Popular Sports in Italy

"Sports do not build character, they reveal it." - John Wooden

With all of the focus on March Madness happening in the United States, I thought it would be fun to note some of the sports that are very popular in Italy. These are only a few of the different sports that you can find throughout the country, but they are some of the most popular and are highly followed. The fans of Italian teams stand strongly behind their athletes, and make the sporting atmospheres all the better. Make sure to catch some games while you are in the country!

Soccer is the largest and most popular sport in the country; although, in Europe it is known as football. The Italian soccer team has won four world cups..tied for the second highest in the world with Germany, only behind Brazil! Italy's most recent world cup win was in 2006. Soccer is highly followed throughout the country, and you can find fans for every regional club as well. There are twenty regional clubs in Italy, leading to fierce rivalry during the season. For example, Rome and Palermo have their own clubs that play against each other in the Serie A. You can check out this website to get news on the many clubs, including their news, matches, and rosters: http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/86/italy

2006 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony

Winter Sports are also popular within the country. These include activities such as skiing and luge, in which the country has won many championships. Italy held the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in the city of Turin. This Olympic event was a huge success, with over 2,500 athletes and 84 events. It also added speed skating to the Winter Olympics. The sport of curling became more popular within Italy after these Olympics. Winter sports are more popular in the northern regions of the country, where the mountains offer more prominent access to participate in the sports. Popular winter sports also include ice hockey and cross-country skiing.




Cycling has been popular for many years in Italy, and is continuing to gain momentum constantly. Italy holds the second most World Cycling Championships, behind only Belgium. Every year the country holds a grand cycling event known as the Giro d'Italia, which is a long distance race that usually runs north to south across the country. The title of the event translates to "tour of Italy." This event brings in athletes from around the globe, and is a famous sporting event throughout the world. The event this year is set to start on May 9th, and end three weeks later on May 31st. This is a great event to go see on your trip! More information can be found here:  http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/giro-ditalia-2015



Volleyball may not be a sport many people think of right away as being associated with the country; however, the sport is very popular with Italians. In fact, volleyball is the most popular sport in some regions, even over soccer. The Italian volleyball league is highly respected throughout the world, with both men and women's teams being ranked. It is sometimes said to be considered the third hardest league in the world. There are also many people within the country who play on club teams and for recreation. Sometimes you can find pick up games of volleyball on the beaches throughout the country. Catching a national team game is a fun experience for the whole family on your trip.



Basketball. Lastly, as March Madness is going on we can't forget about basketball! In Italy, the sport is known as pallacanestro. Italy has had national basketball teams since the 1950's. Basketball is a popular sport in Italy and the national team is usually ranked fairly well. Italy is considered to have one of the top basketball leagues in all of Europe. Some Italian basketball teams are Sassari, Venezia, Virtus Roma, Trento, and many others. Like in soccer, the different clubs throughout the country foster a sense of rivalry within the sport and country. You can often times find tickets to go and watch the club teams compete!


So...with the NCAA March Madness going on, and all of the hype surrounding the tournament, it is fun to find the different sports that are so highly integrated into the Italian culture. Italy is known to have a great love for sports, and it can be seen when the teams are playing. Make sure to catch some of the sporting events during your travels to make your trip an even more amazing experience!

Arrivederci!