If you conduct a survey of 10 people and ask them what the most popular forms of entertainment are, the maximum votes will likely go to movies and sports.

This probably explains why sports documentaries are so popular as they offer the best of both worlds.

But what makes sports documentaries so special? Especially when compared to biopics and other forms of adaptations?

Well, documentaries help viewers connect better with the sport in question since they use real-life footage. 

Every time new sports documentaries are announced, be it on streaming platforms like Netflix or Amazon Prime Video or for theatrical release, both sports and movie fans get excited.

In this article, we shortlist some of the best sports documentaries that deserve a place in every fan's 2025 watchlist.

Federer: Twelve Final Days | Amazon Prime 

Federer: Twelve Final Days tracks the last 12 days of Roger Federer's professional career. 

Holding the No. 1 spot in men's singles ATP ranking is no small feat and Federer held it for 310 weeks. 

And so, it is not surprising that even people who don't follow tennis have heard about this legendary tennis player.

People are used to Federer's calm energy and charismatic poise on the court, but in this documentary by Asif Kapadia and Joe Sabia, they get to see a different side of him - funny, grounded, and kind-hearted. 

Tennis fans should especially look forward to the scenes from his final match at the Laver Cup that shed light on his endearing camaraderie with his longtime rival, Rafael Nadal.

Simone Biles Rising | Netflix 

You won’t want to miss this intimate documentary about Simone Biles’ journey to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

The four-episode series goes behind the scenes as Biles, who withdrew from events at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo amid struggles with her mental health, returns to gymnastics and prepares to resume her position at the top of the sport. 

In the Arena: Serena Williams | ESPN+

Even though this was not the first time that sports fans were treated to a film on the life of Serena Williams, the legendary American tennis player has been the subject of several films and docuseries including Venus and Serena (2012), Serena: The Other Side of Greatness (2016), Being Serena (2018), King Richard (2021).

The Gotham Chopra-directed documentary, which is part of ESPN’s 30 for 30 series, looks quite promising, earning a spot on our list of sports documentaries to keep an eye on.

Quad Gods | HBO, Jio Cinema

In this 2024 movie by Jess Jacklin, the focus is on a group of New Yorkers with quadriplegia who form a connection when they meet at a neuro-rehabilitation lab at Mount Sinai Hospital.

They eventually ended up forming the world's first all-quadriplegic eSports team.

The growing friendship between the members and the way they lift each other up is heartening to watch.

The fact that gaming is not just something they do for fun, but it is part of who they are while also helping in their recovery journey, makes it that much more inspiring.

Sprint | Netflix 

Directed by Phil Turner, the 10-part documentary encapsulated the journey of some of the best sprinters in the world from the World Championships 2023 to weeks before the Paris Olympics 2024. 

It featured runners such as Sha’Carri Richardson, Noah Lyles and Shericka Jackson, among several others from the United States of America (USA), Jamaica, the United Kingdom (UK), Ivory Coast, Kenya and Italy.

Power of the Dream | Amazon Prime 

Power of the Dream by Dawn Porter reminds viewers that no athlete can thrive in isolation. 

Their circumstances often influence the athletes and their game, leading many to want to contribute to society. 

The players of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) understand this well.

This documentary showcases how the WNBA has risen up, time and again, to speak up about issues that matter, including LGBTQIA+ rights, #BlackLivesMatter and more. 

In fact, their collective power brought about political change when they decided to stand against former team owner Kelly Loeffler who engaged in a campaign undermining the players.

The Final: Attack on Wembley | Netflix

Out of all the sports documentaries on this list, The Final: Attack on Wembley might be the most chaotic and disturbing one. 

Robert Miller and Kwabena Oppong have directed the film, which portrays the events of July 11, 2021, the day of the Euro 2020 Final between England and Italy.

As it was England's first major final since 1966, thousands of supporters arrived at the venue to see the football match. 

However, many of them didn't have tickets and tried to gain entry by force. The underprepared staff had a tough time keeping things under control and many people were injured as a result.

The Final: Attack on Wembley helps viewers understand the implications of hooliganism in the name of sports. 

It also attempts to explore how the mass frustration from the Covid-19 lockdowns played a role in fueling the violence.

Athletes of War | MUBI

Athletes of War by Gabriel Veras is a must-watch in 2025 because it is closely linked to the recently held Paris Olympics.

Told from the perspective of Ukrainian athletes, the documentary captures what it is like for them to train in the middle of an ongoing conflict that has led to so much death and destruction. 

They also voice their concerns about the IOC's decision to allow Russian athletes to participate and the possibility of facing them in competition.

This thought-provoking documentary celebrates the resilient Ukrainian athletes and their determination to send a message to people around the world through their actions.

The Ranji Trophy 2025–26 is set to begin on October 15 and run until February 28, bringing some important changes to India’s most prestigious domestic cricket tournament. This season, the BCCI has introduced a revamped promotion and relegation system, where only one team will move between the Elite and Plate groups, replacing the earlier system that promoted both Plate finalists.

A total of 38 teams will be participating, split across the Elite and Plate divisions, with a round-robin league phase followed by knockouts, leading up to the grand final on February 28, 2026. The top two teams from each Elite group will advance to the quarter-finals, resulting in an eight-team knockout stage.

Also Read: BCCI Domestic Season 2025-26: Key dates, fixtures and schedule

Meanwhile, the Plate category includes six teams in one group, also playing a round-robin format. The leading four Plate teams then move into their own knockout phase to decide the Plate champion and rankings.

The tournament will be split into two phases, first from mid-October to mid-November, and then resuming late January until the knockouts in February. In total, 138 matches will be played throughout the season.

Ranji Trophy 2025-26: Live streaming Details

The Ranji Trophy 2025-26 will be streamed LIVE on the JioHotstar app and website, accessible via OTTplay Premium. However, not all of the matches will be streamed.

JioHotstar is the main platform for streaming live Ranji Trophy matches this season. Over the past few years, it has emerged as a preferred destination for fans to follow India’s domestic cricket, thanks to its consistent coverage of tournaments.

The 10th match of the ICC Women's World Cup 2025 will be played between India Women and South Africa Women on Thursday, October 9th (Thursday), at the ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam.

India and South Africa are among the favourites to win the silverware this year. The Women in Blue had a brilliant start to their campaign with two successive wins against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, and are currently at the top of the points table with four points and a net run rate of +1.757. 

Proteas, on the other hand, had a disappointing start to their campaign with a crushing defeat to England before making a strong comeback against New Zealand.

Here is everything you need to know before the India Women vs South Africa Women match 10 in the ICC Women's World Cup 2025.

Also Read: Visakhapatnam cricket stadium to inaugurate Mithali Raj and Raavi Kalpana stands ahead of India-Australia Women's World Cup match

Match Details

• Match: India Women vs South Africa Women
• Tournament: ICC Women's World Cup 2025, Match 10
• Date: 9 October 2025
• Time: 3:00 PM IST
• Venue: Dr. YS Rajashekhara Reddy Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam

Streaming Details

The India Women vs South Africa Women, ICC Women's World Cup 2025 Match 10 will be broadcast live on Star Sports Network. On TV, fans can watch the match on Star Sports' separate channels, Star Sports 1/HD and Star Sports Hindi/HD, with commentary in Hindi and English.

The match can be streamed live online on JioHotstar app or website.

India Women vs South Africa Women: Head-to-head stats

Team India and South Africa have faced off 33 times in the history of Women’s ODIs. In those 33 outings, the Women in Blue emerged victorious on 20 occasions, while the Proteas won 12 matches, with one match ending in no result.

In the Women’s ODI World Cup, India and South Africa met thrice in 1997, 2017, and 2022, with the Proteas winning in the last two face-offs, while India won the inaugural 1997 encounter.

Pitch Report: Dr. YS Rajashekhara Reddy Stadium

Dr. YS Rajashekhara Reddy Stadium is a new venue and has hosted a few white-ball matches. The pitch here has been brilliant for batting, with not much help in it for the bowlers. In the few matches played here, it has seen high scores being made and chased.

The team winning the toss prefers to bat first at this ground. Out of 15 ODI matches played at this ground, the team batting won three times while chasing side came out victorious on 10 occasions.

Weather Report

The weather forecast in Vizag for Thursday shows heavy thunderstorms with 40 to 50 percent precipitation. The temperature will fluctuate between 28 and 31°C with average humidity around 85 percent and 6 km/h wind speed.

Possible Lineups

India Women: Pratika Rawal, Smriti Mandhana, Harleen Deol, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Shree Charani, Kranti Gaud, Renuka Singh Thakur.

South Africa Women: Laura Wolvaardt (c), Tazmin Brits, Sune Luus, Marizanne Kapp, Anneke Bosch, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Masabata Klaas, Ayabonga Khaka, Nonkululeko Mlaba.

Also Read: 5 Highest Totals in Women’s ODI Cricket History

India Women vs South Africa Women Match Prediction

India and South Africa are expected to put their best foot forward in the upcoming clash of the Women’s World Cup 2025, as both teams look to gain an advantage early in the tournament. Both teams are likely to rely on their key players to deliver, but the match could depend on how well the top and middle order batters handle pressure and the bowlers control the middle overs.

Given the head-to-head record in ODIs and the last five meetings between the two sides, India will start as favourites to continue their winning streak. However, South Africa are expected to put up a good fight and could spring a surprise if their key batters fire and their bowlers execute disciplined plans, especially in the powerplay and middle order.

India vs West Indies Test series is currently in progress, with India taking a 1-0 lead after the first match. In the opening match, West Indies won the toss and chose to bat first, but Team India's bowlers quickly put them on the back foot, dismissing the Caribbean side for just 162 runs in their first innings. India then took to the crease and declared at 448 for 5, securing a commanding first-innings lead of 286 runs. In their second innings, the West Indies struggled again and were bowled out for 146, handing India a comprehensive victory by an innings and 140 runs. 

The second and final Test will be held at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, starting on October 9th. Team India will aim to complete a series sweep, while the West Indies will look to level the contest.

Also Read: Result of every India vs Australia ODI series

So, before the second Test, let's take a look at the result of every India vs West Indies Test series.

India vs West Indies: Head-to-head stats in Tests

In recent years, India have the wood over West Indies as far as Test cricket is concerned. While West Indies dominated the rivalry in the 70s and 80s, India have reduced the gap with their own era of dominance. The Men in Blue haven’t lost a Test match to Wi in 23 years. India’s last Test defeat in the IND vs WI series came in May 2002. They have won the last 9 Test series in a row, without losing a single Test.

India vs West Indies: Last series result

In the ongoing two Test series, India wrapped up the first Test against West Indies by an innings and 140 runs on day three at the Narendra Modi Stadium on October 6, Saturday. The visitors had scored 162 runs in the first innings. In reply, India had declared its first innings at 448-5 with a lead of 286 runs.

West Indies performed even worse in their second innings being bowled out for 146 in 45.1 overs. Vice-captain Ravindra Jadeja, India's most valuable player in red ball cricket ran displayed his all-round credentials capping his unbeaten hundred with a four wicket haul (4 for 54).

Also Read: Cricket facts: Every ODI captain of India and their records (men’s)

India vs West Indies: Full Series Results

After a heated Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, which saw Australia regain the coveted trophy after almost a decade by beating India 3-1 in the five-match series, the Men in Blue are all set for another down-under tour against the Aussies, this time for a three-match ODI and a five-match T20 series. The series will kick off on Sunday, October 19, with the first ODI at Optus Stadium in Perth.

 Both teams have announced their squads for the ODIs, with India naming Shubman Gill as the new skipper of the format, replacing Rohit Sharma, who will now play as a batter. Australia’s regular ODI skipper Pat Cummins has also decided to sit out of the series to focus on the Ashes. Mitchell Marsh will lead Australia in the absence of Cummins.

Also Read: Cricket facts: Every ODI captain of India and their records (men’s)

So, before the India vs Australia series to begin, let's take a look at the result of every ODI series between India and Australia.

India vs Australia: Head-to-head stats in ODIs

Speaking of the history, Australia dominate the head-to-head record in ODIs with 84 victories in 152 ODI matches. 58 games went in India’s favour while 10 clashes were washed out due to rain or other external factors. 

This record must give the Aussies a lot of confidence, but they must not forget India’s recent rise in ODI cricket. With both teams having services of world-class batsmen, fantastic bowlers and scintillating fielders, a great tussle is on the cards.

India vs Australia: Last series result

The last encounter between India and Australia in an ODI was during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final in Dubai.

Batting first, Australia were bowled out for 264 in 49.3 overs and India chased it down with 11 balls to spare. Besides Kohli’s 98-ball knock, Shreyas Iyer made 45 while KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya chipped in with 42 and 28 respectively in the first semifinal. Mohammed Shami (3/38) grabbed three wickets while Varun Chakravarthy and Ravindra Jadeja took two wickets apiece.

Also Read: ICC Rankings: Players who achieved No.1 rankings in all format

India vs Australia: Full Series Results

Two stands at the ACA-VDCA Visakhapatnam Cricket Stadium will be named after legendary Indian women cricketers Mithali Raj and Raavi Kalpana. The inauguration ceremony will coincide with the India-Australia Women's World Cup match on October 12th.

The ACA will inaugurate the Mithali Raj Stand and the Ravi Kalpana Stand on October 12, ahead of the India-Australia match, marking a first-of-its-kind tribute to women cricketers at the stadium.

Also Read: 5 Highest Totals in Women’s ODI Cricket History

Mandhana requested for the stands

The decision was taken following a request from India's star batsman Smriti Mandhana at the 'Breaking Boundaries' event in August 2025 with Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh.

Acting on Smriti Mandhana's appeal, Minister Nara Lokesh immediately consulted the Andhra Cricket Association. As a result, it has been decided to honour the great personalities of women's cricket by naming the stands after them at the Visakhapatnam Stadium.

Mr. Lokesh said, “Smriti Mandhana’s thoughtful suggestion captured a wider public sentiment. Translating that idea into immediate action reflects our collective commitment to gender parity and to acknowledging the trailblazers of women’s cricket.”

Speaking of the ongoing World Cup, India have made a perfect start to the tournament, having beaten Sri Lanka and Pakistan in their opening two games. Australia started the World Cup with a resounding 89-run win over New Zealand, but their match against Sri Lanka in Colombo was washed out without the toss.

Also Read: 5 Highest Scores by a Batter in ICC Women’s World Cup

Mithali Raj's career in WODI

Mithali Raj is a former India captain and one of the game’s most accomplished batters. She is a pathbreaking figure who broadened the horizons for women’s cricket nationwide. Mithali ended her career as the highest run-getter in Women's ODIs, with 7,805 runs at 50.68. No player in the history of women's cricket has ever scored 6,000. 

Ravi Kalpana is an Andhra-born wicketkeeper-batter whose rise from the state system to the India side has galvanised local talent and strengthened the pathway for girls in cricket.