A to Z List Of Sports: Names of Sports In English With Pictures

There are many different types of sports that are enjoyed by people all around the world. This list of sports names in English will help you learn or teach the names of sports.

A sport is essentially an activity that requires skill and is athletic in nature. Sports are usually competitive, but as there are many different sports, some are more competitive than others. Learning sports names in English will help students to talk about the sports that they like to play and watch. 

On this page, you’ll find an extensive A to Z list of sports names in English. You will also find a sports name list with pictures. And check out the bottom of this page for some games and activities you can use to teach the names of sports in English.

A to Z List Of Sports In English

Sports That Start With A

• Archery – A precision sport where competitors shoot arrows at a target.
• Athletics – A collection of track and field events like running, jumping, and throwing.
• Aikido – A Japanese martial art focused on using an opponent’s force against them.
• Australian Rules Football – A fast-paced football game popular in Australia.
• Alpine Skiing – Downhill skiing on snow-covered slopes.
• Aerobics – A fitness activity combining rhythmic exercise with stretching and strength training.
• Arm Wrestling – A strength-based sport where two opponents try to pin each other’s arm.

Sports That Start With B

• Badminton – A racquet sport played with a shuttlecock over a net.
• Baseball – A bat-and-ball game with two teams taking turns batting and fielding.
• Basketball – A team sport where players try to score by shooting a ball through a hoop.
• Boxing – A combat sport where two fighters compete by throwing punches under strict rules.
• Bowling – A sport in which players roll a ball to knock down pins.
• Bobsledding – A winter sport where teams race down icy tracks in a sled.
• Biathlon – A winter event combining cross-country skiing and rifle shooting.
• BMX Racing – Bicycle motocross racing on dirt tracks with jumps and turns.
• Bodyboarding – Riding waves on a small, rectangular board while lying down.
• Beach Volleyball – A variation of volleyball played on sand with two-player teams.
• Board Sailing – Another term for windsurfing, combining surfing and sailing.
• Bandy – A winter team sport similar to ice hockey, played with a ball instead of a puck.
• Bungee Jumping – An extreme sport where participants jump from a height while attached to an elastic cord, experiencing a free fall and rebound.

Sports That Start With C

• Canoeing – A water sport where athletes paddle a narrow boat using a single-bladed paddle.
• Cricket – A bat-and-ball game played between two teams, popular in countries like India, England, and Australia.
• Cycling – Competitive or recreational riding of bicycles on roads, tracks, or trails.
• Cross-country Skiing – A winter endurance sport where skiers race across snow-covered terrain.
• Curling – A winter sport in which players slide stones on ice toward a target area.
• Capoeira – A Brazilian martial art that combines elements of dance, acrobatics, and music.
• Climbing (Rock Climbing) – A sport involving ascending natural rock formations or indoor walls.
• Cheerleading – A performance sport combining dance, tumbling, and stunts to support teams or compete.
• Chess Boxing – A hybrid sport alternating rounds of chess and boxing.
• Combat Sambo – A Russian martial art and combat sport derived from judo and wrestling.

Sports That Start With D

• Darts – A precision sport where players throw small pointed missiles at a circular target.
• Diving – An aquatic sport involving jumping or falling into water from a platform or springboard, often while performing acrobatics.
• Dressage – A form of competitive horse riding that showcases a horse’s training, precision, and elegance.
• Dragon Boat Racing – A paddling sport involving long boats decorated like dragons, raced by teams in synchronization.
• Downhill Skiing – Also known as alpine skiing; racing down snow-covered slopes at high speed.
• Duathlon – A multi-sport race consisting of a run, a bike ride, and a second run.
• Dog Sled Racing – A winter sport where teams of sled dogs pull a sled across snow and ice.
• Decathlon – A combined track and field event featuring ten different disciplines, including sprints, jumps, throws, and distance running, usually over two days.

Sports That Start With E

• Esports – Competitive video gaming at amateur and professional levels.
• Eight-Ball – A cue sport (form of pool) where players aim to pocket balls in a specific sequence.

Sports That Start With F

• Fencing – A combat sport where opponents score points by striking each other with swords (foil, épée, or sabre).
• Figure Skating – An artistic ice sport where individuals or pairs perform choreographed routines on ice.
• Fishing – A recreational or competitive activity where participants catch fish using rods, reels, or nets, often judged by size or quantity of catch.
• Football – Known as soccer in some countries, it’s the world’s most popular team sport played by kicking a ball to score goals.
• Freestyle Skiing – A winter sport that includes jumps, flips, and tricks on skis.
• Freestyle Wrestling – A wrestling style where athletes can use their legs for offense and defense.
• Field Hockey – A team sport played on turf or grass using curved sticks and a small ball.
• Formula One (F1) – A premier auto racing sport with high-speed, single-seater cars.
• Floorball – A fast-paced indoor team sport similar to hockey, played with lightweight sticks and a plastic ball.
• Freediving – An underwater diving sport without the use of breathing apparatus, relying on breath-holding ability.

Sports That Start With G

• Golf – A precision sport where players use clubs to hit a ball into a series of holes in as few strokes as possible.
• Gymnastics – A sport involving physical exercises requiring strength, flexibility, and coordination. Includes artistic and rhythmic gymnastics.
• Gaelic Football – An Irish team sport combining elements of soccer and rugby.
• Goalball – A Paralympic team sport designed for visually impaired athletes, using a ball with bells.
• Grappling – A form of close-quarters hand-to-hand combat used in martial arts and combat sports like Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Sports That Start With H

• Handball – A fast-paced team sport where players pass and bounce a ball to score in the opposing goal.
• Hockey – A general term that may refer to field hockey, ice hockey, or roller hockey, depending on the variation.
• Horse Racing – A competitive sport involving jockeys riding horses to race over a set distance.
• Hiking – A recreational or competitive activity involving long-distance walking, often over trails or natural terrain.
• Hang Gliding – An air sport in which a pilot flies a lightweight, non-motorized glider launched from hills or cliffs.
• High Jump – A track and field event where athletes leap over a horizontal bar at increasing heights.
• Hurdles – A track event where athletes sprint and jump over a series of barriers.

Sports That Start With I

• Ice Hockey – A high-speed team sport played on ice, where players use sticks to hit a puck into the opposing team’s goal.
• Ice Skating – A recreational and competitive sport involving gliding across ice using bladed skates. Includes figure skating and speed skating.
• Indoor Soccer – A variation of soccer played indoors on a smaller field, often with walls.
• Inline Skating – Also known as rollerblading; a sport involving skating on shoes with a single line of wheels.

Sports That Start With J

• Judo – A Japanese martial art and Olympic sport focused on throws, holds, and grappling techniques.
• Jiu-Jitsu (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu) – A martial art and combat sport emphasizing ground fighting and submission holds.
• Jogging – A form of running at a steady, gentle pace, sometimes considered a recreational or fitness activity.
• Jet Skiing – A water sport involving riding a small powered watercraft at speed across open water.
• Javelin Throw – A track and field event where athletes throw a long spear-like object as far as possible.
• Jump Rope (Competitive) – A sport where individuals or teams perform tricks and routines while skipping rope.
• Jai Alai – A fast-paced sport played with a curved basket (cesta) used to hurl a ball against a wall.

Sports That Start With K

• Karate – A Japanese martial art focused on striking techniques using punches, kicks, and open-hand moves.
• Kickboxing – A combat sport combining elements of punching and kicking from boxing and martial arts.
• Kabaddi – A contact team sport originating in South Asia, where players score by tagging opponents and returning to their side without being tackled.
• Kayaking – A water sport involving paddling a small, narrow boat using a double-bladed paddle.
• Kitesurfing (Kiteboarding) – A water sport where athletes use a large kite to pull themselves across the water on a board.
• Kendo – A modern Japanese martial art using bamboo swords and protective armor.

Sports That Start With L

• Lacrosse – A fast-paced team sport where players use a stick with a netted head to pass, catch, and shoot a small rubber ball into the opponent’s goal.
• Long Jump – A track and field event where athletes sprint down a runway and leap as far as possible into a sandpit.
• Luge – A winter sliding sport where athletes race feet-first down an ice track on a small sled.
• Lawn Bowls – A precision sport where players roll biased balls to stop near a smaller target ball (the jack) on a grass surface.

Sports That Start With M

• Martial Arts – A broad category that includes combat sports like karate, judo, taekwondo, etc. (Can be used as an umbrella term or skipped if listing individual styles separately.)
• Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) – A full-contact combat sport combining techniques from boxing, wrestling, jiu-jitsu, muay thai, and more.
• Motocross – An off-road motorcycle racing sport held on enclosed dirt tracks with jumps and turns.
• Mountain Biking – A cycling sport on off-road trails and mountainous terrain.
• Mountaineering – A sport involving climbing mountains, which includes skills like rock climbing, hiking, and ice climbing.
• Muay Thai – A striking martial art from Thailand known as “the art of eight limbs” for its use of fists, elbows, knees, and shins.
• Motor Racing – A broad motorsport category including Formula 1, rally racing, and touring car racing.
• Mountain Running – A sport combining running and climbing on steep, rugged mountain trails.

Sports That Start With N

• Netball – A fast-paced team sport similar to basketball, mostly played by women, where players pass and shoot a ball to score in a raised net.
• Nine-ball – A cue sport and popular variant of pool where players aim to legally pocket the 9-ball after hitting the lowest-numbered ball.
• Naginata – A traditional Japanese martial art using a pole weapon with a curved blade.

Sports That Start With O

• Orienteering – A sport where participants navigate through unfamiliar terrain using a map and compass, aiming to complete the course in the fastest time.
• Off-Road Racing – Motorsport racing on rough terrain using specialized vehicles like dirt bikes, ATVs, or off-road trucks.

Sports That Start With P

• Paintball – A competitive team sport where players eliminate opponents by hitting them with dye-filled pellets fired from paintball guns.
• Paragliding – An air sport where participants glide through the air using a fabric wing, often launched from hills or mountains.
• Parkour – A movement-based sport involving running, jumping, and climbing to efficiently navigate urban or natural obstacles.
• Paddleboarding – A water sport where participants stand or kneel on a board and paddle across the water.
• Powerlifting – A strength sport focusing on three main lifts: squat, bench press, and deadlift.
• Pole Vault – A track and field event where athletes use a pole to leap over a high bar.
• Pentathlon – An Olympic sport combining fencing, swimming, horse riding, laser pistol shooting, and running.
• Para Athletics – Track and field events adapted for athletes with physical impairments, part of the Paralympic Games.
• Pool (Billiards) – A cue sport where players use a stick to pocket balls in a specific order on a table.
• Polo – A team sport played on horseback where players use mallets to hit a ball into the opponent’s goal.
• Pickleball – A racket sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis, played with a paddle and a plastic ball.
• Pétanque – A French boules sport where players throw metal balls to get as close as possible to a small wooden target ball.

Sports That Start With Q

• Quidditch (Muggle Quidditch) – A real-world team sport inspired by the fictional game from Harry Potter, combining elements of rugby, dodgeball, and tag. It’s played competitively at the college and club levels, though now often renamed as Quadball.
• Qwan Ki Do – A Vietnamese martial art that blends techniques from kung fu and traditional Vietnamese fighting styles.

Sports That Start With R

• Rugby – A high-contact team sport where players run with an oval ball and score by touching it down in the opponent’s end zone.
• Rowing – A water sport where individuals or teams propel a boat using oars, either recreationally or competitively.
• Running – A fundamental athletic activity and sport involving racing on tracks, roads, or trails, ranging from sprints to long-distance marathons.
• Racquetball – A fast-paced indoor racket sport played with a hollow rubber ball in a walled court.
• Rock Climbing – A physically demanding sport involving climbing up, down, or across natural rock formations or artificial walls.
• Roller Skating – A sport or recreational activity involving movement on four-wheeled skates.
• Road Cycling – Competitive long-distance cycling on paved roads.
• Rodeo – A competitive event showcasing skills such as bull riding, roping, and barrel racing, based on cattle ranching traditions.
• Rhythmic Gymnastics – A gymnastics discipline where athletes perform routines using ribbons, hoops, balls, or clubs.
• Relay Race – A track and field event where team members run segments of a race and pass a baton to the next runner.
• Ringette – A team ice sport similar to hockey but using a rubber ring and straight sticks, popular in Canada.
• Roller Derby – A contact sport played on roller skates by two teams circling a track.

Sports That Start With S

• Soccer – Also known as football in most countries, a global team sport where players score by kicking a ball into a goal.
• Swimming – An individual or team water sport involving racing or performing strokes in a pool or open water.
• Skateboarding – A sport involving tricks and movement using a board with wheels.
• Skiing – A winter sport involving gliding over snow using skis; includes downhill, cross-country, freestyle, and more.
• Snowboarding – A winter sport where athletes descend snowy slopes on a single board.
• Squash – A high-speed racquet sport played in an enclosed court.
• Softball – A variation of baseball with a larger ball and underhand pitching.
• Surfing – A water sport where individuals ride waves using a board.
• Scuba Diving – Underwater diving using a self-contained breathing apparatus.
• Snooker – A cue sport similar to pool, played on a large table with 21 colored balls and a cue ball.
• Speed Skating – A competitive form of ice skating involving timed races on an oval track.
• Skating (Figure, Speed, Inline) – Includes various skating disciplines on ice or wheels.
• Synchronized Swimming – A team water sport combining swimming, dance, and gymnastics performed to music.
• Sailing – A water sport involving racing or navigating boats powered by wind.
• Shot Put – A track and field event where athletes throw a heavy spherical object as far as possible.
• Show Jumping – An equestrian sport where riders guide horses over a series of jumps.
• Skydiving – A sport involving jumping from an aircraft and free-falling before deploying a parachute.
• Skeleton – A winter sliding sport where an athlete races head-first down an ice track on a small sled.
• Sumo Wrestling – A Japanese full-contact wrestling sport where two competitors try to force each other out of a ring.
• Sambo – A martial art and combat sport developed in the Soviet Union combining judo and wrestling.
• Skimboarding – A board sport where athletes glide across shallow water and waves near shore.
• Street Luge – A gravity-powered sport where riders lie on a board and race down paved roads.

Sports That Start With T

• Tennis – A racquet sport where players hit a ball over a net, either in singles or doubles format.
• Table Tennis – Also known as ping pong, a fast-paced indoor racquet sport played on a small table.
• Taekwondo – A Korean martial art known for its high, fast kicks and Olympic competition format.
• Triathlon – A multi-discipline endurance sport combining swimming, cycling, and running.
• Track and Field – A group of athletic events that include running, jumping, and throwing.
• Tug of War – A team strength sport where two groups pull on opposite ends of a rope.
• Trampolining – A gymnastics discipline where athletes perform aerial tricks on a trampoline.
• Ten-pin Bowling – A type of bowling where players try to knock down 10 pins using a large ball.
• Trail Running – A form of long-distance running on natural trails, often over rough terrain.

Sports That Start With U

• Ultimate (Ultimate Frisbee) – A non-contact team sport played with a flying disc, where players score by catching the disc in the opposing team’s end zone.
• Underwater Hockey – Also known as Octopush, a team sport played on the bottom of a swimming pool using sticks and a puck.
• Underwater Rugby – A contact sport played in a deep pool where teams try to score by placing a negatively buoyant ball into the opponent’s goal.
• Ultra Running (Ultramarathon) – A long-distance running sport involving races longer than the traditional marathon (42.2 km/26.2 miles).
• Unicycling (Freestyle/Trials) – A balance-based sport involving tricks, obstacle courses, or distance riding on a single-wheeled cycle.

Sports That Start With V

• Volleyball – A team sport where players hit a ball over a net, aiming to ground it on the opposing team’s court.
• Vault (Gymnastics) – A gymnastics event where athletes sprint, spring off a board, and perform aerial movements over a vaulting table.
• Vovinam – A Vietnamese martial art that includes self-defense techniques, grappling, and weapon training.

Sports That Start With W

• Wrestling – A combat sport involving grappling, holds, and throws, with both Olympic and professional formats.
• Weightlifting – An Olympic strength sport where athletes lift a barbell in two main lifts: the snatch and the clean & jerk.
• Water Polo – A team water sport played in a pool, where players pass and shoot a ball to score in the opponent’s goal.
• Wakeboarding – A water sport where a rider is towed behind a boat while riding a board and performing tricks.
• Windsurfing – A water sport that combines surfing and sailing, using a board with an attached sail.
• Wheelchair Basketball – A Paralympic team sport adapted for athletes with physical disabilities.
• Wushu – A Chinese martial art that includes both performance and combat elements.
• Wiffle Ball – A casual, baseball-style game played with a lightweight plastic ball and bat.
• Wing Chun – A traditional Chinese martial art focusing on close-range combat.
• Water Skiing – A sport where an individual is pulled behind a boat while standing on skis and gliding across the water.

Sports That Start With X

• Xare – A variation of the Basque pelota game, played with rackets and a ball inside a court.

Sports That Start With Y

• Yachting – A sport involving racing or cruising with sailboats or yachts on open water.

Sports That Start With Z

• Zorbing – A recreational sport where a person rolls downhill inside a large inflatable ball, often on grass or water.

Sports Name List With Pictures

Soccer

Basketball

Tennis

Baseball

Golf

Running

Volleyball

Badminton

Swimming

Boxing

Table Tennis

Skiing

Ice Skating

Roller Skating

Cricket

Rugby

Pool

Darts

Football

Bowling

Ice Hockey

Surfing

Karate

Horse Racing

Snowboarding

Skateboarding

Cycling

Archery

Fishing

Gymnastics

Figure Skating

Rock Climbing

Sumo Wrestling

Taekwondo

Fencing

Water Skiing

Jet Skiing

Weight Lifting

Scuba Diving

Judo

Wind Surfing

Kickboxing

sky Diving

Hang Gliding

Bungee Jumping

The Different Types Of Sport

As you can see from the above list, there are so many sports, and each one is very different. There are, however, ways to categorize sports into different types. Here are the different types of sports.

Team Sports

These are sports that involve two or more players working together towards a common objective. Examples include football, basketball, baseball, soccer, cricket, and volleyball.

Individual Sports

These are sports where individuals compete against each other. Examples include tennis, golf, boxing, and various forms of racing.

Racquet Sports

These involve players using racquets to hit a ball or shuttlecock. Examples include tennis, badminton, squash, and table tennis.

Water Sports

These are sports that take place in or on water. Examples include swimming, water polo, diving, surfing, sailing, and rowing.

Winter Sports

These are sports that are typically played in cold, snowy conditions. Examples include skiing, snowboarding, ice hockey, figure skating, and curling.

Extreme Sports

These are often adrenaline-pumping sports that often involve a high degree of physical exertion and/or danger. Examples include skydiving, rock climbing, skateboarding, BMX, and bungee jumping.

Martial Arts

These are systems and traditions of combat practiced for various reasons. Examples include karate, judo, taekwondo, boxing, and wrestling.

Fitness and Gymnastics Sports

These are activities focused on physical strength, flexibility, balance, and endurance. Examples include weightlifting, gymnastics, aerobics, and yoga.

Motor Sports

These are competitive events involving motorized vehicles. Examples include car racing, motorcycle racing, and motocross.

Equestrian Sports

These involve horse riding. Examples include show jumping, dressage, polo, and horse racing.

Games To Teach Sports Names

1. Sports Name Guessing Game

This game to teach the names of sports in English is a ‘Hidden Picture Game‘. To play, simply show the video in class. 

There are 10 pictures of different sports hidden behind colored shapes. As the shapes slowly disappear the sports picture is revealed. Students must try to guess the sport name before the picture is revealed. 

This activity is a great way to introduce or review the names of sports with English language learners. 

2. Sports Name Board Games

Download and print this free printable board game for a fun way to learn the names of sports in English. This game is best played in pairs and requires one dice. 

To play, roll the dice and move your eraser the corresponding number of squares. Then, make a dialogue based on the sport which is in that square. 

The aim of the game is to land on the middle squares (with the arrows) to advance to the center star to win a point. The first student to five points is the winner. 

Click on the button below to visit our sports printable page to download this board game. Or check out our sports worksheets.