The unveiling of the Most Attractive Employers in Sport 2026 shortlists continues, and today we reveal the organisations selected in the Sports Teams category.
For the purposes of the survey, this category excludes association football (soccer) teams, which are featured separately in the Football Clubs category. Instead, the Sports Teams shortlist brings together organisations competing in disciplines such as basketball, Formula 1, MotoGP, American football and baseball, among others.
Featuring some of the most recognisable teams and franchises from different sports and countries, the category reflects the powerful employer brands built beyond the football club landscape. From historic basketball and baseball franchises to leading motorsport teams, these organisations attract professionals seeking to work at the heart of elite sport.
Based on the votes received in iWorkinSport’s global survey, the following organisations have been named among the 20 most attractive sports team employers in 2026.
In alphabetical order, the Top 20 are:
- Aston Martin (F1, UK)
- Audi (F1, SUI)
- Barcelona (Basketball, ESP)
- Boston Celtics (Basketball, USA)
- Chicago Bulls (Basketball, USA)
- Dallas Cowboys (American Football, USA)
- Ducati (MotoGP, ITA)
- Ferrari (F1, ITA)
- Golden State Warriors (Basketball, USA)
- LA Lakers (Basketball, USA)
- McLaren (F1, UK)
- Mercedes-AMG Petronas (F1, GER)
- Miami Heat (Basketball, USA)
- New York Knicks (Basketball, USA)
- New York Yankees (Baseball, USA)
- Oracle Red Bull Racing (F1, AUT)
- Racing Bulls (F1, ITA)
- Real Madrid (Basketball, ESP)
- Red Bull (MotoGP, AUT)
- Toronto Raptors (Basketball, CAN)
Basketball leads this year’s shortlist with nine representatives, including six NBA teams, two Spanish basketball teams and, for the first time on this list, a Canadian franchise.
Formula 1 is close behind with seven teams, while MotoGP has two representatives. American football and baseball complete the shortlist with one team each.
The 20 organisations represent eight countries. The United States has the largest presence, with eight teams, followed by Italy with three. Austria, Spain and the United Kingdom each have two representatives, while Canada, Germany and Switzerland have one apiece.
Fifteen teams from the 2025 shortlist retain their places this year, either under the same or an updated name. Five names join the 2026 Top 20: Audi, Dallas Cowboys, Ducati, Racing Bulls and Toronto Raptors.
They replace Alpine, Kansas City Chiefs, Kick Sauber, Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers. Audi’s inclusion also reflects the transition of the former Kick Sauber operation into the Audi Formula 1 team.
The shortlist comes from the Most Attractive Employers in Sport survey, a global study conducted by iWorkinSport. Sport professionals and students were invited to identify the organisations where they would most like to work, selecting their preferred employers across different sectors of the sports industry.
The positions shown above are alphabetical and do not represent the final ranking. The complete results—including the order of the Top 20 sports teams—will be unveiled at the Most Attractive Employers in Sport Awards ceremony on 16 October 2026.
Stay tuned as we reveal more shortlists from this year’s survey over the coming weeks.
About the Most Attractive Employers in Sport
The 2026 survey gathered responses from 1,051 participants representing 58 nationalities, reflecting the global nature of the sports industry.
The Most Attractive Employers in Sport survey examines employer branding across the industry. Rather than measuring employee satisfaction, it reflects how attractive organisations are perceived to be by professionals and students who work—or aspire to work—in sport.
About iWorkinSport
iWorkinSport is the Global Hub for all things career, recruitment and education in sport.
The company connects and provides solutions and opportunities to stakeholders throughout the sports career ecosystem, including candidates, employers, employees, students, academic programmes, HR professionals, recruitment agencies, consultants and career coaches. It also produces, aggregates and curates knowledge and content relevant to careers in sport.
For further information, contact info@iworkinsport.com.