Sport

Sport at Cambridge

Cambridge offers a diverse range of competitive and recreational sporting opportunities to help you lead a healthy and active lifestyle alongside your academic studies. Whether you want to continue playing a sport you love or try something new, we have more than 80 sports clubs and societies, and the University and Colleges offer a variety of facilities and support services for everyone from beginners to elite athletes.

Among our 80 sports clubs and societies, you will find:

• Australian Rules Football
• Basketball
• Cheerleading
• Dancesport
• Football
• Handball
• Ice Hockey
• Judo
• Lacrosse
• Netball
• Orienteering
• Rowing
• Rugby Union
• Squash
• Table Tennis
• Taekwondo
• Ultimate Frisbee
• Volleyball

And much more! 

Sport for everyone

Regardless of which sport you want to play, there are plenty of ways to get involved, with many Cambridge teams competing at the highest levels of university competition. However, you could also get involved in the extensive range of sports available via inter-College competition, competing for your College team in fun, friendly and social competition. Regardless of which College you join, you’ll be able to take part in any inter-collegiate sports leagues.

You can try out to represent the University – over 50 clubs compete regularly against other universities, and local and national club sides. Many University teams compete in BUCS (British Universities & Colleges Sport) competitions throughout the season, giving them the opportunity to try their talents against the best teams from universities throughout the UK. Varsity matches, played against the University of Oxford across a range of sports, are a highlight of the season.

Staying active

In over half of the sports clubs at Cambridge, you can join as a total beginner, and take on new activities when arriving at University. From martial arts, to archery, sailing, gliding, mixed lacrosse, korfball and more!

You don’t have to get involved in team sports to stay active while you’re here at Cambridge. University Sport offers beginner’s strength and conditioning, personal fitness programmes, and a wide range of group fitness classes.

Facilities

The University’s sport facilities are based at three sites around the city. Colleges also provide facilities for some team sports and games such as tennis and rowing, and many have their own gym and sports facilities too.

Sports Centre, West Cambridge Site:

• Gym (including flexible student gym memberships and personal training
• Strength and conditioning room
• Sports hall
• Studios
• Team training room
• Squash courts
• Physiotherapy and sports injury clinic
• Group fitness classes

Wilberforce Road Sports Ground:

• Athletics facilities, including an eight-lane track and all associated field events
• Three sand-dressed hockey pitches

Fenner’s Cricket and Tennis Ground:

• Cricket pitch and indoor cricket school
• Three hard and eight grass tennis courts

Financial support

Some financial support is available for students studying at the University who play competitive sport at a high level or wish to progress within coaching or officiating. For further details see the Sports Service website.

Find out more about University Sport

Visit the Sports Fair at the beginning of your first term to meet the Sports Service team and our clubs, and find out how to get involved with sport and keep active. You can also visit the University Sports website for more information about competitive and recreational sport at Cambridge.