The year 2026 promises to be one of the most crowded and high-profile years in international sport, with football, cricket, athletics and winter sports all set to dominate the global calendar.
As reported by BBC Sport, the biggest attraction will be the men’s football World Cup, jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico from 11 June to 19 July. England and Scotland have already qualified for the expanded 48-team tournament, while Wales or Northern Ireland could still secure a place through European play-offs in March.
England will begin their Group L campaign against Croatia in Dallas on 17 June, followed by matches against Ghana in Boston on 23 June and Panama in New Jersey on 27 June. Scotland, returning to the World Cup for the first time since 1998, will face Haiti in Boston, Morocco in Boston, and Brazil in Miami, according to BBC Sport’s published fixtures.
Away from football, Italy will host the Winter Olympics from 6–22 February in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, followed by the Winter Paralympics from 6–15 March at the same venues. Great Britain will aim to build on recent success, with young stars such as snowboarder Mia Brookes expected to feature prominently, as highlighted by BBC Sport.
Cricket will also take centre stage in 2026. The men’s T20 World Cup, hosted by India and Sri Lanka from 7 February to 8 March, will see England attempt to win the title for a record third time. Later in the summer, England will host the Women’s T20 World Cup from 12 June to 5 July, with matches scheduled across venues including Lord’s, The Oval, Old Trafford and Headingley, according to BBC Sport.
The UK will also host two major multi-sport events — the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow from 23 July to 2 August and the European Athletics Championships . New additions to the calendar include the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest (11–13 September) and rugby union’s Nations Championship.
Top 15 Major Sporting Events of 2026
Football – Men’s FIFA World Cup
11 June–19 July | USA, Canada, Mexico
Winter Sports – Winter Olympics
6–22 February | Milan & Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy
Winter Sports – Winter Paralympics
6–15 March | Milan & Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy
Cricket – Men’s T20 World Cup
7 February–8 March | India & Sri Lanka
Cricket – Women’s T20 World Cup
12 June–5 July | England
Rugby Union – Men’s Six Nations
5 February–14 March | Europe
Athletics – World Indoor Championships
20–22 March | Torun, Poland
Multi-sport – Commonwealth Games
23 July–2 August | Glasgow, Scotland
Athletics – European Athletics Championships
10–16 August | Birmingham, England
Golf – Solheim Cup
7-13 September | North Brabant, Netherlands
Athletics – World Athletics Ultimate Championship
11–13 September | Budapest, Hungary
Rugby League – Rugby League World Cup
15 October–15 November | Australia & Papua New Guinea
Horse Racing – Grand National
11 April | Aintree, Liverpool
Tennis – Wimbledon Championships
29 June–12 July | London
Motorsport – British Formula One Grand Prix
5 July | Silverstone
(Source – BBC)
With multiple world championships, Olympic events and historic firsts across sports, BBC Sport notes that 2026 offers fans an unmatched year of elite competition across the globe.
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