From FIFA World Cup to Asian Games: 26 sports events to look forward to in 2026

Hockey India League

The second edition of the Hockey India League (HIL) is being held across three cities — Chennai, Ranchi, and Bhubaneswar. The women’s event with four teams is on till January 10, while the men’s tournament with eight teams will run from January 3 to January 26.

Women’s Premier League

The fourth edition of the WPL will be held at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai and the Baroda Cricket Association Stadium in Baroda from January 9-February 5. The tournament will be played among five franchises and will be the first edition to follow a Mega Auction.

ICC U-19 Men’s World Cup 

ICC U-19 Men’s World Cup Zimbabwe and Namibia will co-host the 16th edition from January 15-February 6. 16 teams will compete in the 50-over tournament, playing 41 matches across 23 days. The competition will feature a group stage, followed by the Super Six, before the top four teams qualify for the knockouts.

Australian Open

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

ICC Men’s T20 World Cup

India and Sri Lanka will co-host the 10th edition from February 7-March 8. A total of 55 matches will be played across eight venues — five in India and three in Sri Lanka. 20 teams will compete across three stages: Group Stage, Super 8s, and Knockouts.

Shooting League of India

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

Indian Premier League

The 19th edition of the IPL will be held across the country starting March 26-May 31. A total of 10 franchises will compete in the tournament lasting nearly two months.

AFC Women’s Asian Cup

India qualified for the continental tournament — March 1-21 — for the first time on merit after an unbeaten qualification campaign. Placed in Group C alongside Japan, Vietnam, and Chinese Taipei, the Blue Tigresses will begin their campaign against Vietnam on March 4 in Australia.

FIDE Candidates

R. Praggnanandhaa will be the lone Indian in the men’s Candidates tournament, competing for a place in the World Chess Championship match. The Women’s Candidates will feature three Indians — Divya Deshmukh, Koneru Humpy, and R. Vaishali. In Cyprus from March 28-April 16.

Thomas & Uber Cup

Denmark will host the BWF Thomas & Uber Cup Finals in Horsens from April 24-May 3. 16 nations will compete in the biennial team-format event, marking only the fourth time in the tournament’s 75-year history that it will be staged in Europe.

World Team Table Tennis Championships

This landmark edition — April 28-May 10 in London — will mark 100 years since the inaugural tournament in 1926. 64 teams will compete in the Men’s and Women’s team events.

French Open

Roland-Garros, the second Grand Slam of the year, will be played in Paris from May 24-June 7. Carlos Alcaraz and Coco Gauff are the defending champions in the men’s and women’s singles categories.

FIFA World Cup

The 23rd edition of football’s marquee event will be the first to feature 48 nations and the first to be hosted jointly by three countries — the USA, Canada, and Mexico. From June 11-July 19.

ICC Women’s T20 World Cup

The 10th edition — from June 12-July 5 — will feature 12 teams for the first time. Hosted by England and Wales across seven venues, the final will be played at Lord’s.

Wimbledon

The 140th edition of The Championships will be held in London from June 29-July 12. Jannik Sinner is the reigning Gentlemen’s singles champion, while Iga Swiatek holds the Ladies’ singles title.

Commonwealth Games

The 23rd edition will be held in Glasgow, Scotland from July 23-August 2, with nearly 3,000 athletes taking part in 215 medal events across 10 sports.

BWF World Championships

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

Pro Kabaddi League

The 13th season is expected to begin in August. The two-month tournament will feature nearly 137 matches played in a double-round-robin format across cities.

Men’s Hockey World Cup

The 16th Men’s Hockey World Cup will be co-hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands from August 14-30. 16 teams will compete, with the final scheduled to be held in Wavre, Belgium.

Women’s Hockey World Cup

Running simultaneously with the men’s tournament, the final of the Women’s Hockey World Cup will be played in Amstelveen on August 29. India will compete in the FIH Hockey World Cup Qualifiers in Hyderabad in March to secure qualification.

US Open

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

World Athletics Ultimate Championships

The inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championships will be held in Budapest, Hungary. The three-day event — from September 11-13 — will feature 28 events with a direct-finals format and no heats.

Asian Games & Asian Para Games

The 20th Asian Games will be held in Aichi–Nagoya from September 19 to October 4. 45 countries and regions will compete across 41 sports, including nine non-Olympic disciplines, with 460 medal events. It will be followed by the 5th Asian Para Games from October 18 to 24.

Wrestling World Championships

The UWW World Championships will be held in Manama, Bahrain, from October 24-November 1, marking the first time an Arab nation hosts the senior event. Freestyle will be held for men and women, while Greco-Roman will feature only men.

ISSF World Shooting Championships

To be held in Doha, Qatar, from November 1-15. Featuring Rifle, Pistol, and Shotgun events, the tournament will serve as the first major qualification event for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

FIDE World Chess Championship

The winner of the Candidates tournament will face defending champion D. Gukesh of India, while the winner of the Women’s Candidates will challenge reigning champion Ju Wenjun of China. Dates and venue to be announced.

*In pics: Champion of the previous edition

Published on Jan 07, 2026

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