The must-play sports games of 2025 shortlist sees some blockbuster names suffer defeat at the quarter-final stages. Football Manager 2026 made its long-awaited return, long considered one of the best football games of all-time, but endured a challenging launch, and therefore misses out here. Puck-pusher NHL 26 and race sim F1 26 were stellar, yet same-y. Madden 26 improved, but was outplayed by its collegiate sibling. EA FC 26 was much, much better than social media will have you believe – but has its spot among the elite stolen by a fresh-faced youth teamer called Rematch.
It's a list that evolved as the year went by, and not just based on release dates. Indeed, Rematch continues to reinvent itself on a foundational level even next to the best sports games that came before, with new keeper animations introduced as this feature was being written. At the other end of the table, WWE 2K25 looked like it was having the series' greatest year ever – but slid down the charts for reasons we're about to delve into. It's certainly been an eventful 12 months for a genre which was beginning to look stale, and you can relive it all with our look at the best sports games of 2025.
5. NBA 2K26
Developer: Visual Concepts
Platform(s): PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Switch, Switch 2
After some teething problems following the switch to current-gen, Visual Concepts' licensed baller is edging back towards the scintillating form of its heyday. It's looked uncannily lifelike for years; now the feel of the sim is on par with the visuals. Shooting is natural but challenging, while weighty collisions make defending a pleasure. Indeed, off-the-ball movement is the most important upgrade. Players handle with agility under your control, and (depending on their ratings!) make generally sensible decisions when AI-driven. Sling in all the required male and female pro teams, and 30 offseason scenarios for MyGM, and you'll never be court short. Until NBA 2K27, anyway.
4. Rematch
Developer: Sloclap
Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X
While FC 26 rightly scored more highly, Rematch hijacks its spot owing to a truly fresh approach to online soccer. Remember how Rocket League was football with cards? Rematch is Rocket League with, well, footballs. You customize an avatar – or buy real players, such as Ronaldinho – then jump into small-sided kickabouts. Options-wise it's a little bare bones, but out on the digital turf: oh yes. So addictive. Flying into tackles, making physics-defying saves, and unleashing missile-swift shots pulls you in for game after game until 2am. Then 3am. Then the realization that you need to go to work on two hours sleep. Or pull a sickie, and play Rematch…
3. WWE 2K25
Developer: Visual Concepts
Platform(s): PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Switch 2
Early in the year, this looked to be a contender for top spot. In the ring, WWE 2K25 is among the greatest wrestling games ever. Myriad match types, colossal back-and-forth action, and nuances such as switching up entrance cameras combine for a sumptuous package. But over the summer, 2K got carried away with MyFaction and its pull of extra dollars. We've had post-release price rises for packs, personas such as retro Drew McIntyre and Triple H locked behind near-impossible challenges, and the kiboshing of ways to earn MFP without spending money – such as the Rabblerouser badge being nerfed. Quite the heel turn, and therefore no title belt.
2. MLB The Show 25
Developer: San Diego Studio
Platform(s): PS5, Xbox Series X, Switch
Sony's immaculately presented bopper took an incremental approach to changes. Perhaps surprisingly, this turned out to be a masterstroke. Real-life rule tweaks such as shift violations and the pitch clock slid in as seamlessly a Jose Caballero base steal, while two-way players and the ability to cheat towards inside or outside pitches delivered both immersion and detail. Road To The Show also scored a new wrinkle, with a brief introductory period as a high school player – starting out your solo career as a true amateur. As ever, Franchise mode is more addictive than almost any other mode in sports gaming, too. But only almost…
1. College Football 26
Developer: EA Orlando
Platform(s): PS5, Xbox Series X
Here we go again. For the second straight year, EA's revitalized NCAA series claims top spot under its new, lawsuit-evading-and-handily-straightforward name. College's sophomore season brought an increasingly detailed, limitlessly addictive Dynasty mode – hence the 'almost' in MLB The Show 25's entry – where recruiting hooks you in completely, and season after season flies by. On the field it serves up even more mascots, even greater pageantry, even wilder trick plays, and an incredible array of real-life trophies too – all hosted in a glorious digital trophy cabinet. The best sports game going just raised the bar again. Good luck to its rivals in 2026.
The best games of 2025 speak to a solid year of gaming greatness. See how your favorites measure against ours!
