1) Australian Open 12 January-1 February
Jannik Sinner will be aiming to become only the second man in the Open era, after Novak Djokovic, to win three consecutive Australian Open singles titles, while in the women’s draw Madison Keys will be seeking to defend the title she landed via a shock victory over Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s final. Elsewhere, Roger Federer is scheduled to return to Melbourne Park for the first time since retiring from tennis in 2022 as part of a Battle of the World No 1s match, alongside Andre Agassi, Patrick Rafter and Lleyton Hewitt. “It still makes me smile when I think about all the moments I’ve had here,” said the Swiss legend.
2) Men’s & Women’s Six Nations 5 February–21 March, 11 April-17 May
France begin the defence of their Six Nations crown in blockbuster fashion given they face Ireland in Paris on opening night. It should be some contest between the sides who have won the last four championships between them. Elsewhere, Italy begin their campaign against Scotland in Rome while England take on Wales at Twickenham, with Steve Borthwick’s men eyeing a first Six Nations title since 2020 on the back of an excellent autumn. Meanwhile, the Red Roses begin the Women’s Six Nations with a home game against Ireland, hoping to end as champions for an eighth year in succession.
3) Winter Olympics 6 February-22 February
Milano Cortina is the host location for the 25th edition of these Games and, specifically, means 116 events in eight sports taking place at sites across Lombardy and north-east Italy during 19 days of competition, with Ski mountaineering making its debut on the Olympic programme. Team GB will be seeking to improve on the two medals – one gold, one silver – they won in Beijing four years ago. Meanwhile, Team USA, who won 25 medals in Beijing, have named Snoop Dogg as their first ever honorary coach. Cold times await for the man who sung Drop It Like It’s Hot. The Paralympic Winter Games take place in Milano Cortina between 6-15 March.
4) Men’s T20 World Cup 7 February-8 March
India and Sri Lanka co-host the 10th edition of this tournament, with the former seeking to defend the title they won in a thrilling final against South Africa in Barbados two years ago. Pakistan and the Netherlands get proceedings under way in Colombo while England’s campaign begins with a match against Nepal in Mumbai on the second day of competition. Their last experience of playing Twenty20 cricket in the subcontinent was a 4-1 series defeat to India last year so all concerned, no one more so than captain Harry Brook, will be hoping for a better showing this time around. The final takes place at a yet-to-be confirmed venue on 8 March.
5) Super Bowl LX 8 February
The Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California hosts the 60th edition of American football’s showpiece event. The Philadelphia Eagles will be seeking to defend the title they won with a 40-22 demolition of the Kansas City Chiefs in New Orleans last year. That victory stopped the Chiefs winning a third straight Super Bowl and they have zero chance of regaining their crown in 2026 having missed out on the playoffs for the first time since 2014. Their golden era appears to be well and truly over. Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio – AKA Bad Bunny – will perform the half-time show, marking the first time a Latin male artist has taken to this particular stage.
6) Formula One World Championship 6 March-6 December
The new season will again start in Australia, end in Abu Dhabi and feature 24 races, but there is some change to the schedule, with Madrid hosting a Formula One race for the first time since 1981. The “Madring” circuit, which will contain street and non-street sections, replaces the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix at Imola and becomes one of two F1 races in Spain, alongside Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya. There will be a new Cadillac team as well as the introduction of new aerodynamics and power unit rules, while for Lando Norris the aim will be for much more of the same after his maiden title win in 2025.
7) World Athletics Indoor Championships 20 March-22 March
The 21st edition of this event takes place in the Polish city of Toruń. More than 500 athletes from 120 teams will compete across three days of competition at the Arena Toruń, with men’s heptathlon getting the action going on the opening morning. The first track champions will be crowned that evening in the men’s 60m final. For Team GB, the aim is to improve on the four medals – two golds, one silver, one bronze – they won at last year’s championships in Nanjing. Jeremiah Azu and Amber Anning will no doubt be hoping they can strike gold again having done so in the men’s 60m and women’s 400m respectively in 2025.
8) The Masters 9 April-12 April
Rory McIlroy returns to the scene of his greatest time. The Northern Irishman ended his long wait for a fifth major with a dramatic playoff win over Justin Rose at Augusta last year, in the process completing a career grand slam and a lifelong ambition. “I’m just so proud to be able to call myself a Masters champion,” McIlroy said in the afterglow of victory. He will face various challenges in his bid to reclaim the green jacket, with the world No 1, Scottie Scheffler, the standout threat. Tommy Fleetwood, Xander Schauffele and JJ Spaun, who won 2025 US Open via an incredible 64-foot birdie putt at Oakmont Country Club, are among the other contenders.
9) World Snooker Championship 18 April-4 May
For a 50th consecutive year, snooker’s premier competition takes place at the Crucible. As ever, the world’s top-16 players as they stand after the 2026 Tour Championship will be seeded and joined by a further 16 players from the qualifying rounds, which take place at the English Institute of Sport, also in Sheffield, earlier in April. China’s Zhao Xintong will be hoping to defend the crown he won via a 18-12 victory over Mark Williams in last year’s final and, in the process, break the Crucible curse – no first-time world champion has retained the title since the tournament moved to the Crucible in 1977.
10) London Marathon 26 April
One of the most celebrated days in the UK sporting calendar as approximately 40,000 people take on the 26.2-mile course from Greenwich Park to the Mall, with the sight of elite runners competing in the same space as giant chickens and a man dressed as Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz never failing to bring a smile to the faces of the thousands who line the course each and every year. Last year’s event saw Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe win the men’s race on debut in a time of 2hr 2min 27sec while Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa won the women’s race in a time of 2:15.50. Both were captivating contests – more of the same in 2026 would not go amiss.
11) Women’s Champions League final 22 May
Oslo’s Ullevaal Stadion hosts the showpiece event of women’s club football in Europe and the hope for Arsenal is that they are there to defend the trophy they won in memorable fashion against Barcelona in Lisbon last year. First, Renée Slegers’ side need to navigate a playoff tie against OH Leuven, victory in which will lead to a quarter-final against Chelsea, who continue to seek their first ever Champions League title. Manchester United are also in the playoffs, with victory over Atlético Madrid setting up a quarter-final showdown with Bayern Munich. Barcelona and OL Lyonnes remain the teams to beat and, given how the knockout draw has been mapped out, cannot meet until the final.
12) Champions Cup final 23 May
The San Mamés Stadium in Bilbao is the venue for European rugby’s showpiece occasion and for Bordeaux-Bègles the ambition is to retain the title they secured with a 28-20 victory over Northampton at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff last year. Can Saints go one better in 2026? Quite possibly, albeit Bath and Saracens may have something to say about that as an English team seeks to seize this crown for the first time since Exeter did so in 2020. The Challenge Cup Final also takes place at San Mamés the previous day. The Chiefs are in contention for that particular prize, alongside Newcastle Red Bulls, Ospreys, Dragons, Connacht and Ulster.
13) Men’s Champions League final 30 May
Could this finally be Arsenal’s year? That is a question being asked in regards to their Premier League title hopes and also applies to their ambitions of winning the Champions League for a first time. Mikel Arteta’s men lead the League phase with a 100% record after six games and have a statement victory under their belt having beaten Bayern Munich 3-1 at the Emirates Stadium in November. Bayern are among the other contenders to win a competition whose final takes place at the Puskas Arena in Hungary, alongside the likes of holders Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester City and Liverpool, if they can fully get their act together.
14) England men v New Zealand men Test series 4 June-25 June
England’s cricketing summer begins with a three-match Test series against New Zealand, with the matches taking place at Lord’s, The Oval and Trent Bridge respectively. This will be the Black Caps first Test series in England since the summer of 2022, when they lost 3-0, the hosts securing a first clean-sweep on home soil since 2011. After New Zealand comes limited-overs series’ against India and Sri Lanka either side of a three-match Test series against Pakistan, with those matches taking place at Headingley, Lord’s and Edgbaston. The Pakistan series begins on 19 August, which has led to the Hundred being moved forward by a week to avoid a scheduling clash.
15) The Derby 6 June
For much of the 19th century, parliament rose annually on Derby day to allow honourable members to attend the race, and as recently as the 1970s the crowd was well into six figures. Recent years, though, have seen an alarming drop-off in spectators and this year’s running of the world’s most famous Classic will be the first to benefit from a five-year, £6m investment to tempt the punters back. Big upgrades to the spectator experience are promised, but unlike most other major sporting events it will, as always, still be possible to turn up and watch for free.
Photograph: Ian Headington/racingfotos.com/Shutterstock
16) Men’s World Cup 11 June-19 July
The 23rd World Cup is the first to be hosted by three countries – the United States, Canada and Mexico – and contain 48 teams. It is a monster, and is already shrouded in fear and controversy given Donald Trump’s hardline stance over immigration and the exorbitant price of tickets. Once the football gets going there will, as ever, be much to enjoy, with Scotland’s return to the global stage for the first time in 28 years an undeniable source of intrigue and excitement, especially given they are in the same group as Brazil. For England there is that aching desire of a nation to witness a first World Cup win since 1966, and first ever on foreign soil. No pressure, Thomas.
17) Women’s T20 World Cup 12 June-5 July
The 10th edition of this tournament takes place in England and Wales and, for the first time, sees 12 teams take part. They will compete across 25 days of competition, culminating with a final at Lord’s on 5 July. England will be desperately keen to be there and begin their campaign against Sri Lanka at Edgbaston on the opening evening. Nat Sciver-Brunt’s side will go into the World Cup having played T20 series’ against New Zealand and India, so should be well prepared. The White Ferns are World Cup holders having triumphed in the UAE two years ago and begin their campaign against West Indies at the Hampshire Bowl on 13 June.
18) Royal Ascot 16 June-20 June
While some of racing’s other showpiece events are struggling, Royal Ascot goes from strength to strength with all the effortless self-assurance of the Ascot Gavotte. This year’s prize money total will be a new record of £10.65m with two £1m contests and at least £120,000 in the purse for each and every one of the 35 races. With Francis-Henri Graffard, France’s new champion trainer, leading a welcome French renaissance at the highest level, the racing is sure to be as competitive as ever, and tickets for the Windsor enclosure – no dress code and bring your own picnic and bubbly – start at £30.
19) Wimbledon 29 June-12 July
The tennis event of the summer remains a very British affair and the hope for domestic fans will be that a domestic player can win a singles titles for the first time since Andy Murray did so in 2016. Jack Draper, Cameron Norrie, Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter are the standout hopes and will have to be at their very best to overcome the likes of Carlos Alcaraz, Sinner, Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek. Sinner and Swiatek are the respective men’s and women’s singles champions. Elsewhere, Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool will be seeking to retain the men’s doubles title after becoming the first all-British duo to do so for 89 years in 2025.
20) Tour de France & Tour de France Femmes 4 July-26 July, 1 August-9 August
The 113th edition of cycling’s most prestigious event sees the Grand Départ shift to Barcelona, marking the 27th occasion it has taken place away from France and third occasion in Spain. The final stage will again be in Paris and for Tadej Pogacar the ambition is to win a third Tour title in succession and fifth overall. The fifth edition of the Tour de France Femmes, meanwhile, will take place in Switzerland as well as France with the route passing in three mountain ranges: the Jura, Massif central and Alps. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot will be seeking to retain the title she won last year, when she became the first French rider to win the Tour de France Femmes.
21) England women v India women Test match 10 July-13 July
Lord’s hosts a women’s Test match for a very first time. India are the visitors for the four-day match, which coincides with the 50th anniversary of Rachael Heyhoe Flint first leading out an England women’s team at the grand old venue. A special occasion, then, and the hope for the hosts is that it is a winning one, too. The omens are not great for Sciver-Brunt’s team given India won the last Test match between the two teams in December 2023 by 347 runs. England’s last Test match at home also ended in defeat – against Australia at Trent Bridge, also in 2023. England face India in three T20 matches before their Test match.
22) The Open 16-19 July
Royal Birkdale welcomes the Open for a 10th occasion, in the process becoming the most regular venue of the event in its 154-year history, other than St Andrews. The hope for most concerned will be that this year’s contest is more enthralling than last year’s, when Scheffler cruised to a 17-under victory at Royal Portrush. As the Guardian’s golf correspondent, Ewan Murray, put it in his final-day report: “Never in doubt. Never remotely in doubt”. It is difficult to look past the American clinging on to the Claret Jug but there are threats in his way, including Fleetwood, for whom a first major on his home course would represent a truly glorious achievement.
23) Commonwealth Games 23 July-2 August
The so-called “festival of energy, community and ambition” returns to Glasgow for a third time and a first since 2014. In total, 3,000 athletes from 74 nations and territories will compete for medals across 10 sports, seven fewer than in 2014 as part of an attempt to make an increasingly antiquated event financially prudent. Indeed, Glasgow stepped in as hosts after the Australian state of Victoria pulled out of that role in July 2023 citing costs. Athletics and para-athletics, swimming and para-swimming, track cycling and para-track cycling, netball, weightlifting and para-powerlifting, boxing, judo, bowls and para-bowls, and 3×3 basketball and 3×3 wheelchair basketball are the sports that made the cut.
24) Solheim Cup 11 September-13 September
Can Team Europe reclaim the ultimate team prize in women’s golf? That will certainly be the burning ambition of Anna Nordqvist as she shifts from player to captain, taking over the role from Suzann Pettersen, whose reign ended in a 12½-15½ defeat to the United States in Virginia two years ago. Home advantage may well help – this year’s tournament takes place at the Bernardus Golf course in the Netherlands. The US will be no pushovers, however, and also have a new captain, with Angela Stanford taking over from Stacy Lewis. As ever, 28 matches will be played across three days under three different types of matchplay – foursomes, fourballs and singles.
25) Super League Grand Final 3 October
Super League’s showpiece occasion will come at the end of a notable season given it is one that again involves 14 teams, with York Knights and Toulouse Olympique earning places in an expanded division. Super League’s 30th anniversary also falls in round six, which will be marked by the playing of two foundation fixtures: Castleford facing Bradford on 26 March and Leeds coming up against Warrington on 29 March. All roads, as ever, lead to Old Trafford and the ambition of Hull KR will be to return to the venue where they hammered Wigan 24-6 to clinch last season’s treble. Few would bet against Willie Peters’ men doing just that.
26) Rugby League World Cup 15 October-15 November
Australia and Papua New Guinea host the men’s, women’s and wheelchair World Cups across the space of a month. In the men’s event it is very much a case of stop Australia. The co-hosts have won the last three World Cups and more of the same is expected of the Kangaroos, while for England, battered and bruised by their 3-0 Ashes whitewash, the first task is to get out of a group that also contains Samoa and Lebanon. The men’s and women’s final will be held at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on 15 November, while the wheelchair final takes place at the Wollongong’s WIN Entertainment Centre two days earlier.
