What are the best sports games on PS5? Whether you’re the kind of person who thinks football should be played with your hands or your feet, sports games are enormously popular on PlayStation, and there’s a growing selection available on the PlayStation 5. We’re combining both arcade and simulation titles for this list, so regardless of whether a release is a replica of the real thing or a little more off-the-wall, you’ll find it on this page.
Sports games, typically, subscribe to annual release cycles, especially when it comes to the genre’s heaviest hitters, like FIFA and NBA 2K. However, not every title within has been developed in a 12 month period: Knockout City, the brilliant dodgebrawler from Velen Studios, is a tantalisingly original idea – and it took years for Activision to do justice to Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2, which were among some of the best games on the PS1.
The inherent nature of sports means many of the games you’ll find below have strong multiplayer suites, both online and offline. However, many of them can also be enjoyed solo, whether you’re working towards a starting quarterback gig in the Madden NFL or assembling your dream bullpen in MLB The Show. We’ve also incorporated motorsports here if you prefer clutches to cleats, and many of the best sports games on PS5 are enjoyed from the comfort of a cockpit.
Of course, the classification of these titles is one thing, but it’s up to you to determine the order. Don’t sweat it if you feel your favourite is out of place, because it’s ultimately up to you to do something about it. You’ll find a search bar below which will allow you to rate any of the PS5’s many sports games, and this list will automatically update according to your tastes.
Please do keep in mind that a title will need at least 10 ratings before it appears on this page, so if you're wondering why your favourite Japanese horse racing franchise is struggling to clear this hurdle, that could be why.
With all that said, it’s time to suit up and begin our list of best sports games on PS5. Is this a league table you can get behind?
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20. MXGP 2020 - The Official Motocross Videogame (PS5)
MXGP 2020 is no scrub, even if it is a little light in the content department. Milestone’s licensed motocross franchise brings with it a hearty helping of meaningful improvements, and it successfully sticks the landing. The most important of these is the gameplay, which feels immaculate thanks to impressive DualSense controller integration. While new additions like the Track Editor and sandbox-style Playground still have a few bumps to even out, this is a worthy ride for dirtbike addicts.
19. NBA 2K22 (PS5)
NBA 2K22 is peerless in the sports genre for its sheer scope, and while many may frown at Visual Concepts’ attempt at an online open world RPG in the ever-popular MyCareer mode, there’s no question you could lose hundreds of hours to this title. With one of the most fleshed out Franchise modes on the market in MyNBA and a rewarding Ultimate Team alternative in MyTeam, this is the biggest and best presented sports game on the PS5. Some nice improvements to defence mean that it plays pretty clean on the court as well.
18. Cursed to Golf (PS5)
Cursed to Golf is a very different take on the sport, but its novel approach and charming presentation makes it stand out. It's a side-scrolling, roguelike game in which you're trying to escape golfing purgatory by, well, playing golf. As well as choosing the right club and finding the right trajectory, you have access to special abilities to help you overcome each maze-like level and all their hazards. It's a simple, fun new spin on golf games that's worth a shot.
17. Riders Republic (PS5)
A game that brings something a little different to the sports genre on the PS5, Riders Republic is a Ubisoft open world game with a cycling/skiing/wingsuiting skin. A massively multiplayer online sandbox, filled with both silly and serious challenges, this game is colossal in scale – something it underpins with its outrageous Mass Race competitions. It can look a little ugly and its too-cool-for-school style will grate, but cycling down mountains at 100kmph is still an exhilarating experience.
16. GRID Legends (PS5)
Back when Race Driver: GRID blew up on the PS3, we doubt anyone could have predicted that GRID Legends would have an FMV campaign about a fictional racing league. Yet, here we are, with Codemasters’ latest take on an arcade racing franchise that has had its fair share of ups-and-downs since debuting in 2008. Ignore the ridiculous plot and there’s plenty of fun to be had here, with compelling use of the DualSense controller and accessible, responsive racing. The drop-in, crossplay multiplayer is nice, too.
15. F1 Manager 2022 (PS5)
If you're into Formula One's more strategic aspects of stats and figures, there's a game for you. F1 Manager 2022 makes you a team principal, putting you in charge of all the important decisions that go into ensuring a successful race for your drivers. With all the official teams and drivers from the 2022 season, you'll manage changes to the car, tactics out on the track, finances, staff, and more. It's an in-depth and satisfying game that'll make you obsess over the details.
14. NHL 22 (PS5)
As part of the transition to the Frostbite Engine, the team at EA Canada has achieved one important thing: don’t gut the game completely. NHL 22 may share many of its features and modes with its immediate PS4 predecessor, but at least it’s not been gutted like the disastrous NHL 15. The implementation of X-Factors adds some personality to the rink, and the Franchise mode is still more in-depth than many of EA Sports’ alternatives in the genre.
13. FIFA 22 (PS5)
FIFA 22 feels like real football, and it’s all the better for it. Impressive improvements to player positioning, ball physics, and animations make for a supremely satisfying simulation that underpins each of the franchise’s flagship modes. Career Mode doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but the ability to create a club is entertaining, and the changes to Player Careers are overdue. Microtransactions still rule supreme in Ultimate Team, and you’ll already have your own personal opinions on that, but there’s so much to do in the game that you could easily invest hundreds of hours into it without seeing a single loot box.
12. WWE 2K22 (PS5)
WWE 2K18 was such a disaster that 2K Sports took the unprecedented decision to take an entire year off, and then eventually delay WWE 2K20 as its targeted holiday release spot neared. The result, though, is a return to the form for the franchise. While not every feature in this wrestle-‘em-up hits as hard as Andre the Giant, there’s some real muscle on this game’s bones that should keep WWE faithfuls occupied for the foreseeable future. Worth the wait, then!
11. DIRT 5 (PS5)
DIRT 5 comes from a Codemasters team made up of many Evolution Studios alumni, giving this off-road racer a slight MotorStorm flavour. The festival vibes are alive and well here, with colourful presentation and a great soundtrack providing the background for a varied and fun racing calendar. Unlike its DiRT Rally cousins, this game is unabashedly arcadey, putting the emphasis on sliding sideways through the mud, across the ice, and into clouds of dust. An unintrusive storyline featuring characters voiced by Nolan North and Troy Baker carries you through the single player, while a level editor and some neat multiplayer modes are waiting for you too. A slick, well presented racing game with real energy.
Comments (16)
Having Madden on this list…nulls it’s credibility
@Germs73 I was thinking the same about NHL 22.
No Wreckfest? IMO is one of the best racing games, a great blend of realistic racing that's still a little arcadey. And it looks amazing, the damage representation on the cars and track is fantastic. Plus a free PS5 upgrade.
And demolition racing is so much fun.
@Hesse I don't really see Wreckfest as a sports game, personally. It's a bit too bombastic for this list. With the racing games, I tried to focus strictly on motorsports.
@Sheppard @Germs73 This has been ranked and rated by readers.
Really, really disappointed by the offering of sports games on this console. Not saying everything needs to be like FM or OOTP but the lack of any type of meaty franchise modes from most, if not all, of the big brand names makes me want to ignore them completely. F1 probably my favorite out of all of these despite that complaint.
@bozz It's still early days really. F1 Manager might be good.
@get2sammyb oh come on...you dont see wreckfest as a valid title for this list but you include that knockout dodge brawler a valid contender? Really? At least wreckfest is an actual real sport and the other is a futuristic unrealistic albeit kinda fun thingy..
Knockout City; Tony Hawk and Ollie Ollie shouldn´t be in this list imo.
Knockout City shouldn’t be on this list. Not a sports game.
WRC 9 was so good. Yes all the gameplay pics looks like from PS3, but while playing game looks so good and was so fun to play. I also have WRC 10 but not played it yet.
I’m loving WRC10 and plays like a dream! I also like dipping into Steep on PS4 and wish they patched for PS5 🏂
I wish there will be some cartoonish Kickboxing games like K-1 Pocket Grand Prix 1 & 2 GBA on PS5. 🙁
Knockout City should be toward the top of this list.
Rocket League deserves a spot on this list.
As a huge huge fan of car simulator games, and a huge huge fan of GT since the first one, i am actually very disappointed with the last one. Yes, it's better than "Sport" in may ways, but the lack of content and the behaviour of many cars makes GT just a "better than average" car game. (so I really don't understand the "Big single player campaign" on the pros list. Are we talking about the same game here?) To be the first of the "Best sports games".... it just doesn't seems right.
Even MotoGp 2021 or FIFA are better than GT these days.
I wanted to like Riders Republic but the controls were dodgy as hell. They should have used similar controls to Decenders. Also, THPS needs a free roam online mode. Imagine being able to skate with 20 people just messing around etc.
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