Every year produces a wide and diverse array of top sporting events, but 2024 promises to be extra special. Over the course of twelve months, sports fans can enjoy a summer Olympic Games, along with a major international football tournament.
Along with the events that take place every four years, 2024 will also host all the top competitions that are in place throughout the regular calendar. It promises to be an unforgettable period, and here’s what’s in store.
Euro 2024
The 17th edition of European Football’s most important international tournament takes place in Germany this summer. Twenty-four teams will take part in the UEFA European Championship, and the event will be widely known as Euro 2024.
Outside of the World Cup, this is the competition that every competing European nation wants to win. Most of the continent’s top sides are participating, and it promises to be the most closely fought Euros yet.
England, who were the beaten finalists the last time the tournament was held in 2021, go into this year as favorites, closely followed by France, Germany and Spain. Euro 2024 is an unmissable event for football fans, and all sporting enthusiasts are eagerly awaiting the spectacle.
Euro 2024 gets underway on June 14th, with the final taking place at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium on July 14th.
The Epsom Derby
Horse racing has another important year in store, and much of the attention focuses on meetings in the UK. Following some entertaining action over the jumps at the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Grand National, the flat season gets underway, with the Epsom Derby the highlight.
This is one of the most historic sporting events in the world, with the first edition of this great race taking place way back in 1780. In the present day, this is one of the most highly anticipated meetings and a time when horse racing betting intensifies both on course and online.
The Epsom Derby takes place on Saturday, June 1st, 2024, and horses are preparing for the biggest test of their outings so far.
2024 Summer Olympics
Like the Euros, the Olympic Games only come around every four years, so it’s a big deal for the sporting community. In 2024, the French capital of Paris has the honor of hosting the Olympics, and preparations began in April with the traditional lighting of the torch.
This summer’s Olympic Games will get underway on July 26th, and the action will run through to August 11th. With new sports added to the schedule, this will be the biggest competition yet. 329 events across 32 sports are in store, with the cream of the world’s athletes taking part.
T20 Cricket World Cup
A world cup is a special time for any sport, and 2024 will see a major global cricket tournament in the shortest form of the game. The advent of T20 has opened cricket to more countries around the world, and this year sees the USA take on hosting duties for the first time in a major competition.
Games will be played in the US and also in the West Indies between the 1st and the 29th of June. England go into the tournament as defending champions, but the holders will face stiff competition from competitive nations such as India, Australia, Pakistan, New Zealand, South Africa and the West Indies.
Along with the USA, other the emerging nations taking part in the 2024 T20 World Cup include Canada, Oman, Uganda, Papua New Guinea and Nepal.
It’s the most explosive version of the game and the T20 World Cup will reach out to a wider audience in 2024, thanks to the involvement of the United States.
Tour De France
This year’s edition of the Tour de France sees an unexpected break with tradition. Sports fans are used to cyclists finishing this grueling event in Paris but, in 2024, the final stage has been switched to Nice.
The Tour also sees another first as the start of the race, known as the Grand Depart, will take place in Florence, in Italy.
The involvement of Paris in the 2024 Olympics has also led to a change in the schedule for the Tour de France Femmes, which will now begin in Rotterdam.
The inclusion of the Olympic Games in Paris and the UEFA European Championship make 2024 a special year for sport. Both of these tournaments only come around every four years, and many fans will be planning their schedules around these sporting spectacles.
Other top events on the calendar are annual affairs and there are many more to enjoy including tennis’ four Grand Slams, golf’s four Majors and all the regular top-class horse-racing meetings.
A thrilling 12 months is in store, and those who aren’t fortunate enough to attend an event in person can tune in via live TV broadcasts, so make sure you don’t miss out.
