The things that make watching sports so thrilling — or agonizing, depending on how your team fares — are the same things that make movies about sports so compelling to watch.

No matter your game of preference, Hollywood has you covered, whether you’re into basketball, football, baseball, golf, wrestling, soccer, swimming, or cheerleading. But being a fan of athletics is far from a requirement when it comes to enjoying the best of what sports cinema has to offer. In fact, any and all movie aficionados can appreciate A-list actors, all-star supporting casts, decorated auteurs, and an unforgettable third-act monologue!

Take a time-out from browsing Netflix and read our recommendations for must-see sports films to add to your queue before the buzzer sounds.

The Beautiful Game

Inspired by the real-life Homeless World Cup, The Beautiful Game features Oscar-nominated actor Bill Nighy as Mal, the dutiful manager of England’s soccer team made up of unhoused athletes. Mal takes a shot on the highly skilled but troubled striker Vinny (Top Boy’s Micheal Ward), who could either propel the squad to a championship or blow his second — and possible last — chance to get his life back on track. The cast of the Thea Sharrock–directed film is rounded out by Valeria Golino (Rain Man), Susan Wokoma (Enola Holmes), and Kit Young (Shadow and Bone).

The Beautiful Game

2h 5m   PG-13   2024

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Bruised

Halle Berry’s directorial debut sees her trading in the red carpet for the ring as Jackie Justice, a disgraced MMA fighter trying to get her future back on track after her 6-year-old son comes back into her life. Berry gave her all to this underdog story, even powering through two broken ribs without a stunt double on the first day of shooting.

Bruised

2h 12m   R   2021

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First Match

After a childhood spent bouncing around various foster homes, Brownsville teen Monique (Elvire Emanuelle) tries to reconnect with her biological father Darrel (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) by joining her high school’s all-boys wrestling team. As the only woman, Monique feels like she has something to prove. But once she starts winning, she begins to realize that she’s been looking for validation in all the wrong places. Written and directed by Olivia Newman, this coming-of-age tale co-stars Colman Domingo and Jharrel Jerome. 

First Match

1h 42m   TV-MA   2018

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High Flying Bird

Have you ever wondered what goes into negotiating an NBA contract? No? Well, this Stephen Soderbergh movie will make you wish you had. A lockout (a period of tense negotiation that occurs when players and team officials fail to reach a collective bargaining agreement) kicks off a race against the clock for hotshot sports agent Ray Burke (André Holland), who comes up with an idea to save his company and get a sweet deal for his rookie client in the process. Co-starring Zazie Beetz, Zachary Quinto, Kyle MacLachlan, and Stranger Things’ Caleb McLaughlin and featuring interviews with real-life NBA players Reggie Jackson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Donovan Mitchell, pair High Flying Bird with Hustle (see below) for the ultimate double feature — if you dare.

High Flying Bird

1h 30m   TV-MA   2019

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Hustle

Sports movie MVP Adam Sandler scores another hit with Hustle, a basketball drama about a veteran scout and a raw but talented player. Produced by Sandler and LeBron James, the Jeremiah Zagar-directed underdog story features Sandler as Stanley Sugarman, a longtime international scout for the Philadelphia 76ers who sees his ticket off the road when he discovers Bo Cruz (played by former NBA player Juancho Hernangómez), a complete unknown to the basketball world. The two soon embark on an uphill battle to get Bo drafted and earn Stanley the assistant coaching job that he’s been craving. The all-star supporting cast includes Queen Latifah, Ben Foster, and Robert Duvall, not to mention dozens of cameos from NBA players and icons.

Hustle

1h 58m   R   2022

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NYAD

Decorated actors Annette Bening and Jodie Foster teamed up for NYAD, based on a remarkable true story showcasing the determination and dedication of world-class swimmer Diana Nyad (Bening) and her best friend and coach Bonnie Stoll (Foster). At age 60, Nyad came out of retirement as amarathon swimmerin order to finally conquer the “Mount Everest” of open-water swims, the 110-mile trek from Cuba to Florida. (As if that wasn’t daunting enough, she was also trying to be the first to complete the swimwithout a shark cage.) “This story is very much about friendship,” co-director Jimmy Chin told Tudum, “and seeing the two phenomenal actors play off each other was incredible.” The film Academy agreed, with both Bening and Foster earning Oscar nominations for their performances.

NYAD

2h 1m   PG-13   2023

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Race

One of the greatest and most influential athletes of all time, Jesse Owens gets the biopic treatment in Race. The film from director Stephen Hopkins examines the obstacles that Owens had to overcome on his path to earning a record-breaking four gold medals at the 1936 Summer Olympics. Already dealing with racial discrimination at home in the US, Owens faced pressure to boycott the Nazi Germany–hosted games. Stephan James (If Beale Street Could Talk) deliversa powerful performance as Owens, while Jason Sudeikis, Jeremy Irons, and William Hurt contribute memorable supporting turns.

Race

2h 14m   PG-13   2016

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Rez Ball

Another underdog story, Rez Ball follows a Navajo high school basketball team in Chuska, New Mexico as they fight to keep their state championship dreams alive. While mourning the loss of their star player, the Chuska Warriors embrace their Navajo cultural traditions and community in order to come together as a team. Rez Ball is a moving sports drama about resilience in the face of loss, and was inspired by the book Canyon Dreams: A Basketball Season on the Navajo Nation by New York Times journalist Michael Powell. 

Rez Ball

1h 53m   PG-13   2024

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Skater Girl

For teenage Prerna (Rachel Saanchita Gupta), life in rural Rajasthan comes with a set of rigid expectations. But when a chance encounter with Jessica (Amy Maghera) — an advertising executive from London who’s come to India to learn more about her own past — introduces Prerna to a latent passion for skateboarding, she must choose whether to follow her dreams or walk the path chosen for her. Directed by Manjari Makijany, who co-wrote the script with her sister Vinati Makijany, this poignant coming-of-age film shows the power that sports have to change lives. 

Skater Girl

1h 49m   PG   2021

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The Swimmers

It doesn’t get more inspiring than this film, based on the true story of teenage Syrian refugees Yusra and Sarah Mardini. Co-written and directed by Sally El-Hosaini, The Swimmers stars real-life sisters Nathalie and Manal Issa as the Mardinis, competitive swimmers who make a dangerous expedition out of their war-torn country in pursuit of their Olympic dreams. They eventually arrive in Germany where a local coach (Army of the Dead’s Matthias Schweighöfer) trains them and helps Yusra qualify for the 2016 Olympics as part of a special refugee team. 

The Swimmers

2h 15m   PG-13   2022

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Additional reporting by Erin Corbett

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