The Ministry of Sports released a comprehensive assessment of the most popular sports in Russia at the close of 2022, reflecting official data published on the ministry’s website. The report highlights how interest in sports translates into participation figures across the country, offering a snapshot of recreational life as the year ended.
Football emerged as the dominant sport with a substantial base of enthusiasts and participants. The official tallies show that more than three and a third million people in Russia actively engaged in football. Following closely was swimming, which engaged about two and a half million people, underscoring the country’s strong affinity for aquatic activity and the accessibility of swimming facilities in urban and rural areas alike. Volleyball also ranked in the top tier, with roughly 2.5 million participants, illustrating the sport’s broad appeal in schools, clubs, and community centers. These three sports represent the core of the year-end culture of sport participation and serve as a baseline for comparing regional trends, facility availability, and youth engagement across Russia.
The top ten list, as officially documented, extends beyond football, swimming, and volleyball to encompass a wide array of popular pursuits. The complete ranking is as follows: 1) Football — 3,337,498 participants, 2) Swimming — 2,554,606 participants, 3) Volleyball — 2,497,396 participants, 4) Athletics — 1,961,474 participants, 5) Basketball — 1,791,946 participants, 6) Fitness aerobics — 1,718,062 participants, 7) Cross-country skiing — 1,106,534 participants, 8) Cycling and walking paths — 1,089,148 participants, 9) Chess — 1,015,957 participants, 10) Table tennis — 892,491 participants. The breadth of this list illustrates how citizens pursue a mix of organized team sports, individual drills, and recreational activities that fit varying schedules, climates, and personal interests across the nation.
The year 2022 also featured a major shift in international sports participation, as the International Football Federation (FIFA) and UEFA made the decision to exclude the Russian national team and all Russian clubs from competitions they oversee. This move affected the level of competitive exposure available to Russian footballers on the global stage while still allowing domestic play and friendlies with international teams to continue under bilateral arrangements. Such changes have implications for talent development, sponsorship dynamics, and the domestic football calendar, as clubs and national teams navigate new schedules and formats for international exchange and training opportunities.
Within the broader sports landscape, Russian football players continue to compete in matches with international rivals. While these encounters no longer carry official sanction from FIFA or UEFA, the fixtures persist as friendly competition, enabling players to maintain competitive sharpness, seek scouting attention, and keep engagement with fans around the world. This transition highlights how national teams adapt to governance shifts while preserving the social and cultural significance of the sport at home and abroad.
Beyond team sports, the ministry’s review touches on participation trends in disciplines such as figure skating, where seasonal changes can lead to fluctuations in enrollment and public interest. In a separate official briefing, it was noted that approximately 75,000 people ceased figure skating participation over the course of a year, a statistic that offers insight into how weather, facility access, and economic factors influence enrollment in seasonal activities. Analysts and policymakers may use this data to explore strategies for sustaining participation in peak interest periods, expanding youth programs, and improving access to rinks and coaching resources across regions.