Sport in 2026: What are the big events to look out for?

Calling all sports fans - get ready, as 2026 is set to be a busy one.

Not only is there a football World Cup to enjoy, but also loads of athletics and a Winter Olympics and Paralympics too.

Even January starts with a bang as we get to the climax of two big sporting events which actually started in 2025: The end of the Ashes tests and the final of the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), which takes place on 18 January.

So what else can we look forward to in 2026? Keep reading to find out.

Summer will see the biggest tournament in football get underway - the Fifa World Cup.

For the first time in its history, the tournament will be hosted by three different nations - the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The opening match will take place on 11 June in Mexico City, with the final set for 19 July in New Jersey.

The tournament is being expanded to include a record 48 teams, and as a result, the World Cup will last a record 39 days.

The new format will feature 12 four-team groups and an extra knockout round.

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Thousands of athletes from around the world will be going for glory on the ice and snow when the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games get underway in Italy.

The Winter Games will take place first, from 6-22 February.

The Paralympic Winter Games will follow a month later, from 6-15 March.

There will be two official joint hosts - the city of Milan and the town of Cortina d'Ampezzo in the Alps.

Most indoor ice events, such as the figure skating and ice hockey, will be held in Milan.

Whereas the ski resort of Cortina d'Ampezzo, and surrounding areas, will be home to the snow and sliding events such as alpine skiing, bobsleigh and luge.

More than 3,500 athletes from 93 countries are expected to compete for 195 medals in 16 Olympic disciplines and six Paralympic sports.

Summer also sees a huge week of athletics coming to the UK, when Birmingham will stage the European Athletics Championships from 10-16 August.

The city's Alexander Stadium, which was used when the Commonwealth Games took place in Birmingham in 2022, will be staging the event.

It will be the first time that the Championships have been held in the UK, with more than 1,500 track and field stars from around 50 European countries expected to compete.

The Commonwealth Games take place every four years - and, in 2026, they will be hosted by Glasgow from 23 July to 2 August.

Around 3,000 athletes from up to 74 Commonwealth nations and territories are expected to compete.

The Scottish city stepped in after the original host, the state of Victoria in Australia, backed out because it was too expensive.

Officials have said the Games will be slightly smaller this time, with fewer athletes and events, due to the shorter amount of time to plan it.

The 2026 edition will see 10 sports and six para sports take place across four venues in Glasgow.

Events will include Athletics and Para Athletics (Track & Field), Swimming and Para Swimming, Artistic Gymnastics, Track Cycling and Para Track Cycling, Netball, Weightlifting and Para Powerlifting, Boxing, Judo, Bowls and Para Bowls, and 3x3 Basketball and 3x3 Wheelchair Basketball.

Cricket fans have not one but two T20 World Cups to look forward to in 2026.

The men's T20 World Cup is up first, running from 7 February to 8 March, with India and Sri Lanka co-hosting the tournament.

England will host the women's T20 World Cup in June and July, with a record 12 teams battling it out for the title.

The Solheim Cup is the women's equivalent of the Ryder Cup and sees two teams made up of the best professional female golfers from the USA and Europe competing against each other.

2026 marks the 20th edition of the competition, which will be held between 11-13 September. Team USA are the current holders and have won the cup eleven times in total, compared with eight wins for Team Europe.

In Rugby League, Australia will host the rearranged men's, women's and wheelchair World Cups in October and November 2026, with games also being held in Papua New Guinea.

France was originally due to stage the tournament in 2025, but organisers withdrew after they couldn't get financial support from the government.