6 Best Underdog Sports Team Movies

By Vlad Zakh · April 21, 2026

Few cinematic formulas are as consistently satisfying as the against-all-odds underdog sports team defying expectations to achieve the impossible. In Hoosiers (1986): A small-town Indiana high school basketball team defies expectations under a controversial new coach. Worth seeking out is Remember the Titans (2000): A newly integrated Virginia high school football team overcomes racial tension to find unity and success.

Invictus (2009)

TMDB ★ 7.3

Nelson Mandela enlists South Africa's rugby captain to help unite the nation through the World Cup.

Directed by Clint Eastwood · 2h 14m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Miracle (2004)

TMDB ★ 7.6

The underdog 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team trains under a demanding coach to face the dominant Soviet squad.

Directed by Gavin O'Connor · 2h 15m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Stream: Disney Plus · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Remember the Titans (2000)

TMDB ★ 7.8

A newly integrated Virginia high school football team overcomes racial tension to find unity and success.

Directed by Boaz Yakin · 1h 53m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Stream: Disney Plus, Hulu · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Cool Runnings (1993)

TMDB ★ 6.9

A group of Jamaican sprinters forms an unlikely bobsled team to compete in the Winter Olympics.

Directed by Jon Turteltaub · 1h 38m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Stream: Disney Plus · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Rudy (1993)

TMDB ★ 7.5

An undersized, determined young man overcomes every obstacle to play football for Notre Dame.

Directed by David Anspaugh · 1h 54m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Stream: TNT, TBS, tru TV · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Hoosiers (1986)

TMDB ★ 7.9

A small-town Indiana high school basketball team defies expectations under a controversial new coach.

Directed by David Anspaugh · 1h 54m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix, built to fix a specific annoyance: most recommendation sites are just algorithm-driven noise. Our lists are researched and organized by who's in a film, where it's from, and the mood you're actually in tonight.

6 Best Underdog Sports Team Movies

Invictus (2009)

Miracle (2004)

Remember the Titans (2000)

Cool Runnings (1993)

Rudy (1993)

Hoosiers (1986)

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