List of sports

Last updated

The following is a list of sports and games, divided by category. According to the World Sports Encyclopaedia (2003), there are 8,000 known indigenous sports and sporting games. [1]

Contents

Acrobatic arts

Cheerleading Cheerleading at UP theater.jpg
Cheerleading

Air sports

Lima Lima aerobatics team performing over Louisville. Lima Lima Flight team flying Beechcraft Mentors.jpg
Lima Lima aerobatics team performing over Louisville.
Wingsuit flying Dubai Wingsuit Flying Trip (7623578306).jpg
Wingsuit flying

Animal sports

Bovines

Recortes Recorte sobre un toro - 2008.jpg
Recortes

Dog sports

Sports in which dogs participate.

Equines

Horse racing at Arlington Park, 2007 Horse race, Arlington International.jpg
Horse racing at Arlington Park, 2007

Sports using a horse.

Fishing

Hunting

Sometimes considered blood sports.

Rodeo-originated

Barrel racing Barrel Racing(14583529059).jpg
Barrel racing

Sports that have originated from rodeos in the old Western Americas.

Others

Athletics

The three activities in Track and field, from top-bottom rows: jumping, throwing and running.

Jumping

Throwing

Running

Combined

Ball games

Bat-and-ball games (safe haven games)

Games in which the objective of the offensive team is to reach safe havens to score runs, and of the defense to prevent it.

Wrigley field 720.jpg
Muralitharan bowling to Adam Gilchrist.jpg
The two major Bat and ball games, from top-bottom: Baseball and Cricket.
Baseball like (roundball)
Cricket like
Longball
Other games

Billiards

Cue sports

Carom Billiards EC Brandenburg Havel-GER 2013-04-20 24-Leppens.JPG
Playing Billard. Pyongyang, North Korea. (2603187853).jpg
Snooker table selby.JPG
The three main family of Cue sports, from top-bottom: Carom, pool and Snooker.

Ground billiards

Boules sports

Lawn bowls Lawn Bowling - Tim Mason1.jpg
Lawn bowls

Games which the objective is to throw, roll or slide balls as closely as possible to a jack or target.

Bowling

Bowling Menina jogando Boliche Imply.jpg
Bowling

Dodgeball family

Golf

Sports which score is counted in reference to par

Golf player using a putter to score Golf putter on green.jpg
Golf player using a putter to score

Invasion games

Sports in which the method of scoring is through goals.

Basketball family

Basketball player Dwight Howard making a slam dunk at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Dwigth Howard olympics2008.jpg
Basketball player Dwight Howard making a slam dunk at the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Football family

Historical
Modern codes

Handball family

A 7-meter throw in Handball. Kr-Oe-Siebenmeter.jpg
A 7-meter throw in Handball.

Stick and ball family

Sports that use some kind of sticks for scoring goals.

Hockey
Hurling and shinty
Lacrosse
Lacrosse variants
Polo
A polo player. Iranian girl polo player.jpg
A polo player.

Other goal sports

Cycle ball Corner kick of cycle-ball.jpg
Cycle ball

Net and wall games

Sports when players/teams score whenever the opponent fails to return validly the possession of ball/bird back.

Games involving opponents hitting/throwing a ball over a net using a racket, or other piece of equipment, or merely the body:
Europei di pallavolo 2005 - Italia-Russia.jpg
An international match of volleyball.
Richel Hogenkamp - Masters de Madrid 2015 - 11.jpg
Tennis
Games involving opponents hitting/throwing a ball against walls or any rebounding surface using a racket, or other piece of equipment, or merely gloved/barehanded:
Games that use both walls and net:
Padbol Pista de Padbol.jpg
Padbol
Games that use neither walls nor net:
Crossminton Speedminton players.png
Crossminton

Pilota family

Valencian pilota. TrofeuNadal-06.jpg
Valencian pilota.

Racket (or racquet) sports

  • Racketlon (a series of other racket and paddle sports)
Sports that use a netted racket
Badminton Ponnappa & Gutta.jpg
Badminton
Sports that use a non-netted racket, or paddle
Table tennis 2019 Commonwealth Table Tennis championships 1.jpg
Table tennis

Other ball sports

Board sports

Skateboarding Ruben, Skateboarding (4869315368).jpg
Skateboarding
Snowboard figure at the 2008 Shakedown Shakedown 2008 Figure 1-de vignette.jpg
Snowboard figure at the 2008 Shakedown
Surfing in Hawaii Surfing in Hawaii.jpg
Surfing in Hawaii

Sports that are played with some sort of board as the primary equipment.

Climbing

Canyoning Mystery-canyon-001.jpg
Canyoning

Combat sports: wrestling and martial arts

A combat sport is a competitive contact sport where two combatants fight against each other using certain rules of engagement.

Grappling

Two men compete in freestyle wrestling. FreestyleWrestling2.jpg
Two men compete in freestyle wrestling.

Striking

A kick in kickboxing. 2010-02-20-kickboxen-by-RalfR-01.jpg
A kick in kickboxing.

Mixed or hybrid

Ground fighting in MMA. Pins down.jpg
Ground fighting in MMA.

Weapons

Two kendoka. Kendo EM 2005 - nito.jpg
Two kendōka.
Paintball Paintball breakout.jpg
Paintball

Other

Flying disc sports

Australia vs Canada ultimate players WUGC 2012 in Japan. Ultimate Canada 20120713 202257 NZ4 6429 1280.jpg
Australia vs Canada ultimate players WUGC 2012 in Japan. Ultimate Canada

Gymnastics

Yana Kudryavtseva.jpg
Natalia Gaudio 2016 Olympics Test Event 5.jpg
2018-10-16 Gymnastics at 2018 Summer Youth Olympics - Rhythmic Gymnastics - Hoop final (Martin Rulsch) 038.jpg
Viktoriia Onopriienko 2024 Sofia World Cup Ribbon Final 0.jpg
Carmen Acedo 1992 Bruselas.PNG
Rhythmic gymnastics apparatuses, from left-right: ball, clubs, hoop, ribbon and rope.

Kite sports

Mixed discipline

The three components of triathlon: swimming, cycling, running Tri swim bike run.jpg
The three components of triathlon: swimming, cycling, running

Decathlon, heptathlon, and the pentathlons consist of ten, seven, and five-component contests that are scored together using one points system.

Motorsports

Sports involving manned motorized vehicles

Aircraft

Aerobatic maneuver Eurocopter Tiger.gif
Aerobatic maneuver

Motorboat

Formula 1 motorboat F1 Powerboat.jpg
Formula 1 motorboat

Terrestrial vehicles

Automobile

The start of a Formula One race in 2008 Lap 1, Turn 1 Canada 2008.jpg
The start of a Formula One race in 2008

Motorcycle

MotoGP racing Capirossi Hayden Rossi 2005.jpg
MotoGP racing

Others

ATV racing on a motocross track ATVracing2006.jpg
ATV racing on a motocross track

Orienteering

Parkour/Freerunning

Sport Parkour and Freerunning are empirically measured competitions of skill, speed or style on an obstacle based course. Self expression, demonstration of control and power are measured.

Pedal vehicle

Human-powered vehicles propelled by pedals

Cycling

Sports using bicycles, quadracycles, tricycles or unicycles.

Bicycle

A track cycling Race Track cycling 2005.jpg
A track cycling Race

Quadracycle

Tricycle

Unicycle

Mountain unicycle Making Hard Work of It - geograph.org.uk - 1041025.jpg
Mountain unicycle

Watercraft

Racing

Shooting sports

Archery

Members of the Gotemba Kyudo Association demonstrate Kyudo. Kyudo or the way of archery.jpg
Members of the Gotemba Kyūdō Association demonstrate Kyūdō.

Gun sports

Sports using guns (firearms, air guns, etc.).

Individual

Skeet shooting Shawn Dulohery in finals of men's skeet at 2004 Summer Olympics.jpg
Skeet shooting

Athletic hybrid

Laser-run Women's Individual Laser-Run YOG18 13-10-2018 (002).jpg
Laser-run

Skirmish

Skating sports

Inline figure skating Patinadora in-line de Siluetas Elche.jpg
Inline figure skating

Snow sports

Skiing

A ski jumper using the V-style Calgary.jpg
A ski jumper using the V-style
Freestyle skiing Freestyle skiing jump2.jpg
Freestyle skiing

Sled sports

Bobsled 2021-02-14 3rd run 4-man bobsleigh (Bobsleigh & Skeleton World Championships Altenberg 2021) by Sandro Halank-015.jpg
Bobsled

Stacking

Strength sports

Tag games

Kabaddi Iran women's national kabaddi team 1397060223024359515137374.jpg
Kabaddi

Walking

Water sports

These sports use water (a river, pool, etc.).

Aquatic ball sports

Waterpolo WaterPolo.JPG
Waterpolo

Surface

Underwater

Competitive swimming

Kindred activities

Diving

Subsurface and recreational

Snorkeling Snorkel gear 2017 34799500714.jpg
Snorkeling

Non motorized vehicles

Paddling sports

Rafting Rafting PescadosRiverClassIV VeracruzMexico.jpg
Rafting
Canoeing
Kayaking
Rafting
Rowing
Other paddling sports

Sailing

Windsurfing Hood river windsurfers 20060701 0759.jpeg
Windsurfing

Weightlifting

Weightlifting Olympics 2012 Women's 75kg Weightlifting (2).jpg
Weightlifting

Mind sports

Requiring little or no physical exertion or agility, mind sports are often not considered true sports. Some mind sports are recognised by sporting federations. The following list is intended to represent anything that is likely to be referred to as a mind sport, not to argue their validity as sports.

Card games

Bridge Bridge-Grossschlemm.JPG
Bridge

Combination puzzle

Dogic Dogic10-2.jpg
Dogic

Competitive model sports

RC aircraft Heli modell.jpg
RC aircraft

Remote control

Esports

0 A.D. a real-time strategy game 0 A.D. - Gallier 23 Ken Wood.png
0 A.D. a real-time strategy game

Strategy board games

Chaturanga, parent of many strategy board games Chaturanga Chess Set.jpg
Chaturanga, parent of many strategy board games
A game of Monopoly Monopoly board on white bg.jpg
A game of Monopoly

Other

Both physical and mind

Different classification

Potentially other sports are listed here.

Air sports

Beach sports

Beach tennis NYLB08 3620.jpg
Beach tennis

Versions of sports played on sand

Compromise rules

Electronic sports

Sports played using electronic devices.

Endurance sports

Ice sports

Speed skating Women's 5000m Speed Skating Pair 8.jpg
Speed skating

Marker sports

Parasports

Visual impaired

Goalball 02 ACPS Atlanta 1996 Goalball general action.jpg
Goalball

Wheelchair sports

Wheelchair rugby Invictus Games 2016 160511-A-BI909-669.jpg
Wheelchair rugby

Para-versions of sports played using wheelchairs

Other

Sitting volleyball Sitting volleyball, Iran vs Germany 2016.jpg
Sitting volleyball

Snow sports

A snowboarder and a skier Airforce skiing at keystone colorado.jpg
A snowboarder and a skier

Street sports

Strength sports

Arm wrestling Girls arm wrestling home alive.jpg
Arm wrestling

Sports mainly based on sheer power.

Tabletop games

Air hockey AirHockeyTable.JPG
Air hockey

Target sports

Axe throwing at the Ming Culture Village, a theme park near the Yangshan Quarry, China Ming Culture Village - axe throwing - P1060946.JPG
Axe throwing at the Ming Culture Village, a theme park near the Yangshan Quarry, China

Sports where the main objective is to hit a certain target.

Team sports

Hurling Seamus Callanan and Aidan Harte.jpg
Hurling

Sports that involve teams.

Windsports

Sports which use the wind (apart from sailing):

Fictional sports

Fictional sports that are played in real life:

Miscellaneous sports

Jack and Jill competition, Lumberjack World Championships, Hayward, Wisconsin, 2007. Lumberjack.JPG
Jack and Jill competition, Lumberjack World Championships, Hayward, Wisconsin, 2007.
Logrolling LogRolling Scheer'sLumberjackShow.jpg
Logrolling

See also

References

  1. Lipoński, Wojciech (2003). "Introduction". World Sports Encyclopedia. Ozgraf. ISBN   0760316821 via Internet Archive. Former reference version, How many sports are there in the world? ( "World Sports Encyclopedia". Archived from the original on July 23, 2010. Retrieved May 14, 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)). See ISBN   9780760316825.
  2. "Beeball". KNBSB (in Dutch). Retrieved 2025-09-15.
  3. "Blind Baseball Rulebook" (PDF). World Baseball Softball Confederation.
  4. RaP7 (2022-04-06). Baseball + Cricket = Rap7Ball | Know More About Rap7Ball . Retrieved 2025-02-18 via YouTube.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. "Making History: The Rise and Roll of Roller Basketball". Sport in American History. 2018-07-05. Retrieved 2025-05-26.
  6. "Unicycling disciplines | Stichting Eenwieleren Nederland". stichtingeenwieleren.nl. Retrieved 2025-04-01.
  7. Geekify Guys (2016-03-15). Ultimate Hoverboard Hockey . Retrieved 2025-05-22 via YouTube.
  8. "Blind Hockey". www.usahockey.com. Retrieved 2025-05-22.
  9. Phillips, Rachel (2021-08-11). "El Paso hockey team is born from blind child's curiosity & fearless coach". KVIA. Retrieved 2025-05-22.
  10. "Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) suggested Rules for Wheelchair Lacrosse" (PDF).
  11. Wood, Robert (2012-12-01). "360Ball - a cool new sport". Topend Sports. Retrieved 2024-11-26.
  12. volleyballcompass (2019-11-29). Squash-Volleyball on wall - crazy warmup game for multiple teams . Retrieved 2025-09-11 via YouTube.
  13. "INTERNATIONAL GRAPPLING RULES, GRAPPLING, GRAPPLING GI" (PDF).
  14. Day, Lewin (2023-08-02). "What a Spectacle: Thai Farmers Drag Race Tuned Stand-Up Tractors". The Drive. Retrieved 2024-11-26.
  15. "Electric mountain bike racing explained". BikeRadar. 2024-06-27. Retrieved 2025-05-26.
  16. BENTIA, RANDI (2024-03-25). "Electrify Race League 2024 National Points Championship Hits 4 Cities". Electrify News Site. Retrieved 2025-05-26.
  17. DeGeurin, Mack (2025-05-23). "In world's first humanoid boxing match, gloating robot face plants". Popular Science. Retrieved 2025-05-28.