The most popular sport in Turkey is association football (soccer). Turkey’s top teams include Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe, Besiktas and Trabzonspor. The Turkish national football team finished 3rd and won the bronze medal in the 2002 FIFA World Cup and in the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup; while also reaching the semi-finals (finishing 3rd by goals difference) in the UEFA Euro 2008.

Other mainstream sports such as basketball and volleyball are also popular. The Turkish men’s national basketball team won the silver medal in the finals of the 2010 FIBA World Championship and EuroBasket 2001, which were both hosted by Turkey. They also won two gold medals (1987 and 2013), one silver medal (1971) and three bronze medals (1967, 1983 and 2009) in the Mediterranean Games. Turkish basketball club Anadolu Efes S.K. won the FIBA Korac Cup in 1996, finished 2nd in the FIBA Saporta Cup of 1993, and made it to the Final Four of Euroleague and Suproleague in 2000 and 2001, finishing 3rd in both occasions. Another Turkish basketball club, Besiktas, won the FIBA EuroChallenge in 2012. Turkish basketball players such as Mehmet Okur, Hedo Turkoglu, Ersan Ilyasova, Ömer Asik, Enes Kanter and Semih Erden have also been successful in the NBA.

The Turkish women’s national basketball team won the silver medal in EuroBasket Women 2011, and the bronze medal in EuroBasket Women 2013. They also won a gold medal (2005) and two silver medals (1987 and 1997) in the Mediterranean Games, and finished 5th in the 2012 Olympic Games. Women’s basketball clubs in Turkey, namely Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe, have won numerous European championship titles and medals.

The Turkish women’s national volleyball team won the silver medal in the 2003 European Championship, the bronze medal in the 2011 European Championship, and the bronze medal in the 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix. They also won a gold medal (2005), six silver medals (1987, 1991, 1997, 2001, 2009, 2013) and a bronze medal (1993) in the Mediterranean Games. Women’s volleyball clubs in Turkey, namely Fenerbahçe, Eczacibasi and Vakifbank, have won numerous European championship titles and medals. Representing Europe as the winner of the 2012–13 CEV Women’s Champions League, Vakifbank also became the world champion by winning the 2013 FIVB Women’s Club World Championship.

The traditional Turkish national sport has been yagli güres (oiled wrestling) since Ottoman times. Edirne has hosted the annual Kirkpinar oiled wrestling tournament since 1361. International wrestling styles governed by FILA such as Freestyle wrestling and Greco-Roman wrestling are also popular, with many European, World and Olympic championship titles won by Turkish wrestlers both individually and as a national team.

Turkish weightlifters, both male and female, have broken numerous world records and won several European, World and Olympic championship titles. Naim Süleymanoglu and Halil Mutlu have achieved legendary status as one of the few weightlifters to have won three gold medals in three Olympics.

The Rally of Turkey was included in the FIA World Rally Championship calendar in 2003, while Formula One race weekends held at the Istanbul Park racing circuit occurred annually between the 2005 and 2011 Formula One seasons, discontinuing in 2012