Aerobic capacity, measured by VO2max, is a key indicator of cardiovascular efficiency and endurance, essential for athletic performance. Football primarily involves sustained aerobic activity, whereas judo combines aerobic demands with high-intensity anaerobic bursts. This study aimed to compare VO2 max levels between university-level football and judo players, highlighting differences in cardiovascular endurance across these sports. A total of 60 male athletes (football = 30; judo = 30) from the University of Delhi participated in the study. All participants were aged between 18 to 24 years and had participated at the inter-university level. VO2 max was estimated using the Cooper 12-Minute Run Test. Descriptive statistics and a t-test were conducted to compare the groups. The analysis revealed that football players exhibited significantly higher VO2max values compared to judo players (p < 0.05). This finding aligns with the distinct physiological requirements of the sports: football demands prolonged aerobic activity, while judo emphasizes intermittent anaerobic effort with recovery phases predominated by muscular endurance. This study highlights significant differences in VO2max between football and judo players, with football players demonstrating superior aerobic capacity. The findings emphasize the importance of sport-specific demands in evaluating cardiovascular endurance and offer insights for optimizing training programs for different athletic disciplines.