Fremantle has a sporting heritage that is the pride of the local community and the envy of other communities.  A number of local clubs have been in existence in various guises for over 100 years while others are much younger.

Fremantle played a significant role in the development of football in the State as early as 1885 when a meeting of interested people at the Cleopatra Hotel adopted the new code of Australian Rules.  The Fremantle Football Club, which was established as a result of the meeting, went on to be the dominant team during the game’s early years in Western Australia.

The South Fremantle Football Club was formed out of the Fremantle Football Club with its Foundation Team first playing in 1900.  Over a long period of time a strong rivalry has developed with near neighbours East Fremantle Football Club.  The Foundation Day Derby between the two clubs is a traditional fixture on the annual WAFL calendar.

The game of football has remained a visible part of Fremantle’s sporting scene for over 100 years and culminated with the entry of the Fremantle Dockers into the Australian Football League in 1995.  The community now supports football clubs at all levels, including WAFL, amateur league and junior.

Footballers also dominate the list of 66 inductees of the Fremantle Sporting Wall of Fame, a project whose aim is to publicly recognise and acknowledge sporting achievements of Fremantle sports women and sports men.  East Fremantle footballer WJ “Nipper’ Truscott, who is also one of twelve inaugural members of the Western Australian Hall of Champions is included.  More recent stars include John Worsfold, captain of the dual AFL premiership winning team, the West Coast Eagles, and Brownlow Medallist, Brad Hardie.

The Fremantle District Cricket Club also formed around the same time as the original Fremantle Football Club.  They have been based at a number of venues around the City, including Fremantle Oval, but are now based at Stevens Street Reserve.  The Club shares its facilities with the Fremantle Hockey Club. Both clubs are represented in the highest level of competition in the State for their respective sports.

The local sailing scene in particular was put onto the world map when the port city hosted the Americas Cup in 1987. It was four years previous to this that Australia II snatched the sports most prestigious honour from the United States and brought it back to Fremantle.

Two, badminton players the Truscott twins. Joan and Fay, represented Western Australia and Australia at the sport during its hey day in the Port.  The twins are great nieces of the footballer Nipper Truscott all members on the Fremantle Sporting Wall of Fame.

The Fremantle Netball Association has been active since 1960 with the sport known as outdoor basketball in its early years.  Producing its share of champions over the years, they have grown into one of the strongest netball regions in the State, both in terms of its results and the number of participants.  The Association has developed excellent facilities at Gibson Park, with upwards of 5000 participants playing there every Saturday during the netball season, and is hosting the netball competition for the Games.

Soccer has been a late comer in comparison to many of the sports mentioned earlier.  However, strong clubs are developing in amateur, social and professional competitions.  Hilton Park plays host to Fremantle United Soccer Club, a club that has recently formed a partnership with Fremantle City Soccer Club to establish a football academy to develop and nurture local talent.