List of sports explained

The following is a list of sports/games, divided by category.

According to the World Sports Encyclopaedia (2003), there are 8,000 indigenous sports and sporting games.[1]

Acrobatic arts

See main article: article and List of acrobatic activities.

Air sports

See main article: article and Air sports.

Athletics

See main article: Sport of athletics.

See main article: Track and field.

Jumping

Throwing

Running

See main article: article and Running.

Combined

Ball games

See main article: article and List of ball games.

Bat-and-ball games (safe haven sports)

See main article: article and Bat-and-ball games.

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Baseball like
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Cricket like
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Schlagball like
Other games

Dodgeball family

See main article: Dodgeball.

Golf

See main article: article and Golf.

Invasion games

See main article: article and Goal (sport).

Sports in which the method of scoring is through goals.

Basketball family

Football family

See main article: article and Football.

Historical
  • Modern codes
  • Handball family

    See main article: article and Handball.

    Stick and ball family

    Hockey

    See main article: Hockey.

    Hurling and shinty
    Lacrosse

    See main article: Lacrosse.

    Polo

    See main article: Polo.

    Other

    Net and wall games

    See main article: article and Net and wall games. Games involving opponents hitting/throwing a ball over a net using a racket, or other piece of equipment, or merely the body:

    Games involving opponents hitting/throwing a ball against walls o any rebounding surface using a racket, or other piece of equipment, or merely gloved/barehanded:

    Games that use both walls and net

    Pilota family

    Racket (or racquet) sports

    Sports that use a netted racket
    Sports that use a non-netted racket, or paddle

    Billiards

    Cue sports

    See main article: article and Cue sports.

    Ground billiards

    See main article: Ground billiards.

    Board sports

    See main article: article and Board sports.

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

    Boules sports

    See main article: Boules.

    Bowling

    See main article: Bowling.

    Climbing

    See main article: article and Climbing.

    Combat sports: wrestling and martial arts

    See main article: article, Combat sport and Martial arts.

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

    Grappling

    See main article: article and Grappling.

    Striking

    See main article: article and Strike (attack).

    Other

    See main article: article and Blood sport.

    Flying disc sports

    See main article: article and Flying disc games.

    Gymnastics

    See main article: article.

    Kite sports

    Mixed discipline

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

    Motorsports

    See main article: article and Motorsport.

    Sports involving the use of motorized vehicles

    Air racing

    See main article: Air racing.

    Motorboat racing

    See main article: article and Offshore powerboat racing.

    Terrestrial vehicles

    Automobile

    See main article: article and Auto racing.

    Motorcycle

    See main article: article and Motorcycle sport.

    Others

    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

    See main article: article and Cycle sport.

    Sports using bicycles, quadracycles, tricycles or unicycles.

    Bicycle

    See main article: article and Bicycle.

    Quadracycle

    Tricycle

    Unicycle

    See main article: article and Unicycle.

    Watercraft

    Racing

    Snow sports

    Skiing

    See main article: article and Skiing.

    Sled sports

    See main article: article and Sledding.

    Shooting sports

    See main article: article and Shooting sports.

    Archery

    See main article: article and Archery.

    Gun sports

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

    Individual

    Athletic hybrid

    Skirmish

    Stacking

    Strength sports

    Tag games

    Walking

    Water sports

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

    See main article: List of water sports.

    Paddling sports

    Canoeing

    Kayaking

    See main article: article and Kayaking.

    Rafting

    Rowing

    Other paddling sports

    Sailing

    See main article: article and Sailing.

    Aquatic ball sports

    Surface

    Underwater

    Competitive swimming

    See main article: article and Competitive swimming.

    Kindred activities

    Subsurface and recreational

    See main article: article, Underwater sports and Recreational diving.

    Diving

    Weightlifting

    See main article: article, Olympic weightlifting and Powerlifting.

    Sports involving animals

    See main article: Animals in sport.

    Dog sports

    Sports in which dogs participate.

    See main article: article and List of dog sports.

    Equestrian sports

    See main article: article and List of equestrian sports.

    Sports using a horse.

    Fishing

    See main article: article and Fishing.

    Hunting

    See main article: article and Hunting.

    Sometimes considered blood sports.

    Rodeo-originated

    See main article: Rodeo.

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

    Others

    Mind sports

    See main article: article and 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

    See main article: article and Card game.

    Combination puzzle

    See main article: Combination puzzle.

    Esports

    See main article: article, Esports and List of esports games.

    Strategy board games

    See main article: article, Board Games and List of board games.

    Other

    Competitive model sports

    Remote control

    Overlapping sports

    Sports falling into two or more categories.

    Different classification

    Potentially other sports are listed here.

    Air sports

    Beach sports

    Versions of sports played on sand

    Compromise rules

    Electronic sports

    Sports played using electronic devices.

    Endurance sports

    Ice sports

    Marker sports

    Skating sports

    Snow sports

    See

    1. Skiing

    Street sports

    Strength sports

    Sports mainly based on sheer power.

    Table sports

    Target sports

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

    Team sports

    See main article: Team sport. Sports that involve teams.

    Wheelchair sports

    Para-versions of sports played using wheelchairs

    Windsports

    Sports which use the wind (apart from sailing):

    Fictional sports

    See main article: article.

    Fictional sports that are played in real life:

    See also

    Notes and References

    1. Book: Lipoński, Wojciech . World Sports Encyclopedia . Ozgraf . 2003 . 0760316821 . Introduction . Internet Archive. Former reference version, How many sports are there in the world? (Web site: World Sports Encyclopedia . bot: unknown . https://web.archive.org/web/20100723160638/http://www.sportencyclopedia.com/index.php?mod=book . July 23, 2010 . May 14, 2013.). See .