Sport in San Marino

San Marino is a small country in Europe that is completely surrounded by Italy. Even though it is tiny, San Marino has many sports that people enjoy. Football is very popular there, just like in many other countries. People in San Marino also love to watch and play other sports such as athletics, basketball, and cycling.

Because San Marino is small, its teams often compete in international competitions against much larger nations. This makes their victories even more special when they happen. Sports bring the community together and are an important part of life in San Marino.

Football

Main article: Football in San Marino

San Marino loves football, or soccer, just like its neighbor Italy. The top league in San Marino is called the San Marino Championship. Fifteen teams play in this league. The best teams then compete to decide the champion.

The San Marino national team started playing international matches in 1986. They sometimes face very strong teams, but they have had some exciting moments. In 1993, they scored quickly against England. In 2004, they won their first ever match against Liechtenstein. In 2024, they won their first competitive match against Liechtenstein and moved up in the rankings, which was a big achievement.

Motorsport

The San Marino Grand Prix in Formula One took place at a track in the nearby Italian town of Imola. It stopped after 2007 because the organizers could not agree to keep the event going.

San Marino has also hosted a motorcycle Grand Prix in places like Misano and Mugello. Manuel Poggiali, from San Marino, won two World Championship titles in 2001 and 2003. Another rider, Alex de Angelis, also did well and rode in top classes until he stopped in 2020.

Since 2006, San Marino has started the FIA Alternative Energies Cup event called the Ecorally San Marino - Città del Vaticano.

Baseball

San Marino has a professional baseball team called T & A San Marino. This team plays in the top division of Italian baseball, called Serie A1. San Marino has played in the European Cup tournament many times. They have hosted this event in several years. The team has won the championship sometimes and got third place in a tournament in Regensburg, Germany, in 2017. Baseball is one of San Marino's more successful sports.

Basketball

San Marino has an active basketball community. The San Marino Basketball Federation oversees the sport and was created in 1968. They manage the local league and the San Marino national basketball team. Every summer, an international basketball tournament called the San Marino Basketball Cup takes place.

Volleyball

The San Marino Volleyball Federation, called FSPAV, manages volleyball and beach volleyball in San Marino. It started in 1980 and runs the country's volleyball league and the San Marino national volleyball team.

Rugby union

Main article: Rugby union in San Marino

The San Marino team plays rugby, and there is a team called "Rugby Club San Marino" that plays in Italian leagues.

Olympic games

Main article: San Marino at the Olympics

San Marino has joined the Olympic games 15 times since 1960, missing only the 1964 games. The country has won three medals, all at the Tokyo 2020 summer games. Target shooter Alessandra Perilli helped make San Marino the smallest country to ever win an Olympic medal. San Marino has also taken part in 10 Winter Olympic Games but has not yet won any medals there.