25 iconic sports movies that knock it out of the park

By Ansharah Shakil, November 4 2024—

When it comes to sports movies, if you love a sport in a film, you’re more likely to love the film. But the best sports movie is one with universal appeal, where you find yourself caring about a sport you don’t care about at all in real life alongside rooting for fictional victories. This list consists of some of the greatest and most entertaining sports movies. 

1. Bend It Like Beckham (2002)

What makes Bend It Like Beckham such a great movie is its clever and considerate discussion of women in sports, its genuine hilarity and most of all the immediately winning and charming portrayal of Parminder Nagra as Jesminder “Jess” Bhamra and Keira Knightley as Jules Paxton. Jess’s story is one that isn’t often told, but deserves to be, and as long as you ignore her unnecessary love interest there isn’t a thing to change about this movie. 

2. Challengers (2024)

As a sports movie, Challengers has cemented its status as one of the most inventive and unforgettable in the genre. The electrifying performances and chemistry between its three main leads is as endlessly fascinating as each tennis match in the film, especially the pure genius of Art and Patrick’s final match. In Challengers, tennis is, like Tashi tells us, a relationship. It’s portrayed here with gorgeous, breathtaking passion, from camera angles with the tennis ball as the point of view to the push and pull between the main characters to Tashi’s first and last scream of, “Come on!” 

3. A League of Their Own (1992)

A League of Their Own’s ensemble cast itself — featuring Tom Hanks and Madonna — is enough to draw attention. It depicts a fictional version of the real-life story of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL). With its moving messages and deft portrayal of baseball, it’s no wonder that A League of Their Own lives on and remains so meaningful.

4. Hoop Dreams (1994)

A documentary following two African-American high school students aspiring to become professional basketball players, Hoop Dreams was an unexpected commercial success with an incredibly important legacy. It is in conversation with other sports films, eloquently discussing topics of race and class while being a brilliant film experience.

5. Rocky (1976)

There’s a reason audiences always love to root for the underdog, and the original Rocky understands that completely. It might be predictable, but it’s a film with heart, and one most people will always associate with the sports genre.

6. Cloud 9 (2014)

One of the greatest Disney Channel Original Movies, Cloud 9 is an endearing, extremely 2010s ode to competitive snowboarding that embraces hard work over natural talent. The “Cloud 9” montage is perfect and endlessly rewatchable.   

7. Bring It On (2000)

The athleticism of cheerleading is oft-ignored, but on full display in cult classic Bring It On, a movie that addressed a lot of important issues, and remains one of the most quotable films of the 2000s. 

8. Slap Shot (1977)

Slap Shot became a cult film precisely because of its entertaining, honest approach to portraying the inherent violence of hockey. Hockey fans love Slap Shot for a reason, and Paul Newman’s performance is excellent.

9. Cars (2006)

A forever iconic Pixar film, Cars pulls off all the best sports movie tropes with refreshing aplomb, and the ending is a complete triumph. 

10. 42 (2013)

A biographical film about Jackie Robinson, the first black baseball player to play in Major League Baseball (MLB). 42 is memorable because of the important story it tells and Chadwick Boseman’s incredible performance as Robinson. 

11. King Richard (2021)

Oscar-related drama set aside, King Richard is a genuinely fascinating film. Venus and Serena Williams are legendary figures, and this depiction of their lives and the life of their father, as played by Will Smith, is a must-watch. 

12. Love & Basketball (2000)

A sweet and underrated gem in both the rom-com and sports genre, Love & Basketball offers a nuanced take on both topics. Lead actors Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps are magnetic on-screen.

13. High School Musical (2008)

High School Musical belongs on this list for the “Getcha Head in the Game” basketball dance alone, but its acknowledgment of what it’s like to have a passion for sport and for something completely different makes it an essential sports movie.

14. She’s the Man (2006)

She’s the Man belongs to that treasured category of 2000s Shakespeare-inspired rom-coms, but it’s also a sports film that takes place because Viola Hastings (Amanda Bynes) wants to defend the right for women to be seen as equal to men in soccer. 

15. Full Out (2015)

A Canadian film based on the real-life inspirational story of gymnast Ariana Berlin, Full Out is probably not a sports movie you’ll see recommended anywhere — it’s cheesy, silly and niche — but it’s an enjoyable love letter to gymnastics and to dance.

16. Turbo (2013)

“That Snail is Fast” is a masterpiece.

17. I, Tonya (2017)

I, Tonya is a darkly comedic take on the life of figure skater Tonya Harding, and is emotionally resonant through its portrayals of ambition and what it takes to be in competitive sport. 

18. The Karate Kid (1984)

The 2010 version could just as easily be on this list, but the original remains the blueprint for the mentor trope in sports films, with plenty of compassion and sensitivity.

19. Chak De! India (2007) 

Shah Rukh Khan stars as the coach of the Indian national women’s hockey team in this film, which hits all the beats of a classic sports movie, from the struggle to redemption to the overcoming of adversity, but in an engaging, entertaining and original manner.

20. The Big Lebowski (1998)

Bowling is an everyman sport, the kind of thing you can do with no athletic skill whatsoever. The Big Lebowski centres on bowling, and has become a cult classic for a reason.

21. Space Jam (1996)

Space Jam is a movie that makes no sense — who decided the Looney Tunes characters should ask Michael Jordan for help defeating a criminal alien group? — in an amusing and nostalgic way.

22. Personal Best (1982)

Personal Best follows the lives of the relationship between two track-and-field teammates, played by Mariel Hemingway and Patrice Donnelly, whose relationship is portrayed with grace, and is an intriguing depiction of how romance can impact teamwork.

23. Creed (2015)

Performances by Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone and Tessa Thompson help make Creed an unforgettable, genuine and authentic sports film.

24. Friday Night Lights (2004)

Though the show became far more popular, the original movie Friday Night Lights is still an interesting look at the enduring, stirring popularity of football.

25. Chariots of Fire (1981)

Chariots of Fire is a historical sports drama that showcases the simple power of running as a sport. It is a painfully English film, but its unforgettable score and critical acclaim make it an important sports movie to this day.