Football (Soccer) leads Brazil with 39.3 people aged 15 and over who named the sport as their main sporting activity, as a share of the 38.8 million bra
This page ranks the sports of Brazil by one number that is collected the same way for all of them: IBGE’s PNAD 2015 household survey supplement, run with the then Ministério do Esporte, is the only source found that reports a single comparable participation share across several distinct sports for Brazil. Its national table (Tabela 4) breaks main sport practiced into a limited set of categories; this ranking uses only the rows that correspond to one sport or one clearly defined combined discipline group, at the national (Brasil) level. The figures come from IBGE, Pesquisa Nacional por Amostra de Domicílios (PNAD) 2015, Suplemento Práticas de Esporte e Atividade Física.
Football (Soccer) is on top, followed by Rhythmic and Artistic Gymnastics and Cycling. The full table below covers 5 sports, and every section further down names the source for the figure it uses.
The Most Popular Sports in Brazil
The table counts people aged 15 and over who named the sport as their main sporting activity, as a share of the 38.8 million brazilians who practiced any sport in the 365 days before the survey, 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 38.8 million people aged 15+ practiced some sport in 2015, out of 61.3 million (37.9% of 161.8 million) who practiced any sport or physical activity. in total. The reference year is 2015.
| # | Sport | People aged 15 and over who named the sport as their main sporting activity, as a share of the 38.8 million Brazilians who practiced any sport in the 365 days before the survey | Governing body |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Football (Soccer) | 39.3 | Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) |
| 2 | Rhythmic and Artistic Gymnastics | 3.2 | Brazilian Gymnastics Confederation (CBG) |
| 3 | Cycling | 3.2 | Brazilian Cycling Confederation (CBC) |
| 4 | Combat Sports and Martial Arts | 3.1 | Brazilian Judo Confederation (CBJ) and related federations |
| 5 | Volleyball, Basketball and Handball | 2.9 | Brazilian Volleyball Confederation (CBV) and Brazilian Basketball Confederation (CBB) |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Football | 25,773 | The 2024 Brasileirão Série A season had the second highest average attendance in the competition’s history. |
Is There a National Sport of Brazil?
Brazil has no national sport laid down by law or by government decision. Brazil’s general sports law, the Lei Geral do Esporte (Law 14.597/2023), consolidates prior sports legislation and establishes the National Sports System but does not name any single sport as the country’s official national sport.
- Football. Football is widely regarded as Brazil’s de facto national sport, based on participation data rather than any legal designation.
#1 Football (Soccer)
- People aged 15 and over who named the sport as their main sporting activity, as a share of the 38.8 million Brazilians who practiced any sport in the 365 days before the survey: 39.3 (Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), 2015)
- Top national league: Campeonato Brasileiro Série A (Brasileirão)
- Best known athlete: Pelé. Pelé is the only player in history to win three FIFA World Cups with a national team, in 1958, 1962 and 1970
Football is the sport most Brazilians name as their main sporting activity. IBGE’s 2015 national household survey found that football was the primary sport for 15.3 million people, or 39.3 percent of the 38.8 million Brazilians aged 15 and over who reported practicing a sport in the previous year.
Brazil’s top domestic competition is the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, known as the Brasileirão. The country’s most decorated player, Pelé, remains the only person to win three FIFA World Cups with a national team, doing so in 1958, 1962 and 1970.
#2 Rhythmic and Artistic Gymnastics
- People aged 15 and over who named the sport as their main sporting activity, as a share of the 38.8 million Brazilians who practiced any sport in the 365 days before the survey: 3.2 (Brazilian Gymnastics Confederation (CBG), 2015)
Rhythmic and artistic gymnastics was named as the main sport by 3.2 percent of the 38.8 million Brazilians aged 15 and over who practiced a sport in IBGE’s 2015 national household survey, placing it among the small group of specific competitive disciplines the survey tracked separately from general fitness activity.
The sport is organized nationally by the Brazilian Gymnastics Confederation. No further individually sourced and quote verified competition result for this discipline could be confirmed in time for this file, so no additional record is listed here.
#3 Cycling
- People aged 15 and over who named the sport as their main sporting activity, as a share of the 38.8 million Brazilians who practiced any sport in the 365 days before the survey: 3.2 (Brazilian Cycling Confederation (CBC), 2015)
- Best known athlete: Henrique Avancini. Henrique Avancini became the first Brazilian rider in mountain bike history to win a world title, taking the UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Championship in 2018, and reclaimed the title in 2023
Cycling was named as the main sport by 3.2 percent of the 38.8 million Brazilians aged 15 and over who practiced a sport, according to IBGE’s 2015 national household survey, placing it level with rhythmic and artistic gymnastics among the sports the survey tracked individually.
Henrique Avancini is the sport’s most successful Brazilian international competitor, becoming the first Brazilian rider in mountain bike history to win a world title at the 2018 UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Championships, a title he reclaimed in 2023.
Latest Posts about Cycling
#4 Combat Sports and Martial Arts
- People aged 15 and over who named the sport as their main sporting activity, as a share of the 38.8 million Brazilians who practiced any sport in the 365 days before the survey: 3.1 (Brazilian Judo Confederation (CBJ) and related federations, 2015)
- Best known athlete: Rafaela Silva. Rafaela Silva, who grew up in the Cidade de Deus favela in Rio de Janeiro, won Brazil’s Olympic judo gold in the women’s under 57 kg category at Rio 2016. According to the International Judo Federation, Brazil has won 5 Olympic and 9 World Championship gold medals in judo overall
IBGE’s 2015 survey groups combat sports and martial arts into one category, named as the main sport by 3.1 percent of the 38.8 million Brazilians aged 15 and over who practiced a sport that year.
Judo is the most internationally decorated discipline within this group. Rafaela Silva, who grew up in the Cidade de Deus favela in Rio de Janeiro, won Brazil’s Olympic judo gold in the women’s under 57 kg category at the 2016 Rio Games, and the International Judo Federation credits Brazil with 5 Olympic and 9 World Championship judo gold medals overall.
#5 Volleyball, Basketball and Handball
- People aged 15 and over who named the sport as their main sporting activity, as a share of the 38.8 million Brazilians who practiced any sport in the 365 days before the survey: 2.9 (Brazilian Volleyball Confederation (CBV) and Brazilian Basketball Confederation (CBB), 2015)
- Top national league: Superliga Brasileira de Voleibol
- Best known athlete: Giba (Gilberto Godoy Filho). Giba led Brazil to Olympic volleyball gold at Athens 2004 and won FIVB World Championship titles with Brazil in 2002, 2008 and 2010
IBGE’s 2015 survey groups volleyball, basketball and handball into one combined category, named as the main sport by 2.9 percent of the 38.8 million Brazilians aged 15 and over who practiced a sport that year.
Volleyball is the most internationally decorated of the three within this group. Giba led Brazil to Olympic gold at Athens 2004 and to FIVB World Championship titles in 2002, 2008 and 2010, and the men’s national team plays domestically in the Superliga Brasileira de Voleibol.
Sources
- IBGE, Pesquisa Nacional por Amostra de Domicílios (PNAD) 2015, Suplemento Práticas de Esporte e Atividade Física
- CBF (Confederação Brasileira de Futebol)
- Search of official Brazilian federal legislation summaries (Planalto, LexML) for Lei 14.597/2023
- IBGE, Pesquisa Nacional por Amostra de Domicílios (PNAD) 2015, Suplemento Práticas de Esporte e Atividade Física
- IBGE, Pesquisa Nacional por Amostra de Domicílios (PNAD) 2015, Suplemento Práticas de Esporte e Atividade Física
- IBGE, Pesquisa Nacional por Amostra de Domicílios (PNAD) 2015, Suplemento Práticas de Esporte e Atividade Física
- IBGE, Pesquisa Nacional por Amostra de Domicílios (PNAD) 2015, Suplemento Práticas de Esporte e Atividade Física
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 Brazil?
Football is Brazil’s most popular sport by participation. In IBGE’s 2015 national household survey, football was the main sport for 15.3 million people, or 39.3 percent of the 38.8 million Brazilians aged 15 and over who practiced a sport that year, well ahead of any other individual discipline.
What is the national sport of Brazil?
Brazil has no sport designated as its official national sport by law. Its general sports legislation, the Lei Geral do Esporte of 2023, does not name a national sport. Football is widely treated as Brazil’s de facto national sport based on participation data.
What sports do Brazilians play?
According to IBGE’s 2015 national household survey, the sports most often named as a main activity by Brazilians aged 15 and over were football (39.3 percent of practitioners), rhythmic and artistic gymnastics and cycling (3.2 percent each), combat sports and martial arts (3.1 percent), and a combined volleyball, basketball and handball category (2.9 percent).
What sport is Brazil famous for?
Brazil is most famous internationally for football, headlined by Pelé, the only player to win three FIFA World Cups with a national team, in 1958, 1962 and 1970. Brazil is also known internationally for volleyball, where Giba led the national team to Olympic gold in 2004 and FIVB World Championship titles in 2002, 2008 and 2010, and for judo, where Brazil has won 5 Olympic and 9 World Championship gold medals.
What are traditional sports in Brazil?
Football is by far the most widely practiced sport in Brazil, named as the main activity by 39.3 percent of the 38.8 million people aged 15 and over who practiced a sport in IBGE’s 2015 survey. Cycling and combat sports and martial arts, including judo, are also practiced widely enough to be tracked as their own categories in that survey.
