Winter sports: 25 ice, snow and indoor sports to try

Winter sports fall into three groups: the snow and ice events you see at the Winter Olympics, team sports played on ice, and the indoor sports that take over when outdoor pitches close. Here are 25 of them, with a line on each and where to start.

Winter Olympic sports

The most recent Winter Olympics, held in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, in February 2026, featured eight sports split into many disciplines. Ski mountaineering was the newest addition.

Snow sports

1. Alpine skiing — racing downhill through gates: downhill, super-G, giant slalom and slalom.
2. Cross-country skiing — endurance racing over rolling terrain, classic or skate technique.
3. Ski jumping — launching off a ramp for distance and style.
4. Nordic combined — ski jumping plus cross-country skiing.
5. Freestyle skiing — moguls, aerials, slopestyle, halfpipe and ski cross.
6. Snowboarding — halfpipe, slopestyle, big air, snowboard cross and parallel giant slalom.
7. Biathlon — cross-country skiing combined with rifle shooting.
8. Ski mountaineering — climbing and descending a mountain course on skis. It debuted at Milano Cortina 2026.

Ice sports

1. Ice hockey — the most popular winter team sport, with six skaters a side.
2. Figure skating — singles, pairs and ice dance, judged on skill and artistry.
3. Speed skating — long-track racing on a 400 m oval.
4. Short track speed skating — pack racing on a 111 m track, with plenty of crashes.
5. Curling — sliding stones toward a target, with teammates sweeping the ice ahead.

Sliding sports

1. Bobsleigh — two- or four-person sleds down an ice track.
2. Luge — feet-first on a small sled, the fastest of the sliding sports.
3. Skeleton — head-first on a sled at well over 120 km/h.

Winter team sports you can join locally

You do not need an Olympic track to play a winter team sport. These are the ones most likely to have a club near you:

1. Ice hockey and beer-league hockey — adult recreational leagues exist wherever there is a rink.
2. Curling — clubs welcome beginners, and it is one of the most social winter sports.
3. Bandy — hockey's bigger cousin, played with a ball on a football-sized sheet of ice, popular in Sweden, Finland and Russia.
4. Broomball — hockey-style play in shoes, with brooms and a ball. A favorite for office and university leagues.
5. Ringette — a fast team sport on ice, popular in Canada and Finland.

Indoor sports for the winter months

When pitches freeze or close, many teams move indoors. These keep a team together until spring:

1. Futsal — five-a-side indoor football with a smaller, heavier ball.
2. Basketball — the classic indoor winter sport in schools and rec leagues.
3. Volleyball — indoor leagues run all winter, then many players move to the beach in summer.
4. Indoor climbing and bouldering — not a team sport, but popular for winter training.

Badminton, table tennis, handball and indoor netball are popular winter options too.

Organizing a winter team

Winter is the hardest season to run a team. Weather cancellations, holiday weeks and early darkness all mean more schedule changes and more "is it still on tonight?" messages.

A few habits help: confirm attendance before every session, post cancellations in one place, and split rink or court costs per session so nobody is out of pocket. TeamCheck does all three for hockey teams, futsal teams, basketball and volleyball. Players confirm with one tap, announcements stay pinned, and fees are tracked per player.

For more on planning the season, see how to make a team schedule.

Quick answers

What are the main winter sports? Skiing, snowboarding, ice hockey, figure skating, speed skating, curling, biathlon, bobsleigh, luge and skeleton.

How many sports are in the Winter Olympics? Eight at Milano Cortina 2026, split into many disciplines and over 100 medal events.

What is the most popular winter team sport? Ice hockey.