{{Short description|Statistic used in team sports}} '''Games played''' ('''GP''') is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated (in any capacity); the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.
==Association football== In association football, a game played is counted if a player is in the starting 11, or if a reserve player enters the game before full-time.
==Baseball== {{main|List of Major League Baseball career games played leaders}} In baseball, the statistic applies to players, who prior to a game, are included on a starting lineup card or are announced as an ''ex ante'' substitute, whether or not they play.<ref>[http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/official_rules/official_scorer_10.jsp Section 20 of the official scorer guidelines]</ref> For pitchers only, the statistic games pitched is used.
The career leader in Major League Baseball (MLB) games played is Pete Rose, who appeared in a total of 3,562 regular-season games.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mlb.com/stats/games/all-time-totals |title=All-Time MLB Player Hitting Stat Leaders (sorted by Games) |website=MLB.com |accessdate=March 21, 2026}}</ref>
The career leader in MLB games pitched is Jesse Orosco, who pitched in 1,252 regular-season games.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mlb.com/stats/pitching/games/all-time-totals |title=All-Time MLB Player Pitching Stat Leaders (sorted by Games) |website=MLB.com |accessdate=March 21, 2026}}</ref>
A notable example of the application of the ''ex ante'' rule is pitcher Larry Yount, who suffered an injury while throwing warmup pitches after being summoned as a reliever in a major-league game on September 15, 1971.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/20566686/astros_rookie_in_brief_stint/ |title=Astros' Rookie in 'Brief' Stint |agency=AP |newspaper=Odessa American |location=Odessa, Texas |page=1-B |date=September 16, 1971 |access-date=May 31, 2018 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref> He did not face a batter, but was credited with an appearance because he had been announced as a substitute.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1971/B09150HOU1971.htm |title=Atlanta Braves 4, Houston Astros 2 |website=Retrosheet |date=September 15, 1971 |access-date=May 31, 2018}}</ref> Yount never appeared in (or actually played in) any other MLB game.
==Basketball== {{See also|List of NBA regular season records|List of NBA career games played leaders}} In March 2026, LeBron James set a new National Basketball Association (NBA) record for most regular-season games played, with 1,612, surpassing the prior record holder, Robert Parish, who had played in 1,611 regular-season NBA games.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nba.com/news/lebron-james-passes-robert-parish-most-regular-season-games |title=LeBron James passes Robert Parish for most regular-season games with 1,612 |first=Tim |last=Reynolds |agency=AP |website=nba.com |date=March 21, 2026 |accessdate=March 21, 2026}}</ref> A. C. Green holds the NBA record for most consecutive games played, with 1,192.
==See also== *Major League Baseball consecutive games played streaks *List of NHL players with 500 consecutive games played
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Games played}} Category:Baseball statistics