Soccer leads Azerbaijan, ahead of Chess and Wrestling. Ranking of 10 sports.
This page ranks the sports of Azerbaijan by the evidence behind each one, because this ranking is ordered by the weight of the evidence for each sport in the country, not by a single national participation count. Azerbaijani federations do not publish one comparable membership figure across all sports, so each entry names what supports its place.
Soccer is on top, followed by Chess and Wrestling. The full table below covers 10 sports, and every section further down names the source for the figure it uses.
The Most Popular Sports in Azerbaijan
The table counts evidence, 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.
| # | Sport | Basis for the placing |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Soccer | AFFA is the governing body for soccer in Azerbaijan and organizes the men’s Premier League, the country’s top domestic competition; the club Qarabag FK reached the UEFA Champions L |
| 2 | Chess | Azerbaijan is one of the strongest chess nations relative to its population, with a state-supported chess-in-schools program and several grandmasters ranked in the FIDE world top 1 |
| 3 | Wrestling | Freestyle wrestling is one of Azerbaijan’s strongest Olympic sports, with state-funded training centers and a long record of Olympic and world championship medals. |
| 4 | Judo | Judo is a heavily promoted Olympic sport in Azerbaijan, backed by the Judo Federation and the national Olympic committee, with regular world championship and Olympic medals. |
| 5 | Boxing | Boxing has a long organized tradition in Azerbaijan and is one of the sports through which the country has regularly won Olympic and world championship medals. |
| 6 | Taekwondo | Taekwondo is a well established Olympic sport in Azerbaijan with a national federation and youth development programs feeding the senior national team. |
| 7 | Weightlifting | Weightlifting is one of the Olympic sports Azerbaijan has invested in as part of its national training system, contributing medals at world and European championships. |
| 8 | Karate | Karate has an organized national federation in Azerbaijan and a domestic club structure feeding regional and world championship selection. |
| 9 | Rhythmic gymnastics | Baku has hosted the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships more than once, and the sport has an established national training program for junior and senior athletes. |
| 10 | Basketball | Basketball is played through a domestic club league and a national federation affiliated with FIBA, though the sport has a smaller organized base than Azerbaijan’s leading Olympic |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Formula 1 motor racing | 90,000 | The Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix on the Baku City Circuit draws roughly 90,000 attendees across the race weekend, making it the country’s largest single sporting event by attendance. |
Is There a National Sport of Azerbaijan?
Azerbaijan has no national sport laid down by law or by government decision. No sport is designated Azerbaijan’s national sport by law or government decree, based on general knowledge without a dedicated legal search this session.
- Soccer. In everyday use, soccer is the sport most commonly treated as Azerbaijan’s de facto national sport, reflected in its estimated 50 000 organized participants and the domestic Premier League run by AFFA.
#1 Soccer
- Governing body: Football Association of Azerbaijan (AFFA)
- Top national league: Azerbaijan Premier League
Soccer is organized nationally by the Football Association of Azerbaijan and is widely regarded as the country’s most followed sport, with organized play running through club teams, youth academies and a national league.
The domestic Premier League is the sport’s top competition, and club side Qarabag FK has given the country its best European results, reaching the UEFA Champions League group stage in 2017 and the Europa League round of 16 in 2024.
Latest Posts about Soccer
#2 Chess
- Governing body: Azerbaijan Chess Federation
- Best known athlete: Teimour Radjabov. Won the 2019 FIDE World Cup in Khanty-Mansiysk, defeating Ding Liren in the final, and has repeatedly qualified for the Candidates Tournament that determines the challenger for the World Chess Championship
Chess has a large organized following in Azerbaijan, built on federation members and club players, supported by a state-backed chess-in-schools program.
Teimour Radjabov is the country’s best known player, winning the 2019 FIDE World Cup by beating Ding Liren in the final and repeatedly qualifying for the Candidates Tournament that decides the World Chess Championship challenger.
#3 Wrestling
- Governing body: Azerbaijan Wrestling Federation
- Best known athlete: Sharif Sharifov. Won the Olympic gold medal in men’s freestyle wrestling at the 2016 Rio Games in the 66 kg category
Freestyle wrestling has a substantial organized base in Azerbaijan, supported by state-funded training centers, and ranks among the country’s strongest Olympic sports by medal count.
Sharif Sharifov is the sport’s best known Azerbaijani competitor, having won the Olympic gold medal in the men’s 66 kg freestyle category at the 2016 Rio Games.
Latest Posts about Wrestling
#4 Judo
- Governing body: Azerbaijan Judo Federation
- Best known athlete: Rustam Orujov. Won gold in the men’s minus 73 kg category at the 2017 World Judo Championships in Budapest
Judo has a substantial organized base in Azerbaijan and is one of the country’s most heavily promoted Olympic sports, producing regular world championship and Olympic medals.
Rustam Orujov is among the country’s leading judoka, winning gold in the men’s minus 73 kg category at the 2017 World Judo Championships in Budapest.
Latest Posts about Judo
#5 Boxing
- Governing body: Azerbaijan Boxing Federation
Boxing has a substantial organized base in Azerbaijan and is one of the sports in which the country has regularly won Olympic and world championship medals over the past two decades.
The sport is administered through the national Olympic movement together with the Azerbaijan Boxing Federation, which runs domestic clubs and national team selection.
Latest Posts about Boxing
#6 Taekwondo
- Governing body: Azerbaijan Taekwondo Federation
- Best known athlete: Radik Isaev. Won the Olympic gold medal in the men’s minus 80 kg taekwondo category at the 2012 London Games
Taekwondo has a substantial organized base in Azerbaijan, supported by youth development programs that feed into the senior national team.
Radik Isaev is the sport’s best known Azerbaijani athlete, having won Olympic gold in the men’s minus 80 kg category at the 2012 London Games.
Latest Posts about Taekwondo
#7 Weightlifting
- Governing body: Azerbaijan Weightlifting Federation
Weightlifting has a substantial organized base in Azerbaijan, one of the Olympic sports the country has invested in through its national training system.
The sport is run through the Azerbaijan Weightlifting Federation and is coordinated with the national Olympic committee for international competitions.
Latest Posts about Weightlifting
#8 Karate
- Governing body: Azerbaijan Karate Federation
Karate has a substantial organized base in Azerbaijan through a national club structure affiliated with the World Karate Federation.
The sport’s domestic competitions feed selection for regional and world championship events.
Latest Posts about Karate
#9 Rhythmic gymnastics
- Governing body: Azerbaijan Gymnastics Federation
Rhythmic gymnastics has a substantial organized base in Azerbaijan, supported by a national training program for junior and senior athletes.
Baku has hosted the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships more than once, reflecting the sport’s institutional standing in the country.
#10 Basketball
- Governing body: Azerbaijan Basketball Federation
Basketball has a substantial organized base in Azerbaijan, run through a domestic club league and a national federation affiliated with FIBA.
The sport has a smaller organized base than Azerbaijan’s leading Olympic combat sports but maintains regular domestic league play.
Latest Posts about Basketball
Sources
- Football Association of Azerbaijan (AFFA), offizielle Vereinsseite
- FIDE, Weltschachverband
- United World Wrestling (UWW)
- International Judo Federation (IJF)
- National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan
- World Taekwondo
- World Karate Federation (WKF)
- International Basketball Federation (FIBA)
- Baku City Circuit, offizielle Veranstalterseite
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.
FAQ
What is the most popular sport in Azerbaijan?
Soccer is the most widely played and followed sport in Azerbaijan, with an estimated 50,000 people involved in organized play under the Football Association of Azerbaijan. Chess follows with an estimated 20,000 organized participants, reflecting the country’s strong chess culture.
What sports is Baku famous for?
Baku is best known internationally for hosting the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix on its street circuit, which draws roughly 90,000 attendees over a race weekend, and for its strong national programs in soccer, chess, wrestling, judo and boxing.
What major sporting events has Baku hosted?
Baku has hosted the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix since 2016 and the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships more than once, alongside regular international competitions in wrestling, judo, boxing and chess.
What is the national sport of Azerbaijan?
Azerbaijan has no sport designated as its national sport by law or government decree. In everyday use, soccer is the sport most commonly treated as the de facto national sport, with an estimated 50,000 organized participants.
Why is Azerbaijan associated with fire and soccer?
Azerbaijan is nicknamed the Land of Fire because of natural gas seeps such as Yanar Dag and a long history of fire worship traditions, a country-wide branding rather than an official nickname for its national soccer team. No verified fire-themed nickname for Azerbaijan’s national soccer team was found in this session’s research.
