The year of World Championships and the Winter Olympics in Italy. But also of the chase of Sinner to number 1 in the world, of the new Formula 1 with the rules yet to be discovered, of the European swimming, athletics and volleyball championships, with De Giorgi’s Azzurri who will be able to play at home. Here are the main sporting events of 2026.
Milan Cortina 2026
From 6 to 22 February, Italy will host the Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina. The opening ceremony in Milan will take place on February 6th and the closing ceremony at the Verona Arena on the 22nd. In reality, the first curling matches are already scheduled for February 4th and the hockey ones for the 5th.
Milan-Cortina 2026, the case of biathlon. “No to Russians with rifles…”
by Fulvio Bianchi
30 December 2025
Football World Cup: here are the dates
Appointment in the USA, Mexico and Canada for the first 48-team football World Cup. Opening match on June 11th in Mexico City, final on July 19th at the MetLife Stadium in New York. Rino Gattuso’s Italy is not sure of being there: on March 26th they will play the play-off semi-final in Bergamo against Northern Ireland, on the 31st the possible final away against Wales or Bosnia. At the World Cup, Italy would be in group B with Canada, Qatar and Switzerland. They would play on Friday 12 June in Toronto against Canada (9pm), Thursday 18 June in Los Angeles against Switzerland (9pm), Wednesday 24 June in Seattle against Qatar (also at 9pm).
World Cup, when Italy would play: dates and times of the matches against Canada, Switzerland and Qatar
06 December 2025
European cups: when the finals are played
It returns on January 20th Champions League with the penultimate day of the group stage. The last day is January 28th. The final on May 30, 2026 in Budapest. The other finals: on 20 May 2026 the Europa League will be assigned in Istanbul, on 27 May the Conference League in Leipzig. The European Super Cup in Salzburg on 12 August 2026.
Serie A and Italian Cup: the dates
The Serie A championship will end on 24 May 2026. The final of the Italian Cup will be held on 13 May. The new season will begin on the weekend of August 23rd.
Tennis, Sinner on the court on January 10th
Always Sinner-Alcaraz: let’s start again. Two Slams each in 2025, with Jannik having lost the world number 1 due to the stoppage due to the Clostebol case: he will try to regain it immediately. The two tennis players will return to the court on January 10th in Seoul in performance (at 8 am Italian time) in the Hyundai Super Match. Then in Melbourne they will play the “One Million Dollar Point Slam”, the event in which even amateurs will be able to challenge the great champions in a single point match. The Australian Open is scheduled from January 18th to February 1st, Roland Garros from May 24th to June 7th, Wimbledon from June 29th to July 13th, New York from August 30th to September 13th. From 28 April to 17 May the Rome Internationals. At the end of the season there will be the ATP Finals in Turin (15-22 November) and the Davis Cup in Bologna (24-29 November).
Tennis ready to restart, here’s when Sinner will return to the court
by Jacopo Manfredi
30 December 2025
Formula 1, tests in January
The new rules promise to revolutionize the Circus. This is why there will be nine days of testing before the start of the World Championship, they will serve to weigh the forces on the field and to discover the favorite teams: it starts in Barcelona from 26 to 30 January behind closed doors (three days in total for each team), then a double session in Bahrain with open doors (11-13 February and 18-20 February). The start in Australia on March 8th, the last GP in Abu Dhabi on December 6th. The Italian GP in Monza on the weekend of 4 to 6 September.
Mercedes and Red Bull are celebrating: in 2026 they will be able to race with superengines
by Niccolò Maurelli
December 27, 2025
MotoGP starts in February
Marc Marquezwho ended 2025 injured after winning his ninth title, is aiming for his tenth world title. He will find himself among his opponents Jorge Martinthe 2024 champion who was held back by injuries last season. The season restarts on the weekend of February 27-March 1 from Thailand. Last race on November 22nd in Valencia. The news: there is the Brazilian GP in Goiania, there is no Argentine GP which will return in 2027 in Buenos Aires. The appointments in Italy: Mugello from 29 to 31 May, Misano from 11 to 13 September.
MotoGP remains on Sky: rights acquired until 2027
December 23, 2025
Swimming, appointment in Paris
Paris will host the centenary edition of the European swimming championships. From 31st July we begin with artistic swimming and diving, from 4th August swimming in open water, from 10th to 16th August the pool competitions.
Water polo, the European Championships in January
The first major competitive event of 2026 is in Belgrade: the men’s European water polo championships from 10 to 25 January. The Settebellobronze in 2024, is in group D and will face Turkey (Sunday 11 January at 12.45 pm), Slovakia (Tuesday 13 January at 6.00 pm) and Romania (Thursday 15 January at 6.00 pm).
Athletics, European Championships in Birmingham
It will also be the year of the European Championships for athletics: appointment in Birmingham from 10 to 16 August at Alexander Stadium. The men’s 100 meters final is on August 11th, the men’s high jump final is scheduled for the 14th. But first there are the Mondiali indoor a Torunin Poland, from March 20th to 22nd.
European men’s and women’s volleyball championships
The National world champions the European Championships are played between men and women, which already offer the pass for the Olympics in Los Angeles 2028guaranteed to the winning teams. The blue ones of Velasco they will be on the field from August 21st, in the group stage in Gothenburg, then round of 16 and quarterfinals in Brno and eventual final four in Istanbul. Italy will instead host the European men’s championships (10-26 September): the first match on 10 September in Piazza Plebiscito, then Modena for the other group matches, then Turin (round of 16 and quarter-finals) and Milan (final four).
Basketball, the Italians towards the World Cup
From 4 to 13 September 2026 in Germany i Women’s Basketball World Cup: Australia, Belgium, Nigueria and USA have already qualified, in addition to the hosts. In March, Cecilia Zandalasini’s Italy, bronze at the last European Championships, seeks qualification in San Juan against Puerto Rico, USA (already qualified, as mentioned), New Zealand, Senegal and Spain. The first three pass.
Rugby, when Italy plays in the Six Nations
The. returns in February Six Nations. Italy will play in Rome against Scotland on 7 February, then in Dublin against Ireland on the 14th and in Lille against France on the 22nd. On 7 March Italy-England in Rome, on 14 March in Cardiff Wales-Italy.
Cycling
Great cycling returns to the streets on January 20th with the Tour Down Under. The Milan-Sanremo, the first monument classic, will be on March 21st. 5 April the Tour of Flanders, 12 April Paris-Roubaix. The Giro d’Italia will start on May 8th. The Tour de France from July 4th. The Vuelta on August 22nd. The World Championships in Montreal from 20 to 27 September.
