Best documented
Main ball games
Association footballUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and IrelandOlympic · 1896BasketballUnited StatesOlympic · 1904TennisEngland (United Kingdom)Olympic · 1896VolleyballUnited StatesOlympic · 1924CricketEngland (United Kingdom)former OlympicGolfScotland (United Kingdom)Olympic · 1900BaseballUnited Statesformer OlympicHandballGerman Empire (Germany)Olympic · 1936Table tennisEngland (United Kingdom)Olympic · 1988Water poloUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and IrelandOlympic · 1900SquashEngland (United Kingdom)Bandyice skating · England (United Kingdom)
Full list
All 117 ball games
117 sports
| Sport | Part of | Origin | First recorded | Olympic | Disciplines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Association football | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland | 1863 | 1896 | 21 | |
| Basketball | United States | 1891 | 1904 | 7 | |
| Tennis | England (United Kingdom) | 1873 | 1896 | 16 | |
| Volleyball | United States | 1895 | 1924 | 9 | |
| Cricket | England (United Kingdom) | 16th century | 1900† | 2 | |
| Golf | Scotland (United Kingdom) | — | 1900 | 12 | |
| Baseball | United States | 19th century | 1912† | 4 | |
| Rugby | football | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland | — | 1900 | 8 |
| Handball | German Empire (Germany) | 1915 | 1936 | 4 | |
| Table tennis | England (United Kingdom) | 1891 | 1988 | 2 | |
| American football | gridiron football | United States | — | 1932 | 5 |
| Water polo | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland | 19th century | 1900 | 1 | |
| Futsal | football | Uruguay | — | — | 2 |
| Beach volleyball | volleyball | United States | 1920 | 1992 | — |
| Squash | England (United Kingdom) | — | — | 1 | |
| Rugby union | rugby | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland | 1823 | 1900 | 6 |
| Softball | baseball | United States | — | 1996† | — |
| Australian rules football | football | Australia | — | 1956 | 1 |
| Bandy | ice skating | England (United Kingdom) | — | 1952 | 2 |
| Lacrosse | — | 1904† | 3 | ||
| Netball | United Kingdom | — | — | 1 | |
| Rugby sevens | rugby union | United Kingdom | 1833 | 2016 | — |
| Gaelic football | football | Ireland | — | 1904 | — |
| Hurling | Gaelic games | Ireland | — | 1904† | — |
| Pétanque | bocce | France | — | — | — |
| Beach soccer | association football | — | — | — | |
| Sepak takraw | — | — | — | ||
| Croquet | England (United Kingdom) | — | 1900† | 1 | |
| Korfball | Netherlands | 1902 | 1920† | — | |
| Canadian football | gridiron football | Canada | 1861 | — | — |
| Goalball | Austria | 1946 | — | — | |
| Boccia | bocce | Sweden | 1970s | — | — |
| Football | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland | — | 1900 | 30 | |
| Dodgeball | — | — | — | ||
| Padel | Mexico | 1969 | — | — | |
| 3x3 basketball | basketball | United States | — | 2021 | — |
| Streetball | basketball | — | — | — | |
| Miniature golf | golf | — | — | — | |
| Mesoamerican ballgame | 14th century BC | — | 1 | ||
| Pickleball | United States | 1965 | — | — | |
| Wheelchair basketball | basketball | — | — | — | |
| Beach handball | handball | — | — | — | |
| Bowls | bocce | England (United Kingdom) | — | — | 1 |
| Canoe polo | canoeing and kayaking | — | — | — | |
| Shinty | hockey | Scotland (United Kingdom) | — | — | — |
| Jeu de paume | tennis | France | — | 1900† | 2 |
| Teqball | Hungary | 2012 | — | — | |
| Pesäpallo | Finland | — | 1952† | — | |
| Cuju | association football | Qi | 770 BC | — | — |
| Bocce | — | 1900† | 10 | ||
| Flag football | American football | — | — | — | |
| Racquetball | — | — | — | ||
| Cycle ball | cycle sport | 1883 | — | — | |
| Sitting volleyball | volleyball | — | — | — | |
| Wheelchair tennis | tennis | — | — | — | |
| Jai alai | Basque pelota | Spain | — | — | — |
| Wheelchair rugby | rugby union | — | — | — | |
| Football tennis | tennis | — | — | — | |
| Footgolf | — | — | — | ||
| Street football | association football | — | — | 1 | |
| Quadball | United States | — | — | — | |
| Field handball | handball | — | 1936 | — | |
| Horseball | equestrian sport | — | — | — | |
| Footvolley | Brazil | 1960s | — | — | |
| Tchoukball | Switzerland | — | — | — | |
| Indoor soccer | football | — | — | — | |
| Blind soccer | futsal | — | — | — | |
| Bossaball | Spain | 2004 | — | — | |
| Soft tennis | tennis | — | — | — | |
| Slamball | basketball | 2002 | — | — | |
| CP football | seven-a-side football | — | — | — | |
| Touch | rugby union | — | — | — | |
| Snow volleyball | volleyball | — | — | — | |
| Gridiron football | football | United States | 1860s | 1932 | 8 |
| Racketlon | tennis | — | — | — | |
| Roque | croquet | — | 1904† | — | |
| Powerchair football | association football | — | — | — | |
| Beach tennis | tennis | — | — | — | |
| Para table tennis | table tennis | — | — | — | |
| Gateball | Japan | 1947 | — | — | |
| Five-a-side football | association football | — | — | — | |
| Real tennis | jeu de paume | — | — | — | |
| Baseball 5 | baseball | — | — | — | |
| Walking football | association football | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland | 2011 | — | — |
| Chuiwan | golf | 1125 | — | — | |
| Roundnet | volleyball | 1989 | — | — | |
| Boule lyonnaise | bocce | Italy | — | — | — |
| Box lacrosse | lacrosse | Canada | — | — | — |
| Czech handball | handball | 1905 | — | — | |
| Longue paume | jeu de paume | — | 1900 | — | |
| Seven-a-side football | association football | — | — | 1 | |
| Jorkyball | association football | — | — | — | |
| Minifootball | association football | — | — | 1 | |
| Intercrosse | lacrosse | — | — | — | |
| Para association football | association football | — | — | — | |
| Jeu provençal | bocce | France | — | — | — |
| Pitch and putt | golf | — | — | — | |
| Autoball | automobile sport | Germany | — | — | — |
| Field lacrosse | lacrosse | Canada | — | 1904† | — |
| Rink bandy | bandy | — | — | — | |
| Sepak raga | Malacca sultanate | — | — | — | |
| Japanese-style baseball | baseball | Japan | 1919 | — | — |
| Game of gain-ground | — | — | 1 | ||
| Biribol | Brazil | — | — | — | |
| Indoor American football | American football | — | — | — | |
| Rinkball | bandy | Sweden | 1960s | — | — |
| Composite rules shinty–hurling | Gaelic games | Scotland (United Kingdom) | 1896 | — | — |
| Socca | minifootball | — | — | — | |
| Winchester College football | football | England (United Kingdom) | — | — | — |
| Raffa | bocce | Italy | — | — | — |
| Standing volleyball | volleyball | — | — | — | |
| Futins | football | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland | — | — | — |
| Pair Go | go | — | — | — | |
| Tennis doubles | tennis | — | — | — | |
| Bolo palma | bowls | — | — | — | |
| Walking Rugby | rugby | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland | 2015 | — | — |
| Elephant football | association football | India | — | — | — |
† former Olympic sport, year of first appearance. Olympic years include appearances through disciplines.Nothing found — try another filter.
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Other types of sport
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