style of play. For many fans, rugby offers the same passion as football, just with more mud, collisions and shared jokes in the stands.
5. Basketball and Futsal
In cities like Chișinău and Bălți, you’ll often find basketball hoops and futsal courts busy until late in the evening. Moldova may not yet have big NBA-level stars, but basketball is listed among the country’s most popular sports. It is especially popular with young people who like fast, indoor games.
Read more lists, profiles and key insights on our NBA blog
Futsal, the small-sided cousin of football, is easy to organise in crowded neighbourhoods and school gyms. These sports need little equipment, which matters in a country where budgets are low but the desire to play is high.
Basketball and futsal are also popular sports in Lithuania.
6. Canoeing and Rowing
Canoeing doesn’t always come to mind when people think of Moldova, yet it is one of the country’s most successful Olympic sports. Moldovan canoeists have earned multiple Olympic medals, and canoe sprint is one of the nation’s quiet powerhouses.
At Paris 2024, Serghei Tarnovschi added another bronze in the men’s C-1 1000 metres. Training for water sports often takes place on rivers and reservoirs, which also serve as local recreation spots.
7. Athletics and Cycling
Athletics and cycling sit in a sweet spot between “sport” and “transport”. They are among Moldova’s most popular sports and pastimes. Running clubs organise local road races, while amateur cyclists use the rolling countryside for weekend rides.
Gear needs are modest, so many people start with just a pair of shoes or a basic bike. These activities help counter rising health problems, and they fit into daily life, whether Moldovans are training for a race or just commuting.
8. School and University Sports
Physical education is a key part of Moldova’s youth policy. University programmes use sport to integrate local and foreign students and teach teamwork.
Research from several Moldovan schools found that 70% of Moldovan students involved in organised sports score higher on self-esteem scales. Those involved in team sports also report feeling less lonely. These stats link popular sports directly to mental health and social skills.
The 8 Most Popular Sports in Moldova - Key Takeaways
The most popular sports in Moldova draw a clear picture of the country’s history and culture. Football offers a shared language that connects villages, cities and entire generations. Traditional Trîntă and Olympic wrestling keep old stories alive while adding plenty of new medals to the record books.
Rugby, basketball, futsal, canoeing, athletics and cycling each open doors for health, friendship and local pride.
In a country often in the news for politics or economics, these sports show another side to Moldova: resilience, creativity and community. Moldova’s fields, mats, rivers and courts are where that story quietly plays out.
