Updated List Highlights Diverse Sports Narratives
Quartz published an updated list titled "The 10 best sports documentaries you can stream in 2026" on September 25, 2026. The compilation includes a mix of feature films and docuseries covering basketball, soccer, rock climbing, and cycling.
The selection aims to showcase films that extend beyond standard highlight reels. According to the publication, most titles in the list are considered worth watching for audiences who have never followed the specific sports depicted.
Quarterback Series Details
Among the featured titles is "Quarterback," a Netflix docuseries that premiered in 2023. The series was produced by Peyton Manning's Omaha Productions in partnership with NFL Films.
The first season followed three quarterbacks during the 2022 season: Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes, then-Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins, and then-Atlanta Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota.
Production techniques for the series included equipping players with microphones during games. This setup allowed viewers to hear the athletes calling plays, reacting to hits, and coaching teammates in real time.
The first season featured specific on-field moments, including Cousins expressing frustration after a difficult game and Mahomes playing through a high ankle sprain while leading his team to a Super Bowl title.
A second season of "Quarterback" followed a different group of quarterbacks, including Joe Burrow and Jared Goff.
Historical Context of the Genre
The list references the evolution of the sports documentary genre, noting that streaming services have invested significant funding into the category in recent years. Netflix has built an entire slate of docuseries within this space that the publication describes as cultural phenomena.
Traditional media outlets continue to produce content in this sector. ESPN and HBO remain active producers of acclaimed films, and several sports documentaries have won Academy Awards.
The article points to April 2020 as a pivotal moment for the genre's expansion. At that time, live sports were shut down due to the pandemic. ESPN moved up the premiere of "The Last Dance," a 10-part documentary about Michael Jordan and the 1990s Chicago Bulls.
The series became a national event, with millions of viewers tuning in each Sunday night. The publication notes that many of these viewers had never cared much about basketball prior to the broadcast.
"The Last Dance" won an Emmy award. According to Quartz, the series helped kick off a boom in sports documentaries that has continued since its release.