Sporting Board Games You Can Enjoy

Sports have brought people together from every corner of the world for decades. Fans of popular sports like basketball, football and boxing can enjoy the action in person, by watching TV or by tuning in on their mobile device.

However, playing board games with sports themes allows people to experience the sport of their choice in a new way. With this in mind, let’s take a look at some of the top sporting board games you can enjoy.

The Rise of Sporting Board Games

Board games have been a staple for people of all ages for many years. Although it may seem like an outdated form of entertainment, board game creators are constantly coming up with innovative ideas to engage players.

Sporting-themed board games have been around since the late 19th century, offering people a way to engage in their sporting passion in an interactive way.

In 2025, there will be more sports-related games, mainly due to the renewed interest in traditional gaming methods. In fact, the sports represented in the most popular Sports board games are football and racing (whether car, boat, bicycle or horse).

There are even spaces dedicated to board games where people can gather in cafes and bars to connect over their shared love of sports and test out their knowledge after placing their football bets on platforms like DraftKings.

For bettors, this has been a natural transition as the same element of strategy and prediction must be applied in board games.

Top Sporting Board Games

For wrestling fans who follow the WWE, the WWE Road to WrestleMania board game offers a unique entertainment experience. Released in 2019, this game features all of the top wrestlers, including John Cena and Seth Rollins. The game aims to navigate your chosen wrestler through WWE shows to win matches.

With the persona of a wrestler, you can brush up on their signature movies and in-ring strategies. The game comes with a dice, action cards and miniature wrestler figures where you can visualise the action.

One roll of the dice will decide which signature move you will fight with next, determining if you make it to the Grandest Stage of Them All and become Undisputed Champion. It’s also a family-appropriate game as it suits players aged 8 and up and is perfect for small groups with 2-4 people.

With Tour de France being one of the impressive cycling events in the world, it’s no surprise that it’s inspired its own board games including Flamme Rouge. This game came onto the market in 2016 and players are required to take charge of two cyclists, a Rouleur and a Sprinteur.

Flamme Rouge will see you manage a team of 2 riders in the hope of finishing the race first. People are drawn to this game because it accurately captures the tension and strategy of professional cycling in an exciting board game.

In order to progress in the game, players have to draw and play movement cards while considering factors like falling behind other cyclists and becoming fatigued.

As the Tour de France only occurs annually, it’s the perfect way to build anticipation before tuning into the real race by competing with friends and discussing tactics in advance.

Similarly, Cycle Mania is a niche board game where players go head-to-head in fast-paced races. In this game, it’s important to manage your energy effectively, just like cyclists in real life, as well as time your sprints effectively to get ahead.

There’s no doubt that the NFL is one of the most widely followed sports leagues in the world, with very passionate fans who follow their teams and players loyally. Many of these fans also seek to maintain this enthusiasm for the NFL by engaging in American football-related board games such as the NFL Game Day board game.

Released in 2013, this game closely resembles a real-life NFL game as players must plan offensive and defensive plays and react to opponents’ moves using their own knowledge and instincts.

This game can also be played repeatedly because every session is unpredictable, meaning players are constantly challenged to adapt and make decisions quickly, helping to enhance their strategic thinking.

Ultimately, board games are a great way to have fun with your friends and family. In particular, sporting board games such as WWE Road to WrestleMania, Flamme Rouge and NFL Game Day have become more popular nowadays because they give sports enthusiasts the chance to immerse themselves in their favourite sports while being present with their nearest and dearest.

So, if you have some spare time in between watching sports events or games, why not try out something different by purchasing and playing a sporting board game with other like-minded people?