Team ball games16 sports · Cricket, Field hockey, Football, Kabaddi…
Racket sports8 sports · Badminton, Table tennis, Tennis, Squash…
Combat sports19 sports · Wrestling, Boxing, Judo, Taekwondo…
Athletics, gymnastics and strength9 sports · Athletics, Weightlifting, Gymnastics, Yogasana…
Aim and precision8 sports · Shooting, Archery, Golf, Snooker…
On the water6 sports · Aquatics, Rowing, Canoe, Sailing…
Wheels and horses5 sports · Cycling, Motorsport, Equestrian, Skateboarding…
Mind sports and esports3 sports · Chess, Contract bridge, Esports
Winter sports9 sports · Alpine and cross-country skiing, Biathlon, Bobsleigh, luge and skeleton, Curling…
Para sports31 sports · Para sport, Para athletics, Para badminton, Para archery…
Other sports1 sport · How each sport grades its tournaments
Playing time from each sport's rule book. Breaks and stoppages make the real time longer.
Quick to tryHalf an hour of playing time or less
- Gatka3 min · Two rounds of 90 seconds with a 30-second break
- Ju-jitsu, Fighting3 min · Matches of three minutes for adults
- Karate, Kumite3 min · Three minutes of fighting time for seniors; ends early at an eight-point lead
- Judo4 min · Four minutes of fighting time, the clock stopping whenever the referee halts the action
- Kurash4 min · Bouts of four minutes for senior men and three for senior women
- Para judo4 min · Judo for blind and visually impaired athletes, starting from a set grip
- Ju-jitsu, Ne-waza5 min · Ground grappling for five minutes (adults), won by submission or on points
- Sambo5 min · Bouts of five minutes for adults, ended early by a perfect throw, a submission or an eight-point lead
- Sqay5 min · Bouts of five minutes, extended to seven if there is no score or a tie
- Para taekwondo6 min · Three rounds of two minutes with a minute's rest; classes K41 and K44
- Pencak silat6 min · Three rounds of 2 minutes with a minute's rest (seniors)
- Taekwondo, Kyorugi6 min · Three rounds of two minutes, with a minute's rest between them
- Thang-ta6 min · Two rounds of three minutes with a one-minute interval
- Wrestling, Freestyle6 min · Two periods of three minutes with a 30-second break
- Wrestling, Greco-Roman6 min · Two periods of three minutes with a 30-second break; no holds below the waist
- Wushu, Sanda6 min · Three rounds of two minutes, with a minute's rest; the first to win two rounds wins
- Boxing9 min · Three rounds of three minutes, with a minute's rest between them
- Fencing9 min · Pool bouts to 5 hits in 3 minutes; knockout bouts to 15 hits over three periods of 3 minutes
- Muay thai9 min · Three rounds of 3 minutes with a minute's rest (elite)
- Wheelchair fencing9 min · Pool bouts to 5 hits or 3 minutes; knockout bouts to 15 hits in three 3-minute periods
- Basketball, 3x310 min · One period of 10 minutes, or the first to 21 points
- Rugby, Sevens14 min · Two halves of 7 minutes; a competition final may be two halves of 10
- Mixed martial arts15 min · Rounds of five minutes; most fights three rounds, title fights five
- Kho-kho20 min · Two innings; in each, both teams chase once and defend once, turns of five minutes in the National Club Games rule book
- Goalball24 min · Two halves of 12 minutes, with a 5-minute half-time
About an hour or moreBetween half an hour and two hours of play
- Aquatics, Water polo32 min · Four periods of 8 minutes of playing time; the clock stops at every whistle, so a match takes far longer
- Lacrosse, Sixes32 min · Four quarters of 8 minutes
- Wheelchair rugby32 min · Four periods of 8 minutes on a stopping clock
- Basketball, 5x540 min · Four quarters of 10 minutes on a stopping clock, with a 15-minute half-time
- Blind football40 min · Two halves of 20 minutes on a stopping clock
- Flag football40 min · Two halves of 20 minutes, with a two-minute break; the clock runs almost all the time
- Kabaddi40 min · Two halves of 20 minutes for men, 15 for women, with a five-minute break
- Roller sports, Inline hockey40 min · Two periods of 20 minutes with a 5-minute break
- Wheelchair basketball40 min · Four quarters of 10 minutes
- Para ice hockey45 min · Three periods of 15 minutes
- Roller sports, Rink hockey50 min · Two halves of 25 minutes (seniors)
- CP football1 hr · Two halves of 30 minutes, seven a side
- Field hockey1 hr · Four quarters of 15 minutes; the clock stops for goals and penalty corners
- Handball1 hr · Two halves of 30 minutes, with a 10-minute break
- Ice hockey1 hr · Three periods of 20 minutes of playing time, with 15-minute breaks
- Lacrosse, Field (men)1 hr · Four quarters of 15 minutes, ten a side
- Lacrosse, Field (women)1 hr · Four quarters of 15 minutes
- Netball1 hr · Four quarters of 15 minutes, with a 12-minute half-time
- Rugby, Fifteens1 hr 20 min · Two halves of 40 minutes, with a half-time of up to 15 minutes
- Football1 hr 30 min · Two halves of 45 minutes plus added time, with a half-time of up to 15 minutes
An evening, or daysLonger than two hours, or over several days
- Athletics, Combined eventsThe decathlon (ten events over two days) and the heptathlon (seven)
- Cricket, ODI50 overs a side, over one day
- Cricket, TestUp to five days, at least 90 overs a day; each side bats twice
- Golf, Stroke playEvery stroke over the round counts; the lowest total wins
- Golf, Match playHole by hole against one opponent
- Modern pentathlonFive disciplines in one day: fencing, obstacle, swimming and the laser run
- Cricket, T202 hr 50 min · 20 overs a side; a T20 international is scheduled as two sessions of 1 hour 25 minutes
No set clockSets, games, frames, innings or ends decide how long it lasts
- ArcheryMatches of three-arrow sets, first to 6 set points; 20 seconds an arrow
- Badminton, SinglesBest of three games to 21 points; games go to 15 points from 4 January 2027
- Badminton, DoublesThe same scoring, two a side: men's, women's and mixed doubles
- Baseball and softball, BaseballNine innings; each side bats until three are out in every inning
- Baseball and softball, SoftballSeven innings
- BilliardsGames to a set number of points, or for a set time
- BocciaEnds played against each side's own clock, from 3 minutes 30 seconds to 7 minutes an end
- Contract bridgeDeals replayed at every table, so pairs are compared on the same cards
- DartsLegs from 501 down to zero, finishing on a double; matches are the best of a set number of legs or sets
- EsportsMatches of best of three or best of five games
- Lawn bowlsGames of a set number of ends or shots; in sets play, two sets of nine ends
- PadelSets to six games, tie-break at 6-6; scoring as in tennis
- Para archeryMatches of five sets or ends of three arrows
- Para badmintonBest of three games to 21 points, as in badminton
- Para table tennisMatches under the Laws of Table Tennis, in eleven sport classes
- PickleballGames won by rallies; the ball bounces once on each side before any volley
- PoolRacks of 8-ball or 9-ball; a match is played to the number of racks needed to win
- RacquetballGames to 11 points, won by two; matches are the best of five games
- Sepak takrawBest of three sets to 15 points, with a two-minute break between sets
- Sitting volleyballBest of five sets to 25 points; a fifth set to 15
- SnookerFrames of 15 reds and six colours; matches are the best of a set number of frames
- Soft tennisMatches of seven or nine games, the first to a majority winning
- SquashGames to 11 points; matches are the best of five games
- SumoBouts that often last seconds; out of the ring or touching the ground loses
- Table tennisGames to 11 points; matches are the best of a set odd number of games
- TennisSets to six games with a tie-break at 6-6; matches are the best of three or five sets
- Tug of warTeams of eight; a pull is won when the marker crosses the line
- Volleyball, IndoorBest of five sets to 25 points; a fifth set to 15
- Volleyball, BeachBest of three sets to 21 points; a third set to 15
- Wheelchair tennisTennis scoring, with the ball allowed two bounces
A thinking clock for each sideEach side has its own thinking time; a game can still be drawn
Rounds of attemptsThe best mark, lift, score or climb counts
- Athletics, Jumps and throwsThree trials each, then three more for the top eight
- Equestrian, JumpingOne round of numbered fences inside a time allowed; fewest penalties wins
- Para powerliftingThree attempts each at the bench press; the heaviest good lift counts
- Para shootingRifle, pistol and shotgun events under ISSF rules with para changes
- Shooting, RifleQualification, then a final in which the lowest score is knocked out shot by shot
- Shooting, PistolQualification and finals, as in rifle
- Shooting, TrapRounds of 25 clay targets
- Shooting, SkeetRounds of 25 clay targets
- Sport climbing, BoulderShort problems scored by tops and zones
- Sport climbing, LeadOne attempt up a high route; the highest hold reached counts
- WeightliftingThree attempts each in the snatch and in the clean and jerk; the best of each makes the total
RacesOver when the line is crossed
- Alpine and cross-country skiing, AlpineOne skier at a time down a course of gates; the fastest time wins, two runs added in two-run events
- Alpine and cross-country skiing, Cross-countryRaces over a set distance, some one skier at a time against the clock, others with everyone starting together
- Aquatics, SwimmingRaces decided by the touch, timed to a hundredth of a second
- Aquatics, Marathon swimmingOpen-water races, 10 km at the Olympics
- Athletics, SprintsRaces on the track from 100 m to 400 m
- Athletics, Middle and long distanceTrack races from 800 m to 10,000 m
- Athletics, HurdlesRaces over barriers, 100 m (women), 110 m (men) and 400 m
- Athletics, RelaysTeams of four, 4 × 100 m and 4 × 400 m
- Athletics, Road running and race walkingRoad races up to the marathon; walks on the road
- BiathlonSkiing with stops at a range to shoot five targets; each miss costs a penalty loop or a minute
- Bobsleigh, luge and skeleton, BobsleighTwo or four timed heats; the lowest total time wins
- Bobsleigh, luge and skeleton, LugeTimed runs to a thousandth of a second; the lowest total wins
- Bobsleigh, luge and skeleton, SkeletonTimed runs, head first; the lowest total wins
- Canoe, SprintStraight races over 200, 500, 1000 and 5000 metres on flat water
- Canoe, SlalomOne timed run through the gates; penalty seconds are added
- Cycling, RoadOne-day races of 250 to 280 km for elite men at the Olympics and world championships; stage races over many days
- Cycling, TrackShort races on a banked track, from the sprint to the points race
- Cycling, Mountain bikeCross-country races planned to last 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes at the top level
- Cycling, BMX racingUp to eight riders, one lap of a dirt track, in short heats
- Dragon boatStraight races in lanes for crews of up to 20 paddlers
- MotorsportA Formula 1 race is a little over 305 km, with a two-hour limit
- Para alpine skiingTimed runs, factored by class; the lowest factored time wins
- Para athleticsTrack and field events by sport class
- Para biathlonSkiing with stops to shoot an air rifle at five targets 10 m away
- Para canoeSprints of 200 m
- Para cross-country skiingRaces with times calculated by class percentage
- Para cyclingRoad and track races by sport class
- Para rowingRaces over 2000 m
- Para snowboardSnowboard cross, banked slalom and giant slalom
- Para swimmingRaces by sport class, as in swimming
- Para triathlonSprint distance, with a two-hour limit at major events
- Roller sports, SpeedShort races from 100 m to 1,000 m, and longer races on track and road
- RowingUp to six crews side by side over 2,000 metres
- SailingA series of races, each scored by finishing place; the lowest total wins
- Ski mountaineeringRaces uphill and down, with transitions from skins to skis
- Speed skating, Long trackRaces in pairs on a 400 m oval, against the clock
- Speed skating, Short trackPacks of four to seven on a 111.12 m oval; places count, not times
- Sport climbing, SpeedTwo climbers race side by side up identical routes; the first to the top wins
- TriathlonStandard distance: 1500 m swim, 40 km bike, 10 km run; the sprint distance is half that
Judged performancesScored by judges, routine by routine
- Aquatics, DivingRounds of dives; the top 18 reach the semi-final and the top 12 the final
- Aquatics, Artistic swimmingRoutines of 2 minutes (solo technical) to 3 minutes 30 seconds (team free)
- BreakingBattles of rounds, each set at most 60 seconds
- Cycling, BMX freestyleJudged runs in the park or on the flat
- Equestrian, DressageA set test ridden alone, marked out of ten for each movement
- Equestrian, EventingDressage, cross-country and jumping by the same horse and rider
- Figure skatingA short program of 2 minutes 40 seconds and a free skate of 4 minutes (seniors)
- Gymnastics, ArtisticShort routines on each apparatus, scored for difficulty and execution
- Gymnastics, RhythmicRoutines with an apparatus, alone or in groups
- Gymnastics, TrampolineRoutines of ten skills, scored for difficulty, execution and time of flight
- Ju-jitsu, DuoPairs perform set attacks and defences for judges
- KalaripayattuPerformance events at the school games
- Karate, KataOne set form performed for judges
- MallakhambSets on a pole or a rope, each scored out of 10
- Para dance sportFreestyle programmes of 1 minute 30 seconds to 3 minutes
- Para equestrianA dressage test ridden alone, by grade
- Roller sports, ArtisticA short program of 2 minutes 45 seconds and a long program of 4 minutes
- SilambamStick fights scored by five judges
- SkateboardingRuns and tricks scored by judges, usually in three rounds
- Ski jumping and Nordic combinedTwo scored rounds of jumps, for distance and style
- Snowboard and freestyle skiingJudged runs in park and pipe; races in snowboard cross and ski cross
- SurfingHeats in which each surfer's best waves are scored
- Taekwondo, PoomsaeSet forms performed for judges
- Wushu, TaoluRoutines performed for judges, within time limits
- YogasanaRounds of seven asanas, with 60 seconds to move between them
Each sport's next big event in the coming twelve months, from the dates on the tournament pages.
- WrestlingWorld Wrestling Championships: Astana 2026, 24 October to 1 November
- ChessWorld Chess Championship: Geneva, November to December 2026: Gukesh against Javokhir Sindarov (Uzbekistan), the 2026 Candidates winner
- Ice hockeyIIHF Women's World Championship: Herning and Esbjerg 2026; 6 to 16 November 2026, so it is also held in an Olympic year; Quebec City 2027
- TennisATP Finals and WTA Finals: ATP Finals: Turin, 15 to 22 November 2026. WTA Finals: Indian Wells Tennis Garden, United States, 8 to 15 November 2026
- BreakingRed Bull BC One World Final: Toronto, 29 November 2026
- Field hockeyFIH Hockey Pro League: 2026-27, from 8 December 2026 in Argentina
- SurfingWorld Surf League Championship Tour: The 2026 title, decided at the Pipe Masters, from 8 December 2026
- HandballIHF World Handball Championship (men and women): Men: Germany, 13 to 31 January 2027. Women: Hungary, 30 November to 19 December 2027
- Alpine and cross-country skiingFIS Alpine World Ski Championships: Crans-Montana 2027, 1 to 14 February
- BiathlonIBU World Championships: Otepää 2027, 9 to 21 February
- BadmintonAll England Open: Birmingham, March 2027
- SquashPSA World Squash Championships: London, 27 March to 4 April 2027
- SnookerWorld Snooker Championship: Sheffield, April to May 2027
- AthleticsDiamond League: 2027 season, 7 May to 26 August, 15 meetings; Final in Zurich, 25 and 26 August
- JudoWorld Judo Championships: Astana 2027, 7 to 14 June
- FootballFIFA Women's World Cup: Brazil 2027: FIFA's schedule runs from 24 June, with the final at the Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, on 25 July 2027
- AquaticsSwimming at the World Aquatics Championships: Budapest 2027, 26 June to 18 July; Beijing 2029
- CyclingTour de France: 2027, starting from Edinburgh on 2 July
- FencingWorld Fencing Championships: Tashkent 2027, 20 to 28 July
- Sport climbingIFSC Climbing World Championships: Brno 2027, 13 to 21 August
- RowingWorld Rowing Championships: Lucerne 2027, 23 to 29 August
- GolfRyder Cup and Solheim Cup: Ryder Cup: Adare Manor, County Limerick, Ireland, 17 to 19 September 2027. Solheim Cup: Valhalla Golf Club, Louisville, Kentucky, 4 to 10 September 2028
- CanoeICF Canoe Slalom World Championships: La Seu d'Urgell 2027, 30 September to 3 October