We have a pretty wide range of sports interest in our family. Some of us could watch or play sports all day, while others could honestly take it or leave it. But one thing we all have in common is that we love playing games together. These sports-themed games have been a really fun middle ground. They bring a little extra excitement for our sports lover, but are still simple and fun enough for everyone else to enjoy.
The best part is you really don’t have to know much about the sport to play. Whether your kids follow sports closely or not, these games are still easy to jump into and enjoy together.
We rounded up our family's favorites, from quick card games to strategy games and classic board games, so you can find one that's perfect for your next family game night.
Quick Picks
Best Overall: NFL UNO
Best for Preschoolers: NFL Matching
Best for Basketball Fans: Pickup
Best Strategy Game: Baseball Dice Board Game
Best Under 15 Minutes: Spot It!
Pickup Basketball Card Game
Recommended Age: 8+ (6+ with help)
Play Time: 20–30 minutes
If you have a kid who loves basketball, this is a really fun one to add to your game shelf. Pickup is a fast-paced card game that feels a bit like playing a real pickup game, but in a simple and easy-to-learn format.
Players build their team, make plays, and try to outscore their opponent using a mix of strategy and a little bit of luck. It is quick to play, which makes it great for family game night or even just a short game before bedtime.
🛒 Find Pickup Basketball online
NFL Spot It!
Recommended Age: 4+
Play Time: 15 minutes
This is a really fun and fast-moving game, especially if you have a sports lover who enjoys a little competition. Spot It is all about quick reactions and sharp eyes.
Each round, players race to find the one matching symbol between two cards. In this NFL version, those symbols include team logos and football-themed icons, which makes it extra exciting for kids who recognize their favorite teams.
It is a great option when you want something quick and easy that still keeps everyone engaged.
One thing I really like about this game is that your kids do not need to know the NFL or recognize every team logo to enjoy it. They can simply call out what they see, like “a blue lion” or “a C,” and still fully play along. It keeps the game fun and accessible for everyone, even if they are just getting into sports.
NFL UNO
Recommended Age: 7+ (4+ with help)
Play Time: 15–30 minutes
If your family already loves UNO, this NFL version is an easy one to pick up. It plays just like the classic game, where players take turns matching colors and numbers to get rid of all their cards first.
What makes this version fun for sports lovers is that the cards feature NFL team logos, so kids will recognize their favorite teams while they play. It is a simple way to add a sports twist to a game most families already know.
There is also a special rule included that adds a little extra excitement and keeps things interesting from game to game.
UNO Elite
Recommended Age: 7+
Play Time: 15–30 minutes
If someone in your family already enjoys UNO and collects sports cards, UNO Elite is a fun way to change things up. It still has the familiar matching gameplay everyone knows, but adds collectible athlete cards and special abilities that make each game feel a little more competitive.
Players take turns matching colors and numbers just like traditional UNO, but the Elite cards introduce unique powers that can shake up the game and keep things fresh. It adds a little more strategy and customization without making the game complicated, so it still works well for family game night.
One thing I like is that you don't need to know anything about the athletes featured on the cards to enjoy the game. Sports fans will have fun recognizing some of the names, but everyone else can jump right in and play without feeling left out.
This is available in both NFL and Formula 1 editions. You start with a Starter Deck and can continue building your collection over time by purchasing Booster Packs. Similar to other trading card games, each new pack adds athletes and abilities that keep the game fresh every time you play.
🛒 Find UNO Elite: NFL on Amazon
🛒 Find UNO Elite: F1 on Amazon
Guess Who NFL Edition
Recommended Age: 6+ (4+ with help)
Play Time: 15–20 minutes
This NFL version of Guess Who takes the classic game most of us grew up with and gives it a fun football twist. Instead of guessing characters, players try to figure out which NFL player their opponent has chosen.
Players take turns asking simple yes-or-no questions to narrow it down, like what team the player is on or what position they play. The game includes players from all 32 NFL teams, so there are plenty of familiar faces to keep kids interested.
It is a great mix of thinking and fun, especially for kids who enjoy football. If your sports lover likes guessing games, this one is an easy win for family game night.
🛒 Find Guess Who NFL Edition on Amazon
Soccer Basketball Volleyball Football Tennis
Recommended Age: 6+
Play Time: 15–20 minutes
This fast-paced card game is perfect for kids who have lots of energy and love a little chaos during game night. It reminds me a lot of Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza, where everyone is racing to react at the right moment.
Players take turns placing cards while saying the names of different sports like soccer, basketball, volleyball, football, and tennis. When the word matches the card, everyone has to react quickly and slap the pile. The last one to slap the pile has to keep all the cards. The goal of the game is to get rid of all your cards first.
🛒 Find Soccer Basketball Volleyball Football Tennis on Amazon
🛒 Find Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza on Amazon
MLB-Opoly Junior
Recommended Age: 6+
Play Time: 30–45 minutes
This baseball-themed version of Monopoly is a fun option for younger kids who love the game but are not quite ready for the full-length version. MLB-Opoly Junior keeps things simple and faster-paced while still giving that classic Monopoly feel.
Players move around the board collecting teams and earning money, all with a fun baseball twist. The board, cards, and pieces are all themed around Major League Baseball, which makes it especially fun for kids who recognize their favorite teams.
It is a great choice if you are looking for a slightly longer game that still keeps kids engaged, especially for a sports-loving family game night.
🛒 Find MLB-Opoly Junior on Amazon
Baseball Dice Board Game
Recommended Age: 6+
Play Time: 15–45 minutes
If your family is looking for a game that feels a little more like watching a real baseball game, this is a fun one to check out. Instead of using cards, players roll custom dice to determine everything from hits and strikeouts to home runs and double plays.
The game moves quickly while still capturing a lot of the excitement and unpredictability of baseball. Every roll can completely change the inning, making it fun for both kids and adults to cheer each other on. It is easy enough for younger players to learn, but still has enough strategy to keep older kids and parents engaged.
🛒 Find Baseball Dice Board Game on Amazon
Baseball Duel Card Game
Recommended Age: 7+
Play Time: 20 minutes
This one is a really unique mix of a puzzle and a game, which makes it stand out from a lot of other sports games.
Instead of just playing cards, players are actually trying to build and complete different baseball items by connecting the right cards together, almost like solving a mini puzzle. Every time you complete one, you score a run, so it feels like you are slowly building your way through a baseball game.
At the same time, there is still that competitive side. You are racing against the other players to finish your sets first, and there are ways to mess with each other along the way, which keeps things interesting.
It is a fun option that kind of feels like a mix between a puzzle game and something like UNO or a quick card game.
🛒 Find Baseball Duel on Amazon
Straight 8 Card Game
Recommended Age: 8+
Play Time: 20–40 minutes
This is fast-paced card game that keeps you paying attention the whole time.
Players are flipping cards and trying to build sequences in order, but you also have to be ready to react quickly when certain moments come up. It kind of has that same feel as Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza, where things can switch fast and everyone is watching closely.
What I like about this one is that they make it in different versions like football, soccer, baseball, and hockey, but they all play the same way. So if your kids have a favorite sport, you can just pick that version and they will be into it right away.
🛒 Find Hockey Straight 8 on Amazon
Also available in Baseball, Basketball, Soccer, Football, Tennis, Golf
Matching Games
Recommended Age: 3+
Play Time: 10–15 minutes
This is a great option for your youngest gamers. It is a simple matching game where players flip over cards and try to find pairs of NFL team logos.
It is easy to learn and perfect for younger kids who are just starting to get into games, but still fun enough to keep everyone involved.
One thing I like about this one is that you can get it as a full NFL version with a mix of teams, or even choose a version that focuses on a specific team. That makes it a fun way to get your kids excited about their favorite team while they play.
🛒 Find NFL Matching Game on Amazon (Also available in each team)
NFL Monopoly Deal
Recommended Age: 8+ (6+ with help)
Play Time: 15–20 minutes
This is a fun, sports-themed version of the fast-paced Monopoly Deal card game. If your kids already know how to play Monopoly Deal, they will pick this up right away since it plays the same way, just with an NFL twist.
Players collect team sets, use action cards, and try to be the first to complete their properties. The NFL version adds team names, logos, and football-themed cards, which makes it extra fun for sports fans.
🛒 Find NFL Monopoly Deal on Amazon
🛒 Find FIFA World Cup Monopoly Deal on Amazon
At the end of the day, these games have been a really fun way for us to spend time together as a family. They bring in just enough of that sports element to make it exciting, but are still simple and enjoyable for everyone to play. If you are looking for something new for your next game night, hopefully one of these becomes a new favorite in your home too.