Ball games, or ball sports, are any form of game or sport which feature a ball as part of play. These include games such as association football (soccer), baseball, basketball, and American football. Such games have diverse rules and histories and are of mostly unrelated origins. Ball games can be defined in several broad types:

• Bat-and-ball games, such as baseball and cricket.
• Racquet and ball games, such as tennis, squash and badminton.
• Hand and ball-striking games, such as various handball codes, rebound handball and four square.
• Goal sports, such as basketball and all forms of football,  lacrosse, and hockey (also sports like ice hockey, which uses a puck rather than a ball, are often defined as ball sports).
• Net games, such as volleyball and sepak takraw.
• Precision sports, such as bowling, lawn bowls, croquet, and golf, as well as cue sports, including snooker, pool, and other forms of billiards.