The best multiplayer sports games on PS5 right now are EA Sports FC 26 for football, NBA 2K26 for basketball and Rocket League if you want to pay nothing. Most standard editions cost $69.99, and you need PlayStation Plus for almost all online play. Prices and features below were checked in November 2026.
PS5 multiplayer sports games at a glance
| Game | Sport | Price (US, Nov 2026) | Online play |
| EA Sports FC 26 | Football | $69.99 | PS Plus required |
| NBA 2K26 | Basketball | $69.99 | PS Plus required; PS5 and Xbox crossplay in some modes |
| Madden NFL 26 | American football | $69.99 | Crossplay with Xbox and PC, on by default |
| NHL 26 | Ice hockey | $69.99 | PS5 and Xbox crossplay in World of CHEL and HUT |
| MLB The Show 26 | Baseball | $69.99 | PS Plus required, up to 8 players |
| WWE 2K26 | Wrestling | $69.99 | PS5 and Xbox crossplay online |
| F1 25 | Racing | Base game; 2026 Season Pack $29.99 | Crossplay with Xbox and PC |
| Gran Turismo 7 | Racing | $69.99 | PS Plus required for Sport mode |
| PGA Tour 2K25 | Golf | $39.99 | Online societies and multiplayer |
| Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 | Skateboarding | About $26 at retailers | Online (PS Plus) and 2-player split-screen |
| Rocket League | Car soccer | Free | No PS Plus needed, crossplay on |
Last checked: November 2026. We replaced the older FC 25, NBA 2K25, Madden NFL 25, NHL 25, MLB The Show 25, WWE 2K25 and F1 24 entries with this year’s editions, and removed EA Sports WRC because we could not re-check it.
PlayStation Plus, crossplay and couch play
PlayStation’s store pages for FC 26, NBA 2K26 and MLB The Show 26 all list PS Plus as required for online play. Rocket League is the exception: it is free to play online on PS5 without a subscription and has crossplay switched on by default. Gran Turismo 7 needs an internet connection for most features, but only its Sport mode races and lobbies require PS Plus.
For the sofa, THPS 1 + 2 supports two-player local split-screen. FC 26 and NBA 2K26 list 1 to 4 players on their PlayStation pages.
Best for football: EA Sports FC 26
FC 26 launched on September 26, 2025 at $69.99. It has two gameplay presets: Competitive, tuned for FUT and Clubs, and Authentic, tuned for Career. Clubs adds Archetypes and FUT, the card-collecting mode, has new Live Events and Tournament modes, with refreshed Rivals and Champs. EA lists 20,000+ players across 750+ clubs and national teams. Read the PlayStation page for FC 26 for the full list.
Best for basketball: NBA 2K26
NBA 2K26 came out on September 5, 2025 at $69.99. For the first time, MyTEAM mixes NBA and WNBA player cards. MyPLAYER, MyNBA, The City and The W are all in, and the PS5 version is PS5 Pro tuned. Play Now, MyNBA and The W work offline. Everything else needs an internet connection. Details sit on the NBA 2K26 PlayStation page.
Best for gridiron fans: Madden NFL 26
Madden NFL 26 launched worldwide on August 14, 2025 at $69.99. EA says crossplay on PS5 is enabled by default and covers Head-to-Head, Franchise, the Madden card mode (MUT), Superstar KO and Superstar Showdown with Xbox Series X|S and PC players. You can switch it off in settings. See the Madden NFL 26 FAQ.
Best for hockey: NHL 26
NHL 26 released on September 12, 2025 at $69.99. World of CHEL and HUT, the card mode, have crossplay between PS5 and Xbox Series X|S at launch, including cross-console invites in World of CHEL. It is the right pick if your group plays hockey in arcade-style matches.
Best for baseball: MLB The Show 26
MLB The Show 26 arrived on March 17, 2026. Diamond Dynasty adds World Baseball Classic Mini Seasons, a Red Diamond rarity tier, and a revamped Parallel XP system. Road to the Show now starts in high school and college, and Franchise gets a new Trade Hub. Online play supports up to 8 players with PS Plus. The PlayStation page has the rest.
Best for wrestling fans: WWE 2K26
WWE 2K26 released on March 13, 2026 at $69.99. MyGM runs 50-week seasons with roster drafts, trades and power cards, and online modes have crossplay between PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. PC players are on a separate pool.
Best for racing sims: Gran Turismo 7 and F1 25
Gran Turismo 7 is $69.99 on the US PlayStation Store. It is the pick for car culture and online Sport mode races, and it works with PlayStation VR2. F1 25 is the current Formula 1 game. The 2026 Season Pack came out on June 3, 2026 at $29.99 and needs F1 25 to run, and F1 25 supports crossplay with Xbox and PC online.
Best for golf: PGA Tour 2K25
PGA Tour 2K25 is the latest 2K golf game. It now sells for around $39.99 and keeps MyCAREER, Course Designer and online societies. There is no PGA Tour 2K26 released as of our check.
Best for split-screen play: THPS 1 + 2
THPS 1 + 2 is the cheapest paid game here, at about $26 from retailers. It supports local two-player split-screen and online play for up to eight players with PS Plus.
Best for a free game: Rocket League
Rocket League costs nothing, and the online modes work without PS Plus. Crossplay with PC, Xbox and Switch is on by default, and you can turn it off under Settings, Gameplay, Cross-Platform Play. It suits mixed groups of friends better than any other game on this list.
How to choose
Pick the sport your group already watches. If you play with friends on Xbox or PC, favour Madden NFL 26, F1 25 or Rocket League for crossplay. If you want one game to play on the same sofa, THPS 1 + 2 and NBA 2K26 take up to 2 and 4 local players. Annual releases drop in price a year later, so last year’s FC, NBA or Madden can be cheap, but the online player base moves on.
Your setup matters in online games. A wired connection and a good gaming router cut lag. A 4K TV for gaming with HDMI 2.1 handles 120Hz modes, and our HDMI, DisplayPort and USB-C comparison explains the cables. If you play at a desk, see the budget 144Hz gaming monitors, a wireless gaming headset for party chat and a gaming chair for long sessions.
How we researched this
We checked each game’s PlayStation Store page, the publisher’s official page or FAQ, and the maker’s release information in November 2026. We did not hands-on test the games. Prices are US dollars and change with sales and regional pricing.
FAQs
Do I need PlayStation Plus for online sports games on PS5?
Yes for most paid games. PlayStation lists PS Plus as required for online play in FC 26, NBA 2K26 and MLB The Show 26. Rocket League is free to play online without it, and Gran Turismo 7 needs it only for Sport mode.
Which PS5 sports games support crossplay with Xbox or PC?
Madden NFL 26 and F1 25 support crossplay with Xbox and PC. NHL 26, NBA 2K26 and WWE 2K26 cover PS5 and Xbox Series X|S in some online modes. Rocket League supports PC, Xbox and Switch as well.
Which PS5 sports games have local split-screen?
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 has two-player local split-screen. FC 26 and NBA 2K26 list up to four players on their PlayStation pages. Check the individual mode, because some online-first modes need separate accounts.
Which game should a newcomer start with?
Rocket League is the easiest start because it is free and quick to learn. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 is the easiest paid pick. Gran Turismo 7 also has driving assists that help beginners.
