5 Heartening Underdog Sports Stories Happening Right Now

The highs and lows of sports often deliver good news for some, and bad news for others. That’s part of the allure of being a sports fan, remembering the good times and burying the bad.

While we can sometimes view athletes as pampered and out of touch, sports can deliver a universal language of hope and inspiration. Of course, sports also throw up rivalries that can elicit envy when one has success, but it’s also true that fans can unite in enjoying underdog stories.

Below, we have picked out five of those that have happened this year and are continuing to play out across different sports. From a tiny island nation coming to the World Cup to a college becoming a dominant force in football, these stories should show some of the positive side of sports:

FIFA World Cup: Cabo Verde Makes the Finals: The tiny African island nation of Cabo Verde has qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup for the first time. With a population similar to Omaha, Nebraska, the stunning achievement has won the hearts of soccer fans around the world. Cabo Verde will be placed in a group with Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia next summer. We suspect that these ultimate underdogs will be the neutrals’ team of choice.

NBA: Orlando Magic Casts a Spell: One of the youngest NBA teams competing this season, the Magic’s quest to rebuild the franchise feels like it took a leap forward. Looking at the NBA playoff betting odds, it’s looking more than likely that the Magic will be in with a shot in the Eastern Conference in the spring. Could this team go further? There is a little bit of magic in the air in Orlando, so you should not write them off. But something is brewing, and this looks like the surprise team of the season.

NFL: Broncos Are Kings of AFC West: It’s been a long, long time since any team not named the Kansas City Chiefs won the AFC West Division in the NFL. The last time that it happened, Barack Obama was President. That’s changing this season as the Denver Broncos have climbed the summit and enjoy an almost unassailable lead as we conclude the regular season. Super Bowl LX is looking tantalizingly in reach for Denver.

College Football: Indiana Becomes a Football Powerhouse: At the time of writing, the Indiana Hoosiers sit at 13-0 in the Big 10 college football standings. On the one hand, it’s not surprising as the Hoosiers have been on an upward trajectory for the past few seasons, yet it is also eye-opening to see this institution take the season by storm. College football has long been dominated by a handful of teams, but Indiana has muscled its way into the elite levels.

Premier League: Sunderland Challenges Behemoths: Before fly-on-the-way sports documentaries became the norm, Sunderland Till I Die was a smash hit for Netflix. It followed the ups and downs of being a soccer fan in one of Northern England’s tougher cities. Back then, Sunderland AFC was languishing in the lower divisions of English soccer. But now, the team is in the Premier League, and flourishing. While toppling the giants of the game to win the title seems out of reach.