The Most Popular Sports in the Czech Republic (Top 25 Ranked)

Football (Soccer) leads the Czech Republic with 358,436 members of sport unions and associations. Ranking of 25 sports, with sources.

This page ranks the sports of the Czech Republic by one number that is collected the same way for all of them: The Czech Statistical Office publishes an annual table, compiled from Czech Union of Sport (CUS) records, that counts everyone registered with a member sports union per discipline as of 31 December, including athletes, referees, coaches and officials; a person active in several disciplines is counted once in each one, so the per-sport figures are comparable across sports but cannot be summed into a single unique headcount. The figures come from Czech Statistical Office (CSU), Statistical Yearbook of the Czech Republic, Table 28-6: Persons doing selected sports as members of sport unions and associations in 2022 (source: Czech Union of Sport).

Football (Soccer) is on top, followed by Floorball and Athletics. The full table below covers 25 sports, and every section further down names the source for the figure it uses.

The Most Popular Sports in the Czech Republic

The table counts members of sport unions and associations, 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 2022.

#	Sport	Members of sport unions and associations	Governing body
1	Football (Soccer)	358,436	Football Association of the Czech Republic (FACR)
2	Floorball	77,781	Czech Floorball Federation (Cesky florbal)
3	Athletics	77,242	Czech Athletics Federation (Cesky atleticky svaz)
4	Tennis	67,628	Czech Tennis Association (Cesky tenisovy svaz)
5	Volleyball	53,039	Czech Volleyball Association (Cesky volejbalovy svaz)
6	Golf	52,730	Czech Golf Federation (Ceska golfova federace)
7	Judo	46,635	Czech Judo Federation (Cesky svaz judo)
8	Ice hockey	37,227	Czech Ice Hockey Association (Cesky svaz ledniho hokeje)
9	Table tennis	34,071	Czech Table Tennis Association (Ceska asociace stolniho tenisu)
10	Ball hockey	32,694	Czech Ball Hockey Federation (CBHF)
11	Mountaineering	30,299	Czech Climbing Federation (Cesky horolezecky svaz)
12	Swimming and diving	29,373	Czech Aquatics
13	Basketball	23,989	Czech Basketball Federation
14	Handball	23,754	Czech Handball Association
15	Gymnastics	23,361	Gymnastics Federation of Czechia
16	Chess	21,536	Czech Chess Federation (Sachovy svaz Ceske republiky)
17	Skiing	19,101	Ski Association of the Czech Republic (Svaz lyzaru Ceske republiky)
18	Equestrian sports	18,763	Czech Equestrian Federation (Ceska jezdecka federace)
19	Orienteering	14,955	Czech Orienteering Federation (Cesky svaz orientacnich sportu)
20	Skittles and bowling	13,139	Czech Skittles and Bowling Federation (Ceska kuzelkarska a bowlingova federace)
21	Canoeing	10,870	Czech Canoe Union (Cesky svaz kanoistu)
22	Badminton	8488	Czech Badminton Association (Cesky badmintonovy svaz)
23	Triathlon	7462	Czech Triathlon Federation (Ceska triatlonova asociace)
24	Boxing	7407	Czech Boxing Association (Ceska boxerska asociace)
25	Yachting	7202	Czech Sailing Association (Cesky svaz jachtingu)

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
Ice hockey	2,750,000	Czech Tipsport Extraliga games drew more than 2.75 million spectators combined in 2025, averaging close to 6,000 fans per game.
Ice hockey (national team)	931,000	The 2026 Ice Hockey World Championship final was watched by 931,000 viewers on Czech public broadcaster CT sport.
Ice hockey (national team)	1,918,000	The most watched match of the 2026 World Championship was Czechia’s group stage game against Canada, seen by 1,918 million viewers.

Is There a National Sport of the Czech Republic?

the Czech Republic has no national sport laid down by law or by government decision. No Czech law or government decree designates an official national sport; the only official use of the term is in the name of the state sports agency.

• Ice hockey. Ice hockey is widely regarded as Czechia’s de facto national sport, well ahead of football in public perception.

Sports That Were Invented in the Czech Republic

• Nohejbal (foot volleyball). Nohejbal, a football and volleyball hybrid played without using the hands, was invented in Czechoslovakia around 1922.
• Sokol gymnastics movement. The Sokol gymnastics and physical education movement, which shaped organized sport across Central Europe, was founded in Prague in 1862.

#1 Football (Soccer)

• Members of sport unions and associations: 358,436 (Football Association of the Czech Republic (FACR), 2022)
• Top national league: Chance Liga
• Best known athlete: Pavel Nedved. Won the 2003 Ballon d’Or, only the second Czech player in history to receive the award, after helping Juventus reach the Serie A title race and the Champions League final that season

Football is by far the most widely organized sport in Czechia. The Czech Statistical Office recorded 358,436 people registered as football club members in 2022, several times the number of any other sport in the same survey.

The Chance Liga is the country’s top professional league. Pavel Nedved, a Czech international, won the 2003 Ballon d’Or, becoming only the second Czech player ever to take the award, according to Juventus, the club he played for at the time.

#2 Floorball

• Members of sport unions and associations: 77,781 (Czech Floorball Federation (Cesky florbal), 2022)
• Top national league: Superliga florbalu (Livesport Superliga)
• Best known athlete: Sarka Stankova. Became the first Czech player ever named Most Valuable Player of the Women’s World Floorball Championships, at the 2025 tournament, after scoring eight goals in the group stage

Floorball is the second largest organized sport in Czechia by membership. The Czech Statistical Office counted 77,781 registered members in 2022, ahead of every sport except football.

The top domestic league is the Superliga florbalu, currently sponsored as the Livesport Superliga. At the 2025 Women’s World Floorball Championships, defender Sarka Stankova became the first Czech player named tournament MVP, according to the International Floorball Federation.

#3 Athletics

• Members of sport unions and associations: 77,242 (Czech Athletics Federation (Cesky atleticky svaz), 2022)
• Best known athlete: Barbora Spotakova. Two-time Olympic javelin throw champion, winning gold at the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Games, and three-time world champion

Athletics is one of the largest organized sports in Czechia. The Czech Statistical Office recorded 77,242 registered members across track and field disciplines in 2022, just behind floorball.

World Athletics lists javelin thrower Barbora Spotakova as a two time Olympic champion, with gold medals from the 2008 and 2012 Games. She also won three world titles during her career.

#4 Tennis

• Members of sport unions and associations: 67,628 (Czech Tennis Association (Cesky tenisovy svaz), 2022)
• Top national league: Tenisova extraliga
• Best known athlete: Karolina Pliskova. Reached the world number one ranking on 17 July 2017, becoming the first Czech woman to top the WTA rankings since computer rankings began in 1975

Tennis ranks fourth among organized sports in Czechia. The Czech Statistical Office counted 67,628 registered members of tennis clubs and associations in 2022.

The Tenisova extraliga is the top domestic team competition. According to the WTA, Karolina Pliskova claimed the world number one ranking on 17 July 2017, the first Czech woman to do so since computer rankings began in 1975.

#5 Volleyball

• Members of sport unions and associations: 53,039 (Czech Volleyball Association (Cesky volejbalovy svaz), 2022)
• Top national league: Extraliga volejbalu
• Best known athlete: Adam Zajicek. Captained the Czech men’s team to fourth place at the 2025 FIVB World Championship in the Philippines, the country’s best finish since 1970, in what became his farewell tournament after 14 years on the national team

Volleyball is the fifth largest organized sport in Czechia, with 53,039 registered members recorded by the Czech Statistical Office in 2022.

The Extraliga volejbalu is the top domestic league. Captain Adam Zajicek led the men’s national team to fourth place at the 2025 World Championship in the Philippines, the country’s best result since 1970, according to the FIVB.

#6 Golf

• Members of sport unions and associations: 52,730 (Czech Golf Federation (Ceska golfova federace), 2022)
• Best known athlete: Klara Spilkova. Became the first Czech player to win a Ladies European Tour event, taking the 2017 Lalla Meryem Cup in Morocco, and added a second title at the 2022 KPMG Women’s Irish Open

Golf ranks sixth in organized participation in Czechia, with 52,730 registered members according to the 2022 Czech Statistical Office survey, close behind volleyball.

Klara Spilkova became the first Czech golfer to win a Ladies European Tour event, at the 2017 Lalla Meryem Cup, and went on to add a second title at the 2022 KPMG Women’s Irish Open, according to Radio Prague International.

#7 Judo

• Members of sport unions and associations: 46,635 (Czech Judo Federation (Cesky svaz judo), 2022)
• Best known athlete: Lukas Krpalek. Won Olympic gold in two different weight categories for Czechia, at -100kg in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and +100kg in Tokyo in 2021

Judo is the seventh largest organized sport in Czechia, with 46,635 registered members recorded in 2022 by the Czech Statistical Office.

According to the International Judo Federation, Lukas Krpalek won Olympic gold in two different weight categories, at -100kg in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and +100kg in Tokyo in 2021.

#8 Ice hockey

• Members of sport unions and associations: 37,227 (Czech Ice Hockey Association (Cesky svaz ledniho hokeje), 2022)
• Top national league: Tipsport extraliga
• Best known athlete: Dominik Hasek. Goaltender who led Czechia to its first Olympic ice hockey gold medal at the 1998 Nagano Games, posting a 0.97 goals against average and a .961 save percentage over six games

Ice hockey is the eighth largest organized sport by membership in Czechia, with 37,227 registered members counted by the Czech Statistical Office in 2022, even though it is widely seen as the country’s most followed sport.

The Tipsport extraliga is the top domestic league. Goaltender Dominik Hasek led Czechia to its first Olympic gold medal at the 1998 Nagano Games, posting a 0.97 goals against average and a .961 save percentage over six games, according to the NHL.

#9 Table tennis

• Members of sport unions and associations: 34,071 (Czech Table Tennis Association (Ceska asociace stolniho tenisu), 2022)
• Best known athlete: Hana Matelova. Won women’s doubles gold at the 2024 European Table Tennis Championships in Linz with partner Barbora Balazova on 20 October 2024

Table tennis is the ninth largest organized sport in Czechia, with 34,071 registered members recorded by the Czech Statistical Office in 2022.

Hana Matelova won women’s doubles gold at the 2024 European Table Tennis Championships in Linz, partnering Barbora Balazova, according to Czech News Agency wire service Ceske noviny.

#10 Ball hockey

• Members of sport unions and associations: 32,694 (Czech Ball Hockey Federation (CBHF), 2022)
• Top national league: Extraliga muzu
• Best known athlete: Svatopluk Kvaizar. Captained the Czech national ball hockey team to World Championship silver medals in 2003 and 2007, and was named to the World Championship All-Star Team in 2007

Ball hockey ranks tenth among organized sports in Czechia, with 32,694 registered members recorded by the Czech Statistical Office in 2022.

The Extraliga muzu is the top domestic men’s league. Svatopluk Kvaizar captained the national team to World Championship silver medals in 2003 and 2007 and was named to the tournament’s All-Star Team in 2007, according to the Czech Ball Hockey Federation.

#11 Mountaineering

• Members of sport unions and associations: 30,299 (Czech Climbing Federation (Cesky horolezecky svaz), 2022)
• Best known athlete: Radek Jaros. Became the first Czech climber to summit all fourteen eight-thousand-metre peaks without supplemental oxygen, completing the feat on K2 on 26 July 2014

Mountaineering is the eleventh largest organized sport in Czechia, with 30,299 registered members recorded by the Czech Statistical Office in 2022.

Czech climber Radek Jaros became the first Czech to summit all fourteen eight thousand metre peaks without supplemental oxygen, finishing on K2 on 26 July 2014.

#12 Swimming and diving

• Members of sport unions and associations: 29,373 (Czech Aquatics, 2022)
• Best known athlete: Barbora Seemanova. Won her third European title in the women’s 200m freestyle at the 2026 European Aquatics Championships in Paris, in a Czech record time

Swimming and diving rank twelfth among organized sports in Czechia, with 29,373 registered members recorded by the Czech Statistical Office in 2022.

Barbora Seemanova won her third European title in the women’s 200m freestyle at the 2026 European Aquatics Championships in Paris, setting a Czech record, according to Czech Television.

#13 Basketball

• Members of sport unions and associations: 23,989 (Czech Basketball Federation, 2022)
• Top national league: Maxa NBL
• Best known athlete: Tomas Satoransky. Averaged 14.1 points, 7.3 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game at EuroBasket 2015, leading Czechia to the quarter-finals

Basketball is the thirteenth largest organized sport in Czechia, with 23,989 registered members recorded by the Czech Statistical Office in 2022.

The Maxa NBL is the top domestic league. Guard Tomas Satoransky averaged 14.1 points, 7.3 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game at EuroBasket 2015, leading Czechia to the quarter-finals, according to FIBA.

#14 Handball

• Members of sport unions and associations: 23,754 (Czech Handball Association, 2022)
• Top national league: Chance Extraliga
• Best known athlete: Filip Jicha. Named the best handball player in the world for 2010 in the IHF World Player of the Year poll

Handball is the fourteenth largest organized sport in Czechia, with 23,754 registered members recorded by the Czech Statistical Office in 2022.

The Chance Extraliga is the top domestic league. Filip Jicha was named the world’s best handball player for 2010 in the IHF World Player of the Year poll.

#15 Gymnastics

• Members of sport unions and associations: 23,361 (Gymnastics Federation of Czechia, 2022)
• Best known athlete: Vera Caslavska. Became world artistic gymnastics champion for the last time in 1966, in a career that also included multiple Olympic titles

Gymnastics is the fifteenth largest organized sport in Czechia, with 23,361 registered members recorded by the Czech Statistical Office in 2022.

Vera Caslavska became world artistic gymnastics champion for the last time in 1966, in a career that also included multiple Olympic titles, according to Czech Television.

#16 Chess

• Members of sport unions and associations: 21,536 (Czech Chess Federation (Sachovy svaz Ceske republiky), 2022)
• Best known athlete: David Navara. Won his 14th Czech National Chess Championship title at the 2026 event in Brno, finishing unbeaten with 7.5 out of 9 points

Chess is the sixteenth largest organized sport in Czechia, with 21,536 registered members recorded by the Czech Statistical Office in 2022.

David Navara won his 14th Czech National Chess Championship title at the 2026 event in Brno, finishing the tournament unbeaten with 7.5 out of 9 points, according to FIDE.

#17 Skiing

• Members of sport unions and associations: 19,101 (Ski Association of the Czech Republic (Svaz lyzaru Ceske republiky), 2022)
• Best known athlete: Ester Ledecka. Won Olympic gold in the women’s alpine Super-G at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, becoming the first athlete to win golds in two different sports at the same Games

Skiing is the seventeenth largest organized sport in Czechia, with 19,101 registered members recorded by the Czech Statistical Office in 2022.

Ester Ledecka won Olympic gold in the women’s alpine Super-G at the 2018 PyeongChang Games, becoming the first athlete in Olympic history to win gold medals in two different sports at the same Games.

#18 Equestrian sports

• Members of sport unions and associations: 18,763 (Czech Equestrian Federation (Ceska jezdecka federace), 2022)
• Best known athlete: Frantisek Ventura. Won Olympic gold in individual show jumping at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics, riding his horse Eliot to a faultless round for Czechoslovakia

Equestrian sports are the eighteenth largest organized sport in Czechia, with 18,763 registered members recorded by the Czech Statistical Office in 2022.

Frantisek Ventura won Olympic gold in individual show jumping at the 1928 Amsterdam Games, riding his horse Eliot to a faultless round for Czechoslovakia.

#19 Orienteering

• Members of sport unions and associations: 14,955 (Czech Orienteering Federation (Cesky svaz orientacnich sportu), 2022)
• Best known athlete: Dana Brozkova. World Champion in the long distance in 2008 and in the middle distance in 2009, with additional World Championship silver in 2011 and bronze in 2006

Orienteering is the nineteenth largest organized sport in Czechia, with 14,955 registered members recorded by the Czech Statistical Office in 2022.

Dana Brozkova won the World Championship long distance title in 2008 and the middle distance title in 2009, adding a World Championship silver in 2011 and a bronze in 2006.

#20 Skittles and bowling

• Members of sport unions and associations: 13,139 (Czech Skittles and Bowling Federation (Ceska kuzelkarska a bowlingova federace), 2022)
• Best known athlete: Natalie Binova. Won the women’s singles title at the 2024 World Singles Ninepin Bowling Classic Championships in Brezno, Slovakia

Skittles and bowling rank twentieth among organized sports in Czechia, with 13,139 registered members recorded by the Czech Statistical Office in 2022.

Natalie Binova won the women’s singles title at the 2024 World Singles Ninepin Bowling Classic Championships in Brezno, Slovakia, beating Croatia’s Natasa Ravnic in the final, according to Aktualne.cz.

#21 Canoeing

• Members of sport unions and associations: 10,870 (Czech Canoe Union (Cesky svaz kanoistu), 2022)
• Best known athlete: Josef Dostal. Won Olympic gold in the K1 1000m at the 2024 Paris Olympics, after three bronze medals and a silver at earlier Games, and is a multiple time ICF World Champion in the event

Canoeing is the twenty-first largest organized sport in Czechia, with 10,870 registered members recorded by the Czech Statistical Office in 2022.

Josef Dostal won Olympic gold in the K1 1000m at the 2024 Paris Games, following three Olympic bronze medals and a silver at earlier Games, according to the International Canoe Federation.

#22 Badminton

• Members of sport unions and associations: 8488 (Czech Badminton Association (Cesky badmintonovy svaz), 2022)
• Top national league: Extraliga
• Best known athlete: Petr Koukal. Competed at three Olympic Games in badminton, at Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016, and served as flag bearer for the Czech delegation at the 2012 opening ceremony

Badminton is the twenty-second largest organized sport in Czechia, with 8,488 registered members recorded by the Czech Statistical Office in 2022.

The Extraliga is the top domestic league. Petr Koukal competed at three Olympic Games in badminton, in 2008, 2012 and 2016, and carried the Czech flag at the 2012 London opening ceremony.

Sources

• Czech Statistical Office (CSU), Statistical Yearbook of the Czech Republic, Table 28-6: Persons doing selected sports as members of sport unions and associations in 2022 (source: Czech Union of Sport)
• Hokej.cz
• Ceska televize (CT sport)
• Czech collection of laws (zakonyprolidi.cz) and the Narodni sportovni agentura (National Sports Agency)
• Sport.cz (Seznam), citing an Ipsos survey
• Cesky rozhlas (Czech Radio)
• Sokol.eu (Czech Sokol Community)
• Czech Statistical Office (CSU), Statistical Yearbook of the Czech Republic, Table 28-6: Persons doing selected sports as members of sport unions and associations in 2022 (source: Czech Union of Sport)
• Czech Statistical Office (CSU), Statistical Yearbook of the Czech Republic, Table 28-6: Persons doing selected sports as members of sport unions and associations in 2022 (source: Czech Union of Sport)
• Czech Statistical Office (CSU), Statistical Yearbook of the Czech Republic, Table 28-6: Persons doing selected sports as members of sport unions and associations in 2022 (source: Czech Union of Sport)
• Czech Statistical Office (CSU), Statistical Yearbook of the Czech Republic, Table 28-6: Persons doing selected sports as members of sport unions and associations in 2022 (source: Czech Union of Sport)
• Czech Statistical Office (CSU), Statistical Yearbook of the Czech Republic, Table 28-6: Persons doing selected sports as members of sport unions and associations in 2022 (source: Czech Union of Sport)
• Czech Statistical Office (CSU), Statistical Yearbook of the Czech Republic, Table 28-6: Persons doing selected sports as members of sport unions and associations in 2022 (source: Czech Union of Sport)
• Czech Statistical Office (CSU), Statistical Yearbook of the Czech Republic, Table 28-6: Persons doing selected sports as members of sport unions and associations in 2022 (source: Czech Union of Sport)
• Czech Statistical Office (CSU), Statistical Yearbook of the Czech Republic, Table 28-6: Persons doing selected sports as members of sport unions and associations in 2022 (source: Czech Union of Sport)
• Czech Statistical Office (CSU), Statistical Yearbook of the Czech Republic, Table 28-6: Persons doing selected sports as members of sport unions and associations in 2022 (source: Czech Union of Sport)
• Czech Statistical Office (CSU), Statistical Yearbook of the Czech Republic, Table 28-6: Persons doing selected sports as members of sport unions and associations in 2022 (source: Czech Union of Sport)
• Czech Statistical Office (CSU), Statistical Yearbook of the Czech Republic, Table 28-6: Persons doing selected sports as members of sport unions and associations in 2022 (source: Czech Union of Sport)
• Czech Statistical Office (CSU), Statistical Yearbook of the Czech Republic, Table 28-6: Persons doing selected sports as members of sport unions and associations in 2022 (source: Czech Union of Sport)
• Czech Statistical Office (CSU), Statistical Yearbook of the Czech Republic, Table 28-6: Persons doing selected sports as members of sport unions and associations in 2022 (source: Czech Union of Sport)
• Czech Statistical Office (CSU), Statistical Yearbook of the Czech Republic, Table 28-6: Persons doing selected sports as members of sport unions and associations in 2022 (source: Czech Union of Sport)
• Czech Statistical Office (CSU), Statistical Yearbook of the Czech Republic, Table 28-6: Persons doing selected sports as members of sport unions and associations in 2022 (source: Czech Union of Sport)
• Czech Statistical Office (CSU), Statistical Yearbook of the Czech Republic, Table 28-6: Persons doing selected sports as members of sport unions and associations in 2022 (source: Czech Union of Sport)
• Czech Statistical Office (CSU), Statistical Yearbook of the Czech Republic, Table 28-6: Persons doing selected sports as members of sport unions and associations in 2022 (source: Czech Union of Sport)
• Czech Statistical Office (CSU), Statistical Yearbook of the Czech Republic, Table 28-6: Persons doing selected sports as members of sport unions and associations in 2022 (source: Czech Union of Sport)
• Czech Statistical Office (CSU), Statistical Yearbook of the Czech Republic, Table 28-6: Persons doing selected sports as members of sport unions and associations in 2022 (source: Czech Union of Sport)
• Czech Statistical Office (CSU), Statistical Yearbook of the Czech Republic, Table 28-6: Persons doing selected sports as members of sport unions and associations in 2022 (source: Czech Union of Sport)
• Czech Statistical Office (CSU), Statistical Yearbook of the Czech Republic, Table 28-6: Persons doing selected sports as members of sport unions and associations in 2022 (source: Czech Union of Sport)
• Czech Statistical Office (CSU), Statistical Yearbook of the Czech Republic, Table 28-6: Persons doing selected sports as members of sport unions and associations in 2022 (source: Czech Union of Sport)
• Czech Statistical Office (CSU), Statistical Yearbook of the Czech Republic, Table 28-6: Persons doing selected sports as members of sport unions and associations in 2022 (source: Czech Union of Sport)
• Czech Statistical Office (CSU), Statistical Yearbook of the Czech Republic, Table 28-6: Persons doing selected sports as members of sport unions and associations in 2022 (source: Czech Union of Sport)
• Czech Statistical Office (CSU), Statistical Yearbook of the Czech Republic, Table 28-6: Persons doing selected sports as members of sport unions and associations in 2022 (source: Czech Union of Sport)

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.

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