Soccer leads Turkmenistan, ahead of Equestrian sport (horse racing) and Wrestling. Ranking of 15 sports.
This page ranks the sports of Turkmenistan by the evidence behind each one, because no membership, license, or participation survey for Turkmenistan could be sourced in this run, so the ranking below reflects organizational visibility (an active national federation, a national league or championship, and international competition entries) rather than a counted figure.
Soccer is on top, followed by Equestrian sport (horse racing) and Wrestling. The full table below covers 15 sports, and every section further down names the source for the figure it uses.
The Most Popular Sports in Turkmenistan
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 | Soccer runs the country’s only long standing professional domestic league, the Yokary Liga, and the men’s national team competes in AFC and FIFA qualifying cycles. |
| 2 | Equestrian sport (horse racing) | Horse racing and Akhal Teke breeding have dedicated state institutions, a purpose built hippodrome in Ashgabat, and a national holiday devoted to the horse, indicating a level of i |
| 3 | Wrestling | Freestyle and traditional Turkmen wrestling (goresh) both have organized national federations and send competitors to Asian level tournaments, including the World Nomad Games. |
| 4 | Cycling | The government has promoted cycling through mass participation rides and an annual World Bicycle Day celebration, alongside a national cycling federation that enters riders in Asia |
| 5 | Weightlifting | Weightlifting produced Turkmenistan’s first Olympic medal, which raised the sport’s national profile and funding as an elite program. |
| 6 | Boxing | Boxing has an organized national federation and sends competitors to Asian championships, with youth sports schools offering boxing training in most regions. |
| 7 | Athletics | Athletics is organized nationally and Turkmen competitors regularly enter Asian championships and Olympic qualifying meets in track and field events. |
| 8 | Basketball | Basketball has a national federation and domestic league play in Ashgabat, with national teams entering FIBA Asia qualifying competitions. |
| 9 | Volleyball | Volleyball is organized through a national federation with domestic club competition and national teams entering Asian volleyball qualifiers. |
| 10 | Judo | Judo has an active national federation that sends athletes to Asian championships and international judo grand prix events under the International Judo Federation. |
| 11 | Table tennis | Table tennis is organized nationally and is included in Turkmenistan’s delegations to the Asian Indoor Games and similar regional multi sport events. |
| 12 | Handball | Handball is organized under a national federation with domestic club play and national team entries in Asian handball qualifying competitions. |
| 13 | Chess | Chess has an organized national federation affiliated with FIDE and Turkmen players enter FIDE rated international events and Asian team championships. |
| 14 | Taekwondo | Taekwondo is organized under a national federation affiliated with World Taekwondo, with athletes entering Asian championships and Olympic qualifying events. |
| 15 | Swimming | Swimming is organized nationally and Turkmen swimmers have entered World Aquatics and Asian championship events, supported by pool facilities built in Ashgabat’s Olympic sports com |
Is There a National Sport of Turkmenistan?
Turkmenistan has no national sport laid down by law or by government decision. No Turkmen law or government decree formally designating a national sport could be identified in this run, so no legal national sport is confirmed.
- Equestrian sport (horse racing). Horse culture centered on the Akhal Teke breed functions as the de facto national sport and symbol, reflected in the horse’s place on the state emblem and the dedicated Turkmen Horse Day holiday.
Sports That Were Invented in Turkmenistan
- Goresh (Turkmen belt wrestling). Goresh is a traditional belt wrestling style rooted in Turkmen folk culture and is treated as an indigenous national wrestling form distinct from Olympic freestyle wrestling.
#1 Soccer
- Governing body: Football Federation of Turkmenistan
- Top national league: Yokary Liga
- Best known athlete: Arslanmyrat Amanov. Forward who has captained the national team and played in Russia’s top flight for clubs including Sochi, making him the most visible current Turkmen soccer export
Soccer is organized nationally through the Yokary Liga, Turkmenistan’s top domestic division, which runs an annual season with clubs based in Ashgabat and regional cities. The national federation fields teams in age group and senior competitions under AFC and FIFA.
The men’s national team enters FIFA World Cup qualifying and AFC continental qualifiers each cycle, and domestic clubs occasionally take part in AFC club competitions. Coverage of matches on state broadcasters and stadium attendance in Ashgabat point to soccer as the country’s leading spectator team sport.
Latest Posts about Soccer
#2 Equestrian sport (horse racing)
- Governing body: Turkmen Horse Breeding Association
Horse racing centers on the Akhal Teke, a horse breed native to Turkmenistan that is a state symbol appearing on the national emblem. Races are held at the international hippodrome in Ashgabat and are promoted through government sponsored events.
The government marks an annual Turkmen Horse Day holiday with racing, breed shows, and exhibitions, and equestrian sport also includes traditional horseback games. The sustained state backing places equestrian sport among the most institutionally supported activities in the country.
#3 Wrestling
- Governing body: Wrestling Federation of Turkmenistan
Wrestling in Turkmenistan spans Olympic style freestyle wrestling and goresh, a traditional belt wrestling style tied to Turkmen folk culture. Both are organized through national federations that run domestic championships.
Turkmen wrestlers compete at Asian championships and at the World Nomad Games, where traditional styles from Central Asia are showcased. The sport is taught widely at youth sports schools alongside other combat disciplines.
Latest Posts about Wrestling
#4 Cycling
- Governing body: Cycling Federation of Turkmenistan
Cycling has received sustained state promotion in Turkmenistan, including mass public rides in Ashgabat marking World Bicycle Day, a United Nations observance that Turkmenistan itself proposed. The country also fields a domestic cycling federation.
National team riders compete in Asian Cycling Confederation events and occasional international road races. The heavy state promotion of cycling as healthy recreation has helped make it one of the more visible participation sports in the country.
Latest Posts about Cycling
#5 Weightlifting
- Governing body: Weightlifting Federation of Turkmenistan
- Best known athlete: Polina Guryeva. Won the silver medal in the women’s 59 kilogram category at the Tokyo Olympics, becoming the first Turkmen athlete to win an Olympic medal in the country’s history
Weightlifting is organized through a national federation that trains athletes at state sports schools, with a particular focus on women’s lifting in recent years.
The sport’s national importance grew sharply after Polina Guryeva’s silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics, the first Olympic medal won by any Turkmen athlete. The achievement led to increased state recognition and investment in the weightlifting program.
Latest Posts about Weightlifting
#6 Boxing
- Governing body: Boxing Federation of Turkmenistan
Boxing is coached through the network of state youth sports schools found across Turkmenistan’s provinces, feeding a national team that competes at Asian championships and in Olympic qualifying events.
Domestic boxing tournaments are held in Ashgabat and regional centers under the national federation. The sport is grouped with wrestling and other combat disciplines as a traditional focus of the country’s youth sports system.
Latest Posts about Boxing
#7 Athletics
- Governing body: Athletics Federation of Turkmenistan
Track and field is run through a national athletics federation affiliated with the Asian Athletics Association, with domestic meets held in Ashgabat’s athletics facilities.
Turkmen athletes typically compete in sprint, middle distance, and throwing events at Asian championships and occasionally in Olympic qualification. Athletics is taught as a base discipline in the state youth sports school system.
Latest Posts about Athletics
#8 Basketball
- Governing body: Basketball Federation of Turkmenistan
Basketball is played in an organized domestic league centered on Ashgabat clubs, overseen by the national basketball federation that is affiliated with FIBA Asia.
Men’s and women’s national teams enter regional qualifying tournaments for FIBA Asia competitions. The sport is also part of school and university sports programs in urban centers.
Latest Posts about Basketball
#9 Volleyball
- Governing body: Volleyball Federation of Turkmenistan
Volleyball is played competitively through club teams based in Ashgabat and other cities, coordinated by the national volleyball federation.
National men’s and women’s teams take part in Asian volleyball qualifying tournaments. The sport is common in school physical education and in the state youth sports school network.
Latest Posts about Volleyball
#10 Judo
- Governing body: Judo Federation of Turkmenistan
Judo is coached through state youth sports schools and organized nationally under a federation affiliated with the International Judo Federation.
Turkmen judokas compete at Asian championships and occasionally at grand prix events on the international judo circuit. The sport sits alongside wrestling and boxing as one of the country’s established combat sport disciplines.
Latest Posts about Judo
#11 Table tennis
- Governing body: Table Tennis Federation of Turkmenistan
Table tennis is practiced through a national federation that organizes domestic tournaments and school level competition in Ashgabat and other cities.
Turkmen players have taken part in regional multi sport games featuring table tennis, including Asian indoor and martial arts games editions hosted in Central Asia.
Latest Posts about Table Tennis
#12 Handball
- Governing body: Handball Federation of Turkmenistan
Handball is played by club teams under the national handball federation, with domestic competition concentrated in Ashgabat.
National teams have entered Asian handball qualifying tournaments. The sport is part of the physical education curriculum in many Turkmen schools.
Latest Posts about Handball
#13 Chess
- Governing body: Chess Federation of Turkmenistan
Chess is organized through a national federation affiliated with the International Chess Federation, FIDE, with domestic rated tournaments held in Ashgabat.
Turkmen players and national teams take part in FIDE rated international events, including Asian team championships and chess olympiad cycles.
#14 Taekwondo
- Governing body: Taekwondo Federation of Turkmenistan
Taekwondo is trained through state youth sports schools and a national federation affiliated with World Taekwondo.
Turkmen taekwondo athletes have entered Asian championships and Olympic qualification tournaments, adding to the country’s roster of combat sport disciplines with organized international competition.
Latest Posts about Taekwondo
#15 Swimming
- Governing body: Swimming Federation of Turkmenistan
Swimming is supported by pool facilities in Ashgabat’s Olympic Village and sports complexes, with training organized through the national swimming federation.
Turkmen swimmers have entered World Aquatics championships and Asian regional meets, typically in sprint freestyle events, though the country has not yet produced a swimming medal at that level.
Latest Posts about Swimming
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 sports are popular in Turkmenistan?
Soccer is the leading team sport, organized through the Yokary Liga and the national federation. Equestrian sport built around the native Akhal Teke horse, traditional goresh wrestling, cycling, and weightlifting are also prominent, the last helped by Polina Guryeva’s Olympic silver medal.
What is the national sport of Turkmenistan?
No law or government decree sets a formal national sport. Horse related sport built around the Akhal Teke breed is widely treated as the de facto national sport because of its cultural status and the dedicated Turkmen Horse Day holiday.
What are common sports in Turkmenistan?
Beyond soccer and equestrian sport, Turkmenistan has active national federations for wrestling, cycling, weightlifting, boxing, athletics, basketball, volleyball, judo, table tennis, handball, chess, taekwondo, and swimming.
Who are the best soccer players from Turkmenistan?
Arslanmyrat Amanov is the country’s most visible current soccer player, a forward who has captained the national team and played in Russia’s top flight for clubs including Sochi.
What sports does Turkmenistan play?
Turkmenistan competes internationally in soccer, equestrian sport, wrestling, cycling, weightlifting, boxing, athletics, basketball, volleyball, judo, table tennis, handball, chess, taekwondo, and swimming, each with an organized national federation.
