February might be the shortest month of the year, but it is a surprisingly big month for sports fans. We've got the 2022 Olympics going on in Beijing, the Super Bowl is just around the corner, the NBA season is in full swing, and soccer fans can catch World Cup qualifying matches from around the world on TV. It is a great time to cheer for sports that are wildly popular (hello, NBA!) and those that don't usually get much love (we see you, luge, skeleton, and ice dancing).
Not only does this bounty of sports programming make us mere mortals and weekend warriors happy, but some of our favorite celebrities are probably really stoked too. We all know that there are some stars who seem to love the attention they get from having floorside seats for the Lakers or the Knicks, which may or may not have anything to do with love of the sport, right?
But there are also some celebrities who appear to be true die-hard sports fans, including some famous folks who deeply love some sports that might surprise us. Read on for the inside scoop on who loves cricket, women's soccer, Formula 1 racing, and even team handball. We might even include an NBA and NFL fan or two!
Serena Williams
Don't accuse us of cheating here! Yes, everyone knows that Serena Williams is the GOAT (and likely a big fan) of tennis, but folks might not realize that she's also a huge supporter of women's soccer. She and her cutie pie daughter are both listed as investors and supporters for the Los Angeles Angels professional women's soccer team, Angel City.
Patrick Dempsey
He'll likely always be known first and foremost as McDreamy, but Patrick Dempsey is actually a former semipro race car driver and one of the biggest celebrity fans of Formula 1 racing, having called it a beautiful sport. He continues to turn out for races all around the world.
Hugh Jackman
Hugh Jackman is super talented. He can sing, he can dance, and he's a great actor and action star. He's also a crazy big fan of cricket. Not only does he enjoy playing and watching the sport, but he's even tried his hand at doing colorful commentary for cricket matches. We don't totally understand the rules, but we'd sure be happy to have Hugh try to explain it to us!
Ashley Judd
Ashley Judd is best known for being an actress and an activist, but she's also a devoted fan of the University of Kentucky (her alma mater), especially the school's basketball team. In fact, she has been spotted sitting in the student section for multiple games.
Leslie Jones
Anyone who has ever visited Leslie Jones' Instagram page can see that she just might be the biggest celebrity sports fan there is, especially during the Olympics. Her commentary on Olympic events is hilarious and heartfelt, and we can tell she is a true ride-or-die sports fan.
Matthew McConaughey
Matthew McConaughey is a major football fan — and we're talking both versions of the sport. He's well known for his love of University of Texas football, but many fans don't realize that he's also a big fan of the other kind of football (also known as soccer). He roots for Austin FC.
Prince Harry
Although he kept his team allegiance on the down low for many years, the current guess is that Prince Harry, like many other members of the royal family, is a fan of the British Premier League team Arsenal. Lucky for him, Arsenal is off to a strong start this season!
Kate Middleton
Another sports-loving member of the royal family is none other than Kate Middleton. Kate loves tennis and has been frequently spotted attending Wimbledon matches. She also loves to play tennis herself and is said to have a very strong game. (For proof, see her sculpted arms.)
Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg is such a giant football fan that he even started his own nonprofit youth league in 2005. That league has now produced at least three NFL players! Speaking of the NFL, Snoop will be one of the performers in the 2022 Super Bowl half-time show, which is sure to be absolutely amazing.
Judi Dench
We may think of words like "elegant" and "regal" when we think about the iconic Dame Judi Dench, but it turns out we can also add "sports fan" to that list! She is a passionate supporter of the soccer team Everton (out of Liverpool, England) and is even a patron of its official charity organization.
Michael Jordan
Okay, here's another sneaky one. We all know Michael Jordan loves basketball. And baseball. And golf. But he's also a big fan of NASCAR. In fact, he's such a big fan that he actually owns his own NASCAR team, which includes star racer Bubba Wallace.
Sara Bareilles
Singer and actress Sara Bareilles wasn't afraid to show off who she was rooting for in the pool during the 2020 Summer Olympics. She's clearly a big fan of swimming star Caeleb Dressel, even posting a picture of herself with a cardboard cutout of the gold medal winner.
Nina Dobrev
Vampire Diaries star Nina Dobrev is a snowboarding fan who will have lots of reasons to watch the 2022 Winter Olympics. She's dating legendary snowboarder Shaun White, who is competing in his fifth (!) Olympics, which he has announced will be his last.
Ryan Reynolds
As a native of Canada, Ryan Reynolds is basically required to like ice hockey, but his real love might actually be soccer. He and fellow actor Rob McElhenney are actually co-owners of a Welsh soccer team, Wrexham AFC, which they purchased in 2020.
Beyoncé
Although Beyoncé was frequently seen courtside for Brooklyn Nets games when her husband was part owner of the team, the inside scoop is that Beyoncé is actually a much bigger fan of the Houston Rockets. The "Crazy in Love" singer, who grew up in Houston, even gave the team a shout-out in her song "Countdown."
