Soccer leads Bolivia, ahead of Basketball and Volleyball. Ranking of 10 sports.
This page ranks the sports of Bolivia by the evidence behind each one, because no single comparable participation figure (members, licenses, or a national survey) covering all sports in Bolivia could be confirmed in this fast pass, so the ranking is ordered by documented federation presence and general prominence instead of one shared number.
Soccer is on top, followed by Basketball and Volleyball. 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 Bolivia
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 2025.
| # | Sport | Basis for the placing |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Soccer | The federation site presents itself as the body that has driven organized football in Bolivia since it was founded in 1925 and runs the men’s, women’s and beach national teams plus |
| 2 | Basketball | Basketball has an organized national federation and a men’s national team that regularly enters FIBA AmeriCup qualifying, making it one of the more established team sports outside |
| 3 | Volleyball | Volleyball has a national federation and enters South American club and national team competitions, and it is a common school and club sport, especially for women. |
| 4 | Boxing | Boxing has a long-standing national federation and produces amateur competitors who represent Bolivia at Pan American and Olympic qualifying events. |
| 5 | Cycling | Bolivia’s high altitude terrain supports a road cycling culture centered on the annual multi-stage Vuelta a Bolivia, run by the national federation with regional teams from the cou |
| 6 | Futsal | Futsal is played widely in indoor courts in Bolivian cities as a lower cost, year round alternative to outdoor soccer, with its own national federation and league structure. |
| 7 | Athletics | Bolivia’s federation enters national team athletes in World Athletics events, and high altitude cities such as La Paz and El Alto host distance running events that draw on the loca |
| 8 | Chess | Chess has an organized national federation affiliated with FIDE and a domestic tournament circuit, with La Paz having hosted continental level events. |
| 9 | Tennis | Tennis has a national federation and a small number of clubs in the larger cities, with Bolivia fielding a Davis Cup team in the lower regional groups. |
| 10 | Wrestling | Amateur wrestling has a national federation that enters Pan American qualifying, and a separate, culturally distinct lucha libre scene centered on the cholitas luchadoras of El Alt |
Is There a National Sport of Bolivia?
Bolivia has no national sport laid down by law or by government decision. No Bolivian law or government decree establishing an official national sport could be confirmed in this fast pass.
- Soccer. Soccer is the de facto national sport of Bolivia based on its federation history, its national team’s World Cup appearance and its dominant place in Bolivian sports media and public interest.
#1 Soccer
- Governing body: Bolivian Football Federation (Federacion Boliviana de Futbol, FBF)
- Top national league: Bolivian Primera Division (Division Profesional)
- Best known athlete: Marco Antonio Etcheverry. Etcheverry captained Bolivia at the 1994 FIFA World Cup, the country’s only World Cup appearance, and later won MLS Cup titles with D.C. United in the 1990s
Soccer is the dominant team sport in Bolivia and the one most closely tied to national identity, organized under the Bolivian Football Federation, which traces its founding back to 1925.
The men’s national team reached the 1994 World Cup, its only appearance to date, with Marco Antonio Etcheverry as captain, and the domestic league runs a professional first division alongside youth and beach football programs.
Latest Posts about Soccer
#2 Basketball
- Governing body: Bolivian Basketball Federation
Basketball ranks among the more organized sports in Bolivia behind soccer, with club competitions in the main cities and a national federation that enters FIBA qualifying tournaments.
It is played widely at school and club level in urban centers such as La Paz, Santa Cruz and Cochabamba, though it does not approach the reach of soccer.
Latest Posts about Basketball
#3 Volleyball
- Governing body: Bolivian Volleyball Federation
Volleyball is a widely played school and club sport in Bolivia, with a national federation that fields teams in South American regional competitions.
Women’s volleyball in particular has an active club scene in cities such as Santa Cruz and La Paz, though it remains smaller than soccer in overall reach.
Latest Posts about Volleyball
#4 Boxing
- Governing body: Bolivian Boxing Federation
Boxing has a long tradition in Bolivia at the amateur level, with clubs training fighters who compete for a place in Pan American and Olympic qualifying events.
It draws less media coverage than soccer but keeps a stable base of gyms and regional tournaments across the country.
Latest Posts about Boxing
#5 Cycling
- Governing body: Bolivian Cycling Federation
Road cycling benefits from Bolivia’s mountainous, high altitude terrain, which has made the country a training ground referenced by cyclists from other nations.
The Vuelta a Bolivia, a multi-stage national tour, is the sport’s main annual event and draws teams representing the country’s departments.
Latest Posts about Cycling
#6 Futsal
- Governing body: Bolivian Futsal Federation
Futsal is common in Bolivian cities as an indoor, lower cost alternative to outdoor soccer, played on covered courts through the year.
It has its own national federation separate from the outdoor game and a domestic club league.
#7 Athletics
- Governing body: Bolivian Athletics Federation
Athletics, especially distance running, benefits from the same high altitude conditions that support cycling, with La Paz and El Alto hosting road races.
The national federation sends competitors to South American and World Athletics events, though international results have been limited.
Latest Posts about Athletics
#8 Chess
- Governing body: Bolivian Chess Federation
Chess has a modest but organized following in Bolivia, run through a national federation affiliated with FIDE, the world chess body.
Club tournaments take place in the main cities, and La Paz has hosted continental level chess events.
#9 Tennis
- Governing body: Bolivian Tennis Federation
Tennis is played at private and club level in Bolivia’s larger cities, with a national federation that enters a Davis Cup team in the regional groups.
It reaches a smaller and more urban audience than team sports such as soccer or basketball.
Latest Posts about Tennis
#10 Wrestling
- Governing body: Bolivian Wrestling Federation
Amateur wrestling has a national federation and a small competitive base that enters Pan American qualifying events.
Alongside it, El Alto is known for its cholitas luchadoras lucha libre shows, a distinct entertainment wrestling tradition performed by women in traditional dress that draws local and tourist audiences.
Latest Posts about Wrestling
Sources
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 Bolivia?
Soccer is the most popular sport in Bolivia. It is organized nationally by the Bolivian Football Federation, founded in 1925, and the men’s national team reached the 1994 World Cup, the country’s only appearance so far.
What is the national sport of Bolivia?
Bolivia has no sport designated as national by law or government decree. Soccer functions as the de facto national sport because of its federation history and its dominant place in Bolivian sports culture.
What is the official sport of Bolivia?
There is no officially designated sport in Bolivia. Soccer is treated as the sport of greatest national importance in practice, run by the Bolivian Football Federation since 1925.
What is the famous sport in La Paz?
Soccer is the most followed sport in La Paz, and the city is also known for high altitude road cycling and distance running events that take advantage of its elevation. El Alto, next to La Paz, is additionally known for its cholitas luchadoras lucha libre wrestling shows.
What are the sports of Bolivia?
Bolivia’s most organized sports are soccer, basketball, volleyball, boxing, cycling, futsal, athletics, chess, tennis and wrestling, each run by its own national federation. Soccer leads by a clear margin, while cycling and athletics are boosted by the country’s high altitude terrain.
