The Africa Cup of Nations will take place from 13 January to 11 February.
The 34th installment of the largest sports event in Africa was originally scheduled to take place in Ivory Coast from June to July 2023. However, it was rescheduled to early 2024 due to concerns about heavy rainfall during that time in the country. Mohamed Salah is determined to redeem himself after his team, Egypt, experienced the disappointment of losing in a penalty shootout to Senegal in the 2022 final. The tournament will also feature other notable players such as André Onana (Cameroon), Achraf Hakimi (Morocco), and Victor Osimhen (Nigeria).
The Australian Open will take place from January 14th to January 28th.
Novak Djokovic is set to make tennis history in Melbourne as he aims to win his 25th grand slam title, surpassing Margaret Court as the most successful player in the sport. Despite Rafael Nadal’s return from a year-long injury, it is likely that the world No. 1 will achieve his goal at this tournament. In the women’s competition, Aryna Sabalenka will be defending her title after defeating Elena Rybakina in a dominant and impressive performance in the 2023 final.
The Six Nations for Men and Women will take place on 2 February-16 March and 23 March-27 April.
Four months following experiencing different types of disappointment at the Rugby World Cup, the top teams from the northern hemisphere come together to compete in the Six Nations. Ireland, who won the Grand Slam, will start their journey in Marseille with an exciting opening game, while England, without their captain Owen Farrell, will play in Rome the following day. Wales and Scotland will also face off in Cardiff. A week later, the women’s teams will begin their matches, with England aiming to continue their success from 2023 when they achieved the Grand Slam in front of a record-breaking crowd of 58,498 at Twickenham.
4) Super Bowl LVIII 11 February
The 58th edition of the most prominent event in American Football is taking place at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Kansas City Chiefs, coached by Andy Reid and led by 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. The highly anticipated halftime show will feature Usher in 2024, to the delight of his fans who likely screamed “Yeah!” upon hearing the announcement.
2022
On February 17, 2022, there will be a match between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk.
After much anticipation, the highly-anticipated fight that everyone had been waiting for was finally set to take place just before Christmas. However, it was delayed due to Tyson Fury’s unexpected split decision victory over Francis Ngannou in Riyadh in October. After regrouping, Fury is now ready to face off against the current top-ranked boxer in the world in Saudi Arabia, with both men vying for the title of undisputed heavyweight champion, a feat that has not been achieved since 1999. While the location may be disappointing, the match is expected to be an exciting one.
6) Formula One World Championship 2 March-8 December
The upcoming Formula One season is set to bring about major alterations. For starters, the schedule now includes a record-breaking 24 races, which is believed to be the maximum feasible number for the teams and personnel involved. Additionally, the first two races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia will take place on consecutive Saturdays. F1 has also announced the addition of six sprint races, to be held in China, Miami, Austria, Austin, Brazil, and Qatar. It is likely that once the action begins, there will be minimal changes, with Max Verstappen and Red Bull dominating in 2023 and expected to repeat their success in 2024.
The Masters tournament will take place from April 11th to April 14th.
John Rahm will be arriving at Augusta with the goal of defending his title that he won in an exciting final day back in 2023. The Spanish golfer, who recently made a controversial switch to LIV Golf, should have a strong sense of confidence as he was also part of the European team that won back the Ryder Cup in Rome a few months ago. This same level of belief should also apply to Rory McIlroy as he aims to win his first major in ten years. On the US side, top-ranked golfer Scottie Scheffler is expected to put up a tough challenge, and there may even be a possibility of Tiger Woods returning to compete in the Masters.
England Women will face Pakistan Women in a Twenty20 series from 11 May to 19 May.
It perhaps says something about the growth of English women’s cricket that Heather Knight’s white-ball side have been chosen to open the international summer with a three-match Twenty20 series against Pakistan. The fixtures take place at Edgbaston, Northampton and Headingley. There follows a three-match one-day series against the same opponents before three ODIs and five T20s are played against New Zealand. “Next summer’s schedule will see England Women play at more venues and allow more people to see their heroes in action,” said England and Wales chief executive, Richard Gould.
The final match of the Women’s Champions League will take place on May 25th.
The San Mamés stadium in Bilbao hosts the showpiece event of women’s club football in Europe and few would complain if it proved as exciting as the 2023 final, when Barcelona come from two goals down at half-time to beat Wolfsburg 3-2 in Eindhoven. English hopes rest with Chelsea following Arsenal’s shock defeat to Paris FC in the first round of qualifying and what would be the club’s first Women’s Champions League triumph would also represent a fitting way for Emma Hayes to sign off as manager prior to her move to the United States.
The final match of the Men’s Champions League will take place on June 1.
Is it possible for Manchester City to make it to Wembley and defend their title from last season’s treble? Their current performance suggests it may not be likely, but City tends to improve in the new year and they are happy to have been given a favorable last-16 draw. Pep Guardiola’s team will face FC Copenhagen in the next round, while Arsenal, who are looking to win their first Champions League title, will take on Porto. Other strong teams like Bayern Munich and Real Madrid are also competing in this tournament, which is being played in its current format for the final time before switching to the controversial “Swiss model” next year.
11) Men’s Twenty20 World Cup 4 June-30 June
The first ever cricket World Cup is being hosted in the United States, in partnership with the West Indies. This is an attempt to expand the popularity of the sport beyond its usual boundaries. It will be interesting to observe how cities like Dallas and New York embrace the event. With 20 teams participating, this World Cup is set to be the largest one yet. For England, the goal is to avoid a repeat of their struggles in the recent 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 event for the first time since the 2006 World Cup. The goal is for it to be as successful as the previous one. The competition is still undecided, with multiple teams having a chance to win the championship 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 play against the hosts in the first game. Wales will need to compete in a playoff to secure a spot in the finals. If they succeed, Robert Page’s team will be in the same group as France and the Netherlands.
The Royal Ascot will take place from June 18th to June 22nd.
Auguste Rodin had a somewhat inconsistent three-year-old career, but he accomplished something that Aidan O’Brien’s last three Derby winners were unable to do. He won another top-level race after his Epsom victory and ended the season strongly at the Breeders’ Cup Turf. He is the most successful Ballydoyle Derby winner to continue racing since High Chaparral in 2002-03, and there were even discussions about entering him in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Whether or not that comes to fruition, he will be a contender in major races for older horses 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 18th.
The 111th installment of the renowned cycling competition will feature some notable firsts, including the start of the race in Florence, Italy and the finish in Nice instead of Paris. Jonas Vingegaard from Denmark will be vying for his third consecutive victory, while Mark Cavendish hopes to surpass the record of 34 Tour stage wins he currently shares with Eddy Merckx. The third edition of the Tour de France Femmes will begin in Rotterdam, but has been postponed due to the Olympics.
15) Wimbledon 1 July-14 July
The 2024 Championships will need to strive for equal levels of excitement as the 2023 edition, which ended with Marketa Vondrousova becoming the first unseeded player to win the women’s singles title by defeating Ons Jabeur, followed by Carlos Alcaraz winning his second grand slam title against Novak Djokovic in a thrilling men’s final. It is expected that there will be similar elements in place, with numerous British players poised to advance far into the second week of the tournament, particularly Katie Boulter and Cameron Norrie.
2017
The Test Series between England Men and West Indies Men took place from July 10 to July 30, 2017.
England will be playing a red-ball match on their home turf for the first time since the Ashes, against an opponent who last visited in 2020 during the pandemic. Due to the lack of crowds, the series lacked energy. This time, the matches at Lord’s, Trent Bridge, and Edgbaston are expected to have a better atmosphere. However, Stuart Broad will not be playing following his retirement. After playing against West Indies, England will face Sri Lanka in three tests at Old Trafford, Lord’s, and the Oval.
17) The Open 18 July-21 July
The Open returns to Royal Troon for the first time since 2016, when Henrik Stenson won the Claret Jug in a thrilling final-round battle against Phil Mickelson. Fans are hoping for a similar level of excitement and a departure from the lackluster 2023 event at Royal Liverpool, where Brian Harman easily claimed the Championship title on a rainy last day. Unfortunately, it was not a scintillating display. For those who appreciate nostalgia, Colin Montgomerie will be competing at a course near his childhood home. “This is where I began my journey as a golfer,” he shared. “It feels like home.”
18) Olympics 26 July-11 August
The chief executive of the Paris 2024 organising committee, Étienne Thobois, has declared their desire for a grand celebration. The upcoming Olympics, which will be the first to take place in Europe since London 2012, is expected to kick off in a stunning fashion. The plan for the opening ceremony is for athletes to travel along the Seine in a large flotilla. Once they reach land, they will compete in traditional sports as well as four new additions, such as breakdancing and skateboarding. Overall, the Games are anticipated to be a spectacular event, with the possibility of British triumphs on the Stade de France track by athletes like Keely Hodgkinson, Katarina Johnson-Thompson, and Zharnel Hughes.
19) Paralympics 28 August-8 September
Similar to Tokyo in 2018, the Paris Paralympics will feature 22 sports and 4,400 athletes competing over an 11-day period. The first day will kick off with wheelchair rugby, where Great Britain aims to defend their gold medal from the Yoyogi National Stadium in August 2021, where they defeated the United States with a score of 54-49. ParalympicsGB earned a total of 124 medals in Japan, including 41 golds. The final weekend will include wheelchair fencing at the Grand Palais.
The Women’s Twenty20 World Cup will take place in September and October.
Bangladesh is the host country for the ninth installment of the women’s Twenty20 World Cup, where Australia has the potential to secure their seventh championship title. Despite the absence of Meg Lanning, who retired nine months after leading her team to their sixth victory in South Africa, Australia is expected to be the top contender. England will also be competing in the tournament after a series of T20 matches, including three in India. In total, there will be 10 teams participating in the World Cup, with two teams qualifying through a global qualifier in early 2024.
The Solheim Cup will take place from September 10th to September 15th.
Yes, the Solheim Cup is returning just 12 months after being held at Finca Cortesín. The organizers have decided to permanently move the event to even-numbered years to avoid conflicting with the Ryder Cup. The first event under this new schedule will take place at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia. Europe will be looking to claim their fourth consecutive victory, with Suzann Pettersen returning as captain and Stacy Lewis leading the US team once again. Pettersen, who has won 21 tournaments, expressed her excitement and honor at being asked to captain Team Europe once more.
The Super League Grand Final will take place on October 12th.
Wigan Warriors broke through the seemingly unbreakable hold of St Helens on Super League dominance by winning the Grand Final for the first time in five years. In October, they put on a dominant performance against Catalan Dragons at Old Trafford. Matt Peet’s team’s goal for the upcoming season will be to make it back to the championship match in 2024. In another significant event, Wigan will be hosting the NRL champions, the Penrith Panthers, for the World Club Challenge on February 24th. This is a rematch of their 1991 match at Anfield, where Wigan emerged victorious with a 21-4 score.
The Cycling World Championships will take place from October 16 to October 20.
The event will be held at Ballerup Super Arena for the third time, previously in 2002 and 2010. The organizers are confident that everything will run smoothly and successfully. Project coordinator Andreas Juul Ingvartsen stated in October that “Everything is going according to plan.” The first day will begin with qualifying races for the women’s and men’s team pursuit. Great Britain hopes to improve upon their impressive performance at the 2023 Championships in Glasgow, where they won a total of 56 medals, including 23 golds.
In November and December, the Weightlifting World Championships take place.
The country of Bahrain is hosting the most important weightlifting competition for the first time ever, and the organizers are filled with excitement. Eshaq Ebrahim Eshaq, the president of the Bahrain Weightlifting Federation, expresses his gratitude to the International Weightlifting Federation for their trust and promises to host an exceptional event that will contribute to the growth of the sport. The competition will feature 20 different weight categories, with 10 for men and 10 for women. China is expected to be a top contender, having won 20 gold medals at the 2023 championships in Riyadh, which is 15 more than second-place Thailand.
Source: theguardian.com
