What Are The Different Types Of Sports?

On this page, we’ve grouped the different types of sports into groups and then broken them down even further. We’ve also included a list of the sports that the International Olympic Committee recognizes (IOC).

National or international governing bodies organize and run most types of sports. More sports are also being added to the Olympics in Tokyo. Find out about all the new Olympics added at the end of this article. Here is also where you can see all of our resources and articles.

The different types of sports categories are:

• Individual
• Partner
• Team
• Extreme

The four main types of team sports are as follows:

• Invasion Games
• Net Games
• Fielding & Striking Games
• Target Games

What is an invasion game?

When playing a game, if your team has to invade the other team’s territory to score a point, you are playing an invasion game. Invasion games are when one team tries to defeat another by controlling the ball, advancing into the other team’s territory, and finally scoring a goal (invading another team’s area).

What is a net game?

When a net divides competitors in a sport, we call it a “net game.” As an illustration, Badminton is a net game because the court has a net in the center, and both players must always face the net.

What is a game of fielding and hitting?

A fielding and striking game is where a group of fielders and one person hits an object (like a ball) and run a set course simultaneously, for example, in cricket. Around the cricket field, there are also fielders from the other team.

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How does a Target game work?

In a target game, the player has to aim and throw something at a particular spot. For example, golf is a target game because a player has to hit a golf ball to a set area and try to put the ball into a set hole.

Here are lists of individual-type sports with a partner, team, and extreme from around the world. If you think any were left out, please say so below:

Individual Types Sports

• Alpine & Cross Country Skiing
• Archery
• Arm Wrestling
• Athletic Track and Field
• Badminton (Singles)
• Biathlon
• Bodyboarding
• Body Building
• Bowling
• Bowls
• Boxing
• Canoeing
• Chess
• Chess Boxing
• Croquet
• Cycling
• Darts
• Diving (Singles)
• Draughts
• Downhill Skiing
• Duathlon
• Fencing
• Golf
• Gymnastics
• Horse Riding
• Jet Skiing
• Judo
• Kayaking
• Mixed Martial Arts
• Motor sport (Auto & Bike)
• Orienteering
• Powerlifting
• Tennis
• Rodeo
• Rollerblading
• Rock Climbing
• Skateboarding
• Skating (figure)
• Sport Climbing
• Snooker
• Snowboarding
• Squash
• Surfing
• Swimming
• Table Tennis (singles)
• Trampolining
• Triathlon
• Weight Lifting
• Wrestling

Partner Types Sports

• Badminton
• Diving 
• Figure Skating
• Golf
• Table Tennis
• Tennis
• Trampolining
• Volleyball

Team Types sports

• American Football
• Athletics
• Australian Rules Football
• Baseball
• Basketball
• Bobsleigh
• Cricket
• Gaelic Football
• Handball
• Hockey
• Hurling
• Ice Hockey
• Korfball
• Lacrosse
• Netball
• Polo
• Rowing
• Rugby Union
• Rugby League
• Rounders
• Roller Hockey
• Roller Derby
• Soccer/Association Football
• Softball
• Swimming
• Ultimate Frisbee
• Underwater Football
• Volleyball
• Water Polo

Extreme Types Sports

Extreme sports can also be called adventure because they can be dangerous.

• BASE Jumping
• Bobsleigh
• BMX
• Climbing
• Free Climbing
• Free running
• Freestyle skiing
• Gliding
• Ice Climbing
• Ice Cross
• Ice Diving
• Ironman events
• Kayaking
• Luge
• Mountain Boarding
• Mountain Climbing
• Paragliding
• Parkour
• Rock Climbing
• Scuba diving
• Ski Jumping
• Skeleton
• Trail running
• Skateboarding
• Skydiving
• Water Skiing
• Whitewater Rafting/kayaking

List of Official Olympic Sports (Tokyo 2020)

• 3×3 Basketball
• Archery
• Artistic Gymnastics
• Artistic Swimming
• Athletics
• Badminton
• Baseball/Softball
• Basketball
• Beach Volleyball
• Boxing
• Canoe Slalom
• Canoe Sprint
• Cycling BMX Freestyle
• Cycling BMX Racing
• Cycling Mountain Bike
• Cycling Road
• Cycling Track
• Diving
• Equatorial
• Fencing
• Football
• Golf
• Handball
• Hockey
• Judo
• Karate
• Marathon Swimming
• Modern Pentathlon
• Rhythmic Gymnastics
• Rowing
• Rugby
• Sailing
• Shooting
• Skateboarding
• Sport Climbing
• Surfing
• Swimming
• Table Tennis
• Taekwondo
• Tennis
• Trampoline Gymnastics
• Triathlon
• Volleyball
• Water Polo
• Weightlifting
• Wrestling

Most Popular Sports in the USA

USA—a land of dreams and famous sports!
American supporters’ fervor proves that sports are central to American society.

Every game is a show that inspires pride, togetherness, and greatness.

After all, the nation with the most Olympic medals deserves the world’s most ardent followers.

Which U.S. sports are most popular?

American Football—74.5%

The most popular U.S. sport is American Football.
The NFL (National Football League) is the top professional football league in the world and the largest professional sports league in the U.S. and Canada.

NFL viewership is high. 17.1 million T.V. and internet viewers watched their 2021 regular season.

The sport is popular. Since its founding in the 1920s, NFL has dominated viewership.

American Football is played in high school, college, and internationally.

American Football is often confused with rugby. Though similar, they are two separate sports with different rules, sizes, and fields.

Both sports have distinct balls, teams, equipment, and playing times.

Tom Brady, John Albert Elway Jr., Peyton Manning, Dan Marino, Brett Favre, and Ed Reed are among the most renowned American football players.

Basketball-56.6%

Basketball is the most-played sport in the U.S., while American Football is the most-watched.
26% of U.S. adults aged 18–64 play basketball frequently.

Basketball is famous worldwide. It’s the 10th most-watched sport.

NBA organizes U.S. basketball events (National Basketball Association).

The NBA has produced some of the greatest basketball players ever.

Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Michael Jordan, and Charles Barkley are included.

These legends are permanently linked to the sport.

Baseball—50.5%

Baseball demands patience, strategy, and strength.
Players must also master doing the right thing under pressure, something the American audience idolizes.

Baseball is popular!

This sport has declined in popularity in the U.S.

It was formerly the second-most popular sport, but now it proudly ranks third.

American baseball contests are divided into Minor League Baseball and Major League Baseball (MLB).

MLB is the oldest U.S. and Canadian professional sports league.

The Major Leagues have 30 teams—29 in the U.S. and 1 in Canada—equally split between the National and American Leagues.

Babe Ruth, Roger Clemens, Stan Musial, Hank Aaron, Ted Williams, Lou Gehrig, Willie Mays, Ty Cobb, and others are notable baseball players.

Boxing—23.4

Is boxing so high up? Also! However, Americans adore boxing.
Boxing started in the U.S. in the 19th century, and many of the best boxers are American.

Muhammad Ali, Ray Robinson, Joe Louis, Joe Frazier, Mike Tyson, Floyd Mayweather, George Foreman, Sugar Ray Leonard, Rocky Marciano, Archie Moore, John L. Sullivan, Jack Johnson, James Corbett, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Roy Jones Jr.

American boxing used to draw huge audiences.

Boxing is centered in America. Thus, Americans still love the sport.

The oldest boxing organization, the NBA, was founded by delegates from 13 states to fight the NYSAC’s power.

(World Boxing Association) because the NBA and NYSAC often recognized separate “world champions” in the same category.

Ice Hockey-22.1%

Ice hockey ranks 5th in the U.S., unlike in Canada.
As you move north in the U.S., this sport attracts 18-45-year-olds.

Artificial ice rinks popularized ice hockey.

Ice hockey became the most popular indoor leisure activity when America won its first Winter Olympics gold in ice hockey.

The NHL is the top ice hockey league.

Patrick Kane, Brian Leetch, Mike Modano, Chris Chelios, Keith Tkachuk, and Pat Lafontaine are famous hockey players.

Soccer-21.6%

Soccer is the world’s most popular sport, but in the U.S., it’s only beginning to catch on.
American sports fans didn’t immediately embrace it.

However, the World Cup has improved soccer’s popularity in the U.S.

Soccer remains popular despite its low ranking.

The USSF governs the league system.

It sanctions professional leagues.

USA soccer leagues include MLS, U.S. Soccer, NWSL, and Concacaf.

Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey, Tab Ramos, Cobi Jones, Michael Bradley, Christian Pulisic, DaMarcus Beasley, Claudio Reyna, Brian McBride, Brad Friedel, and Tim Howard are American soccer greats.

Golf- 19.7%

Golf was formerly considered “a wealthy old man pastime,” but it was a phase.
10% of Americans golf. Nearly 30 million.

It’s a popular pastime. Professional golf tours organize events.

The USGA runs the U.S. Open and Women’s Open.

Ben Hogan, Walter Hagen, Bobby Jones, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, and Sam Snead are prominent U.S. golfers.

WWE- 16.7%

The entertainment industry promoted wrestling in the early 2000s. This made the sport fun for everyone!

WWE is at its peak in U.S. wrestling.

WWE’s popularity altered wrestling forever.

WWE superstars like John Cena, Undertaker, Stone Cold, and The Rock used to put on a whole show that crossed over into entertainment. Americans love spectacle.

Tennis—15.5

Tennis stands out among American sports as a “transitional game.”
Tennis is one of the few U.S. sports where men and women play equally.

In 1970, the World Championship Tennis Association bought the National Tennis League, which governed the American professional tennis circuit (WCT).

NTRP, UTR, ITF, and ATP are the primary tennis levels.

NTRP leagues players. UTR’s algorithm ranks players by recent results.

College coaches recruit with this.

Tournament points determine the official ITF and ATP rankings for professionals.

U.S. tennis legends include Serena Williams, Jimmy Connors, Jim Courier, Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Venus Williams, Andy Roddick, and others.

These athletes continue to inspire American sports kids.

Motorsports 14.6%.

Since Americans love cars, motorsports’ popularity isn’t surprising.
Unlike Formula One and Moto G.P., Americans prefer local racing series like NASCAR and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Formula One is less popular in the U.S. than across the globe.

America’s most popular major league is NASCAR.

Millions attend, including sold-out tracks.

The U.S. stars are Fred Lorenzen, Fireball Roberts, Dale Earnhardt, and Richard Petty.

Recently, racing a car on two or four wheels has been replaced by tracing the racing game on the screen. Online racing games are double viewership.

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