Tajikistan is a landlocked country mostly made of mountains located in the Central Asian region. Tajikistan was once part of the Soviet Union, and did not compete in world sport under its own name until the 1990s.

Traditionally, Tajikistan is one of the Central Asian countries that play buzkashi. Buzkashi or kokpar literally means "goat dragging" in the Persian language. They still practice this traditional sport around November all the way to April.

Tajikistan offers a great opportunity for mountain-centric activities like mountain biking, hill climbing, rock climbing, hiking, mountain climbing, skiing and snowboarding. Other than taking advantage of the great peaks available in the country, people in Tajikistan also love other sports primarily football. The Tajikistan national football team is a member of FIFA and AFC. Their first-ever international win came in 2006 after beating Sri Lanka (4-0) in the inaugural AFC Challenge Cup.

Cricket popularity has also grown considerably since its introduction and the formation of the Tajikistan Cricket Federation in 2012. It became an affiliate member of the Asian Cricket Council the very same year.

Rugby union is also slowly getting recognized and gaining popularity. Despite its relative seclusion from the international sporting stage, Tajikistan does have quite a number of Olympic medalists like wrestler Yusup Abdusalomov and judoka Rasul Boqiev who took the silver and bronze respectively in Beijing (2008) and boxer Mavzuna Chorieva who won bronze in London (2012)

Below are details of sports, sporting events and sports people related to Tajikistan. Is there something missing? If you know of something that should be listed here, please let us know.

Popular sports of Tajikistan

Traditional or Regional Sports

Tajikistan Sporting Success

  • Tajikistan won two Olympic medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics (Silver and Bronze)
  • Tajikistan won a bronze medal at the London 2012 Olympics
  • Tajikistan won a gold medal at the Rio 2016 Olympics
  • Tajikistan won three bronze medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics
  • Tajikistan won the AFC Challenge Cup in 2006

Great athletes from Tajikistan

  • Dilshod Nazarov
  • Mavzuna Chorieva
  • Rasul Boqiev

Tajikistan at major events

Past sporting events hosted in Tajikistan

  • 2022 IMMAF Asian Championships: This event was hosted in Dushanbe by the Tajikistan MMA Federation
  • The World SAMBO Cup in 2025: One leg of this event was hosted in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. It took place on September 20 - 21, 2025

Upcoming sporting events in Tajikistan

  • World Judo Masters (December 2026): This event will take place in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, from December 18-20, 2026
  • Dushanbe Grand Slam 2026: This is an annual event that will be held in Dushanbe from May 1 to May 3, 2026 

Annual sporting events held in Tajikistan

  • Dushanbe Grand Slam
  • Navruz Sporting Championships

Sporting Facilities in Tajikistan

  • Dushanbe Central Stadium
  • Tennis Palace and Water Sports Complex (Dushanbe)
  • Istaravshan Sports Complex