Sports in Indianapolis include major league franchises, collegiate athletics, and a variety of other club and individual sporting events that have taken place inIndianapolis, Indiana, United States. Indianapolis is the home to 11 professional sports teams. The city is also home to threeNational Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) collegiate teams. Two teams from themajor professional sports leagues, theIndianapolis Colts andIndiana Pacers, are located in Indianapolis. TheIndiana FeverWomen's National Basketball Association (WNBA) started play in 2000, and are under the same ownership as the Pacers.

A number ofminor league-level teams also play in the city. TheIndianapolis Indians are the second-oldestMinor League Baseball team, having played in the city since 1902, and are currently members of theTriple-AInternational League. TheIndianapolis AlleyCats were formed in 2012 as one of the founding teams of theAmerican Ultimate Disc League (AUDL). TheIndy Elevensoccer team began play in 2014 and are members of theUnited Soccer League (USL). The Pacers moved theirNBA G League affiliate fromFort Wayne to Indianapolis in 2023 as the Indiana Mad Ants, and moved the team after the 2024–25 season to the northeast suburb ofNoblesville as theNoblesville Boom.

Notably, Indianapolis is the headquarters of theNational Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the main governing body for U.S. collegiate sports, theNational Federation of State High School Associations, and theIndianapolis 500, one of three legs of theTriple Crown of Motorsport.

TheIndianapolis Colts are a professionalAmerican football team based in Indianapolis. The team is part of theSouth Division of theAmerican Football Conference (AFC) in theNational Football League (NFL). The Colts have won five NFL Championships, including twoSuper Bowl titles. The Colts relocated from Baltimore in 1984, and began their stay in Indianapolis winning 90 of 228 games through the 1997 season, including 5playoff games. SinceJim Irsay assumed control of the franchise in 1998 after the death of his fatherRobert Irsay, the team has become the first in league history to win 12 games or more in five consecutive seasons (2003–2007).^[1] After their first playoff berth in Indianapolis in 1987, they missed the playoffs 7 consecutive years. In 1995 the Colts made it to their 1stAFC Championship Game since relocating but lost to thePittsburgh Steelers on a last-second play. In 1998 GMBill Polian draftedPeyton Manning out ofTennessee helping to turn the franchise around. Since drafting Manning the Colts have made the playoffs in 10 of 12 years and wonSuper Bowl XLI against theChicago Bears in2006, 29–17.Lucas Oil Stadium opened before the2008 season, replacing theRCA Dome, as the new home of the Colts.

TheIndiana Pacers are a professionalbasketball team based in Indianapolis. The team is part of theCentral Division in theNational Basketball Association (NBA). The Pacers began play in theABA in 1967 and won 3 ABA Championships. In 1976, the Pacers received an invitation to join the National Basketball Association. In the1987 NBA draft, the Pacers selectedReggie Miller out ofUCLA. Miller helped the team to make theplayoffs 14 out of 17 seasons. To start the1998–99 NBA season they opened their new arena, Conseco Fieldhouse, nowGainbridge Fieldhouse, after playing atMarket Square Arena for 25 years. The Pacers reached their firstNBA Finals in that same season but lost to theLakers in 6 games. During the 2004–2005 season, thePacers–Pistons brawl took place inDetroit and the team has struggled with their off the court image with numerous incidents. Reggie Miller retired the same season. Since then, the Pacers missed the playoffs in 2007, the first time since 1997 and for only the second time in 22 years.

TheIndiana Fever are a professional women'sbasketball team based in Indianapolis. The team is part of theWomen's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The Fever were one of the 2000 expansion teams. The WNBA awarded Indianapolis a team with the opening of Conseco Fieldhouse, nowGainbridge Fieldhouse. The Fever won their 1st game inMiami, against theMiami Sol, on national TV but finished the 2000 season in last place at 9–23 and received the 3rd overall pick in the2001 WNBA draft. In the draft the Fever selectedTennessee superstarTamika Catchings, although she was forced to sit out the 2001 season with a knee injury. Catchings won the 2002WNBA Rookie of the Year and has led the Fever in points, rebounds, assists, and steals each season since. They first made the playoffs in 2002 but lost to theNew York Liberty in 3 games. Since 2005 the Fever have posted four 21+ win seasons and made it to the Eastern Conference Finals three times. They reached the WNBA Finals for the first time in2009, losing to thePhoenix Mercury three games to two. The Fever reached the WNBA Finals for the second time in2012, and the team defeated theMinnesota Lynx three games to one to win their first WNBA Title. After the team selected college basketball iconCaitlin Clark as thefirst overall draft pick in2024, the Fever set WNBA single-season records for per-game and total attendancethat season.

TheIndianapolis Indians are a minor leaguebaseball team based in Indianapolis. The team, which plays in theInternational League, is the AAA affiliate of thePittsburgh Pirates. The Indians play atVictory Field, located in downtown Indianapolis.

Founded in 1902, the Indianapolis Indians are the second-oldest minor league franchise in professional sports, behind only theRochester Red Wings.

In 1985, a group of local investors formed Indianapolis Baseball, Inc. to pursue aMajor League Baseball team. The announcement was met with great fanfare; 12,000 season tickets were sold in anticipation of the new team, to be named the Indianapolis Arrows. The initiative was ultimately unsuccessful and season ticket holders were refunded by the end of the year.^[2]

Indy Eleven is a second-tiersoccer team formed in 2013 and plays at theIU Michael A. Carroll Track & Soccer Stadium in Indianapolis. The team competed in theNorth American Soccer League from 2014 to 2017. They won their first honor during the2016 season, capturing the Spring Season Championship with an undefeated record. They almost were the NASL Champions, barely losing to theNew York Cosmos 4–2 in apenalty shoot-out (0–0 after 90 minutes) duringSoccer Bowl 2016. They made a bid in 2017 to join top-tierMajor League Soccer as a 2020 expansion team but were passed over at that time. In 2018, the Eleven joined theUSL Championship, the second highest division. They are expected to relocate toEleven Park in downtown Indianapolis upon completion of construction in 2025. However, in 2024, Indianapolis mayor Joe Hogsett met with MLS commissioner Don Garber to discuss MLS expansion and is planning to build a stadium in the location of the old Indianapolis Heliport. Because of this. Eleven Park construction has been put on hold.

Indy Eleven is a second-tiersoccer team formed in 2022 and plays atGrand Park in the Indianapolis suburb of Westfield. They won their first honor during the2023 season, capturing the USL W-League Championship. They are expected to relocate toEleven Park in downtown Indianapolis upon completion of construction in 2025. In conjunction with their relocation, they are expected to join the announcedUSL Super League, which is currently pursuing classification as a top-tier league. This would elevate the team to a major league team, if announced plans are followed.

TheIndy Fuel is a minor leagueice hockey team in theECHL, the third tier of professional hockey in North America. The franchise was founded in 2013 and has been affiliated with the NHL'sChicago Blackhawks since the Fuel's foundation. The team has played atIndiana Farmers Coliseum since their founding. They are expected to relocate to the Indianapolis suburb of Fishers in 2024, upon completion of construction of theFishers Event Center.

TheNoblesville Boom is a minor league basketball team in theNBA G League. The team was established in 2007 in the then NBA Development League (D-League), playing in theAllen County War Memorial Coliseum inFort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. They won a championship in the 2014 season. In 2015, theIndiana Pacers bought the team, and in 2023 they announced the team would relocate to Indianapolis as the Indiana Mad Ants. The Mad Ants initially planned to move fromGainbridge Fieldhouse to the suburb ofNoblesville in 2024–25, coupled with a rebranding. The new venue, eventually known asThe Arena at Innovation Mile, was delayed to 2025–26, with the rebranding as the Noblesville Boom taking place after the 2024–25 season.

It was announced in November 2023 that theIndoor Football League would expand with a team in Indianapolis. The team is expected to begin play in 2025, in conjunction with the completion of construction of theFishers Event Center.

It was announced in December 2023 that thePro Volleyball Federation would expand with a team in Indianapolis. The team is expected to begin play in 2025, in conjunction with the completion of construction of theFishers Event Center.

Indianapolis has three universities that field teams in the NCAA,Butler University (Butler Bulldogs) andIndiana University Indianapolis (IU Indy Jaguars) inDivision I and theUniversity of Indianapolis (Indianapolis Greyhounds) inDivision II. Butler is a member of theBig East Conference, IU Indy is a member of theHorizon League, and Indianapolis (or UIndy) is a member of theGreat Lakes Valley Conference. TheMarian University Knights compete in theNAIA.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway hosts one of the most famous and prestigious auto races in the world, theIndianapolis 500. It is the world's most attended single-day sporting event. Also during May before theIndianapolis 500 the Speedway also uses the road course to run theIndyCar Grand Prix. Both races are a part of theIndyCar Series. The Speedway also hosts NASCAR'sBrickyard 400. It has also previously hosted rounds on theFormula 1 andMoto GP calendars with,United States Grand Prix from 2000 to 2007, andRed Bull Indianapolis GP from 2008 to 2015 respectively.

Indianapolis is also the central base of several IndyCar racing teams, includingAndretti Global,Arrow McLaren,Chip Ganassi Racing,Ed Carpenter Racing,Dreyer & Reinbold Racing,Juncos Hollinger Racing, andRahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.

Indianapolis has gained a reputation within the last thirty years for being a strong city for hosting major sporting events. While racing has been a major focus of the city for more than one hundred years, different sports, such as swimming and basketball, have become major focal points of the Indianapolis sports hosting landscape.

Indianapolis has a special connection with college sports, as it is the headquarters of the NCAA and the home of the NCAA Hall of Fame. It has also hosted a wide variety of Division I NCAA national championship Events.

Indianapolis has hosted theMen's andWomen's NCAA Final Fours, as well as other rounds of theNCAA basketball tournament, several times. Currently, Indianapolis has hosted the second most Men's Final Fours hosted, with eight. Indianapolis is scheduled to host its ninth Final Four in 2026. Kansas City currently has the most with ten. Indianapolis is currently tied for hosting the most Women's Final Fours, with New Orleans and Tampa Bay.

Men's basketball

Women's basketball

Fencing

Rowing

Men's swimming and diving

TheIndiana University Natatorium has hosted 13 individualOlympic Trials. Eighteen individual swimming world records have been broken at the Natatorium, with swimmers such asMichael Phelps andRyan Lochte having made multiple appearances at the facility.^[3] Most recently, the Natatorium hosted the2017 NCAA Division I Men's Swimming and Diving Championships where several American and US Open records were broken.^[4]

Women's swimming and diving

Indoor track and field

Outdoor track and field

Women's volleyball

Men's water polo

Women's water polo

College Football Playoff

On November 1, 2017, it was announced that Indianapolis would host the 2022 College Football Playoff Championship Game at Lucas Oil Stadium, which will serve as the conclusion to the 2021 football season. This is the first time Indianapolis has hosted any iteration of the college football championship. It is also the first time that a college football national championship game will be held outside of the South or West.

Gainbridge Fieldhouse has hosted theBig Ten men's tournament 12 times through 2025, including five straight years from 2008 to 2012. The 2021 tournament was held at Lucas Oil Stadium. Indianapolis has also hosted theBig Ten women's tournament 21 times through 2025, all at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, including two long hosting stints from 2002 to 2012 and 2016 to 2022. Gainbridge Fieldhouse will host both tournaments in 2026.

Indianapolis became an irregular home of theHorizon League men's basketball tournament, as Butler commonly was the first overall seed, thus makingHinkle Fieldhouse a common host for the semifinals and finals. Starting in 2020,Corteva Coliseum became the contractual host of the semifinals and final of both the Horizon men's andwomen's tournaments.

In 2011, following the reorganization of the Big Ten Conference into two divisions and the creation of the Big Ten Football Championship Game, Indianapolis was selected to indefinitely host the event in Lucas Oil Stadium. The game is the culmination of the Big Ten football season, in which the East and West Division champions meet to determine who gets an automatic New Year's Six Bowl berth, typically being the Rose Bowl. However, due to the high level of play in the conference, a College Football Playoff berth is often on the line.

From 1988 to 2009, Indianapolis hosted a lower level tennis tournament, being classified as an ATP World Tour 250 series event. It was held at the now demolished Indianapolis Tennis Center, which was located on the campus of the formerIndiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI).^[a] Except for its first year, which featured clay courts, every edition of the tournament was played on hard court as an early lead-up event to the U.S. Open. Despite it being a lesser points event, it commonly attracted major players, such as Grand Slam championsBoris Becker,Patrick Rafter,John McEnroe,Andy Roddick, andPete Sampras. Pete Sampras won the event three times, which is the most of any men's single player.

Indianapolis has its original roots in hosting large events in the Indianapolis 500, held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Started in 1911, it quickly became among the most prestigious and famous races in the world. It remains the crown jewel of the IndyCar series. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway has since added several other events, including NASCAR's Brickyard 400, IndyCar's IndyCar Grand Prix, and the Red Bull Air Race of Indianapolis. The Lucas Oil Raceway, formerly O'Reilly Raceway Park, has also been home to various racing events, most notably the NHRA U.S. Nationals, widely considered the most prestigious drag racing event in the world.

Lucas Oil Stadium and the city of Indianapolis made a bid to hostSuper Bowl XLV in 2011 but lost toDallas andCowboys Stadium by only twoNFL Owner votes.^[5] However, the city made another bid to hostSuper Bowl XLVI and managed to beat outHouston, Texas andPhoenix for the rights to host the Super Bowl.^[6] Super Bowl XLVI is widely considered to have been hosted extremely well. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell suggested that Indianapolis may be a contender for future Super Bowls.

A few years after the Colts relocated and made Indianapolis its new home, their stadium was utilized for the NFL Combine, a week-long showcase for college football players hoping to get drafted into the NFL. From 1987 to 2008, the events were held as the RCA Dome. Starting in 2009, the NFL Combine moved to the new Lucas Oil Stadium. Coaches, general managers, and other front office management members from all 32 teams report to the city in February to assess young players. This is the largest single opportunity for the teams to evaluate potential draftees before the NFL Draft in April.

Indianapolis has hosted several all-star games of various leagues. They hosted the ABA all-star game twice, the NBA game twice, and the Triple-A all star game once. Indianapolis hosted the NBA All-Star Game in 2024.

In both the ABA and NBA, the championship series is hosted by the two teams that have advanced to the round, as opposed to the event being awarded prior to the teams being determined, like the Super Bowl. The Indiana Pacers have brought a championship series to Indianapolis multiple times in their history. While still playing in the ABA, from 1968 through 1976, Indianapolis were a partial host of the ABA Finals five times. The Pepsi Coliseum hosted the first four, in 1969, 1970, 1972, and 1973. Madison Square Garden was the Pacers' home for 1975, which would be their last appearance in the ABA Finals. Overall, Indianapolis hosted 13 ABA Finals games, more than any other city. Despite the high level of success of the Pacers during this era and the high number of games, the championship series never ended in Indianapolis, instead always being closed at the alternative team's arena. Following the absorption of the ABA into the more established NBA, the Pacers began competing for the NBA Championship. Indianapolis has only hosted one NBA Finals, in 2000. This time, the games were played in Conseco Fieldhouse, the new home of the Pacers. The city hosted games 3, 4, and 5, with the Pacers winning the first and last of those games while losing the middle. Fittingly, the series was closed out in the other city, Los Angeles.

In the same style as the NBA, the WNBA Finals are only hosted by Indianapolis when the local team, the Fever, make it to the championship round. This has occurred three times, in 2009, 2012, and 2015. The arena now known as Gainbridge Fieldhouse has been home to all of these events, hosting a total of six games. In each Finals, it hosted games 3 and 4. In 2012, the Fever won the championship in game 4 of the WNBA Finals, making it the first, and to date only, professional basketball championship to be clinched in Indianapolis.

Bold denotes a team that clinched the WNBA Championship with the conclusion of the game.

Indianapolis also hosted thePan American Games in1987. Over 4,000 athletes from 38 nations participated in 30 sports at these games.

Indianapolis hosted sixteen international basketball teams at the2002 FIBA World Championship, which went from August 29 to September 8, 2002. This was the fourteenth edition of the event. It was the first, and to date only, time that the United States has hosted the event. The tournament consisted of 62 games. 25 games were held in the RCA Dome, while Conseco Fieldhouse hosted 37 games, including the championship game. The tournament culminated with the now defunct Yugoslavia national team winning the title, their second consecutive. Dirk Nowitzki of the German team was named the tournament MVP. Ironically, the American team, led by head coach George Karl, had their worst showing at the FIBA World Championships, finishing with a 6–3 record and a sixth-place overall finish.

Indianapolis has played host to many major golf tournaments.Crooked Stick Golf Club, located in the Indianapolis suburb ofCarmel, Indiana, has hosted several events, most notably the1991 PGA Championship, as well as the1993 U.S. Women's Open,2005 Solheim Cup, 2009 U.S. Senior Open, and the 2012 and 2016BMW Championship. The Brickyard Crossing Course, partially contained within the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, hosted aPGA Tour event from 1960 to 1968, aChampions Tour event from 1994 to 2000, and anLPGA Tour event from 2017 to 2019. It also hosted one timeLPGA Tour event in 1968. In the northern suburb of Westfield, The Club at Chatham Hills has hosted the LIV Golf Indianapolis tournament since 2025, serving as the final individual event of the season.

Since 1977, Indianapolis has hosted a mini-marathon during the month of May, usually the first weekend of the month. It serves as a lead-up event for the Indianapolis 500. The event, currently called theOneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon, is the largest mini-marathon in America, and the seventh largest running event in the country. It is known for selling out the entire field on a regular basis, having sold out every spot since 2001. The 13.1 mile course starts in downtown Indianapolis, includes a lap around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and then ends with a return to downtown Indianapolis. Gary Romesser currently has the most wins at the event, having won the race in 1983, 1984, 1985, 1988, and 1991.

• TheIndianapolis Tornados are a Men's AAAminor league football team of thePremier Amateur Football League-Tier 1
• TheIndiana Speed are awomen's football team ofWomen's Football Alliance.
• TheF. C. Indiana (NPSL) are asoccer team of theNational Premier Soccer League.
• TheIndianapolis Braves are asoccer team of theNational Premier Soccer League.
• TheF. C. Indiana (WPSL) are asoccer team of theWPSL Elite League.
• TheIndianapolis Impalas are a Division 1rugby team ofUSA Rugby.
• TheIndy Eleven Women are asoccer team set to begin play in theUSL W League inaugural season.

TheIndiana Ice played in theUnited States Hockey League, an amateurjunior ice hockey league for players age 20 and younger. They played the majority of their home games at theFairgrounds Coliseum, located in theIndiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis before going dormant after the 2013–14 season. Some of its home games were also played at Conseco Fieldhouse. The president of the Ice isPaul Skjodt. The Ice filled ahockey void left by theIndianapolis Ice franchise that existed from 1988 to 2004 when they relocated to Topeka.

Cricket is a street-level sport among the South Asian communities that live inIndianapolis. Indianapolis mayorGreg Ballard identified the international appeal of cricket after his trip to South Africa, where he watched anIndian Premier League game that had been relocated to South Africa due to terrorist tensions in India during2009 season. He initiated construction of theIndianapolis World Sports Park and its cricket stadium to make the city a global venue for cricket games. Cricket is a popular sport among Indian and South Asian communities and Ballard said that the city has a large enough South Asian community to start a cricket village. The plans for the stadium were started in 2009. Indianapolis has one club, Cricket Club of Indianapolis, that is registered withUSACA. Multiple local amateur teams play withtennis balls in central Indiana, including ones inBloomington,Carmel,Columbus,Fishers,Fort Wayne,Kokomo,West Lafayette, and also downtown at theIUPUI campus. Indiana (Youth) cricket (INYCA) withUSYCA FREE cricket equipment and education program is expanding youth and school cricket in Indiana schools and colleges. Jatin Patel of USYCA and founder of the USA Center for Excellence in Cricket introduced the nation's first cricket coaching certification program for physical education teachers in Indiana schools during 2012. INYCA is targeting a future inter-school cricket tournament.^[7][8] TheIndianapolis World Sports Park cricket ground is the home of the ICC Americas Cricket Combine – team to play in the WICB's Nagico Super50 and2015 ICC Americas Twenty20 Division One.

Hurling is a summer sport played amongIrish communities in Indianapolis. Indianapolis Gaelic Athletic Association, formerly Indy Hurling Club, has been playing hurling in Indianapolis since 2002, and began competing on a national level in 2007.^[9] Indy GAA plays a summer co-ed hurling league, but also fields a team to compete in Gaelic Football and Camogie (female hurling) at the USGAA Championships every Labor Day weekend. Indy GAA has several national championships, and is sponsored by local businesses around the city.

Little League, founded in 1939 inWilliamsport, Pennsylvania, opened its Central Region Headquarters in Indianapolis in 1989. Since 2011, the Little League Central Region Headquarters has hosted tournaments for the 11–12 age group to determine the Central Region representatives for the Little League Baseball World Series in Williamsport and the Little League Softball World Series inPortland, Oregon. The Reuben F. Glick Little League Center is located on 9802 E. Little League Drive in Indianapolis and provides operation support to the 13 states located within the Central Region.^[10]

• Sports in Indiana
• List of baseball parks in Indianapolis

• Sports in Indianapolis

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