Soccer leads Bahrain, ahead of Motorsport and Athletics. Ranking of 10 sports.
This page ranks the sports of Bahrain by the evidence behind each one, because no single participation, membership, or survey figure covering all sports in Bahrain could be identified in this session, so the ranking below rests on qualitative evidence per sport (governing body prominence, international competition record, and hosting of major events) instead of one comparable number.
Soccer is on top, followed by Motorsport and Athletics. 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 Bahrain
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. The reference year is 2026.
| # | Sport | Basis for the placing |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Soccer | Bahrain Football Association is the country’s national governing body for the sport, running a men’s premier league and a national team that competes in FIFA and AFC competitions. |
| 2 | Motorsport | Bahrain International Circuit hosts the Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix and describes itself as a global motorsport venue, making motor racing one of the country’s highest profile ann |
| 3 | Athletics | Bahrain competes internationally in track and field through athletes registered with the Bahrain Athletics Association, and the country has produced medalists at the Olympic Games |
| 4 | Cricket | Bahrain Cricket Association is an associate member of the International Cricket Council, and cricket is played largely by the country’s large South Asian expatriate community in cl |
| 5 | Handball | Bahrain’s national handball team has reached the medal rounds of Asian championships, and handball is organized nationally through the Bahrain Handball Association. |
| 6 | Basketball | Bahrain fields men’s and women’s national basketball teams registered with FIBA and competes in West Asian and Gulf regional club and national team competitions. |
| 7 | Volleyball | Bahrain Volleyball Association is affiliated with the FIVB and organizes a national league along with men’s and women’s national teams that compete in Gulf and Asian regional event |
| 8 | Table tennis | Table tennis is organized nationally through the Bahrain Table Tennis Association, an ITTF affiliate, with domestic club competitions and participation in Gulf and Asian regional e |
| 9 | Judo | Bahrain Judo Federation sends competitors to Asian and international judo events, and judo is one of the combat sports with organized national club training in the country. |
| 10 | Swimming | Bahrain Swimming Association sends swimmers to regional Gulf and Asian championships, and swimming is taught through school and club programs supported by the federation. |
Is There a National Sport of Bahrain?
Bahrain has no national sport laid down by law or by government decision. No law or government decree formally designating a national sport for Bahrain could be identified in this session, so no legally set national sport is reported here.
- Soccer. Soccer functions as Bahrain’s de facto national sport by participation and following, based on the size and activity of the Bahrain Football Association compared with other federations.
#1 Soccer
- Governing body: Bahrain Football Association
- Top national league: Bahraini Premier League
- Best known athlete: A’ala Hubail. A’ala Hubail is Bahrain’s all time top scorer for the men’s national team and one of the most capped Gulf strikers of the 2000s and 2010s, widely regarded as the country’s best known soccer player
Soccer is the most widely followed team sport in Bahrain, organized nationally by the Bahrain Football Association and played through a domestic premier league of local clubs.
The men’s national team regularly enters qualifying rounds for AFC and FIFA tournaments, and matches draw the largest domestic television and stadium audiences of any team sport in the country.
Latest Posts about Soccer
#2 Motorsport
- Governing body: Bahrain International Circuit
- Top national league: Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix
Motorsport has a national profile in Bahrain because the country hosts a round of the Formula 1 world championship each year at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir.
The race weekend is treated as a national event, with government and royal family involvement, and the circuit also hosts other regional racing and karting competitions through the year.
#3 Athletics
- Governing body: Bahrain Athletics Association
- Best known athlete: Ruth Jebet. Ruth Jebet won the women’s 3000 meter steeplechase at the 2016 Rio Olympics, giving Bahrain its first ever Olympic gold medal
Athletics carries outsized international weight for Bahrain because the country’s Olympic and World Championship medals have come almost entirely from track and field.
The Bahrain Athletics Association fields distance runners in global competition, and their results are a major driver of national sporting attention even though the sport has a small domestic participation base compared to soccer.
Latest Posts about Athletics
#4 Cricket
- Governing body: Bahrain Cricket Association
Cricket has a substantial following in Bahrain that comes mainly from the country’s South Asian expatriate population rather than from Bahraini nationals.
Club and league matches run through the Bahrain Cricket Association, an ICC associate member, and the sport is among the most attended non soccer sports at the amateur and club level.
#5 Handball
- Governing body: Bahrain Handball Association
Handball is one of the stronger team sports for Bahrain at the continental level, with the men’s national team a regular participant in Asian championship competition.
The sport is organized through school and club leagues feeding the national team program run by the Bahrain Handball Association.
Latest Posts about Handball
#6 Basketball
- Governing body: Bahrain Basketball Association
Basketball is played through club leagues in Bahrain and the national teams compete in West Asian and Gulf regional tournaments organized under FIBA rules.
The sport has a smaller spectator base than soccer or motorsport but a steady domestic club structure supported by the Bahrain Basketball Association.
Latest Posts about Basketball
#7 Volleyball
- Governing body: Bahrain Volleyball Association
Volleyball is played through a domestic club league in Bahrain, with the strongest clubs feeding players into the national teams.
National teams compete mainly in Gulf Cooperation Council and West Asian regional tournaments rather than in global finals.
Latest Posts about Volleyball
#8 Table tennis
- Governing body: Bahrain Table Tennis Association
Table tennis is a common club and school sport in Bahrain, run through the national federation affiliated with the ITTF.
Competitive play centers on regional Gulf and Asian tournaments rather than a large domestic spectator following.
Latest Posts about Table Tennis
#9 Judo
- Governing body: Bahrain Judo Federation
Judo is practiced through club programs affiliated with the Bahrain Judo Federation, which enters competitors in Asian championship events.
The sport draws a smaller but consistent base of practitioners compared to Bahrain’s larger team sports.
Latest Posts about Judo
#10 Swimming
- Governing body: Bahrain Swimming Association
Swimming in Bahrain is organized through school and club programs under the Bahrain Swimming Association, which is affiliated with World Aquatics.
Competitive swimming activity centers on age group and regional Gulf meets rather than global finals appearances.
Latest Posts about Swimming
Sources
- Bahrain Football Association
- Bahrain International Circuit
- World Athletics
- International Cricket Council
- International Handball Federation
- FIBA
- FIVB
- ITTF
- International Judo Federation
- World Aquatics
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 Bahrain?
Soccer is considered the most popular sport in Bahrain, organized nationally by the Bahrain Football Association through a domestic premier league and a national team that competes in AFC and FIFA competitions. It draws the largest following of any team sport in the country.
Does Bahrain have an official national sport?
No law or government decree formally naming a national sport for Bahrain was found. Soccer functions as the de facto national sport based on the size of its domestic league and the following of the national team.
Is cricket popular in Bahrain?
Cricket has a substantial following in Bahrain, driven mainly by the country’s South Asian expatriate community. It is organized through the Bahrain Cricket Association, an associate member of the International Cricket Council.
Why is Formula 1 important in Bahrain?
Bahrain hosts a round of the Formula 1 world championship each year at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, and the race weekend is treated as a major national event with government and royal family involvement.
Has any Bahraini athlete won an Olympic medal?
Yes. Ruth Jebet won the women’s 3000 meter steeplechase at the 2016 Rio Olympics, giving Bahrain its first ever Olympic gold medal and making athletics a sport with outsized international importance for the country.
