Our team compiled the best Disney sports movies on Disney Plus and here is what they came up with
Disney Plus has a little bit of everything that it might surprise of how extensive their catalog extends. Beyond the animated musicals for the kids and comic book movies for the thrill-seekers, there are plenty of sports movies. So when the football games over and your family is still enticed to see some sports on the TV, try out some of these best Disney sports movies streaming on Disney Plus.
Here are the 12 best Disney sports movies on Disney Plus to check out on the streaming service.
1. Best Disney sports movies – The Mighty Ducks
Based on the hockey team, The Mighty Ducks is one of Disney’s more classic comedies about a misfit sports team. Lawyer Gordon Bombay finds himself going from the courtroom to the locker room when he’s tasked with the community service of coaching a Pee-Wee hockey. Though dreading this task, Gordon soon comes to terms with his past as he helps build up the confidence of the kids who rise to the ranks of hockey players. Directed by Stephen Herek (Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead), this chipper sports comedy fit for the family stars Emilio Estevez, Joss Ackland, and Lane Smith.
2. Miracle
The story of hockey coach Herb Brooks is portrayed with hope and spirit in the sports drama Miracle. He sets his sights on the Olympics and ends up coaching for the national team. Though the United States Olympic Committee is skeptical that he can pull it off, Brooks ultimately leads his men to victory during the 1980 Winter Olympics, dubbed the Miracle on Ice for going against the Soviets. This exciting hockey drama comes from director Gavin O’Connor (Pride and Glory) with a stellar cast that includes Kurt Russell, Patricia Clarkson, and Noah Emmerich.
3. Remember the Titans
Set in the early 1970s Virginia, football was everything for the town of Alexandria. High school football coach Herman Boone became one of the most notable coaches of that era for his tough stance. He also weathered the storm of integration in the south that brought about heavy racial tensions for that era. What followed was an inspiration and quintessential football movie for the moving direction by Boaz Yakin (Fresh) and a cast that included Denzel Washington, Will Patton, Donald Faison, and Nicole Ari Parker.
4. Rise
The Antetokounmpos find themselves struggling to integrate when making a move from Nigeria to Greece. With five children, it isn’t an easy transition for the married couple Charles and Vera. They soon emigrate to the United States, where the family’s brothers learn to become basketball greats in the NBA. Based on a true story, Rise showcases how basketball can bring a family together and help them reach their highest potential. The sports drama comes from director Akin Omotoso (Vaya) and stars the fresh young talents of Uche Agada, Ral Agada, and Jaden Osimuwa.
5. Cool Runnings
Okay, so you’ve probably noticed the many movies about hockey, football, and basketball. But what about bobsleighing? Disney also has a quirky sports comedy centered around the first Jamaica national bobsleigh team at the 1988 Winter Olympics. Though they weren’t strictly used to the sport, the team was led by a disgraced bobsleigh athlete trying to turn his life around by coaching this unorthodox team. While the film plays a bit fast and loose with the true story, it’s still a charming enough sports comedy by director Jon Turteltaub (3 Ninjas) with a cast that includes John Candy, Leon Robinson, Doug E. Doug, and Malik Yoba.
6. Rookie of the Year
For some kids, the ultimate sports wish is to play major league baseball. For Little League player Henry, that dream comes true when a freak accident makes his arm the fastest in the world in pitching. This leads to Henry playing a major role in the MLB and interacting with athletes who don’t quite know how to deal with a 12-year-old on the roster. Directed by Daniel Stern (yes, one of the Wet Bandits from Home Alone), this baseball comedy stars Thomas Ian Nicholas, Gary Busey, and Dan Hedaya.
7. The Big Green
Miss Anna finds herself going from England to Texas when taking on a new teaching position. The students don’t have much to look forward to in their dreary town. Their lives start to turn around when Anna introduces them to soccer and has the team assisted by the local Sheriff, Tom, as the assistant coach. Written and directed by Holly Goldberg Sloan (The Secret Life of Girls), this coming-of-age sports comedy stars Steve Guttenberg, Olivia d’Abo, and Jay O. Sanders.
8. Secretariat (2010)
Based on a true story documented in William Nack’s 1975 book, Secretariat tells the tale of an unlikely horse racer. The housewife and mother, Penny Chenery, takes control of her father’s farm despite knowing very little about running one. She soon enters the world of horse racing, a sport primarily dominated by men, ultimately leading to her being the Triple Crown winner in 1973. With exciting horse races, the film comes from director Randall Wallace (We Were Soldiers) and stars Diane Lane, John Malkovich, Dylan Walsh, James Cromwell, Kevin Connolly, and Scott Glenn.
9. The Greatest Game Ever Played
In the history of golf, one of the biggest surprises came during the 1913 US Open. The amateur golfer Francis Ouimet shocked the world by winning the competition usually dominated by the wealthy. A young Francis shows them all by defying the odds and becoming an expert golfer, featuring inspirational moments as the championship wages on. Based on a true story and the novel by Mark Frost, this golfing drama comes from director Bill Paxton (Frailty) and stars Shia LaBeouf, Stephen Dillane, Peter Firth, and Elias Koteas.
10. Best Disney Sports Movies – Invincible (2006)
Vince Papale was among the most legendary football players on the Philadelphia Eagles during the late 1970s. Aided by coach Dick Vermeil, Vince can accomplish his dreams of playing in the big leagues after being a teacher for so long. After tough training and even tougher games, Vince eventually leads the Eagles to a victory with a climax that culminates at Super Bowl XV. This true-story football drama comes from director Ericson Core (Togo) and stars Mark Wahlberg, Greg Kinnear, Elizabeth Banks, and Michael Rispoli.
11. Glory Road
Don Haskins is tasked with coaching the 1966 Texas Miners and goes significantly against the conservative community. Desiring to build his team based more on talent, Haskins’s lineup of black players proved to be strong players for the games. That said, the community isn’t happy with the coach’s choices as racial tensions bubble in this Texas town. What follows is one of the most inspiring stories about race relations amid basketball, leading up to the 1966 NCAA University Division Basketball Championship. The film comes from the director James Gartner and stars Josh Lucas, Derek Luke, and Jon Voight.
12. Safety (2020)
Ray McElrathbey was a university student and football player who fell in hard times. His mother was in rehab, and his little brother needed someone to take care of him. With a choice to keep his family together, Ray secretly keeps his brother in the dorms while maintaining his grades and sports. It’s not easy, but a little teamwork works wonders for this aspiring student who needs hope. It also helps that there’s a potential romance for him as well. Directed by Reginald Hudlin (Marshall), this inspiring and charming true story of a college football player stars Jay Reeves, Thaddeus J. Mixson, Corinne Foxx, Matthew Glave, and James Badge Dale.