2026 sporting bucket list – the year’s biggest events

Source: Radio New Zealand

As another year draws to a close, it’s time to look forward to the major sporting events of the coming year.

For many, the highlight will be the FIFA Football World Cup, held every four years, after a seemingly never-ending qualification process

More than 200 teams began that long road to the expanded tournament, which will run over more than a month and consist of 104 games, up from 64 four years ago.

We’ve gathered some of the year’s other marquee international events, along with the most anticipated local events.

Mark them on your calendars now.

January

PDC World Darts Championship 11 December-3 January Alexandra Palace, London

Even if you struggle with darts as a legitimate sport, you can’t help but be impressed by the passion shown by the 3000 mostly drunken and costumed fans cramming into the famed ‘Ally Pally’ every year.

The pub pastime has taken on cult popularity, with the winner of this event taking home one million pounds (NZ$2.3m), doubling last year’s purse.

A field of 128 began the event, with Kiwi Huapai Puha among the first-round casualties and countryman Jonny Tata progressing to the second.

Defending champion is still-teenager Luke Littler, who made the 2024 final as a 16-year-old, before claiming the crown this year. He has since risen to top ranking in the world, capturing the imagination of even non-darts fans, and may dominate this championship for a very long time indeed.

ASB Classic (tennis) 5-18 January Auckland

Australia Open (tennis) 18 January-1 February Melbourne

February

Winter Olympics 6-22 February Milano Cortina, Italy

Gone are the days when the showpiece on snow and ice meant little to New Zealand.

With just a silver medal to show for almost 70 years of participation, snowboarder Zoi Sadowski-Synnott and freeskier Nico Porteous have put Kiwi winter sports on the map in recent years, both grabbing gold at Beijing in 2022.

At the grand old age of 24, Porteous is now retired, but Sadowski-Synnott will defend her slopestyle crown as reigning world and X-Games champion, overcoming injury to return to competition this year.

Skier Alice Robinson has emerged as a medal contender at giant slalom, where she has two World Cup victories and No.1 ranking at the end of the year.

Even with Porteous gone, New Zealand will field a strong freestyle skiing contingent, led by world big air and X-Games halfpipe champion Luca Harrington, and world halfpipe champion Fin Melville Ives.

Men’s T20 World Cup 7 February-8 March India & Sri Lanka

NFL Super Bowl LX 8 February Santa Clara, California

American football has been tipped on its head this season, with the unexpectedly sudden demise of Kansas City Chiefs, who have contested five of the last six Super Bowls, winning three.

Defending champions Philadelphia Eagles have clinched their division and passage to the playoffs, but their record is just the 10th-best across the competition, with previously unfancied teams like Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos, New England Patriots, Chicago Bears and Jacksonville Jaguars now ahead in the standings.

Just as intriguing, the much-vaunted halftime show will be Puerto Rican rapper and singer Bad Bunny, whose selection was described as “absolutely ridiculous” by President Donald Trump, with immigration officials threatening to raid the event for illegal immigrants.

Sail Grand Prix Auckland 14/15 February

NASCAR Daytona 500 15 February Florida, US

NZ Open (golf) 26 February-1 March Millbrook Resort, Queenstown

March

Winter Paralympics 6-15 March Milano Cortina, Italy

Australian F1 Grand Prix 8 March Melbourne

Whether you’re a die-hard petrolhead or a recent bandwagon jumper from the Netflix Drive to Survive series, this represents Kiwis’ most convenient chance to see the world’s premier motorsport series up close.

Our own Liam Lawson has clinched his place on the grid for another year – or at least until Red Bull reshuffles their drivers again – and Melbourne marks the first race on the calendar.

The programme also includes the second round of Supercars racing for the year, so expect, before they cross the ditch for Taupō and Christchurch.

April

US Masters (golf) 9-12 April Augusta National, Georgia

Taupo Super 440 (Supercars) 10-12 April Taupo International Motorsport Park

Christchurch Super 440 (Supercars) 17-19 April Euromarque Motorsport Park

May

US PGA Championship (golf) 14-17 May Aronimink GC, Pennsylvania

French Open (tennis) 24 May-7 June Stade Roland Garros, Paris

State of Origin I 27 May Sydney

At a time when players are pushing for more international fixtures, the annual three-game series between New South Wales and Queensland is still promoted – by the Aussies – as the pinnacle of rugby league.

After a 12-year span, when the ‘Blues’ claimed the spoils just once, the event has become far more competitive, with the two archrivals splitting honours over the past eight years.

Queensland are defending champions, but the last two series have ultimately come down to the third encounter, with losers of the opening game bouncing back to win overall.

While Kiwis have traditionally backed the ‘Maroons’, most would just hope no Warriors players get injured in the brutal exchanges.

June

Monaco F1 Grand Prix 5 June

FIFA World Cup 11 June-19 July Canada, USA & Mexico

This edition of the planet’s most important football tournament will feature an expanded field of 48 teams, including – for just the third time – New Zealand’s All Whites.

The preliminary rounds will be contested across 12 pools of four teams, with the winners and four best second-placed teams progressing to the Round of 16.

The Kiwis have drawn a group that includes Belgium, Egypt and Iran, still chasing their first win at the tournament, after managing three draws in 2010.

Defending champions Argentina will face Algeria, Australia and Jordan early, while England must get past Croatia, Ghana and Panama, if they hope to bring football home, 60 years after its last visit.

Women’s T20 World Cup 12 June-5 July England

The White Ferns will defend their crown, unexpectedly won in 2024, in what shapes as Sophie Devine’s final outing with the national team.

Possibly New Zealand’s finest sporting captain, with the ability to coach the team in the near future, Devine has already retired from the one-day format and it would make sense for her to bow out at the conclusion of this tournament.

The Kiwi women were not among the title favourites last time out and probably won’t be again, despite their role as defending champions, but this will be another opportunity to develop the next wave of talent, before the Devine-Bates-Tahuhu era finally ends.

UFC White House 14 June Washington DC

None of you will be surprised that UFC boss Dana White is a Donald Trump supporter – the future US president staged UFC 30 at the Trump Taj Mahal, when no other venues would host it.

White has endorsed Trump at the last three elections, so this feels like a little reward for that backing, while also marking America’s 250th anniversary.

While no details of the card have been finalised, two of mixed martial arts’ biggest names – Conor McGregor and Jon Jones – are reportedly keen to appear.

Security concerns will limit the live audience to just 5000 people, but large screens in a nearby park will cater to 85,000 more.

State of Origin II 17 June Melbourne

US Open (golf) 18-21 June Shinnecock Hills GC, New York

Super Rugby Pacific final 20 June

Wimbledon 29 June-12 July London, England

July

Tour de France 4-26 July Spain/France

State of Origin III 8 July Brisbane

British Open Championship (golf) 16-19 July Royal Birkdale, England

Glasgow Commonwealth Games 23 July-2 August

These Games almost brought the festival to a screeching halt, with Birmingham originally scheduled to host, but promoted up the order, when Durban backed out of the 2022 edition.

Kuala Lumpur, Cardiff, Calgary, Edmonton and Adelaide all withdrew bids, due to cost concerns, before Australia’s state of Victoria won the hosting rights, then cancelled, also due to costs.

Glasgow has stepped up again just 12 years after last staging the Games, ensuring they will survive for now, albeit whittled down to only 10 sports.

Among the casualties are Kiwi staples like rugby sevens, hockey, triathlon, T20 cricket, mountain biking and road cycling. Regardless, there should still be enough for New Zealand to feature prominently on the medal table.

August

All Blacks tour of South Africa 7 August-12 September

The NZ rugby team have not embarked on a full-scale tour of South Africa since 1975, when they played 24 games over three months, including four tests.

The diluted modern version of that odyssey will see them contest four tests – including one at a neutral venue – while also taking on four provincial sides – the Stormers, Sharks, Bulls and Lions.

Despite the All Blacks’ apparent tribulations under coach Scott Robertson, these two rivals are still the top two teams in the world and met in the last World Cup final, so this promises to be ideal tune-up for the 2027 event.

Even without the traditional Rugby Championship, on hiatus until 2027, New Zealand will play 12 tests in 2026, including the inaugural Nations Championship

Little League World Series 20-30 August Williamsport, Pennsylvania, US

Bathurst 1000 (Supercars) 21-23 August Mount Panorama, NSW

Six hours of petrolhead heaven across the Tasman, with Kiwis front and centre among previous winners of ‘The Great Race’.

Just as the Greg Murphy-Scott McLaughlin-Shane van Gisbergen era drew to a close, Matt Payne popped up to grab victory in 2025, despite crossing the finish-line second.

Look out for Ryan Wood, who qualified third on the grid this year and led briefly late in the race, before suffering mechanical dramas that dropped him to 19th.

US Open (tennis) 31 August-13 September Queens, New York

September

Presidents Cup (golf) 22-27 September Medinah CC, Illinois, US

While it may not be the Ryder Cup – the fierce biennial contest between USA and Europe – this competition at least gives the Americans some much-needed practice at playing nicely together as a team.

The Presidents Cup pits them against golfers from around the rest of the world, not Europe, so the rivalry isn’t as intense. The United States have won 13 of the 15 previous meetings and have lost just once in 1998 at Royal Melbourne.

New Zealand was last represented by Danny Lee in 2015, when the international team finished within a point of their rivals. Currently ranked 32nd, Ryan Fox stands as the third-best non-American, non-European player in the world and an automatic selection this time.

October

Rugby League World Cup 15 October-15 November Australia, NZ & PNG

Another event that has been passed around like a hot potato, which was originally awarded to USA and Canada, but withdrawn when promoters could not guarantee its delivery.

France inherited the tournament, but also withdrew, so it has landed across the three Pacific nations, although the only game on this side of the Tasman sees the Kiwis take on Cook Islands in the new Christchurch stadium.

The format doesn’t make a lot of sense – Australia and NZ square off in a four-team group, while England, Tonga and Samoa feature in a six-team group that sees its members play only three of their rivals.

The Kiwis won the 2008 World Cup crown, but failed to make the last two finals, and much will depend on the health of star half Jahrome Hughes, who has missed the last two Pacific Championship campaigns with injury.

November

Melbourne Cup 3 November Flemington Racecourse

The horse race that stops two nations is scheduled for the first Tuesday of every November and holds a special place in the New Zealand sporting landscape.

Last year’s field had no NZ-trained horses, but two NZ-bred entries – Torranzino and Smokin Romans. Incredibly, Australia had only one locally bred horse, with the northern hemsiphere tending to dominate over the past decade.

NZ-born trainer Chris Waller, now based in Sydney, had six horses in the field, while Kiwi jockey James McDonald regulary has his mount near the front at the finish, winning aboard Verry Elleegant in 2021.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand