Switzerland Sportswith theMX-Academy

Switzerland sports range from mountain hiking to wrestling in a sawdust ring. Here you see what Swiss people do most, which traditions you can watch, what changed for motor racing in 2026 and which sport you can try in a single day.

Top five: hiking, cycling, swimming, skiing, joggingCircuit races allowed again from 1 July 2026Motocross in Schlatt TGRiders aged 4 to 74

Dates in the events calendar Motocross gift card

Switzerland sports in winter: skiers on a wide piste below chairlifts and snow-covered Alpine peaks — Photo: Roy Egloff, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Popular sports in Switzerland

What do Swiss people actually do when they exercise? The study Sport Schweiz 2026 by the Federal Office of Sport, reported by the broadcaster SRF in August 2026, describes a kind of Swiss pentathlon: hiking, cycling, swimming, skiing and jogging are the five most popular sports in the country. Strength training and yoga have clearly grown over the past six years.

Most of these need neither a club nor a licence, which makes them easy to join on a short stay. You can hike on the national network of yellow-signposted trails, follow a cycle route along the Rhine or swim in the river at a summer bath. Skiing depends on the season and on a trip into the mountains. For ideas close to Schaffhausen, our page on activities in Switzerland lists trails, river trips and a rope park.

Popular sports in Switzerland: hikers on a mountain trail with the snow-capped Matterhorn in the distance — Photo: Alltheswissthings, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Motocross in Switzerland: rider jumping a Honda against a blue sky above green countryside

MX-Academy Switzerland

Your own motocross day in Switzerland

Between the sights, swap the camera for the handlebars: at the MX-Academy in Schlatt TG you ride a Honda on green tracks with professional coaches – around 16 minutes by car from the Rhine Falls and 39 minutes from Zurich Airport.

Ages 4 to 74, no driving licence needed
Honda and protective gear from kids’ sizes to XXL for hire
Course days on Wednesday and Saturday
A day with rental bike from €390 (CHF 360), non-binding

Motocross trip to Switzerland Calendar of events

Swiss wrestling and other traditional sports in Switzerland

Schwingen, a form of wrestling, and Steinstossen, in which athletes throw a heavy stone, are known as the Swiss national sports, and in a wider sense Hornussen belongs to them too: a team game in which players strike a small puck while the other side tries to stop it, played mainly in the canton of Bern. You are unlikely to try them as a visitor, but they are well worth watching.

Schwingen bouts take place in a ring 12 metres across that is covered with sawdust, and the wrestlers grip each other by their wrestling breeches. Regional and cantonal festivals are held outdoors between early summer and autumn. The most important of them, the federal festival known as ESAF, comes round every three years, and its winner is crowned Schwingerkönig and receives a bull as the prize.

Switzerland sports tradition: crowds in a stand around sawdust rings at a Schwingen festival in the mountains — Photo: Paradise Chronicle, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Motor racing in Switzerland: from ban to new start

After the Le Mans disaster of 1955, Switzerland banned circuit motor racing, and the Bremgarten circuit was never used for motor racing again. Forms of motorsport that do not use a circuit, such as rallies and hill climbs, remained possible. In 2015 the law was relaxed for electric vehicles, which brought Formula E to Zurich for the first time in 2018.

That chapter has now closed. On 6 May 2026, the Federal Council decided to allow circuit races again under conditions, and the amended traffic rules ordinance came into force on 1 July 2026. Approval of such events now lies with the cantons, and among other conditions, safety standards must be met and environmental protection must be taken into account.

Motocross has its own big stage in Switzerland: in 2023, Frauenfeld hosted the MXGP of Switzerland, a round of the motocross world championship. The national federation is Swiss Moto, formerly known as FMS, which holds the sporting authority for motorcycle sport in Switzerland and belongs to the FIM; SAM, the Swiss association of car and motorcycle riders, runs its own motocross classes as well.

Motor racing in Switzerland: motocross riders on a dusty track along a grassy hill lined with spectators and flags — Photo: Ernst Klöti, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Switzerland sports you can try in a day: motocross

Watching is fun, but motocross is one sport you can try yourself on a short visit. The MX-Academy in Schlatt TG trains on grounds that have a place in NASAK – the concept for national sports facilities drawn up by the Confederation together with Swiss Olympics – with four tracks and a separate one for kids and beginners. No driving licence is needed, because the ground is private.

Small children start on the Honda CRF50, teenagers and adults ride the CRF250, and full protective gear is available to rent in sizes from kids to XXL. Course days are Wednesday and Saturday, coaching is compulsory for first-timers, and riders from 4 to 74 take part. The academy's founder and owner, Chris Möckli, is a two-time European champion (IMBA Openclass 2004 and 2005).

Getting there is simple: from Zurich Airport the drive takes around 39 minutes, from St. Gallen around 1 hour and from Lucerne around 1 hour 20 minutes, all measured without traffic. The Rhine Falls are around 16 minutes away, should you want to add a sight to your sports day.

Switzerland sports to try in a day: a rider in red and white gear on a red Honda on a sandy track, blue sky

Which sports in Switzerland suit which visitor

Not every traveller wants the same kind of exercise. This short overview matches the sports described on this page with different types of visitors, so you can pick what fits your trip, your season and your energy level:

Walkers: hiking on the national network of yellow-signposted trails
Families: swimming and cycling, plus motocross for children from age 4
Spectators: a Schwingen festival between early summer and autumn
Motor fans: a motocross course day on a Wednesday or Saturday
Winter guests: skiing, one of the five most popular sports

Sports in Switzerland for families: swimmers float in the Rhine at Basel near a small ferry and a stone bridge — Photo: Martin Kraft, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

FAQ: Switzerland Sports

What is the national sport of Switzerland?

Schwingen (Swiss wrestling) and Steinstossen (stone throwing) are known as the Swiss national sports, and in a wider sense Hornussen as well.

What are the most popular sports in Switzerland?

According to the study Sport Schweiz 2026, hiking, cycling, swimming, skiing and jogging are the five most popular sports.

Is motor racing banned in Switzerland?

Not any more. Since 1 July 2026, the cantons can approve circuit races again under safety and environmental conditions. Rallies and hill climbs were allowed before.

Can tourists try motocross in Switzerland?

Yes. At the MX-Academy in Schlatt TG you can rent a bike and gear and ride without a driving licence on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Who runs motorcycle sport in Switzerland?

Swiss Moto, formerly FMS, is the national federation for motorcycle sport and a member of the FIM. SAM, a second association, also runs its own motocross classes.