Blind and low vision people play team sports, racket sports, water sports, outdoor sports and combat sports, usually with one adaptation: an audible ball, a sighted guide or a coach. This guide covers 26 sports for blind people, how each works without sight, which ones are Paralympic, and how to get started.
What are the best sports for blind people?
The 26 sports covered below are goalball, blind football, beep baseball, blind cricket, showdown, chess, blind tennis, table tennis, swimming, running with a guide, tandem cycling, bowling, archery, blind golf, yoga, rowing, sailing, surfing, kayaking, paddleboarding, scuba diving, skiing, rock climbing, horse riding, judo and wrestling. The best choice depends on the person’s level of vision, the sports available nearby and whether a team, a partner or solo activity appeals most.
Which are the Paralympic sports for blind athletes, and how do sight classes work?
Paralympic sports for blind athletes include goalball, five-a-side football, judo, swimming, athletics, tandem cycling, rowing, skiing, para equestrian and triathlon. Archery has visually impaired classes under World Archery, but they are not in the Paralympic programme.
Sports for the visually impaired use three sight classes. B1 covers athletes from no light perception to light perception without being able to recognise the shape of a hand. B2 covers athletes who can recognise objects up to about 2 metres away, and B3 covers athletes who can recognise contours between about 2 and 6 metres. Only authorised classifiers formally classify athletes, so these are guide descriptions. In sports such as goalball and five-a-side football, blindfolds or eyeshades make sure every player competes equally.
What team sports can blind people play?
Goalball
Goalball is a team sport built entirely on hearing. Three players a side roll a ball containing bells across the court, and defenders use sound to block it. All players wear eyeshades so every sight class competes equally. It is a Paralympic sport, and a national blind sports body can point beginners to local teams.
Blind football
Blind football is played five a side with a ball that makes noise as it rolls. Outfield players are in class B1 and wear blindfolds, and the goalkeeper is usually sighted. It is a Paralympic sport.
Beep baseball
Beep baseball uses a beeping ball and buzzing bases. The pitcher and catcher on the batting team and the spotters who call out where the ball is going are sighted, and batters and fielders with some vision wear blindfolds or sleep shades so everyone plays under the same conditions, as the Wisconsin Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired explains. The batter hits the ball and runs to a base by following its buzz.
Blind cricket
Blind cricket is played with an audible ball, and teams combine players from different sight classes. The rules, categories and how to join are covered in how blind people play cricket.
Showdown
Showdown is a table game similar to air hockey. Two players use bats to hit a ball that rattles across the table, and sound shows where the ball is. It fits easily into a club session or a living room.
Chess
Chess is one of the sports governed by the International Blind Sports Federation, and it follows adapted chess federation rules. The board has raised black squares and a hole in each square, and every piece has a peg that fits the hole, so players can feel the position without knocking pieces over. Players say each move aloud and record it in Braille or on tape. There are no sight classes, and blind and sighted players can compete against each other, with either player able to ask for two boards. The All India Chess Federation for the Blind explains the equipment.
Blind tennis
Blind and low vision tennis uses an audible ball that makes noise, so players can hear it bounce and be struck. The LTA also publishes a list and map of venues that support visually impaired tennis.
Table tennis
Table tennis for blind players, known as swish or sound table tennis, uses a plastic ball with bells inside. The table is longer than a standard one, with guide rails along the sides and a low screen in the middle instead of a net, and players strike the ball under the screen so it travels along the table. Top End Sports describes how swish works, and sighted players can join in.
What sports and fitness activities suit visually impaired adults?
Swimming
Rope-divided lanes help swimmers stay oriented, and swimming is a low-impact way to stay active. At competitive level, B1 swimmers (class S11) wear blackened goggles and use a tapper who signals the wall. Swimming is a Paralympic sport.
Running with a guide
Runners at every level of vision can run with a sighted guide. In athletics, B1 runners must use a guide (class T11), B2 runners may choose one (T12), and B3 runners are not eligible for one (T13). British Blind Sport offers a find-a-guide tool to help runners locate guide runners.
Tandem cycling
A sighted pilot steers a tandem bicycle at the front while the blind or low vision rider pedals behind. Tandem cycling is a Paralympic sport with B1 to B3 classes, and it is also a popular recreational activity.
Bowling
Totally blind bowlers often slide one hand along a guide rail beside the approach, and some bowlers use a sighted assistant to help align them and report which pins fell, as the International Blind Sports Federation explains. Blind bowlers play in leagues, including those listed by the American Blind Bowling Association, and in world and regional championships.
Archery
Archers aim with adaptive aids such as foot blocks, hand guides and electronic aids, and talking targets let archers aim by sound. Archery has visually impaired classes under World Archery, but they are not in the Paralympic programme.
Blind golf
A sighted coach lines up the club head behind the ball and gives the distance and direction of the hole before each stroke. The golfer takes the swing. Disabled World describes how it works, and Blind Golf Canada publishes a beginner’s guide.
Yoga
Yoga classes designed for blind and partially sighted people exist, such as the classes launched by Sight Scotland. Yoga needs no equipment beyond a mat.
What water and outdoor sports can blind people try?
Rowing
Rowing relies on rhythm and a cox who steers and gives calls. At Paralympic level, rowers compete as PR3 with blindfolds, and remote coxswain technology has been developed for blind rowers.
Sailing
Programs such as SailBlind in Boston teach adults who are blind or visually impaired to sail on the Charles River.
Surfing
Visually impaired surf sessions, such as those run in Croyde in England, are led by para coaches and supported by trained volunteers. No prior experience is required, and equipment is provided.
Kayaking
The Northwest Association for Blind Athletes has offered kayaking sessions for blind and visually impaired people.
Paddleboarding
The Northwest Association for Blind Athletes has also offered paddleboarding sessions alongside its kayaking programs.
Scuba diving
Visually impaired people can train for scuba certification through adaptive diving programs and dive with a buddy, using signals felt by touch. Divers profiled by Scuba Diving magazine and DIVE also set limits for safety, such as shallower depths and avoiding open water. Diving carries more risk than most sports here, so train with an adaptive instructor, and note that these examples describe divers with some remaining vision.
Skiing
Alpine and Nordic skiing are both open to blind skiers. Guides ski with the skier and give directions by voice or radio. Skiing is a Paralympic sport with B1 to B3 classes.
Rock climbing
A belayer on the ground calls out handholds and footholds, and some climbing gyms run adaptive classes, so it is worth asking a local gym, as described by West Coast Blind.
Horse riding
Para equestrian includes grades for B1 and B2 riders. Some camps for blind and visually impaired young people include horseback riding, such as the youth camp run by LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired.
What combat sports can blind people do?
Judo
Judo is a Paralympic sport with blind and visually impaired competition, where B1 to B3 athletes compete together, as the Paralympic Committee explains. Blind Sports and Recreation Victoria offers classes for children and adults.
Wrestling
Legally blind wrestlers compete on school and college teams. In at least one reported case, a University of Southern Maine wrestler and his opponents start in a close hand-to-hand position instead of the standard stance, as the Bangor Daily News reported. Sambo, a related combat sport, has competition for blind athletes.
What sports suit blind kids and teenagers?
Judo classes for children and adults are open to blind and visually impaired participants, and programs such as Camp Abilities, covered by Perkins, introduce blind teenagers to a range of sports. Swimming, goalball and judo can be good starting points because they can be learned with a coach or helper and need little equipment.
How can blind people exercise at home?
Walking, yoga and other exercise can be done at home with a little planning, such as a clear space and a helper for the first session. Sight loss charities such as Sight Support West offer audio-described home exercise routines. For apps that help with everyday tasks, see the guide to apps for blind and visually impaired people.
What are the options for blind sports in India?
Blind cricket is the best-known blind sport in India. The Cricket Association for the Blind in India is the apex body, registered in 2011, based in Bengaluru and affiliated with the World Blind Cricket Council. India won the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2012, the ODI World Cup in 2014 and the T20 Asia Cup in 2016. In February 2026 the BCCI announced a support framework covering travel to two overseas tournaments a year for the men’s and women’s teams, accommodation for home series and access to stadiums.
Chess is also well established. The All India Chess Federation for the Blind was founded in 1997, organises tournaments and coaching camps, and the Indian team won gold at the Chess Olympiad for the Blind in 2009.
In Paralympic sport, Kapil Parmar won bronze in the men’s 60kg J1 judo event at Paris 2024, India’s first Paralympic judo medal, as reported by The Week. Sprinter Simran, who is also visually impaired, finished fourth in the women’s 100m T12 final in Paris, running with her guide.
How do you get started and find a club?
Start by choosing one sport that suits the level of vision, then contact the national or regional blind sports body and ask about taster sessions, equipment and a guide or helper. Useful starting points include the International Blind Sports Federation, USABA, British Blind Sport, Blind Sports Australia and the Cricket Association for the Blind in India. For getting to training, see the guides on how blind people use Uber and how blind people navigate airports.
Frequently asked questions about sports for blind people
What sports can blind people play?
Blind people play goalball, blind football, beep baseball, blind cricket, tennis, table tennis, chess, swimming, running, tandem cycling, judo, rowing, skiing and many others. Most use one adaptation, such as an audible ball, a sighted guide or a coach. This guide covers 26 sports.
What is the best sport for blind beginners?
Swimming, walking, yoga and tandem cycling are easy to start with a helper. Each needs little equipment and can be learned at an individual pace. A taster session through a blind sports body helps beginners try a sport before committing.
What sports can blind kids play?
Blind kids can try judo, swimming, goalball and other sports, and programs such as Camp Abilities introduce teenagers to a range of activities. A coach or helper guides the first sessions. Parents can ask a blind sports body about local options.
What sports can blind adults and seniors do?
Blind adults and seniors can swim, walk, do yoga, ride a tandem bicycle, bowl, golf and play table tennis. These sports suit different fitness levels. A coach or helper can adapt each sport to the person’s fitness level.
Can blind people play football?
Blind people can play football in the five-a-side format, a Paralympic sport played with a ball that makes noise. Outfield players are in class B1 and wear blindfolds. The goalkeeper is usually sighted.
Can blind people run, swim or cycle?
Blind people can run, swim and cycle. Runners use a sighted guide, swimmers use lane ropes and, in competition, a tapper, and cyclists ride tandem with a sighted pilot at the front. All three are Paralympic sports.
Is chess a sport for blind people?
Chess is a sport governed by the International Blind Sports Federation, with world championships and no sight classes. Blind players use a board with raised black squares and pegged pieces, say each move aloud and record moves in Braille or on tape. Blind and sighted players can play each other.
What is goalball and how is it played?
Goalball is a team sport for blind and visually impaired athletes. Three players a side roll a ball containing bells across the court while defenders use sound to block it. All players wear eyeshades so every sight class competes equally.
What are B1, B2 and B3 in blind sports?
B1, B2 and B3 are sight classes used in sports for athletes with a vision impairment. B1 is no light perception up to light perception without recognising a hand shape, B2 is recognising objects up to about 2 metres away, and B3 is recognising contours between about 2 and 6 metres. Only authorised classifiers formally classify athletes.
Are blind sports in the Paralympics?
Blind and visually impaired athletes compete in Paralympic goalball, five-a-side football, judo, swimming, athletics, tandem cycling, rowing, skiing, para equestrian and triathlon. Archery has visually impaired classes under World Archery, but they are not in the Paralympic programme.
What sports can a blind person do at home?
Walking, yoga and other exercise can be done at home with a clear space and a helper for the first session. Showdown is a table game that fits in a living room. Sight loss charities such as Sight Support West offer audio-described home exercise routines. For apps that help with everyday tasks, see the guide to apps for blind and visually impaired people.
Are there cheap or free sports for blind people?
Walking, running with a guide and yoga need little or no equipment. Asking a blind sports body about taster sessions, costs and equipment loans is the easiest way to find low-cost options.
How do blind people find a sports club?
Blind people find clubs by contacting national or regional blind sports bodies, such as British Blind Sport, USABA, Blind Sports Australia or the Cricket Association for the Blind in India. These bodies can point to local teams, taster sessions and guides. Running guides can be found through British Blind Sport’s find-a-guide tool.
Do blind athletes need a guide or helper?
It depends on the sport. B1 runners must use a guide, tandem cyclists ride with a sighted pilot, and golfers play with a coach, while goalball and swimming can be played without a personal guide. A helper is useful for the first session in any new sport.
Can blind people play team sports with sighted people?
Blind people play team sports alongside sighted people in several formats. Beep baseball includes a sighted pitcher and catcher, blind football usually has a sighted goalkeeper, and rowing crews have a cox who steers and gives calls.
Is there blind cricket in India?
Blind cricket has a national governing body in India, the Cricket Association for the Blind in India, which runs the domestic game. The national team won the T20 World Cup in 2012, the ODI World Cup in 2014 and the T20 Asia Cup in 2016. The BCCI announced a support framework for the association in February 2026.
What are blind sports, and how do they differ from regular sports?
Blind sports are sports adapted for blind and low vision athletes through changes such as audible balls, sighted guides, blindfolds and sight classes. The core skills are the same as in regular sports. The adaptations make sure players compete fairly and safely.
For more ideas beyond sport, see the full list of hobbies for blind people.
