Soccer leads Cameroon, ahead of Basketball and Athletics. Ranking of 10 sports.
This page ranks the sports of Cameroon by the evidence behind each one, because no single comparable measure, such as one national participation survey or one consistent federation membership count, could be confirmed for sport in Cameroon in this session, so ranking order rests on documented international results and federation existence rather than one shared number.
Soccer is on top, followed by Basketball 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 Cameroon
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 | Cameroon’s national team, the Indomitable Lions, has won the Africa Cup of Nations five times, most recently in 2017, more titles than all but one other national team on the contin |
| 2 | Basketball | Cameroon is the birthplace of Joel Embiid, who was named the National Basketball Association’s Most Valuable Player for the 2022 to 2023 season, and of Pascal Siakam, an NBA champi |
| 3 | Athletics | Francoise Mbango Etone won the Olympic gold medal in the triple jump at the 2004 Athens Games and again at the 2008 Beijing Games, making her Cameroon’s only two time Olympic gold |
| 4 | Boxing | Cameroon fields boxers at continental championships under a recognized national federation, though no membership or participation figures for the country could be confirmed in this |
| 5 | Handball | Cameroon fields men’s and women’s national handball teams that take part in African championship qualifiers under a recognized national federation. |
| 6 | Volleyball | Cameroon fields national volleyball teams recognized by the sport’s world governing body, which lists the country among its African member federations. |
| 7 | Cycling | Cameroon has run an annual national stage race, the Tour du Cameroun, organized under a recognized national cycling federation. |
| 8 | Judo | Cameroon fields judoka at African and Olympic qualifying events under a recognized national federation. |
| 9 | Rugby | Cameroon fields a national rugby team recognized by the sport’s world governing body and takes part in African qualifying competitions. |
| 10 | Traditional wrestling | Traditional wrestling is practiced as part of cultural festivals among several Cameroonian ethnic groups, but no national federation or measured participation figure could be confi |
Is There a National Sport of Cameroon?
Cameroon has no national sport laid down by law or by government decision. No statute or government decree designating an official national sport for Cameroon could be found or confirmed in this session.
- Soccer. Soccer functions as Cameroon’s de facto national sport, reflected in the Indomitable Lions’ five Africa Cup of Nations titles and the level of public attention the team receives.
#1 Soccer
- Governing body: Cameroonian Football Federation (Fecafoot)
- Best known athlete: Samuel Eto’o. Cameroon’s all time leading international goalscorer and a four time African Footballer of the Year, part of the squads that won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2000 and 2002
Soccer is the dominant sport in Cameroon by every visible measure, from the number of organized clubs to the attention the national team receives whenever it plays. The Indomitable Lions have won the Africa Cup of Nations five times, most recently in 2017, a record among the strongest on the continent.
Samuel Eto’o remains the country’s best known player, having been named African Footballer of the Year four times and having helped Cameroon win continental titles in 2000 and 2002. His career is often used locally as the reference point for the sport’s standing in the country.
Latest Posts about Soccer
#2 Basketball
- Governing body: Cameroon Basketball Federation (Fecabasket)
- Best known athlete: Joel Embiid. Named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player for the 2022 to 2023 season, one of the highest individual honors available in the sport, after growing up in Yaounde
Basketball has grown into the country’s second most followed sport, driven largely by the success of Cameroonian born players in the United States. Joel Embiid, who grew up in Yaounde, was named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player for the 2022 to 2023 season.
Pascal Siakam, also born in Cameroon, has likewise reached the highest level of the sport as an NBA champion. Both players are regularly referenced in Cameroonian sports coverage as the clearest sign that basketball has moved beyond a minor pastime.
Latest Posts about Basketball
#3 Athletics
- Governing body: Cameroon Athletics Federation
- Best known athlete: Francoise Mbango Etone. Cameroon’s only two time Olympic gold medalist, winning the triple jump at the 2004 Athens Games and defending the title at the 2008 Beijing Games
Athletics carries particular weight in Cameroon because of one result that stands above all others in the country’s Olympic history. Francoise Mbango Etone won the triple jump at the 2004 Athens Games and repeated the win at the 2008 Beijing Games.
No other Cameroonian athlete has matched that record of two individual Olympic gold medals, which keeps track and field prominent in national sports coverage well beyond the years she competed.
Latest Posts about Athletics
#4 Boxing
- Governing body: Cameroon Boxing Federation
Boxing has an organized federation structure in Cameroon and the country sends competitors to continental championships, which is the main basis for including it here.
Specific membership or participation numbers for the sport in Cameroon could not be confirmed, so its place in this list rests on federation activity rather than a measured figure.
Latest Posts about Boxing
#5 Handball
- Governing body: Cameroon Handball Federation (Fecahand)
Handball is organized nationally in Cameroon, with both a men’s and a women’s national team competing in African qualifying tournaments.
No verified participation or membership figures for the sport in Cameroon could be confirmed in this session, so it is listed on the basis of that recognized federation and national team activity.
Latest Posts about Handball
#6 Volleyball
- Governing body: Cameroon Volleyball Federation (Fecavolley)
Volleyball is played competitively in Cameroon under a national federation affiliated with the sport’s world governing body.
As with several other sports on this list, no specific participation count for Cameroon could be confirmed, so its inclusion rests on documented federation and national team activity rather than a measured figure.
Latest Posts about Volleyball
#7 Cycling
- Governing body: Cameroon Cycling Federation
Cycling has a longstanding organized presence in Cameroon, most visibly through the Tour du Cameroun, an annual multi stage race run under the national federation.
The event gives the sport a regular national profile even though no participation or membership figures for Cameroon could be confirmed in this session.
Latest Posts about Cycling
#8 Judo
- Governing body: Cameroon Judo Federation
Judo is organized in Cameroon under a national federation that sends athletes to African qualifying events for Olympic competition.
No specific membership figures for the sport in the country could be confirmed, so its place in this list reflects that ongoing competitive presence rather than a measured number.
Latest Posts about Judo
#9 Rugby
- Governing body: Cameroon Rugby Federation (Ferugca)
Rugby is a smaller but organized sport in Cameroon, with a national team recognized by the sport’s world governing body.
The team’s participation in African qualifying competitions is the main documented basis for its place on this list, since no membership figures for the country could be confirmed.
Latest Posts about Rugby
#10 Traditional wrestling
Traditional wrestling continues to be practiced in Cameroon as part of local cultural festivals rather than through a standardized modern competition structure.
Because no national federation or verified participation figure could be confirmed for this session, it is listed last among the sports with a documented public presence in the country.
Sources
- Confederation of African Football (CAF)
- International Basketball Federation (FIBA)
- International Olympic Committee
- International Boxing Association
- International Handball Federation (IHF)
- Federation Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB)
- International Cycling Union (UCI)
- International Judo Federation (IJF)
- World Rugby
- International Olympic Committee
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 are the most popular sports in Cameroon?
Soccer is by far the most popular sport in Cameroon, built on the national team’s five Africa Cup of Nations titles and the legacy of players such as Samuel Eto’o. Basketball follows, driven by NBA players Joel Embiid and Pascal Siakam, and athletics holds a strong place thanks to two time Olympic champion Francoise Mbango Etone.
What is the most popular sport in Cameroon?
Soccer is the most popular sport in Cameroon. The national team, known as the Indomitable Lions, has won the Africa Cup of Nations five times, most recently in 2017.
What is Cameroon’s national sport?
Cameroon has no sport designated as its national sport by law or government decree. Soccer functions as the de facto national sport given the Indomitable Lions’ five Africa Cup of Nations titles and the attention the team receives.
What are some popular sports and games in Cameroon?
Beyond soccer, Cameroon has organized national competition in basketball, athletics, boxing, handball, volleyball, cycling, judo, and rugby. Basketball and athletics stand out because of internationally recognized athletes, Joel Embiid in basketball and Francoise Mbango Etone in athletics.
