The Africa Cup of Nations will take place from January 13th to February 11th.
The 34th installation of Africa’s largest sporting event was originally scheduled to take place in Ivory Coast from June to July 2023. However, it was rescheduled due to the realization that the country experiences heavy rainfall during that time of year. The event has now been moved to the beginning of 2024, with Mohamed Salah aiming for redemption after being part of the Egypt team that suffered a painful loss in the penalty shootout during the 2022 final against Senegal. Other notable players such as André Onana (Cameroon), Achraf Hakimi (Morocco) and Victor Osimhen (Nigeria) will also be participating in the tournament.
2018
The Australian Open will take place from January 14th to January 28th, 2018.
Novak Djokovic will be competing in Melbourne with the opportunity to make tennis history by winning his 25th grand slam title, surpassing Margaret Court’s record as the most successful player in the sport. Despite Rafael Nadal’s return to the tournament after a year-long absence due to a hip injury, it is unlikely that anyone would bet against the world No 1 achieving his goal. In the women’s draw, Aryna Sabalenka will be aiming to defend her title, which she won in 2023 with a dominant performance against Elena Rybakina.
The Six Nations tournament for Men and Women will take place from 2 February to 16 March, and then again from 23 March to 27 April.
Following the Rugby World Cup, the Six Nations tournament brings together the top teams from the northern hemisphere to compete. Ireland, who previously won the grand slam, will face a strong opponent in Marseille for their first match. Meanwhile, England will be without their captain Owen Farrell as they travel to Rome for their match the following day. Wales and Scotland will also face off in Cardiff. The women’s tournament will begin a week later, with England looking to continue their success from 2023 when they achieved a grand slam victory in front of a record-breaking crowd of 58,498 at Twickenham.
2024
The Super Bowl LVIII will take place on February 11, 2024.
The 58th edition of American Football’s biggest event will take place at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Kansas City Chiefs, under the leadership of Andy Reid and the talent of Patrick Mahomes, are aiming to reach their fourth Super Bowl in five years and defend their title after a thrilling 38-35 win against the Philadelphia Eagles in Arizona. And as always, the halftime show will be a highly anticipated event, with Usher set to perform in 2024. Fans undoubtedly screamed “Yeah!” upon hearing this news.
2022
On February 17, 2022, there will be a match between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk.
The highly anticipated fight that everyone has been waiting for is finally happening, albeit a little later than expected. Just before Christmas, it seemed like the match was finally going to take place, but unfortunately, Fury’s previous bout against UFC’s Francis Ngannou in October resulted in a split decision victory, causing a delay. After regrouping, Fury will once again step into the ring in Riyadh, this time against possibly the greatest pound-for-pound boxer in the world. Both fighters are vying for the title of undisputed heavyweight champion, a feat that has not been achieved since 1999. Although the location may not be ideal, the match is expected to be an exciting one.
The Formula One World Championship takes place from March 2nd to December 8th.
The upcoming Formula One season will bring about major transformations. For starters, the schedule has expanded to 24 races, which is the most the sport deems manageable for both teams and staff. Additionally, the first two races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia will take place on consecutive Saturdays. F1 has also announced that there will be six sprint races in China, Miami, Austria, Austin, Brazil, and Qatar. It is likely that once the races begin, there will be minimal changes. Max Verstappen and Red Bull dominated in 2023 and all indications suggest they will continue to do so in 2024.
7) The Masters 11 April-14 April
John Rahm is set to arrive in Augusta with the goal of defending his title, which he won in an exhilarating final day back in 2023. This will be his first major appearance since his controversial move to LIV Golf, but he should approach it with confidence, as he was also part of the victorious European team at the Ryder Cup in Rome just a few months ago. Similarly, Rory McIlroy will have his sights set on winning his first major in ten years. On the US side, world number one Scottie Scheffler is expected to put up a strong fight, and there is also the possibility of Tiger Woods returning to compete at the Masters.
8) England Women v Pakistan Women Twenty20 series 11 May-19 May
The fact that Heather Knight’s white-ball team has been selected to kick off the international summer with a three-match Twenty20 series against Pakistan could be seen as a testament to the growth of women’s cricket in England. The matches will be held at Edgbaston, Northampton, and Headingley, followed by a three-match one-day series against the same team. This will be followed by three ODIs and five T20s against New Zealand. Richard Gould, the chief executive of England and Wales, stated that next summer’s schedule will offer the opportunity for more people to see their favorite players in action as the England Women’s team will play at more venues.
The final match for the Women’s Champions League will take place on May 25th.
The final match of women’s club football in Europe will take place at the San Mamés stadium in Bilbao. The 2023 final was a thrilling event, with Barcelona making a comeback in the second half to defeat Wolfsburg 3-2 in Eindhoven. Chelsea is the remaining English team, after Arsenal’s unexpected loss to Paris FC in the qualifying round. If they win, it would be the first time for the club to become Women’s Champions League champions and a perfect farewell for manager Emma Hayes before her move to the United States.
2015
On June 1, 2015, the Men’s Champions League final took place.
Is it possible for Manchester City to make it to Wembley and defend their title as last season’s treble winners? Recent performance suggests otherwise, but City typically improves in the new year and will be pleased with their favorable draw for the last-16 round. Pep Guardiola’s team will face FC Copenhagen, while Arsenal, aiming for their first Champions League victory, will take on Porto. Other strong contenders in this competition include Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, as it will be the last time it is played in its current format before switching to the controversial “Swiss model” next year.
The Men’s Twenty20 World Cup will take place from June 4th to June 30th.
The first-ever cricket World Cup will be held in the United States of America, in collaboration with the West Indies. This is an effort to expand the sport beyond its usual boundaries. It will be interesting to observe how cities like Dallas and New York embrace this event. With 20 teams participating, this World Cup will be the largest one yet. England’s goal is to avoid a repeat of their struggles in the previous 50-over tournament in India and successfully defend their 20-over title.
12) Euro 2024 14 June-14 July
Germany is hosting a significant men’s football tournament for the first time since the 2006 World Cup. Everyone is hopeful that this one will be just as great as the previous one. The competition is wide open and it is uncertain who will be named the champions at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium on July 14th. England is considered a strong contender. Scotland, who qualified for the Euros for the second time in a row, will face the host team in the first game. On the other hand, Wales will need to win a playoff to secure a spot in the finals. If they are successful, Robert Page’s team will be in the same group as France and Netherlands.
The dates for Royal Ascot are June 18th through June 22nd.
Auguste Rodin had a successful but inconsistent three-year career. He accomplished something that the last three Derby winners trained by Aidan O’Brien could not, by winning another Group One race after his victory at Epsom and finishing strong at the Breeders’ Cup Turf. He is the top Ballydoyle Derby winner to continue competing since High Chaparral in 2002-03, and there were even discussions of entering him in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Even if this does not happen, he will still be a prominent contender in major races for all ages in 2024, starting with the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.
The Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes will take place from June 29th to July 21st and August 12th to August 18th.
The 111th iteration of the most esteemed cycling event will feature several new elements, including the starting point in Italy (specifically, Florence) and the finish line in Nice instead of Paris. Jonas Vingegaard from Denmark will strive for a third consecutive victory, while Mark Cavendish hopes to surpass his current record of 34 Tour stage wins, which he shares with Eddy Merckx. Additionally, the third edition of the Tour de France Femmes will begin in Rotterdam and has been postponed due to the Olympic Games.
15) Wimbledon 1 July-14 July
The 2024 Championships will need to live up to the excitement of the 2023 edition, which saw Marketa Vondrousova make history as the first unseeded player to win the women’s singles title by defeating Ons Jabeur. In the men’s final, Carlos Alcaraz also made headlines by winning his second grand slam title in an epic match against Novak Djokovic, just 24 hours later. This upcoming tournament is expected to have similar levels of excitement, as many British players, including Katie Boulter and Cameron Norrie, are prepared to make deep runs in the second week.
“From July 10th to July 30th, there will be a Test Series between the Men’s teams of England and West Indies.”
England will be playing red-ball cricket at home for the first time since the Ashes, facing a team that last visited in 2020 during the pandemic. The previous series lacked atmosphere due to the absence of crowds, but this time the matches at Lord’s, Trent Bridge, and Edgbaston are expected to have a better atmosphere. Despite Stuart Broad’s retirement, the hosts will continue to adhere to their Bazball principles. Following their series against the West Indies, England will play three Tests against Sri Lanka at Old Trafford, Lord’s, and the Oval.
From the 18th to the 21st of July, the Open will take place.
The Open returns to Royal Troon, with the last time being in 2016. Henrik Stenson emerged as the victor in a thrilling final round battle against Phil Mickelson to claim the Claret Jug. The hope is for similar excitement this year, as opposed to the less-than-exciting 2023 event where Brian Harman easily won on a rainy day at Royal Liverpool. Despite the lackluster showing, fans of sentiment can take comfort in the fact that Colin Montgomerie will be competing at a course close to his childhood home. “This is where my golf journey began,” he fondly expressed.
18) Olympics 26 July-11 August
“We are excited to host a grand celebration,” announced Étienne Thobois, the leader of the Paris 2024 organizing team. The upcoming Olympics, the first to be held in Europe since London 2012, is expected to have a magnificent opening ceremony. One of the highlights will be a parade of athletes on the Seine River. After arriving on land, they will compete in traditional sports as well as four new additions including breakdancing and skateboarding. Overall, the Games are anticipated to be highly exciting, with British athletes such as Keely Hodgkinson, Katarina Johnson-Thompson, and Zharnel Hughes aiming for success on the track at Stade de France.
19) Paralympics 28 August-8 September
Similar to the Tokyo Paralympics in 2018, the Paris Paralympics will have 22 sports and 4,400 athletes competing over 11 days. The first day will kick off with wheelchair rugby, where Great Britain will try to hold onto their gold medal from the Yoyogi National Stadium in August 2021. ParalympicsGB earned a total of 124 medals, including 41 gold, in Japan. The final weekend will feature wheelchair fencing at the Grand Palais.
The Women’s Twenty20 World Cup takes place in September and October.
The ninth edition of the women’s Twenty20 World Cup is being held in Bangladesh and Australia has the chance to secure their seventh trophy. Despite the retirement of Meg Lanning, who led her team to their sixth title in South Africa, Australia is still expected to be the top contender. However, other teams may see this as an opportunity to compete as England has recently played in several T20 matches, including three in India. The tournament will feature a total of 10 teams, with two teams qualifying through a global qualifier in early 2024.
The Solheim Cup will take place from 10 September to 15 September.
Yes, your eyes are not mistaken – the Solheim Cup is making a comeback just 12 months after it was last held at Finca Cortesín. Organizers have decided to permanently move the event to even-numbered years in order to avoid conflicting with the Ryder Cup. The first of this new schedule will take place at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia, where Europe is looking to claim their fourth consecutive victory. They will once again have Suzann Pettersen as their captain, while the US team will be led by Stacy Lewis. “I am extremely proud to be chosen as the captain for Team Europe once again,” said Pettersen, who has won 21 tournaments throughout her career.
2009
“October 12, 2009 marked the date of the Super League Grand Final.”
After dominating the Super League, St Helens was seen as unbeatable. However, Wigan Warriors proved otherwise by winning the Grand Final for the first time in five years. Their impressive performance against Catalan Dragons in October earned them the title, and now Matt Peet’s team is determined to return to the final in 2024. In addition, Wigan will be hosting the World Club Challenge on February 24, where they will face off against Penrith Panthers, the reigning NRL champions. This match is a rematch of the 1991 game at Anfield, which Wigan won 21-4.
23) Cycling World Championships 16 October-20 October
The third time that this event is being held at the Ballerup Super Arena will likely be a smooth and successful one, as it was previously held there in 2002 and 2010. The organizers are confident that this will be the case, with project coordinator Andreas Juul Ingvartsen stating in October, “Everything is going according to plan.” The first day of the event will begin with qualifying rounds for the women’s and men’s team pursuit. Great Britain will be attending the event in Denmark, hoping to improve upon their performance at the 2023 Championships in Glasgow, where they earned a total of 56 medals, 23 of which were gold.
The World Weightlifting Championships will take place in November and December.
Bahrain is hosting the top weightlifting competition for the first time, and the organizers are buzzing with excitement. Eshaq Ebrahim Eshaq, president of the Bahrain Weightlifting Federation, expressed gratitude to the International Weightlifting Federation for their trust and pledged to host an exceptional event that will contribute to the growth of the sport. Athletes will compete in 20 weight categories, with 10 for men and 10 for women. China, who dominated the 2023 championships in Riyadh with 20 gold medals, is the team to beat, with Thailand coming in second with 5 fewer medals.
