The Most Popular Sports in Spain
The 7 Most Popular Sports in Spain
Sports are deeply rooted in Spanish society and they play a crucial role in Spanish people's daily lives.
The country has produced extraordinary sporting talents like Rafa Nadal, Xavi and Miguel Indurain, but which sport is the most ppular amongst Spaniards?
Spain starting 11 against France (Euro 2012)
Spaniards enjoy lots of different sports, and each region has its favourite game engulfed in the local culture and community.
For instance, Catalonians enjoy skiing and winter sports, Valencians love scuba diving, windsurfing and water sports, while people in the Basque provinces play football, basketball and racquetball.
Andalusians and Asturians play and enjoy equestrian sports. Spain is a world powerhouse of sports, with an incredible pedigree in football, basketball, motorsports, tennis, futsal and handball.
In this article, we will discuss the most popular sports in Spain, based on the number of players, facilities and spectators.
1. Football
Almost all Spanish towns have a football field or a stadium, as Spaniards love football!
Spanish families, educational institutions and community centres focus on football, allowing children to play the game as a hobby or extracurricular activity from an arly age.
Football has contributed significantly to the Spanish sports economy.
The Royal Spanish Football Federation registered over 9,000 players in 2021, and Catalonia has the highest number, with 162,000 football players.
David Villa, Sergio Ramos and Fernando Torres are some of the greatest Spanish football players of all-time, with many rising stars across the country continuing their legacy.
Spain has more than 31,000 registered football clubs. Andalusia has the highest number of registered clubs, with 5000 as of early 2023.
La Liga and Premier League are the most popular football leagues in Europe, with a substantial number of spectators and fans worldwide.
La Liga Santander has an average number of 457,000 spectators per game week.
We have lots of Football content on our dedicated blog
2. Basketball
FIBA ranks basketball as the second most popular sport in Spain, and as a nation is only behind the US in terms of the overall popularity of the sport.
The Spanish government and the Ministry of Sports have collaborated to promote basketball throughout the country, and that's why Spain has the best national basketball team in Europe.
In addition, Spain has won several basketball tournaments, including three EuroBasket Cups, one bronze and three silver Olympic medals.
Pau Gasol is one of Spain's most famous basketball players with several achievements, including two NBA championships. Currently, Gasol plays for the LA Lakers.
While basketball is not as famous as football, Spanish teams and clubs have made numerous local, national and international achievements.
The primary reason behind this is the Spanish Basketball Federation's investments in hiring certified, experienced and skilled coaches- and its emphasis on world-class infrastructure.
The International Basketball Federation organises, supports and regulates Spain's ACB basketball leagues.
It has 18 professional teams with hundreds of skilled players, providing entertainment to spectators and TV audiences throughout the country.
Spain has the highest number of basketball fans in Southern Europe. Around 82.6% of men and 17.4% of women in Spain enjoy basketball.
Around 50.5% of Spanish basketball fans are between 18 and 24 years, 34.4% are between 25 and 34 years, and 10.5% are between 35 and 44 years.
These stats show that young Spaniards are more inclined toward basketball.
Read more basketball articles on our NBA blog
3. Tennis
Spain has developed into a leading and prosperous tennis nation in the last two or three decades.
Although Spain has fewer professional tennis players than other countries, it has produced world-class and talented professionals who have aced the game and won multiple slam championships.
While tennis has always been a famous sport, Spain appeared on the world stage for the first time in 1992.
Since then, Spanish tennis players have dominated this sport, thanks to contributions from Carlos Moya, David Ferrer and the legendary Rafael Nadal, King of Rolland Garros.
Tennis in Spain is famous for local, national-level and international players. That's why the country hosts "Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell" annually.
Moreover, the Real Club Barcelona is home to some of the world's most prominent players, who play professional tennis and drive thousands of spectators to each and every match.
Real Club Barcelona has contributed to the Spanish sports economy, and it continues to promote this sport among tennis enthusiasts seeking professional careers.
Spain has over 70,000 registered tennis players, including 50,000 male and 20,000 female players.
Catalonia has the highest number of registered tennis players at 21,000, making tennis a popular participation sport in Catalonia. The region also has 1,300 tennis courts.
The number of tennis courts, professional coaching centres and world-class facilities in Spain allows young players to start successful careers at the local and national levels.
4. Cycling
Spain is one of the leading cycling countries in Europe.
Cycling is a hobby in Spain, but Spaniards treat cycling as a professional sport, making substantial efforts to promote, advertise and enjoy cycling events.
Cycling is the most competitive sport in Spain, with more than 5,000 cycling events and races every year. Spaniards consider Pedro Delgado the greatest cyclist of all-time.
Delgado has won several titles, including the 1988's Tour de France.
Likewise, Miguel Indurain won the Tour de France 5 times between 1991 and 1995.
The Royal Spanish Cycling Federation overlooks operations in Spain. It has registered over 3,600 clubs and 75,000 cyclists between 2020 and 2021.
The Royal Spanish Cycling covers several disciplines, including:
Cycle Speedway
Mountain Biking
BMX
Cyclo-Cross
Track Cycling
Road Racing
Spain has the fourth-highest number of cycling fans in Europe.
26% of people in Spain follow or are fans of competitive cycling, after 29% in the Netherlands, 27% in Italy and 27% in France.
5. Padel
Padel is considered one of Spain's most played sports.
Padel is a racket sport typically played in doubles on an enclosed court slightly smaller than a tennis court. The court has walls, and players can hit the balls against them like in squash.
This sport is suitable for people of all ages and walks of life as it requires reduced physical stamina than tennis.
This makes it a family-style and intergenerational game.
Spain has 20,000 Padel courts and more than six million players.
Most Spaniards and tourists visit Spain to play Padel, particularly in Club Natacion de Barcelona.
Gol Television, Spain's popular public channel, has bought broadcasting rights for each national-level Padel tournament.
6. Bullfighting
Bullfighting is deeply rooted in Spanish culture and traditions.
Spaniards have been participating in and enjoying bullfighting for centuries.
Although the rest of the world has concerns about bullfighting, as most countries consider it animal cruelty, this cultural event is legal in Spain. In fact, bullfighting is a symbol of Hispanic culture.
824 bullfighting events/tournaments took place in Spain in 2021 compared to 129 in 2020 (due to the Covid-19 pandemic).
Spain has more than 60 bullfighting schools and centres, most of which are in Andalusia.
65% of Spaniards enjoy at least two bullfighting events per year.
The Cathedral of Bullfighting, also known as "La Maestranza," is a traditionally styled stadium that accommodates around 12,000 spectators.
The Plaza de Toros de Ronda is another 18th-century bullfighting arena to enjoy the sport.
7. Motorsports
Motorsports are a modern sport widely enjoyed in Spain.
The country hosts motorsport events and tournaments in different categories, including X-Trial, MotoGP and Formula One.
Spaniards watch these competitions and create memorable experiences.
In addition, Spain hosts the Spanish Grand Prix every year on the de Barcelona Catalunya's 4,675 km long circuit.
Spain hosted the Grand Prix for the first time in 1913, but it became popular after Fernando Alonso won the World Championship.
What Sports do you Associate with Spain?
Sports have become an integral part of Spanish society and identity at the local, regional, national and international levels.
The country continues to produce the greatest players in various sports, including football, cycling, tennis and basketball, making it the powerhouse of international sports.
