For many years, sport has been a very popular form of spending free time. There are 297 sports associations in Łódź among which there are sports clubs, pupils' sports clubs, TKKF centres (Associations for Promoting Sport) and district sports associations. Traditions of many of them go back to the early 20th century. The most well-known Łódź clubs, such as ŁKS or Widzew followed by Rudzki Sports Club or „Społem" Sports Club not only created the history of Łódź but also the history of Polish sport. The sports associations of Łódź offer various classes in over 60 disciplines, from the most popular ones, such as football, volleyball, basketball, athletics, swimming, wrestling, boxing, to figure skating, rugby, archery, rifle shooting, water polo, horseback riding, golf as well as sections in Far-Eastern martial arts. Łódź citizens and tourists visiting the city can choose from the wide range of sports facilities which include swimming polls, ice rinks, tennis courts, squash rooms, horseback riding clubs, billiard clubs, fitness and gyms, and also climbing walls, bowling and skating parks.

There are several prestigious cyclic sports events taking place in Łódź. The biggest are: Solidarność and Polish Olympian International Cycling Race, Polish Cup and Poland Junior Championship on a velodrome, International Junior Cycling Race „Tour de la Region de Lodz", Polish Grand Prix in Swimming, International Tournament in Rhythmic Gymnastics Victory Cup 2005, International Cadet Boxing Tournament "Silver Boat" or International Sports Dancing Tournament. What has been gaining more and more popularity among the runners all over Poland is mBank Łódź Marathon which has been organized for the last couple of years. Moreover, Łódź has hosted five Editions of World League Volleyball.