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After all the postponements and cancellations in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the next 12 months is poised to be a sporting feast.
The Olympics, Paralympics, golf’s Ryder Cup and football’s European Championship will all take place after a year’s delay. Other major events on the 2021 sporting calendar include the Lions rugby tour of South Africa, the women’s Rugby World Cup and the men’s, women’s and wheelchair Rugby League World Cups.
As things stand here’s 21 of the biggest sporting events scheduled to take place in 2021.
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Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
The 2020-21 PDC World Darts Championship started on 15 December at Alexandra Palace in London and the final will be played on 3 January.
2. NFL: Super Bowl LV
7 February
The NFL’s Super Bowl champion for the 2020-21 season will be decided at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.
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3. Tennis: Australian Open
8-21 February
The Australian Open, the first tennis grand slam of the season, will take place in Melbourne in February after being pushed back three weeks due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Defending men’s singles champion Novak Djokovic heads down under looking to win a ninth title at Melbourne Park.
4. Cricket: India vs. England Test series
February and March
England will travel to India in early 2021 to play four Test matches, five international Twenty20s and three one-day internationals.
5. Rugby union: Six Nations
February and March
After a stop-start championship in 2020 England eventually took the crown finishing top of the table ahead of France, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Italy. The opening round of games in 2021 are on 6-7 February.
6. Horse racing: Randox Health Grand National Festival
8-10 April
With no Grand National held in 2020, racing fans had to settle for a virtual version of the famous steeplechase. In 2021 the National is scheduled for Saturday 10 April at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool.
7. Men’s golf: Masters Tournament
Masters winner Dustin Johnson was awarded the green jacket by Tiger Woods
(Image credit: Rob Carr/Getty Images)
5-11 April
By the time the next Masters is held at Augusta National Golf Club in April Dustin Johnson will only have had to wait four months to defend his title. The American won the delayed 2020 major by a record-breaking score in November.
8. World Snooker Championship
17 April to 3 May
After conquering the Crucible for the sixth time in 2020, “The Rocket” Ronnie O’Sullivan will once again be the player to beat when snooker’s world championship is held in Sheffield.
9. Men’s football: 2021 Uefa Champions League final
29 May
Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul missed out on hosting the 2020 Champions League final because of Covid-19. However, European club football’s biggest match is scheduled to be held in the Turkish capital in 2021.
10. Men’s football: Copa América 2021
11 June to 10 July
At the same as the Euros, South American nations will be battling it out to win their continental championship, the CONMEBOL Copa América. Argentina and Colombia are the host countries.
11. Men’s football: Uefa European Championship
11 June to 11 July
Twelve cities across Europe will play host to the month-long championship. Still branded as Euro 2020, the tournament sees England, Scotland and Wales all involved. Both semi-finals and the final will be played at Wembley Stadium in London. Portugal are the defending champions.
12. Rugby union: Lions tour of South Africa
(Image credit: Getty Images)
July and August
The British & Irish Lions head to South Africa to face the reigning rugby union world champions. The Lions are scheduled to play eight matches on the tour: five warm-up games and then three Tests against the Springboks.
13. Tokyo Olympic Games
23 July to 8 August
The biggest event to be cancelled in 2020 was the summer Olympic Games. After a delay of 12 months, Japan’s capital city Tokyo will finally welcome the sporting world in July and August.
14. Tokyo Paralympic Games
24 August to 5 September
A couple of weeks after the Olympics end, Tokyo then gears up to host the Paralympics. More than 500 events will be held across 22 sports.
15. Women’s golf: 2021 Solheim Cup
4-6 September
Women golfers from Team Europe and Team USA go head-to-head for the Solheim Cup at Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio. Team Europe are the reigning champions after winning the 2019 edition at Gleneagles in Scotland.
16. Rugby World Cup 2021
New Zealand beat England in the 2017 Rugby World Cup final
(Image credit: David Rogers/Getty Images)
18 September to 16 October
The ninth edition of the women’s Rugby World Cup will be held in New Zealand. The host nation are also the reigning champions after beating England in the 2017 final.
17. Men’s golf: 43rd Ryder Cup
21-26 September
Just weeks after the Solheim Cup, it’s the turn of the European and American men’s teams to battle it out for golfing glory. The 43rd Ryder Cup will be held at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin.
18. London Marathon
3 October
In 2020 only the elite runners were able to compete in the London Marathon. Organisers and charities will be hoping to see the club athletes and fun runners return to the streets of the English capital.
19. Rugby League World Cup 2021
23 October to 27 November
Rugby league history will be made in 2021 when the men’s, women’s and wheelchair World Cups are held at the same time in England. A total 61 matches take place across the three tournaments.
20. Cricket: ICC Men’s T20 World Cup
October and November
India will host the 2021 ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup following the 2020 tournament’s postponement due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
21. Ashes cricket: Australia vs. England
November 2021 to January 2022
Australia and England rekindle international cricket’s biggest rivalry when the two nations go head to head in the Ashes. The five-Test series is scheduled to start at the Gabba in Brisbane.
