2022 is set to be quite an eventful year in the world of sport, especially with plenty of tournaments that were originally set to be held in 2020 or 2021 and then being delayed to this year.
As a result, we will be taking a look at some of the major sporting events in 2022, and while some have already taken place, there are plenty more to look forward to!
Some competitions that have already taken place include the Africa Cup of Nations which was won by Senegal, the Australian Open that was blighted by the controversy surrounding Novak Djokovic and vaccination, the Winter Olympics being held in Beijing, and also the Super Bowl, known for its outrageous half-time shows and advertisements.
1
Six Nations (5 February - 19 March)
The Rugby Union Six Nations Championship is held annually, but this year it could be one of the fiercest yet, with the likes of France, England and Ireland all having very strong teams.
Wales, who are the defending champions, have got off to a slow start, but they will definitely be one of the teams to watch for the rest of the tournament.
The final matches of the competition will take place on March 19, with the final round having some intriguing games, as Wales take on Italy, Ireland face Scotland and France meet England.
2
Winter Paralympics (4 - 13 March)
The Winter Paralympics started in 1976, and have since grown to become part of the largest international sporting events, especially following the expansion to include more participants in the games.
This year, they will be held in Beijing, China, following the Winter Olympics, with the city also becoming the first to host both the Summer and Winter Paralympics.
The Games will have 78 events in six different sports, and is definitely a competition to watch out for this winter.
3
World Aquatics Championships (18 June - 3 July)
FINA, the international aquatics federation, announced earlier in February this year that Budapest, Hungary will take Fukuoka, Japan’s place as the host city for the 2022 World Aquatics Championships.
These championships were originally set to be held in 2021, but the COVID-19 pandemic led to them being moved to this year, and FINA claimed that changing the host city to Budapest will allow athletes to have the opportunity to have a world event this summer.
World-renowned Hungarian swimmer Katinka Hosszú announced in January that she wants to win a total of 100 medals at world championships, and she could be the first swimmer ever to do this, with her tally currently standing at 96, and what better way to do this than in your own country!
4
Women’s FIH Hockey World Cup (1 - 17 July)
The quadrennial world championships for women’s national field hockey will take place this year, with it being held in Terrassa, Spain and Amstelveen, the Netherlands.
The Netherlands won the last edition of the tournament in 2018, beating Ireland in London, taking their overall tally to eight world championship titles, and this might prove to be another opportunity for them to assert their dominance in the sport.
16 countries will take part, and with several teams being on the rise in terms of performances, the Netherlands might have a tougher task than in previous years in terms of trying to retain their title.
5
2022 Commonwealth Games (28 July - 8 August)
The Commonwealth Games, the international multi-sport event for Commonwealth members, is set to be held in Birmingham, England, the third time England has hosted the Games.
While 72 Commonwealth nations are expected to take part in the games, as of the latest confirmation available (25 January 2022), 22 nations have confirmed that they will be sending athletes to the Games.
Malta has taken part in each edition of the Games since 1982, and the country’s participation in the tournament is expected to be made official later on in the year.
6
World Volleyball Championships (Men: 26 August - 11 September, Women: 23 September - 15 October)
The two international volleyball competitions hosted by the FIVB (Fédération Internationale de Volleyball), are set to take place this year, just a few weeks away from each other, ensuring plenty of volleyball action in the final weeks of summer and the early weeks of autumn!
The men’s final tournament will be held in Russia for the first time ever, while the women’s final tournament will be hosted by the Netherlands and Poland, who were chosen as dual hosts for the event.
Poland won the last edition of the men’s competition, while Serbia won the last women’s competition.
7
FIFA World Cup (21 November - 18 December)
The 2022 FIFA World Cup is set to be the first in many things, such as the first ever to be held in the Arab world and the first not to be held in May, June or July, due to Qatar’s - the host nation - intense summer heat that could make it unbearable to play in.
It is also set to be the final tournament to involve 32 teams, with the 2026 edition of the tournament set to have 48 teams.
The competition has been filled with accusations of corruption over how Qatar won the rights to host the event, and also with how Qatar is treating foreign workers that are involved in the preparation for the competition, with hundreds or thousands of migrant workers having allegedly died due to the abuse of human rights, according to Amnesty International.
The tournament will be like no other in football history, especially since it will be in the middle of the football season, but it could prove to be a great spectacle to watch!
All of these events, coupled with the annual competitions such as the UEFA Champions League final, the Masters Tournament, the NBA Finals, the Tour de France, and plenty others, make 2022 a great year for the sporting world!
Which sporting events will you be watching this year?
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