The sports calendar in 2026 will be crowded and loud, but nothing will come close to the gravitational pull of footballโs biggest and boldest World Cup, a tournament so expanded it is set to swallow almost everything in its path.
The first-ever 48-team menโs World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, will be the centerpiece of a year already bursting with elite events. With 104 matches and a final scheduled for New Jersey, it promises scale without precedent โ and controversy to match.
Crowded year, led by the Games
The year begins on snow and ice. Italy takes center stage in February with the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics from Feb. 6-22, followed by the Paralympics from March 6-15.
The Games arrive with a ready-made storyline in Lindsey Vonn, whose comeback at 41 โ capped by becoming the oldest winner of a World Cup ski race โ has reignited interest and nostalgia in a sport that thrives on legacy.
Cricket briefly
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