The Most Popular Sports in Italy (Top 25 Ranked)

Soccer leads Italy with 1,121,495 registered active members (tesserati attivi) in 2024, ahead of Tennis and padel and Volleyball. Ranking of 25 sports.

This page ranks the sports of Italy by one number that is collected the same way for all of them: Number of athletes who paid the minimum federation membership fee and took part in at least one competitive or training activity during the season, as reported annually by each national sports federation (FSN) to Sport e Salute, the state body that funds Italian sport; the same counting method is applied to every federation, which makes the figures comparable across sports. The figures come from Sport e Salute S.p.A., Rating delle FSN 2025.

Soccer is on top, followed by Tennis and padel and Volleyball. The full table below covers 25 sports, and every section further down names the source for the figure it uses.

The Most Popular Sports in Italy

The table counts registered active members (tesserati attivi), not people who say they like a sport. It is the figure that is published the same way for every sport in the list, which is what makes the rows comparable. The listed sports account for 5,217,012 in total. The reference year is 2024.

#	Sport	Registered active members (tesserati attivi)	Governing body
1	Soccer	1,121,495	Italian Football Federation (FIGC)
2	Tennis and padel	1,085,901	Italian Tennis and Padel Federation (FITP)
3	Volleyball	364,430	Italian Volleyball Federation (FIPAV)
4	Athletics	293,009	Italian Athletics Federation (FIDAL)
5	Basketball	283,819	Italian Basketball Federation (FIP)
6	Swimming	248,602	Italian Swimming Federation (FIN)
7	Judo, wrestling, karate and martial arts	144,170	Italian Judo, Wrestling, Karate and Martial Arts Federation (FIJLKAM)
8	Equestrian sports	122,863	Italian Equestrian Sports Federation (FISE)
9	Sport fishing and underwater activities	112,051	Italian Sport Fishing and Underwater Activities Federation (FIPSAS)
10	Weightlifting	104,735	Italian Weightlifting Federation (FIPE)
11	Sport climbing	97,378	Italian Sport Climbing Federation (FASI)
12	Sailing	94,470	Italian Sailing Federation (FIV)
13	Golf	91,742	Italian Golf Federation (FIG)
14	Gymnastics	80,099	Italian Gymnastics Federation (FGI)
15	Boxing	71,962	Italian Boxing Federation (FPI)
16	Rugby	64,557	Italian Rugby Federation (FIR)
17	Cycling	62,541	Italian Cycling Federation (FCI)
18	Shooting	62,043	Italian Shooting Union (UITS)
19	Bocce	60,363	Italian Bocce Federation (FIB)
20	Roller sports	56,285	Italian Roller Sports Federation (FISR)
21	Dance sport	51,949	Italian Dance Sport and Sport Music Federation (FIDeSm)
22	Motorcycling	48,006	Italian Motorcycling Federation (FMI)
23	Surfing, water skiing and wakeboard	43,261	Italian Surfing, Water Skiing and Wakeboard Federation (FISSW)
24	Winter sports	37,178	Italian Winter Sports Federation (FISI)
25	Taekwondo	30,738	Italian Taekwondo Federation (FITA)

One caveat applies to every ranking of this kind: someone who plays two sports is counted twice, once in each federation, and sports people mostly do on their own, such as running or hiking, barely show up at all.

Most Played and Most Watched Are Not the Same Sport

Membership and license numbers tell you what people do. Audience figures tell you what they watch, and the two lists rarely have the same sport on top.

Sport	Figure	What it measures
Soccer	246,700,000	Serie A drew close to 247 million cumulative television viewers across the Sky and DAZN broadcasts of the 2024/25 season in Italy.
Rugby	137,230	Italy’s two home matches of the 2025 Six Nations at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome drew a combined attendance of nearly 140,000 spectators.
Volleyball	5,500,000	The Italy versus United States women’s Olympic volleyball final at Paris 2024 was watched by more than 5.5 million viewers on Italian television.

Is There a National Sport of Italy?

Italy has no national sport laid down by law or by government decision. No Italian law or government decree designates an official national sport; a review of Italian sport governance sources, including the EACEA Youthwiki chapter on Italian sport policy and Sport e Salute’s institutional material, found no such legal designation.

• Soccer. Soccer is widely treated as Italy’s de facto national sport, since the Italian Football Federation is by far the country’s largest sports federation.

Sports That Were Invented in Italy

• Fencing (Italian school). The Italian school of fencing developed its own distinct technique and teaching tradition beginning in the Renaissance, with the sixteenth century regarded as its foundational period for modern fencing.
• Calcio storico fiorentino. Calcio storico fiorentino, an early ball game combining elements of football, rugby and wrestling, developed in Florence and is documented from the sixteenth century, with its most famous match played during the siege of Florence in 1530.

#1 Soccer

• Registered active members (tesserati attivi): 1,121,495 (Italian Football Federation (FIGC), 2024)
• Top national league: Serie A
• Best known athlete: Gianluigi Buffon. Buffon won the 2006 FIFA World Cup as Italy’s starting goalkeeper, keeping a record five clean sheets in the tournament, and retired as the most capped player in the history of the Italy national team

Soccer is the largest organized sport in Italy by a wide margin, with the Italian Football Federation reporting 1,121,495 active registered members in 2024, according to Sport e Salute’s federation rating report. That figure alone accounted for 22 percent of all athletes registered across every national sports federation that year.

The top domestic competition is Serie A, and the national team won the FIFA World Cup in 2006 with Gianluigi Buffon as starting goalkeeper, a tournament in which he conceded only two goals in open play across the whole campaign.

#2 Tennis and padel

• Registered active members (tesserati attivi): 1,085,901 (Italian Tennis and Padel Federation (FITP), 2024)
• Best known athlete: Jannik Sinner. Sinner became the first Italian man to reach the ATP world number one ranking, doing so on June 10, 2024, and by 2025 had won the Australian Open twice, the US Open once and Wimbledon

Tennis and padel together form the second largest federation in Italy, with 1,085,901 active members registered in 2024, up from 455,626 in 2021, the fastest growth of any major federation over that period according to Sport e Salute.

The sport’s rise has coincided with the success of Jannik Sinner, who became the first Italian man ranked world number one in June 2024 and went on to win the Australian Open, the US Open and Wimbledon.

#3 Volleyball

• Registered active members (tesserati attivi): 364,430 (Italian Volleyball Federation (FIPAV), 2024)
• Top national league: SuperLega Credem Banca
• Best known athlete: Paola Egonu. Egonu led Italy’s women’s team to their first Olympic gold medal in volleyball at Paris 2024 and was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player

Volleyball is Italy’s third largest federation, with 364,430 active members in 2024, an increase of more than 60 percent since 2021 according to Sport e Salute’s federation figures.

The women’s national team won its first Olympic gold medal at Paris 2024, with opposite hitter Paola Egonu named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.

#4 Athletics

• Registered active members (tesserati attivi): 293,009 (Italian Athletics Federation (FIDAL), 2024)
• Best known athlete: Marcell Jacobs. Jacobs won the men’s 100 meters at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in 9.80 seconds, becoming the first Italian to take Olympic gold in the event

Athletics ranks fourth among Italian sports federations, with 293,009 active members registered in 2024, according to Sport e Salute, a steady rise from 254,763 in 2021.

Marcell Jacobs became the sport’s biggest recent name by winning the Olympic 100 meters title at Tokyo 2020 in a national record 9.80 seconds.

#5 Basketball

• Registered active members (tesserati attivi): 283,819 (Italian Basketball Federation (FIP), 2024)
• Top national league: Lega Basket Serie A
• Best known athlete: Dino Meneghin. Meneghin, inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003, won the FIBA EuroBasket with Italy in 1983 and an Olympic silver medal in 1980

Basketball is Italy’s fifth largest federation with 283,819 active members in 2024, according to Sport e Salute’s federation data, after peaking at 320,989 in 2023.

Dino Meneghin, inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003, remains the sport’s most decorated Italian, having won the EuroBasket title with the national team in 1983 and an Olympic silver medal in 1980.

#6 Swimming

• Registered active members (tesserati attivi): 248,602 (Italian Swimming Federation (FIN), 2024)
• Best known athlete: Federica Pellegrini. Pellegrini won Olympic gold in the 200 meter freestyle at Beijing 2008 in a world record time of 1:54.82

Swimming had 248,602 active members registered with the Italian federation in 2024, its highest total in the 2021 to 2024 series reported by Sport e Salute.

Federica Pellegrini remains the sport’s best known Italian athlete, having won the Olympic 200 meter freestyle at Beijing 2008 in a world record time of 1:54.82.

#7 Judo, wrestling, karate and martial arts

• Registered active members (tesserati attivi): 144,170 (Italian Judo, Wrestling, Karate and Martial Arts Federation (FIJLKAM), 2024)

The federation covering judo, wrestling, karate and other martial arts registered 144,170 active members in 2024, nearly 73 percent more than in 2021, according to Sport e Salute.

It is one of the fastest growing federations in the ranking, reflecting rising participation in combat sports across Italian sports clubs since 2021.

#8 Equestrian sports

• Registered active members (tesserati attivi): 122,863 (Italian Equestrian Sports Federation (FISE), 2024)

Equestrian sports counted 122,863 active federation members in 2024, though the figure has declined every year since 2021, when it stood at 181,802, according to Sport e Salute.

The federation governs disciplines such as show jumping and dressage and remains one of the ten largest by membership in Italy.

#9 Sport fishing and underwater activities

• Registered active members (tesserati attivi): 112,051 (Italian Sport Fishing and Underwater Activities Federation (FIPSAS), 2024)

The federation covering sport fishing and underwater activities such as spearfishing and finswimming registered 112,051 active members in 2024, according to Sport e Salute.

Membership grew steadily over the 2021 to 2024 period, rising from 100,184 to 112,051 despite a dip in 2022.

#10 Weightlifting

• Registered active members (tesserati attivi): 104,735 (Italian Weightlifting Federation (FIPE), 2024)

Weightlifting, which in Italy also governs powerlifting-style strength disciplines under the same federation, had 104,735 active members in 2024, according to Sport e Salute’s federation report.

The federation’s membership grew by close to 50 percent between 2021 and 2024, one of the larger increases among Italy’s fifty national sports federations.

#11 Sport climbing

• Registered active members (tesserati attivi): 97,378 (Italian Sport Climbing Federation (FASI), 2024)

Sport climbing more than doubled its membership between 2021 and 2024, reaching 97,378 active members in 2024 according to Sport e Salute, the largest percentage increase of any federation in the top twenty.

The growth follows climbing’s addition to the Olympic program at Tokyo 2020, which raised the profile of the discipline in Italian sports clubs.

#12 Sailing

• Registered active members (tesserati attivi): 94,470 (Italian Sailing Federation (FIV), 2024)

Sailing had 94,470 active federation members in 2024, having jumped sharply from 54,219 in 2022 to 95,726 in 2023, according to Sport e Salute’s figures.

Italy also competes at the top level of offshore sailing through the America’s Cup team Luna Rossa, based in the Bay of Naples.

#13 Golf

• Registered active members (tesserati attivi): 91,742 (Italian Golf Federation (FIG), 2024)
• Best known athlete: Francesco Molinari. Molinari won the 2018 Open Championship at Carnoustie with a bogey-free final round, becoming the first Italian golfer to win a men’s major championship

Golf membership jumped from 56,540 in 2023 to 91,742 in 2024, the largest single year increase of any of the ten biggest federations, according to Sport e Salute.

Francesco Molinari became the first Italian to win a men’s major championship when he took the 2018 Open Championship at Carnoustie with a bogey-free final round.

#14 Gymnastics

• Registered active members (tesserati attivi): 80,099 (Italian Gymnastics Federation (FGI), 2024)
• Best known athlete: Vanessa Ferrari. Ferrari won the all-around title at the 2006 World Championships as a 15 year old and later became the first Italian to win an individual Olympic medal in women’s artistic gymnastics, taking floor exercise silver at Tokyo 2020

Gymnastics had 80,099 active members in 2024, still below its 2021 level of 119,276 after a sharp drop in 2023, according to Sport e Salute’s federation figures.

Vanessa Ferrari became the first Italian woman to win the World Championship all-around title in 2006 and later the first Italian to win an individual Olympic gymnastics medal, taking silver on floor exercise at Tokyo 2020.

#15 Boxing

• Registered active members (tesserati attivi): 71,962 (Italian Boxing Federation (FPI), 2024)

Boxing registered 71,962 active members in 2024, up from 52,584 in 2021, according to Sport e Salute’s federation rating report.

The federation governs both Olympic-style amateur boxing and licensed professional bouts across Italian boxing clubs.

#16 Rugby

• Registered active members (tesserati attivi): 64,557 (Italian Rugby Federation (FIR), 2024)
• Top national league: Serie A Elite

Rugby had 64,557 active federation members in 2024, according to Sport e Salute, roughly stable since 2021 after peaking at 66,727 in 2022.

The national team plays its home Six Nations matches at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, where attendance has grown in recent seasons.

#17 Cycling

• Registered active members (tesserati attivi): 62,541 (Italian Cycling Federation (FCI), 2024)
• Best known athlete: Filippo Ganna. Ganna is a six time individual pursuit world champion on the track and set the UCI Hour Record at 56.792 kilometers in Grenchen in October 2022

Cycling had 62,541 active federation members in 2024, its lowest total in the 2021 to 2024 series reported by Sport e Salute, down from 68,912 in 2021.

Filippo Ganna has been the sport’s dominant Italian name on the track in recent years, winning six individual pursuit world titles and setting the UCI Hour Record in 2022.

#18 Shooting

• Registered active members (tesserati attivi): 62,043 (Italian Shooting Union (UITS), 2024)

Target shooting, governed by the Italian Shooting Union, had 62,043 active members in 2024, according to Sport e Salute’s federation data.

Membership rose sharply between 2021 and 2022 and has stayed close to that level in the following two seasons.

#19 Bocce

• Registered active members (tesserati attivi): 60,363 (Italian Bocce Federation (FIB), 2024)

Bocce had 60,363 active federation members in 2024, the most stable membership figure among the twenty largest Italian federations across the 2021 to 2024 period, according to Sport e Salute.

The Italian federation traces its organized roots to clubs founded in Turin in the late 19th century, though the game itself has been played across Italy for far longer.

#20 Roller sports

• Registered active members (tesserati attivi): 56,285 (Italian Roller Sports Federation (FISR), 2024)

Roller sports, covering disciplines such as speed skating, artistic skating and roller hockey, had 56,285 active members in 2024, according to Sport e Salute.

Membership has declined slightly each year since 2021, when the federation counted 65,521 active members.

#21 Dance sport

• Registered active members (tesserati attivi): 51,949 (Italian Dance Sport and Sport Music Federation (FIDeSm), 2024)

Dance sport had 51,949 active federation members in 2024, according to Sport e Salute, down from 64,618 in 2021.

The federation governs competitive ballroom and Latin dance as well as sport-oriented dance disciplines.

#22 Motorcycling

• Registered active members (tesserati attivi): 48,006 (Italian Motorcycling Federation (FMI), 2024)

Motorcycling had 48,006 active federation members in 2024, following an unusually high count of 109,027 in 2023, according to Sport e Salute’s data.

The federation governs licensed competitive riders across disciplines such as motocross, road racing and trial.

Sources

• Sport e Salute S.p.A., Rating delle FSN 2025
• Calcio e Finanza
• Italy Telegraph
• TVblog.it
• EACEA Youthwiki, Italy – Sport, youth fitness and physical activity
• Federazione Italiana Scherma
• Comune di Firenze, Cultura
• Sport e Salute S.p.A., Rating delle FSN 2025
• Sport e Salute S.p.A., Rating delle FSN 2025
• Sport e Salute S.p.A., Rating delle FSN 2025
• Sport e Salute S.p.A., Rating delle FSN 2025
• Sport e Salute S.p.A., Rating delle FSN 2025
• Sport e Salute S.p.A., Rating delle FSN 2025
• Sport e Salute S.p.A., Rating delle FSN 2025
• Sport e Salute S.p.A., Rating delle FSN 2025
• Sport e Salute S.p.A., Rating delle FSN 2025

Figures on this page come from national federations and statistics offices and are only as current as their latest published report. Last reviewed: August 2026.

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