May 21

May 21 The Most Popular Sports in Greece

Alexandra Petrova

Stories

The Top 5 Most Popular Sports in Greece

Many sports have their roots in Ancient Greece - and modern Greeks continue to win big across the world!

But what are the most popular sports in Greece? And who are the country’s greatest athletes?

Read on to find out!

Ancient Greek Olympics — The Ancient Greeks created the first Olympic Games

Greece’s Influence over Sports

You can’t deny the profound impact that Greece has had on the world of sports!

From the creation of the ancient Olympic Games to Greek influence on modern sports and their rules - Greece has done it all.

Greece is one of the most influential countries in the world of sports.

Interesting facts about the influence of Greek history and culture on modern sports:

Modern athletics originate from the Ancient Greek Olympic Games, which were held every 4 years in Olympia as a way to celebrate athletic excellence. This was the most prestigious sporting event in the world!
Marathons, wrestling, weightlifting and gymnastics can all be traced back to these Olympic Games. They significantly influenced and shaped these modern sports.
The word “gymnasium” derives from the Greek word gymnós, meaning “naked”. This comes from the Greek Olympic athletes who used to compete nude.
Greece influenced a lot of famous brands that are now closely connected with sports. This includes the famous sports brand Nike, which got its name from Greek mythology: Nike originally was the name of the winged goddess of victory. There is a similarity between Nike's wings and the famous symbol found on their sneakers.

But, what are the most popular sports in Greece today? What sports do Greek people enjoy watching or playing the most?

Let’s take a closer look!

1. Football

The Hellenic Football Federation oversees football in Greece
Greece won the UEFA Euro 2004
At its height, Greece’s national football team was ranked 8th by FIFA

Football (soccer) is both the most popular and most watched sport in Greece, according to Greek City Times. This is no surprise as football is the most popular sport in the world.

Within the country, football is overseen by the Hellenic Football Federation which was founded in 1926.

Research by the EPO- Hellenic Football Federation showed that there are around 300,000 registered football players in Greece, but the number of people who watch this sport greatly exceeds this number!

Greece’s national football team first appeared in international football tournaments in 1980, when they participated in the UEFA Euro 1980.

Since then, the team has qualified for the UEFA European Championship and FIFA World Cup several times.

Greece gained international recognition when their national team surprised everyone with their performance in the UEFA Euro 2004 - and Greece ended up winning this championship.

This put Greek football on the map!

At its height, Greece’s national football team was ranked 8th by FIFA (October 2011). However, their current rank is significantly lower, as they rank 52nd (as of October 2022).

Some of the most famous Greek football players include:

Giorgos Karagounis
Angelos Basinas
Theodoros Zagorakis
Antonios Nikopolidis
Kostas Katsouranis
Stratos Apostolakis
Sokratis Papastathopoulos.

2. Basketball

Basketball first came to Greece in the 1910s
The men’s national basketball team won the 1987 EuroBasket in Athens
The women’s national team won the FIBA EuroCup in 2009/10

A close second, basketball is increasing in popularity in Greece; but interestingly enough, this wasn’t always the case.

The sport was first introduced to Greece in the 1910s by American missionaries, and it was only played by American expatriates and Greeks who had studied in the US.

However, it soon became widely recognised across the country, and played by many Greek young people.

In 1949, the Greece men's national basketball team participated in their first FIBA European Championship (EuroBasket) and managed to win the bronze medal.

Greece opened the doors to its first professional basketball indoor arena in 1959 in Athens.

However, the sport truly erupted in popularity after the men's national basketball team won the 1987 EuroBasket in Athens. This caused basketball euphoria in the country.

Since then, the Greek national basketball team has ranked among the top 10 teams worldwide.

The national team won the European championship twice, so it is no surprise that the national league is one of the most competitive leagues in Europe.

Their national women’s team has also done pretty well, as they won the FIBA EuroCup for Women in 2009/10.

Faidon Matthaiou is considered the father of Greek basketball. Some of the greatest European NBA players also come from Greece, including Giánnis “Greek Freak” Antetokoúnmpo.

Other famous Greek basketball players include:

Panagiotis Giannakis
Theodoros Papaloukas
Vassilis Spanoulis
Dimitris Diamantidis
Panagiotis Fasoulas
Nikos Zisis

3. Athletics

Greek athletes have won 29 medals at the Olympic Games
Fani Chalkia and Periklis Iakovakis are two famous Greek athletes
Greek athletes have won 19 medals in the IAAF World Championships in Athletics

Considering that athletics pretty much originated in Greece and it was the world centre for athletics, it’s no surprise that the sport still enjoys great popularity among the Greek population.

Collectively, Greek athletes have won 29 medals in total at the Olympic Games, as well as 19 medals in the IAAF World Championships in Athletics.

Individually, Greece has some of the best athletes in the world, including:

Fani Chalkia
Periklis Iakovakis
Anastasia Kelesidou
Periklis Iakovakis
Haralabos Papadias
Voula Patoulidou
Lambros Papakostas

Even though Greeks particularly excel at this sport, it is still seen mostly as a recreational activity - and it’s not followed quite as much as the other team sports on this list.

4. Water Polo

Greek players have won FINA World League titles
Olympiacos is one of the most successful Greek water polo clubs
Angelos Vlachopoulos is one of the most famous Greek water polo players

Greece is often referred to as an international powerhouse in both men's and women's water polo.

Greek clubs and national teams have achieved a great number of distinctions in international competitions - and it comes as no surprise that water polo is one of the most popular sports in the country!

Greek water polo victories include:

Winning medals at the World Aquatic Championships
Winning categories at the Olympics
FINA World League titles
LEN Championship League titles

Several Greek water polo clubs have also enjoyed international success.

Olympiacos is one of the largest and most successful Greek water polo clubs, winning the LEN Euroleague title and the European Super Cup in 2002.

This makes it the only Greek club to earn the prestigious title of European champions.

Ethnikos Piraeus has also won a LEN Trophy and it is considered one of Greece’s greatest water polo teams of all-time.

Close behind them are Vouliagmeni who achieved success in water polo by winning a LEN Cup Winner's Cup in 1997.

They also came close to winning the LEN Trophy, finishing as runners-up once, a feat also accomplished by NO Patras and Panionios.

The father of Greek water polo is Dimitrios Diathessopoulos.

Other famous Greek water polo players include:

Angelos Vlachopoulos
Dimitrios Skoumpakis
Christódoulos Kolómvos
Konstantinos Genidounias
Ioannis Fountoulis

5. Volleyball

The Hellenic Volleyball Federation oversees volleyball in Greece
Two-time runners-up in the CEV Champions League
Nikos Samaras is one of the most famous Greek volleyball players

Volleyball’s popularity in Greece truly is a no-brainer, considering the fact that Greece has some of the world’s biggest, most beautiful sandy beaches with incredible sea-sights.

Volleyball is also one of the most popular sports in the world!

While other sports may be more popular for watching, volleyball is one of the most popular sports among the young Greek population. They enjoy playing it all through middle and high school.

In Greece, volleyball is overseen by the Hellenic Volleyball Federation, which is a member of CEV.

They have their own national league, the A1 Ethniki, which is considered one of the top volleyball leagues in Europe. Greek clubs have achieved significant success in European competitions.

Olympiacos has established itself as the top-performing volleyball club in the nation by clinching the highest number of domestic championships. It’s also the only Greek team to secure European titles.

Greek volleyball victories include:

Two CEV Cups
Two-time runners-up in the CEV Champions League
Numerous appearances in the final fours of European competitions

These victories make them a prominent force in European volleyball. Iraklis, Panathinaikos and Orestiada have also made it to the final in continental tournaments.