10 Best Sports Games on Xbox Series X/S in 2026

Pretty much all of the sports you’ve played in real life have a video game counterpart. It can be an arcade adaptation or a realistic simulation. Either way, the games are pretty authentic and adhere to the rules you are already familiar with. 

It should be easy then to pick up your preferred disc of the best sports games on Xbox Series X/S. A sports game you’ll quickly jump into. Or perhaps explore the sports you’ve always wanted to try out but haven’t had the chance to.

What is a Sports Game?

A sports game borrows the rules and matches of real-life sports games like basketball and football. It features the teams and leagues you might be rooting for. Or it can have its own fantasy matches. Perhaps one that adopts the fictional Quidditch broom-riding sports game from Harry Potter.

Best Sports Games on Xbox Series X/S

You want current-gen consoles for your sports gaming, where speedy refresh rates and high performance ensure smooth controls and response. Xbox owners can check out the best sports games on Xbox Series X/S below.

10. PGA Tour 2K25

Golf’s biggest stage is PGA Tour 2K25, featuring the PGA Championship, U.S. Open, and the Open Championship. Get through all three, and you’d practically be on the same podiums as golf’s greatest superstars. 

MyCAREER is the place to do it, where every round brings you one step closer to leaving your mark. With MyPLAYER, you have leeway in choosing your style and skills. It’s a pretty comprehensive feature, with skill trees. Plus, you can design your own courses, too.

9. NBA 2K26

NBA 2k26 is the alternative for basketball, complete with MyCAREER, MyTEAM, and MyNBA modes. Each offers a different gameplay experience, whether you enjoy climbing up the ranks or managing teams. There’s a deckbuilding feature, too, challenging your strategy skills against other players’ decks. 

With ProPLAY technology, the graphics and animations of the latest entry have gotten so much better. Players actually look like their real versions; even their dribbling behaviors and nuances are like their real-life counterparts.

8. Riders Republic

The best sports games on Xbox Series X/S cater to every gamer’s interests, including bikers. Riders Republic outdoes itself, in particular, with a massive playground that can host over 50 players at the same time. 

You can make it into a group hangout, but the competitive matches are where your skills and tricks truly shine. But it’s not just biking. You’ll find skiing, as well as snowboarding and wingsuit gliding, in a massive open world.

7. Forza Motorsport

If you prefer racing, you’re spoilt for choice, with Forza Motorsport among the best sports games on Xbox Series X/S. You have over 500 real-world cars you can unlock, which have more than 800 performance upgrades.

It’s not just overwhelming quantity, but high-quality graphics and controls, too. The 30 world-famous tracks on offer look and feel surreal to race laps on. Meanwhile, the advanced physics, dirt accumulation, and damage modeling remind you that this isn’t just for fun. 

The stakes are high, whether you’re touring around the world solo or competing in lots of online events.

6. F1 25

Closely ranking in sixth place is F1 25 for gamers who prefer a purely professional racing experience. This entry takes you to the FIA Formula One World Championship to enjoy the returning Breaking Point story mode, manage your own team of F1 world cars and liveries, or compete in online events.

5. WWE 2K26

Every new entry in the WWE 2K sets its sights on bigger and better, and WWE 2K26 sticks to the tradition with style. It features over 400 superstars and legends, who go up against one another in lots of match types, including new I Quit, Inferno, and Dumpster ones.

Some game modes are stronger than others, like 2K Showcase, which still needs a little polishing to truly grip your undivided attention. In the Universe sandbox, things are a little spicier, where you enjoy the freedom to create your own weekly shows and rivalries.

4. Tony Hawks’ Pro Skater 1+2

It’s about time we got the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 remastered version, and it sure lives up to its predecessor’s success. You enjoy a similar experience, retaining the same game modes and roster. The same for the levels and tricks you used to pull off back then.

But there are far more pro skaters added to the roster, as well as hot trick combos you should definitely try out. Creating your own parks and skaters is also a much smoother experience.

3. MLB: The Show 26

The biggest change in MLB: The Show 26 is the on-field action, which looks and feels more surreal than ever. But you also enjoy a deeper gaming experience, with the opportunity to start your career from high school through to the big leagues. 

You can build your most revered fantasy team as well, with new Red Diamond rarity cards. And enjoy deeper RPG systems for your managerial role. On the streamlined Trade HUB, you can track rumors and maximize the opportunity to strike lucrative deals.

2. Madden NFL 26

Madden NFL 26 is also making a bold step closer to authentic gameplay. The tackling and collisions with other players look and feel surreal, with every player having unique animations drawn from their real-life counterparts. Using FieldSENSE technology, dives are now more accurate and demand perfect timing.

1. EA Sports FC 26

But, the greatest sports simulation of them all remains EA Sports FC 26. This time, you have Archetypes you can group into classes, like in RPGs. You then level up your player’s attributes and unlock new perks that make them more unique on the field. 

Having 20,000+ authentic players is no joke, sure to find your favorites across major leagues. And this staggering content is supplemented by lots of ways to be engaged, whether it’s live events, tournaments, or trying out multiple real-world scenarios.