The year 2026 promises to be a landmark one for global sport, packed with major tournaments and historic occasions. From the defence of prestigious titles to the debut of new Olympic sports, the calendar is brimming with unmissable action for fans across the United Kingdom and beyond.
A Winter and Spring of Championship Contests
The sporting year kicks off in Melbourne, where Jannik Sinner aims to win a third consecutive Australian Open men's singles title, a feat only Novak Djokovic has achieved in the Open era. In the women's draw, Madison Keys will defend her crown. The tournament will also feature a nostalgic return for Roger Federer, playing in a special exhibition at Melbourne Park for the first time since his 2022 retirement.
February sees the Men's and Women's Six Nations rugby unfold. France begin their title defence with a blockbuster clash against Ireland in Paris, while Steve Borthwick's England, buoyed by a strong autumn, target a first championship since 2020. The Red Roses aim for an eighth successive Women's Six Nations title, starting against Ireland.
Attention then turns to the Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina (6-22 February), where Team GB will look to improve on their two-medal haul from Beijing. Ski mountaineering makes its Olympic debut. Concurrently, the Men's T20 World Cup (7 Feb-8 Mar) co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka begins, with England hoping for a better showing after a recent series defeat in the subcontinent.
Stateside, Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium on 8 February will see the Philadelphia Eagles defend their title. The Formula One season revs up on 6 March, featuring a new race in Madrid and Lando Norris beginning his title defence.
Summer Spectacles: Tennis, Tours and Tournaments
Spring brings the snooker World Championship to the Crucible (18 Apr-4 May), where China's Zhao Xintong attempts to break the 'Crucible Curse' and retain his title. April also features the London Marathon on the 26th, where over 40,000 participants will take to the capital's streets.
The European football season culminates with three major finals: the Women's Champions League in Oslo (22 May), the Champions Cup rugby final in Bilbao (23 May), and the Men's Champions League final in Budapest (30 May), where Mikel Arteta's Arsenal harbour strong ambitions.
England's cricket summer starts with a three-Test series against New Zealand (4-25 June), followed by the Women's T20 World Cup in England and Wales (12 Jun-5 Jul). The centrepiece of the summer, however, is the expanded 48-team Men's Football World Cup (11 Jun-19 Jul) across the USA, Canada, and Mexico, where Scotland return after 28 years and England chase history.
Wimbledon (29 Jun-12 Jul) follows, with British hopes resting on Jack Draper, Emma Raducanu and others to challenge champions Sinner and Iga Swiatek. The Tour de France (4-26 July) starts in Barcelona, with Tadej Pogacar chasing a third straight win, while the women's tour begins on 1 August.
July also features a historic women's Test match at Lord's (10-13 Jul) as England host India, and The Open at Royal Birkdale (16-19 Jul), where Scottie Scheffler will be favourite. The Commonwealth Games (23 Jul-2 Aug) return to Glasgow with a streamlined sports programme.
Autumn Finals and Global Showdowns
As the nights draw in, the sporting focus shifts to team contests. The Solheim Cup (11-13 Sep) takes place in the Netherlands, with Anna Nordqvist captaining Europe against the USA. Rugby league's Super League Grand Final is at Old Trafford on 3 October, concluding a season marking the competition's 30th anniversary.
The year reaches its final crescendo with the Rugby League World Cup (15 Oct-15 Nov) in Australia and Papua New Guinea, where the formidable Australian Kangaroos will be the team to beat in the men's, women's, and wheelchair tournaments.
With a historic women's Test at Lord's, a three-nation football World Cup, and the pursuit of multiple British successes at home and abroad, 2026 is set to be a truly memorable year for sports fans.
