Immigrants in Select U.S. Professional Sports

Shohei Ohtani, an immigrant from Japan, was the 2021and 2023 American League MVP.

Today, approximately 14% of the U.S. population is foreign-born, but the share of immigrants in professional sports is far higher.

In 2025, more than half of players in the National Hockey League (69%), Major League Soccer (57%), and Major League Cricket (53%) were foreign-born or immigrant athletes. Additionally, more than one-quarter of players in Minor League Baseball (38%) and the National Women's Soccer League (31%) were born abroad followed by Major League Baseball (24%), and the Women's National Basketball Association (21%).

Many of these immigrant athletes arrived in the United States in the same way that millions of immigrants have.

We tend to focus on athletes who came to the United States to compete in college or with a contract from a professional team. Many of these athletes live in the United States for a period of time, but may represent their home countries in international events, such as the Olympics. Others came later in life after having competed for their home country and then they got offers to coach and compete in the US. For example, equestrian Phillip Dutton represented Australia in the 1996, 2000, and 2004 Olympics before coming to the United States and becoming a naturalized US citizen and joined TeamUSA.

But many of our immigrant athletes arrived in the United States with their families when they were children. Olympic silver medalist Jay Litherland who was born in Japan to a Kiwi father and a Japanese mother, came to this country with their parents when they were children. Olympic diver Jordan Windle, was adopted from Cambodia and adopted by his US family. Other athletes arrived as adults for reasons that were not related to sports. For example, tennis player Martina Navratilova became a US citizen after fleeing from her native Czech Republic.

Regardless of their path to the United States, immigrant athletes had to navigate the complex U.S. immigration system

They adapt to a new life in a new country, often speaking a new language. Their stories illustrate that immigration is a complex issue, and the immigration process is complicated. These immigrant athletes represent the complexities of immigration as well as representing the US’s ability to attract the best and brightest from around the world.