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, where fifteen teams compete. The best teams from each group play against each other to decide the champion.

The San Marino national team began playing international matches in 1986. They are often challenged by stronger teams but had some exciting moments. In 1993, they scored very quickly against England, and in 2004, they won their first ever match against Liechtenstein. In 2024, they achieved their first competitive win against Liechtenstein and moved up in the rankings, which was a big achievement for them.

Motorsport

The San Marino Grand Prix in Formula One was held at a track in the nearby Italian town of Imola. It was not held after 2007 because the organizers could not agree on continuing the event.

San Marino has also hosted a motorcycle Grand Prix in different locations, including Misano and Mugello. Manuel Poggiali, from San Marino, won two World Championship titles in 2001 and 2003. Another rider, Alex de Angelis, also achieved success and rode in top classes until retiring in 2020.

Since 2006, San Marino has been the starting point for 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, known as Serie A1. San Marino has taken part in the European Cup tournament for top European baseball teams many times. They hosted this event in several years, including 1996, 2000, 2004, 2007, and 2016, sometimes together with Italy. The team has won the championship in some years and recently got third place in a tournament held in Regensburg, Germany, in 2017. Baseball is seen as one of San Marino's more successful sports compared to other sports the country participates in.

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, known as FSPAV, oversees volleyball and beach volleyball in San Marino. It was started in 1980 and manages 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 for the country, and there is also a team called "Rugby Club San Marino" that competes in Italian leagues.

Olympic games

Main article: San Marino at the Olympics

San Marino has taken part in 15 Olympic games since 1960, except for the 1964 games. The country has won three medals, all at the Tokyo 2020 summer games. Target shooter Alessandra Perilli helped San Marino become the smallest country to win a medal at the Olympics. San Marino has also been in 10 Winter Olympic Games but has not yet won any medals there.