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Where To Watch & Play Sports In Miami

By Matthew Meltzer - January 13, 2026

With four professional teams plus Formula 1 racing, professional tennis and NASCAR, in addition to Division I college sports teams, Miami is an exciting city for sports. But sports in Miami isn’t just about being a spectator. It’s also about getting out and playing. Take a look at all the places around Greater Miami & Miami Beach where you can watch and play sports.

Friends at a Miami Heat game
Experience a Miami HEAT basketball game at the Kaseya Center

Basketball

Catch a pro game: Miami is home to one of the NBA’s most successful franchises, the Miami HEAT. The HEAT have won three NBA titles and seven Eastern Conference championships since 2006. The team plays its home games at the Kaseya Center in Downtown Miami, just a few blocks from the Metromover’s Freedom Tower station and Bayside Marketplace.

Play for fun: Pick-up basketball courts abound in Miami. Most parks will have a game you can join. Some of the more notable courts include:

At the JW Marriott Marquis Miami in Downtown Miami, hotel guests can play at its exclusive JW Arena, an indoor basketball court that feels more like a small high school gym.

Field at the Hard Rock Stadium
Watch football under an open-air canopy at Hard Rock Stadium

Football

Catch a pro game: The Miami Dolphins are Miami’s oldest professional sports team, beginning as part of the old American Football League in 1966. The team has won two Super Bowls and is the only NFL franchise to go undefeated in the regular season and playoffs, going 17-0 in 1972.

The Dolphins play at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, a modern facility that features an overhang to protect fans from the elements.

Play for fun: Flag football has become one of the most popular recreational sports in the area.

Fans at a Marlins game
Catch the Marlins at loanDepot park

Baseball

Catch a pro game: The two-time World Series Champion Miami Marlins play at loanDepot park, an air-conditioned, retractable roof stadium, in Little Havana from late-March until October. Baseball’s biggest stars come to Miami, and tickets are among the most affordable in Major League Baseball.

And in March 2026, the World Baseball Classic, featuring international teams from all over the world, will come to Miami for several group round games at loanDepot park plus quarterfinal and semifinal games and the championship.

Play for fun: Miami has several facilities with batting cages.

Soccer Ball
Experience MLS and World Cup thrills in Miami

Soccer

Catch a pro game: Since the arrival of Lionel Messi, Inter Miami CF has become one of the most high-profile soccer clubs in the world and the biggest draw in Major League Soccer (MLS). In 2026, the 2025 MLS Cup champions begin their inaugural season at Miami Freedom Park, near Miami International Airport, easily accessible from the Metrorail’s airport stop.

For something that’s budget- and family-friendly, check out Miami FC, which plays in the USL Championship League, essentially a level below MLS. Matches are played at Pitbull Stadium on campus at Florida International University.

Miami will host seven FIFA World Cup 26™ games – four group stage matches, a round of 32 game, a quarterfinal and the Bronze Medal game – at Hard Rock Stadium in June and July 2026.

Play for fun: Finding a soccer game in Miami is easy, as the destination’s diverse international population loves playing the beautiful game. One of the more unique spots to play sits in the shadows of the high-rises at Brickell Soccer and Padel in Brickell. The short pitch has games until late almost every night.

Other public parks with fields include:

Fans at a Marlins game
Watch the two-time Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena

Ice Hockey

Catch a pro game: The area’s most successful professional sports team this decade has been the Florida Panthers, two-time defending Stanley Cup champions and winners of the NHL’s Eastern Conference for the past three seasons. The Panthers play at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, about 40 miles northwest of Downtown Miami.

Play for fun: Miami is home to several rinks where you can lace up some skates and find a hockey game that's your speed. 

  • The Scott Rakow Youth Center in Mid Beach also offers skating lessons.
  • Miami Ice Arena in Kendall has regular games and adult and youth hockey leagues, and is home to the Miami Toros Travel Team.
Cars racing at Homestead-Miami Speedway
Feel the rush at Homestead-Miami Speedway

Auto Racing

Catch a pro race: Miami is home to two of the biggest races in motorsports: the Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix and the NASCAR Championship Weekend. The F1 race is a grand, weekend-long event with parties and qualifying races leading up to race day at Hard Rock Stadium. The stadium grounds are transformed into a 3.36-mile, 19-turn circuit where drivers reach nearly 200 miles an hour.

NASCAR Championship Weekend takes place on the oval at Homestead Miami Speedway in Homestead and draws race fans from across North America.

Drive for fun: Get behind the wheel and try it out for yourself:

  • K1 Speed in Medley lets you race electric go-karts on an indoor racetrack.
  • Xtreme Xperience at Homestead-Miami Speedway combines instruction and a luxury race car for the ultimate adrenaline rush.
  • Fast Lane Friday at Homestead-Miami Speedway is a legal drag racing event on select Fridays.

Jai Alai

Catch a pro game: Jai alai is a high-speed Basque ball game played in a walled-in space called a fronton. Dubbed "the fastest ball game on earth," it's played with a hand-held wicker basket-like glove called a cesta. Jai alai debuted in Hialeah in 1924 and later moved to its current location at Casino Miami near Miami International Airport.

In Miami, the Battle Court Jai-Alai League typically runs in fall and spring seasons, with the spring 2026 season debuting at the JAM Arena at Casino Miami on February 9, 2026. The World Jai-Alai League, which also governs the Battle Court League, typically operates on a schedule with matches often on Friday nights.

Play for fun: Jai alai is a rather niche sport, but if you'd like to learn, check out the North Miami Amateur Jai Alai group. Its own fronton, located at 1935 NE 250th Street in North Miami, hosts individual and group lessons. Join the Facebook group to connect with other enthusiasts, or call (954) 703-9025 for more information.

College Sports

University of Miami

The University of Miami Hurricanes are among the top college sports programs in the nation, with five national championships in football, four in baseball, and countless titles in individual sports. From late August to late November, the Hurricanes’ football team takes over Hard Rock Stadium on select Saturdays, creating one of the loudest atmospheres in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

During the winter, you can catch men’s basketball and women’s basketball at the Watsco Center on-campus in Coral Gables. And during the spring, UM baseball at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field is an idyllic community event that feels like a throwback to the roots of the game.

Florida International University

Out west in Sweetwater, Florida International University also competes in Division I sports as part of Conference USA. During the fall, you can catch home football games at Pitbull Stadium on-campus, with winter basketball and spring baseball at campus facilities as well.

Several other colleges and universities in Miami-Dade field sports teams as well, including:

Annual Sporting Events

Miami is also home to top-tier sporting events. Some of the most notable: