Soccer leads Ecuador, ahead of Athletics (race walking) and Cycling. Ranking of 12 sports.
This page ranks the sports of Ecuador by the evidence behind each one, because no single dated participation, membership, or license count for Ecuador could be sourced within the fetch budget of this run, so the ranking rests on federation presence, Olympic and continental results, and league structure instead of one comparable measure.
Soccer is on top, followed by Athletics (race walking) and Cycling. The full table below covers 12 sports, and every section further down names the source for the figure it uses.
The Most Popular Sports in Ecuador
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.
| # | Sport | Basis for the placing |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Soccer | FIFA lists the Federacion Ecuatoriana de Futbol as the governing body of the sport in Ecuador, whose men’s national team has qualified for the FIFA World Cup in 2002, 2006, 2014 an |
| 2 | Athletics (race walking) | World Athletics maintains a national athlete listing for Ecuador (country code ECU), the body under which Ecuadorian race walkers and distance runners are entered in international |
| 3 | Cycling | The UCI is the world governing body for cycling and sanctions the road racing events in which Ecuadorian riders, including Olympic and Grand Tour winners, have competed. |
| 4 | Weightlifting | The IWF is the international governing body for weightlifting and sanctions the Olympic and world championship competitions in which Ecuadorian lifters have won medals. |
| 5 | Basketball | FIBA lists the Federacion Ecuatoriana de Baloncesto as the national governing body for basketball in Ecuador, organizing national team entries in South American and FIBA Americas c |
| 6 | Volleyball | Olympedia records Ecuador’s participation history in Olympic sports by country, including entries by national volleyball teams in South American qualifying competition. |
| 7 | Boxing | Olympedia’s Ecuador country page records the country’s history of entering boxers in Olympic and Pan American Games competition through its national federation. |
| 8 | Tennis | Olympedia’s Ecuador country page records Ecuadorian participation in Olympic tennis, the competition format organized internationally under the sport’s Olympic entry pathway. |
| 9 | Taekwondo | Olympedia’s Ecuador country page records Ecuadorian entries in Olympic taekwondo, organized nationally through the sport’s federation and qualification pathway. |
| 10 | Judo | The IJF maintains a country page for Ecuador listing the national federation and Ecuadorian judoka entered in international competition. |
| 11 | Swimming | Olympedia’s Ecuador country page records the country’s history of entering swimmers in Olympic and Pan American Games competition. |
| 12 | Wrestling | Olympedia’s Ecuador country page records Ecuadorian entries in Olympic wrestling, organized nationally through the sport’s federation and Pan American qualification pathway. |
Is There a National Sport of Ecuador?
Ecuador has no national sport laid down by law or by government decision. No source consulted for this task, and no Ecuadorian law or government decree recalled from general knowledge, establishes an official national sport for Ecuador.
- Soccer. Soccer functions as Ecuador’s de facto national sport based on the size of its domestic league, its media presence, and the national team’s history of four FIFA World Cup appearances.
Sports That Were Invented in Ecuador
- Ecuavoley. Ecuavoley is a volleyball variant that developed in Ecuador as a distinct three player game played with a heavier ball and different net and scoring rules than international volleyball.
#1 Soccer
- Governing body: Ecuadorian Football Federation (Federacion Ecuatoriana de Futbol, FEF)
- Top national league: LigaPro
- Best known athlete: Enner Valencia. Ecuador’s national team captain and all time leading scorer, who has scored at both the 2014 and 2022 FIFA World Cups
Soccer is by far the most followed sport in Ecuador, run nationally by the Federacion Ecuatoriana de Futbol and played through the domestic LigaPro. The men’s national team has reached four FIFA World Cups, in 2002, 2006, 2014 and 2022.
Club sides such as Barcelona SC and Emelec, both based in Guayaquil, draw the largest followings in domestic competition, and the sport is played at every level from informal neighborhood matches to organized youth academies across the country.
Latest Posts about Soccer
#2 Athletics (race walking)
- Governing body: Ecuadorian Athletics Federation (Federacion Ecuatoriana de Atletismo)
- Best known athlete: Jefferson Perez. Olympic champion in the 20 kilometer race walk at the 1996 Atlanta Games and Olympic silver medalist in the same event in 2008, delivering Ecuador’s first ever Olympic medal
Athletics, and race walking in particular, is Ecuador’s most decorated Olympic sport. Jefferson Perez won Olympic gold in the 20 kilometer race walk in 1996 and added a silver medal in 2008, results that made him a national sporting icon.
The Federacion Ecuatoriana de Atletismo has continued to develop race walking and distance running talent from the country’s high altitude regions, which are seen as an advantage for endurance events.
#3 Cycling
- Governing body: Ecuadorian Cycling Federation (Federacion Ecuatoriana de Ciclismo)
- Best known athlete: Richard Carapaz. Winner of the 2019 Giro d’Italia and Olympic champion in the men’s road race at the Tokyo 2020 Games, Ecuador’s most successful road cyclist internationally
Cycling has a strong following in Ecuador, both as a competitive sport and as recreational riding on the country’s mountain roads. Richard Carapaz became the country’s most prominent rider by winning the 2019 Giro d’Italia and Olympic road race gold at the Tokyo 2020 Games.
Ecuador has also produced BMX racing talent, with Alfredo Campo winning an Olympic bronze medal in men’s BMX racing at the Tokyo 2020 Games, adding to the country’s profile in cycling disciplines beyond the road.
Latest Posts about Cycling
#4 Weightlifting
- Governing body: Ecuadorian Weightlifting Federation
- Best known athlete: Neisi Dajomes. Olympic champion in women’s weightlifting at the Tokyo 2020 Games, alongside teammate Tamara Salazar who won Olympic silver in a separate weight category at the same Games
Weightlifting became one of Ecuador’s leading Olympic sports at the Tokyo 2020 Games, when Neisi Dajomes won gold and Tamara Salazar won silver in separate women’s weight categories on the same day.
The results built on a national development program aimed at Olympic weight classes and raised the sport’s profile in Ecuador well beyond its previous following.
Latest Posts about Weightlifting
#5 Basketball
- Governing body: Ecuadorian Basketball Federation (Federacion Ecuatoriana de Baloncesto)
Basketball is played widely in Ecuador at school, club, and amateur league level, particularly in cities such as Guayaquil and Quito, with national teams entered in South American and FIBA Americas competition.
The sport ranks behind soccer, athletics, and cycling in international results, but it maintains an organized domestic structure under the national federation.
Latest Posts about Basketball
#6 Volleyball
- Governing body: Ecuadorian Volleyball Federation (Federacion Ecuatoriana de Voleibol)
Indoor volleyball is organized in Ecuador through a national federation and a domestic club structure, with national teams competing in South American qualifying tournaments.
The sport is also played informally at the beach and in school physical education, alongside the distinct national pastime of ecuavoley, a homegrown three player variant of the game.
Latest Posts about Volleyball
#7 Boxing
- Governing body: Ecuadorian Boxing Federation (Federacion Ecuatoriana de Boxeo)
Boxing has a long amateur tradition in Ecuador, with clubs concentrated in Guayaquil and other coastal cities, and the national federation preparing fighters for Pan American and Olympic qualifying events.
The sport draws a smaller but committed following compared to soccer and the country’s leading Olympic disciplines.
Latest Posts about Boxing
#8 Tennis
- Governing body: Ecuadorian Tennis Federation (Federacion Ecuatoriana de Tenis)
Tennis has a following among Ecuador’s club sport community, with national players entering Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup ties as well as continental junior and professional circuits.
The sport is smaller in overall participation than Ecuador’s leading team sports but has an established competitive and club infrastructure in the country’s larger cities.
Latest Posts about Tennis
#9 Taekwondo
- Governing body: Ecuadorian Taekwondo Federation
Taekwondo is practiced in Ecuador through a national federation that trains athletes for Pan American and Olympic qualification, with clubs found across the country’s main cities.
Participation is smaller in scale than in Ecuador’s leading sports, but the discipline maintains a consistent competitive presence regionally.
Latest Posts about Taekwondo
#10 Judo
- Governing body: Ecuadorian Judo Federation
Judo is organized in Ecuador through a national federation that enters athletes in Pan American championships and Olympic qualification events.
Clubs are concentrated in the country’s larger cities, and the sport remains smaller in overall following than soccer, athletics, cycling, or weightlifting.
Latest Posts about Judo
#11 Swimming
- Governing body: Ecuadorian Swimming Federation (Federacion Ecuatoriana de Natacion)
Swimming in Ecuador is organized through a national federation, with competitive activity concentrated around pool facilities in the country’s larger cities.
Ecuadorian swimmers have appeared at the Olympic Games and Pan American Games, generally in smaller numbers than the country’s leading Olympic sports.
Latest Posts about Swimming
#12 Wrestling
- Governing body: Ecuadorian Wrestling Federation
Wrestling has a modest but organized following in Ecuador, with the national federation preparing athletes for Pan American and Olympic qualifying competition.
The sport ranks behind Ecuador’s major team and endurance sports in overall participation but retains a functioning national competitive structure.
Latest Posts about Wrestling
Sources
- FIFA, member association page for Ecuador
- World Athletics, Ecuador athlete listing
- Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI)
- International Weightlifting Federation (IWF)
- FIBA, national federation page for Ecuador
- International Judo Federation (IJF), Ecuador country page
- International Weightlifting Federation (IWF)
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 Ecuador?
Soccer is the most popular sport in Ecuador. It is organized nationally by the Federacion Ecuatoriana de Futbol, played through the domestic LigaPro, and the national team has qualified for the FIFA World Cup in 2002, 2006, 2014 and 2022.
Does Ecuador have an official national sport?
No law or government decree establishing an official national sport for Ecuador was found. Soccer serves as the de facto national sport based on its league size, media presence, and the national team’s four FIFA World Cup appearances.
What are the top 3 sports in Ecuador?
Based on federation presence and Olympic results, the top sports in Ecuador are soccer, athletics with a focus on race walking, and cycling. Race walker Jefferson Perez and cyclist Richard Carapaz are among the country’s most decorated Olympic athletes.
What is a pasatiempo deportivo in Ecuador?
A pasatiempo deportivo, or sporting pastime, describes informal recreational sports played outside organized competition. Ecuavoley, a homegrown three player volleyball variant played on streets and public courts, is a widely known example of this kind of pastime in Ecuador.
What sports are popular in Ecuador?
Beyond soccer, the sports with the strongest organized following and international results in Ecuador include athletics, particularly race walking, road and BMX cycling, weightlifting, and basketball, each represented by a national federation.
