If you’re asking what sports have ball in the name, the familiar examples include basketball, baseball, football, volleyball, softball, handball, netball, dodgeball, and pickleball. Other sports and organized games include racquetball, goalball, fistball, tchoukball, paintball, and paddleball. The full list depends on whether you count only sports whose names are written as separate words or also names such as fistball and racquetball, where “ball” is part of one word.
Here’s a practical guide to the best-known examples, what makes them different, and a few naming details that can cause confusion.
Popular sports with “ball” in the name
These sports are widely played or recognized, though their rules, equipment, and popularity vary by country and community.
- Basketball: Two teams try to score by putting a ball through the opposing team’s elevated hoop. The sport is played in several formats, including five-on-five and three-on-three.
- Baseball: A bat-and-ball sport in which teams take turns batting and playing defense. The batter attempts to hit a pitched ball and advance around four bases to score.
- Softball: A bat-and-ball sport related to baseball. It has its own rules and equipment, and it is played in several versions, including fast-pitch and slow-pitch.
- Football: A name used for different sports around the world. In the United States, it usually means American football; in many other countries, it usually means association football, or soccer. Canadian football and Australian rules football are other distinct codes.
- Volleyball: Teams send a ball over a net and try to land it inside the other team’s court. Indoor volleyball and beach volleyball are familiar versions.
- Handball: The name can refer to team handball, an indoor team sport, or to other games played by striking a ball with the hand. Team handball is the version commonly meant in international competition.
- Netball: A team sport played on a court with raised rings at each end. Players pass the ball and try to score, with positions and movement restricted by the rules.
- Dodgeball: Players throw balls to try to eliminate opponents under the rules of a particular format. School, recreational, and organized competition versions may differ.
- Pickleball: A paddle sport played on a court with a net, a perforated plastic ball, and solid paddles. It can be played as singles or doubles.
More sports and games with “ball” in the name
Several less familiar names are also useful to know. Some describe established competitive sports; others can refer to multiple local or organized formats.
- Racquetball: An indoor racquet sport played with a small, resilient ball. Players hit it against the walls of an enclosed court.
- Goalball: A team sport designed for athletes who are blind or visually impaired. Players defend a goal and try to roll a ball into the opposing team’s goal; sound helps players track the ball.
- Fistball: A team sport in which players hit a ball with a closed fist or arm across a net or line. It is related in some respects to volleyball but has different rules and court play.
- Tchoukball: A team sport in which players throw a ball against a rebound frame and aim for it to bounce into an area where the opposing team cannot catch it.
- Paintball: A competitive activity in which players use markers to propel paint-filled capsules. Formats and rules differ, and protective equipment is essential.
- Paddleball: A name used for more than one paddle-and-ball game. The equipment, court, and rules depend on the particular version.
- Wallball: A broad name for games in which players hit a ball against a wall. It can describe informal playground games as well as more structured versions.
- T-ball: A youth baseball-related game in which a stationary ball is placed on a tee for the batter to hit. It is usually an introductory format rather than a separate major professional sport.
How the sports differ
Sharing “ball” in a name does not mean these sports use the same equipment or follow similar rules. The word points to a common object, but the role of the ball varies widely.
Bat-and-ball sports
Baseball and softball are the best-known examples in this group. Batters hit a pitched ball and try to score by running around bases. T-ball introduces a related skill in a format where the ball rests on a tee rather than being pitched.
Net and court sports
Basketball, volleyball, netball, pickleball, and team handball all involve play on a defined court, but the ways players move and score differ. Basketball uses a hoop. Volleyball sends the ball across a net. Netball has position-based movement restrictions, while pickleball uses paddles and a low net. Team handball combines passing, dribbling, and throwing to score in a goal.
Target and elimination formats
Dodgeball and goalball show two very different ways a ball can shape a game. In dodgeball, players throw balls according to a format’s elimination rules. In goalball, teams roll a ball toward a defended goal, relying on its sound to locate it. These sports have different aims and should not be treated as interchangeable just because both involve throwing or rolling a ball.
Racquet, paddle, and wall games
Racquetball is played in an enclosed court with racquets, while pickleball uses paddles on a court divided by a net. Paddleball and wallball are less precise labels: the name may refer to different games depending on the region or organization. If you’re looking for official rules, check which version a league or facility means.
Does “football” count?
Yes. Football contains the word “ball,” so it belongs on a list of sports with ball in the name. The main complication is that “football” does not identify the same sport everywhere.
In the United States, the unqualified word generally refers to American football. In many other places, it means association football, commonly called soccer in the U.S. Canadian football and Australian rules football are also separate sports. When searching for rules, equipment, or leagues, include the code or country in your search to avoid mixing them up.
Should one-word names count?
Usually, yes. If the question is whether a sport’s name contains the letters in “ball,” then compound names such as racquetball and fistball count even though “ball” is not separated by a space. The same approach includes paintball.
There is no single universal list covering every sport, local game, and spelling variant. Some names describe a recognized sport; others are used for different activities in different places. A clear list should therefore distinguish familiar sports from broader or format-dependent terms rather than imply that every name has one worldwide rulebook.
Quick list by type
| Type of play | Examples with “ball” in the name |
|---|---|
| Bat-and-ball | Baseball, softball, T-ball |
| Court and net | Basketball, volleyball, netball, pickleball, handball |
| Throwing or goal-based | Dodgeball, goalball, tchoukball |
| Racquet, paddle, or wall | Racquetball, paddleball, wallball |
| Other team sport or competition | Football, fistball, paintball |
Frequently asked questions
What are the most popular sports with “ball” in the name?
Common examples include basketball, baseball, football, volleyball, softball, handball, netball, dodgeball, and pickleball. Which are most popular depends on the country and community.
Is soccer a sport with “ball” in the name?
The word soccer does not contain “ball.” However, the sport is also known as association football, and football does contain “ball.”
Does basketball count as a ball sport?
Yes. Basketball is both a sport with “ball” in its name and a ball sport: players use a ball to play and score.
Is pickleball named after a type of ball?
Pickleball is the name of the sport, not a general category of ball. Players use a perforated plastic ball, but the sport’s name alone does not establish the origin of that name.
Is handball one sport or several?
The term can refer to different activities. In international sport, it commonly means team handball, played by two teams trying to throw a ball into a goal. In some places, “handball” also names other games in which the hand is used to strike a ball.
Does T-ball count as a sport?
T-ball is an organized, baseball-related youth game. It counts for a broad list of sports and games with “ball” in the name, although it is often described as an introductory format rather than a separate professional sport.
Conclusion
The clearest answers to “what sports have ball in the name” include basketball, baseball, softball, football, volleyball, handball, netball, dodgeball, pickleball, and racquetball. A broader list also includes goalball, fistball, tchoukball, paintball, paddleball, wallball, and T-ball. Because some names have multiple versions or regional meanings, check the specific sport or rule set when you need more than a general list.