From FIFA World Cup to Asian Video games: 26 sports activities occasions to look ahead to in 2026

Hockey India League

Rarh Bengal Tigers, Males’s champion.
| Photograph Credit score:
M. VEDHAN

The second version of the Hockey India League (HIL) is being held throughout three cities — Chennai, Ranchi, and Bhubaneswar. The ladies’s occasion with 4 groups is on until January 10, whereas the lads’s match with eight groups will run from January 3 to January 26.

Girls’s Premier League

Mumbai Indians.
| Photograph Credit score:
PTI

The fourth version of the WPL will probably be held on the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai and the Baroda Cricket Affiliation Stadium in Baroda from January 9-February 5. The match will probably be performed amongst 5 franchises and would be the first version to comply with a Mega Public sale.

ICC U-19 Males’s World Cup 

Australia.
| Photograph Credit score:
Getty Photos

ICC U-19 Males’s World Cup Zimbabwe and Namibia will co-host the sixteenth version from January 15-February 6. 16 groups will compete within the 50-over match, taking part in 41 matches throughout 23 days. The competitors will characteristic a bunch stage, adopted by the Tremendous Six, earlier than the highest 4 groups qualify for the knockouts.

Australian Open

Jannik Sinner, Males’s singles.
| Photograph Credit score:
Getty Photos

The primary Grand Slam of the yr will probably be held in Melbourne from January 18-February 1. Jannik Sinner and Madison Keys are the reigning champions.

ICC Males’s T20 World Cup

India.
| Photograph Credit score:
Ok. R. Deepak

India and Sri Lanka will co-host the tenth version from February 7-March 8. A complete of 55 matches will probably be performed throughout eight venues — 5 in India and three in Sri Lanka. 20 groups will compete throughout three levels: Group Stage, Tremendous 8s, and Knockouts.

Capturing League of India

Manu Bhaker (anticipated participant).
| Photograph Credit score:
PTI

The inaugural season of the Capturing League of India (SLI) will probably be held in New Delhi from February 16-26. The franchise-based competitors will characteristic Pistol, Rifle, and Shotgun disciplines.

Indian Premier League

Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
| Photograph Credit score:
VIJAY SONEJI

The nineteenth version of the IPL will probably be held throughout the nation beginning March 26-Might 31. A complete of 10 franchises will compete within the match lasting almost two months.

AFC Girls’s Asian Cup

China.
| Photograph Credit score:
Getty Photos

India certified for the continental match — March 1-21 — for the primary time on benefit after an unbeaten qualification marketing campaign. Positioned in Group C alongside Japan, Vietnam, and Chinese language Taipei, the Blue Tigresses will start their marketing campaign towards Vietnam on March 4 in Australia.

FIDE Candidates

D. Gukesh.
| Photograph Credit score:
Michał Walusza/FIDE

R. Praggnanandhaa would be the lone Indian within the males’s Candidates match, competing for a spot within the World Chess Championship match. The Girls’s Candidates will characteristic three Indians — Divya Deshmukh, Koneru Humpy, and R. Vaishali. In Cyprus from March 28-April 16.

Thomas & Uber Cup

China, Thomas Cup
| Photograph Credit score:
Getty Photos

Denmark will host the BWF Thomas & Uber Cup Finals in Horsens from April 24-Might 3. 16 nations will compete within the biennial team-format occasion, marking solely the fourth time within the match’s 75-year historical past that it will likely be staged in Europe.

World Crew Desk Tennis Championships

China, Males’s champion
| Photograph Credit score:
Getty Photos

This landmark version — April 28-Might 10 in London — will mark 100 years because the inaugural match in 1926. 64 groups will compete within the Males’s and Girls’s workforce occasions.

French Open

Carlos Alcaraz, Males’s singles.
| Photograph Credit score:
Getty Photos

Roland-Garros, the second Grand Slam of the yr, will probably be performed in Paris from Might 24-June 7. Carlos Alcaraz and Coco Gauff are the defending champions within the males’s and girls’s singles classes.

FIFA World Cup

Argentina.
| Photograph Credit score:
REUTERS

The twenty third version of soccer’s marquee occasion would be the first to characteristic 48 nations and the primary to be hosted collectively by three international locations — the USA, Canada, and Mexico. From June 11-July 19.

ICC Girls’s T20 World Cup

New Zealand.
| Photograph Credit score:
AFP

The tenth version — from June 12-July 5 — will characteristic 12 groups for the primary time. Hosted by England and Wales throughout seven venues, the ultimate will probably be performed at Lord’s.

Wimbledon

Jannik Sinner, Males’s singles
| Photograph Credit score:
AFP

The one hundred and fortieth version of The Championships will probably be held in London from June 29-July 12. Jannik Sinner is the reigning Gents’s singles champion, whereas Iga Swiatek holds the Girls’ singles title.

Commonwealth Video games

Mirabai Chanu, Weightlifting (49kg)
| Photograph Credit score:
Getty Photos

The twenty third version will probably be held in Glasgow, Scotland from July 23-August 2, with almost 3,000 athletes participating in 215 medal occasions throughout 10 sports activities.

BWF World Championships

Kim Gained Ho &Search engine marketing Seung Jae (South Korea), Males’s doubles
| Photograph Credit score:
Getty Photos

To be held in New Delhi August 17-23, the occasion returns to India for the primary time since 2009.

Professional Kabaddi League

Dabang Delhi.
| Photograph Credit score:
ANI

The thirteenth season is anticipated to start in August. The 2-month match will characteristic almost 137 matches performed in a double-round-robin format throughout cities.

Males’s Hockey World Cup

Germany.
| Photograph Credit score:
R. Ragu

The sixteenth Males’s Hockey World Cup will probably be co-hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands from August 14-30. 16 groups will compete, with the ultimate scheduled to be held in Wavre, Belgium.

Girls’s Hockey World Cup

Netherlands
| Photograph Credit score:
Getty Photos

Working concurrently with the lads’s match, the ultimate of the Girls’s Hockey World Cup will probably be performed in Amstelveen on August 29. India will compete within the FIH Hockey World Cup Qualifiers in Hyderabad in March to safe qualification.

US Open

Carlos Alcaraz, Males’s singles.
| Photograph Credit score:
AP

The fourth and last Grand Slam of the yr will probably be performed at Flushing Meadows in New York from August 30-September 13. Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka are the defending singles champions.

World Athletics Final Championships

Religion Kipyegon (anticipated participant)
| Photograph Credit score:
Getty Photos

The inaugural World Athletics Final Championships will probably be held in Budapest, Hungary. The three-day occasion — from September 11-13 — will characteristic 28 occasions with a direct-finals format and no heats.

Asian Video games & Asian Para Video games

Satwik-Chirag, Males’s doubles badminton.
| Photograph Credit score:
REUTERS

The twentieth Asian Video games will probably be held in Aichi–Nagoya from September 19 to October 4. 45 international locations and areas will compete throughout 41 sports activities, together with 9 non-Olympic disciplines, with 460 medal occasions. Will probably be adopted by the fifth Asian Para Video games from October 18 to 24.

Wrestling World Championships

Kyle Snyder, Freestyle (97kg)
| Photograph Credit score:
Getty Photos

The UWW World Championships will probably be held in Manama, Bahrain, from October 24-November 1, marking the primary time an Arab nation hosts the senior occasion. Freestyle will probably be held for women and men, whereas Greco-Roman will characteristic solely males.

ISSF World Capturing Championships

Samrat Rana, 10m air pistol
| Photograph Credit score:
Particular Association

To be held in Doha, Qatar, from November 1-15. That includes Rifle, Pistol, and Shotgun occasions, the match will function the primary main qualification occasion for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

FIDE World Chess Championship

D. Gukesh.
| Photograph Credit score:
PTI

The winner of the Candidates match will face defending champion D. Gukesh of India, whereas the winner of the Girls’s Candidates will problem reigning champion Ju Wenjun of China. Dates and venue to be introduced.

*In pics: Champion of the earlier version

Revealed on Jan 07, 2026

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