A popular sport in various parts of the globe, football spread to the USSR as well; and continues to be played in the Russian Federation. A large number of people in modern Russia plays football on a regular basis. This led to the formation of a league system, the Russian League (Ruska Liga) in 1992, right after the fall of the USSR. In 2002, the Ruska Liga was renamed as the Russian Premier League, where 16 teams from all over the country compete. Further, the national football team participates in European competitions, as well as in the FIFA World Cup. In fact, Russia hosted the 21st edition of the FIFA World Cup in 2018.
In countries with extreme winters, sports like ice hockey have gained popularity. It is no different from field hockey, except as the name suggests, this fast-paced sport is played by skaters on ice. The Russian Ice Hockey Federation (FHR) was established for nurturing and popularizing the sport within the Russian Federation. Many ice hockey tournaments and leagues take place in the country, such as the Women’s Hockey League and the Junior Hockey League, and the Kontinental Hockey League.
Chess has been popular in Russia since the late 16th century. After the Bolshevik Revolution, the state came forward in support by establishing chess schools and organizing tournaments. Within just six years of the first state-sponsored chess tournament (in 1921), a Russian had won a world tournament! In fact, from 1948 till the dissolution of the USSR, Russians dominated the international chess scenario, except for a brief period when America had temporarily seized their numero uno status. The Chess Federation of Russia, the official governing body, organizes a number of national & international tournaments and national-level championships. There is even a Chess Museum in Moscow, where rare chess sets belonging to various cultures and from different eras are on exhibit, along with personal belongings of famous Grandmasters.
Volleyball is another major sport in the country. With both male & female national teams, the country has won several volleyball tournaments over the years, including the Olympics and World Cups. The Volleyball Federation of Russia has also introduced the sport in various schools across the country to promote the sport; and to increase participation in international tournaments.
Bandy (or Banty) is a winter sport that borrows from ice hockey, as well as from football. Played on ice, the skaters use curved sticks. The two teams, of 8–11 members each, try to score against one another by directing a ball into the opponent’s goal. The first bandy championship took place in Russia in 1922.
A fast-paced, contact team sport that is usually played indoors, there are different versions of handball, such as field & beach handball. The sport, governed by the Handball Federation of Russia (HFR), is quite popular within the country. Along with the national team’s participation in various international tournaments like the Olympics, teams of men also compete in the Russian Handball Super League; while there is a Russian Women’s Handball Super League, as well.
Figure skating is another popular sport in Russia, where individuals (or pairs) perform on figure skates that often includes skips, jumps, lifts, throws, and spirals. Synchronized skating, Theater on Ice, and four skating are some of the variants of figure skating.