Sports tourism is booming across the globe, with many of us looking to combine sporting experiences with cultural ones. It often allows for cultural immersion like no other activity, giving you a flavour of what the locals get up to in their spare time.
2026 has some massive sporting events, including the biggest of all that will be playing across the USA, Canada and Mexico in the summer. Below, we have picked out some other not-to-be-missed events from the 2026 sporting calendar, the kind of events that should go on everyone’s bucket lists.
Super Bowl LX – Santa Clara, California
A few disclaimers. First, Super Bowl LX is on February 8th, so, you know, not much time to get booking. Secondly, tickets will set you back several thousand dollars at this point. Nonetheless, the game between the Seahawks and Patriots, with the former favoured to win in the Super Bowl betting lines, is set to be the highlight of the US sports calendar as it is every year. If you can’t abide the football, know that Bad Bunny is the Halftime Show performer, and you’ll probably see more celebrities at the game than you would at the Oscars’ red carpet.
FIFA World Cup Final – East Rutherford, New Jersey
Let’s be fair, East Rutherford, NJ is not on many people’s bucket lists as a place to visit, but it is home to one of America’s great stadiums and it is going to host the biggest sporting event on the planet (with apologies to the Super Bowl) this summer. The World Cup is being played across North America from mid-June to mid-July, making it perfect for a road trip vacation. But the big draw will be the World Cup Final on July 19th. Tickets will be costly but probably not just as out of reach as the Super Bowl.
FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup – Berlin, Germany
Women’s basketball is certainly on the up, getting more mainstream media coverage and enjoying a growing global fanbase. The US team is one of the most dominant in any sport, winning consecutive Olympic Gold Medals since 1993 and aiming for its 12th title in Berlin. The event takes place in early September, the perfect time of year for exploring one of Europe’s chicest cities. It’s also one of Western Europe’s most affordable capitals.
Spanish Grand Prix – Madrid, Spain
The Formula One circuit traverses the globe across the season, offering fans diverse experiences at races held in locations from Las Vegas to Monaco and Azerbaijan, but we have selected the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid as the top of our sports bucket list for 2026. Why? Well, it’s going to be hosted on an all-new street circuit that takes in the highlights of Spain’s beautiful and underrated capital city. As with Berlin, the weather might be perfect in September, escaping the often oppressive summer heat in central Spain.
South American Games – Rosaria, Argentina
Rosario is the birthplace of Lionel Messi, thus a holy site for millions of soccer fans around the world. It is, however, also one of Argentina’s hidden gems, famous for its beautiful costanera riverfront, neoclassical architecture and museums. It will also play host to the South American games in the latter of half of September, featuring hundreds of events in what could act as an appetizer for the 2028 Olympics.
Photo by Jonathan Borba from Pexels
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