Basketball. As in the rest of the country, basketball is undoubtedly the most popular sport in Cebu. There are more people play basketball that any other sports. Cebu has produced more talented basketball players than anywhere else in the country. Some of whom have been seeing action in the country's three big basketball leagues, the Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA), Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), and Philippine Basketball League (PBL).

Virtually in every barangay of every town and city across the province has its own basketball court, covered or open court. In lesser districts an improvised clay court can also be found. In Cebu City alone, every barangay has its own multi-purpose covered sports complex which is designed for basketball games although other sportsgames can be possibly played.

Cebu has three amateur leagues, the Cebu City-based Cebu Amateurs Athletics Association, a school-based league and Cebu Basketball League, a commercial league and the Mandaue City-based Mandaue Industrial Commercial Athletics Association that hold games twice or more in a year. Cebu City is home to Cebu Gems, the only professional basketball team joining the MBA, the newest pro-league in the country that saw its inaugural season only in 1998. The city also has also close to 10 collegiate teams and more than a dozen high school amateur teams seeing action in the regular CAAA tournament. Commercial teams meanwhile are joining the MICAA and CBL's regular season.

Soccer. Soccer is the second most popular ballgame next to basketball  among the youths. It has gained popularity only recently. Almost every high school and elementary school, both private and public, has its own varsity team. They hold their own regular tournament once or more in a year. Aside from the school-based teams, there are a modest number of company-owned soccer teams that pit against these school-based teams in one tournament.

Tennis. Essentially an individual sport, tennis nonetheless attract quite a number of would-be players from all age levels although the city has no respectable public tennis courts. Most of the best tennis courts in the city are owned by private clubs, thus restricting others who are not members from playing. Most of the big universities and schools though have their own tennis courts allowing anybody to play with a minimal fee or none at all.

Golf. Golf is a rich man's sport some would say. With this sport's costly equipment plus the area where to play in, golf continues to be an exclusive sport for moneyed executives and well-heeled individuals. Cebu has no public course for the moment but has four existing golf courses and another two in varying stages of development which will bring Cebu's total courses to six. Cebu Country Club and Alta Vista Golf and Country Club currently are Cebu's two champion courses all located within the city limits. Another two champion courses, the one located in the mountainous portion of the city and another in the far north of the province will soon be operational.

Bowling. With the arrival of gigantic malls in Cebu, bowling has made a remarkable change the way people look at it. At present, there are three large state-of-the-art computerized bowling centers across the metropolis within these malls.

Bodybuilding. More and people are becoming conscious about their well-being especially among the youths whose age level ranges from early 20's up to late 40's. This can be gauged by the overcrowded PRT gyms around the metro. Currently there are about no less than 20 gyms all over Cebu some of which are small enough for 30 persons working out at a time.

Martial Arts. Eskrima or arnis, a stick fighting, is Cebu's  contribution to the world of martial arts. Originated and developed in Cebu, it is the only Filipino martial art that is attracting thousands of followers around the world. It is headquartered in Cebu and has many small clubs around the metropolis. There are also a number of martial arts studios across the capital that offer lessons in Korean, Chinese, and Japanese martial arts such as taekwondo, aikido, jujitsu, judo, karatedo, taichi, among others.

Other sports. With the city and provincial governments' effort to promote sports among the youth, sports scene has never ever been the same for the last ten years. Sports facilities have continued to mushroom across the province most notably in the capital city of Cebu so the interest of sports among the youth increases. When Cebu hosted the country's premiere sporting event, the Palarong Pambansa in 1994, the city built the Cebu City Sports Center inside the Cebu State College of Science and Technology campus. Since then the center has become the favorite venue for big sports events in the city. Swimming, athletics, baseball, softball, soccer, and other indoor sports are now gaining popularity more than ever before.