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(H1): Popular sports (basketball, tennis, handball) - Paraguay
Summary
Outside of football, the sports scene of Paraguay has noticeably revived: basketball holds a stable core of fans (club derbies of Asuncion, performances of the national team), tennis regularly gives hero countries and Olympians, and women's handball is the most dynamic "newcomer" who has already reached Pan American medals and trips to the world championship.
Basketball: Club tradition and national team
Clubs and league
Olimpia Kings (Asuncion) - a professional flagship playing in the national championship (LNB) and entering South American tournaments; the club page and statistics confirm regular appearances and the international agenda.
The national calendar traditionally highlights clasichos with San José and other top confrontations; LNB results by date are easily tracked in match centers.
National team and history
The men's national team of Paraguay under the auspices of FIBA performs in the FIBA AmeriCup qualification, where in 2024-2025 Rodney Mercado and Fernando Doce (leaders in points/efficiency in qualification) stood out in the composition.
Historical peak achievements - silver of the South American Championship 1955 and 1960, bronze 1958.
The FIBA profile and the national federation card (Confederación Paraguaya de Básquetbol) contain up-to-date contacts and regulatory information.
Why this is important: basketball in Paraguay has strong club roots (school/city leagues, college halls), and FIBA international windows return media attention to the national team, encouraging youth recruitment.
Tennis: From Paris final to Olympic courts
Stars and legacy
Víctor Pecci - legend: finalist of Roland Garros 1979 (one of the loudest pages of Paraguayan sports of the 20th century).
Verónica Cepede Roig, Rossana de los Ríos, Ramón Delgado are notable figures of the WTA/ATP and Davis Cup/Billie Jean King Cup era; their names appear in specialized reference books and rating rebounds.
Tournaments and development paths
The national calendar relies on ITF events, college tennis and the Davis Cup/Billie Jean King Cup track; strong student programs help "discover" talent.
Tennis clubs in Asunción and border towns (Encarnación, Ciudad del Este) support children's schools and amateur series.
Why it matters: Pecci and Cepede Roig's "success stories" continue to motivate juniors, and grassroots amateur tennis (including padel as a "kindred neighbour") widens the funnel for top-flight sports.
Handball: The phenomenon of rapid growth, especially among women
Results and international arena
The women's national team of Paraguay for the first time won the medal of the Pan American Games - bronze in Santiago 2023 (victory over Chile 23-20). This is a historic milestone that has dramatically raised the visibility of the sport.
In 2025, Paraguay received a ticket to the IHF-2025 Women's World Cup, which emphasized the progress of the program and the federation's interest in the female direction.
The profiles of the national teams and the results of the South American Games reflect the stable dynamics at the continental level.
Why handball "shot"
The school base and the availability of halls, the media history of the women's team and the understandable path "school → club → team" attract new participants, as well as local sponsors.
Media, fan experience and infrastructure
Basketball brands actively use social networks and live broadcasts; Olimpia Kings communicate and emphasize the historical status of the club.
Tournament "windows" (AmeriCup Qualifiers, Pan American starts, IHF qualifications) give bursts of interest in the symbols of national teams and fan view formats.
Private and municipal halls, school courts and club centers are the main "foundation" of accessibility; it is he who grows the mass base and future personnel.
What does this mean for the development of mass sports
1. Basketball - keeps the status of the sport No. 2: club rivalry + regular international windows = stable media agenda and influx into the youth sports school.
2. Tennis - point heroes and a strong amateur ecosystem (clubs/ITF) provide a long horizon.
3. Handball (women's) is the driver of Paraguay's growth and visibility on the continent and the world: the Pan American Games medal and World Cup selection are powerful markers for schools and sponsors.
Useful guidelines and resources
FIBA Paraguay - national team profile, calendar and statistics.
Confederación Paraguaya de Básquetbol - contacts/federation structure.
IHF - Paraguay - news about qualifications and world handball tournaments.
Tennis guides (pantheons of players and biographies) - a quick entry into the history and current athletes.
In 2025, basketball, tennis and handball are the three most visible "non-football" pillars of Paraguay's sport. Basketball provides regular club drive and the national team in the FIBA windows, tennis remains a showcase of individual world-class achievements, and women's handball has become a symbol of the "new wave," paving the way to the Pan American podium and to the world championship. For schools, clubs and sponsors, this is a signal to strengthen the infrastructure and programs of young people - there is demand at the sites, and international results confirm the potential.