There are many important sporting events in Turkey every year. And since sport is a spectacle that generates more and more tourism around the world, we dedicate the following lines to giving you ideas and proposals so that you can enjoy the adrenaline of the competition as a spectator during your next trip to the country.
Top-level Football in Istanbul
Football is the most popular sport in Turkey, so the big cities usually have stadiums and elite teams. But if there is one that stands out, that is Istanbul: the three major Turkish clubs play their matches here, in their respective stadiums, authentic temples for lovers of this sport. They are Fenerbahce (Saracoğlu Stadyumu, in Kadikoy), Besiktas (Besiktas Stadium or Vodafone Park, on the European bank of the Bosphorus) and Galatasaray (Ali Sami Yen or Nef Stadium, on the northern periphery of the city). Every weekend there are matches of the national league (Super League), but also some Champions League matches during the week. In addition, the city has hosted the final of the great continental competition on several occasions, as well as the national team’s matches in the Olympic Stadium Ataturk, filling all the streets of the center with atmosphere.
Basketball Full of Passion
Basketball lovers know that in Turkey, the passion for this sport reaches the highest levels. And again, Istanbul gets the most attention, with teams such as Anadolu Efes and the basketball sections of the aforementioned Galatasaray and Fenerbahce. Both the local league and the EuroLeague (on occasions, as the venue for the Final Four) offer matches of maximum interest, in mythical pavilions such as the Sinan Erdem Spor Salonu (formerly Ataköy Spor Salonu).
Popular and Massive Events
In addition to the two king sports, whose clubs move masses, it is important to mention other tests and sporting events in Turkey, important because they are open to citizen participation professional and amateur, which generates numerous trips on the dates on which they take place.
Special mention deserves the Istanbul Marathon, which usually takes place in autumn. Its 42 demanding kilometers are not only a sporting test, but also a unique opportunity to run alongside monuments such as Hagia Sophia through its central streets often crowded with cars. In addition, it is one of the few that can say that its route covers two continents, as it crosses the famous Bosphorus Bridge.
Less famous is the Transcontinental Swimming Race, but it enjoys great popularity in the city, with swimmers from all over the world. The test involves swimming across the Bosphorus Strait, from the Asian side (Kanlica) to the European side (Kuruçeşme Cemil Topuzlu park), completing about 6.5 km of distance. Participation in the event usually exceeds 2,000 swimmers.
Other Sports Possibilities
Although these are the main sporting events in Turkey, there may be more in the future, either due to new projects or to resume old competitions. For example, the Istanbul Circuit has hosted MotoGP and Formula 1 events in the past, under the name of Turkish Grand Prix. And the authorities are willing to organize the Formula 1 event again, which would be a tourist attraction.
On the other hand, the ski resorts in Turkey also have the capacity to host world championships, whether alpine skiing or other categories. This is what happened with the scoring event of the mountain skiing of Ergan Dagi. And sailing lovers will surely find regattas of maximum interest on the Aegean coast and on the Mediterranean coast, whose ports and waters are conducive to high-level competitions.
