Sporting highlights to look forward to in 2025

The 2025 Women's European Championships take place from 2-27 July, with Sarina Wiegman's England seeking to make a third successive major final.

The Lionesses, who won the Euros in dramatic fashion at Wembley in 2022 before finishing runners-up to Spain in a similarly nail-biting final at the 2023 World Cup, face Wales, France and Netherlands in the group stage.

Rhian Wilkinson's Wales beat the Republic of Ireland in the play-offs to reach a major tournament for the first time and play England in their final group game on 13 July.

Germany's Thomas Tuchel will take charge of England's men for the first time on 21 March when the Three Lions take on Albania in their opening World Cup qualifying match at Wembley.

The former Chelsea, Paris St-Germain and Bayern Munich boss will oversee England v Latvia at Wembley three days later, as he bids to steer the Three Lions to the 2026 finals in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

Meanwhile, just in case that's not enough football, the revamped Fifa Club World Cup takes place in the United States from 15 June to 13 July, with 32 teams competing including Manchester City and Chelsea.

Having won 50 of their past 51 Tests, England are favourites to lift the Women's Rugby World Cup, with the final at Twickenham's Allianz Stadium on 27 September.

The world's number one side, beaten by New Zealand in the last World Cup final, will aim to win a fourth successive Women's Six Nations Grand Slam in March and April.

They will start their World Cup bid against United States on 22 August at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland.

Scotland, Ireland and Wales also feature in a 16-team tournament staged at eight venues that looks set to break attendance records for women's rugby.

In a busy year for rugby union, Andy Farrell's British and Irish Lions head to Australia seeking to emulate the successful class of 2013. Their three-Test series against the Wallabies starts on 19 July.

The selection race for the tour will give an extra edge to the Men's Six Nations, which starts on 31 January with France hosting Wales.

England's cricketing year starts on 12 January with Heather Knight's side bidding to regain the Women's Ashes in Australia in a multi-format series.

They will play three one-day internationals, three T20 internationals and a four-day day-night Test match at the 100,000-capacity Melbourne Cricket Ground.

After summer white-ball series against West Indies and India, England will also aim to regain the 50-over Women's World Cup they last held in 2017, although holders Australia will be favourites to win it for an eighth time.

The tournament is due to take place in September and October in India but the exact dates are still to be confirmed.

England men will seek to win the Champions Trophy for the first time when the tournament is staged by holders Pakistan in February.

They will also play Zimbabwe, West Indies, India, South Africa and Ireland at home during the summer, with the five-match Test series against India the highlight of the schedule.

Then the five-match men's Ashes series starts on 21 November with Ben Stokes' side taking on holders Australia in the first Test in Perth.

Athletics star Keely Hodgkinson will start her bid for double world gold at the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China from 21-23 March.

If all goes to plan, Hodgkinson will aim to complete the double at the outdoor World Athletics Championships in Tokyo from 13-21 September.

Olympic silver medallist Katarina Johnson-Thompson will bid to retain the world outdoor title she won in Budapest, while Matthew Hudson-Smith and Josh Kerr will be looking to improve on their Paris 2024 silver medals.

In tennis, Novak Djokovic will look to win a record 25th Grand Slam singles title in 2025 and overtake Margaret Court as the sport's all-time greatest major winner.

The Serb, who will be 38 in May, failed to add to his tally in 2024 but has signed up former rival Sir Andy Murray as his coach in a bid to win the Australian Open in January for an 11th time.

Elsewhere, Max Verstappen will start his quest for a fifth Formula 1 title in Australia on 16 March, with Lewis Hamilton set to make his debut in the red of Ferrari after leaving Mercedes.

Meanwhile, Luke Donald's European team will seek to retain golf's Ryder Cup at New York's Bethpage Black Course from 26-28 September.

12 January to 2 February: Women's Ashes in Australia

31 January to 15 March: Men's Six Nations

22 March to 26 April: Women's Six Nations

17 May: Men's FA Cup final, Wembley Stadium

18 May: Women's FA Cup final, Wembley Stadium

15 June to 13 July: Fifa Club World Cup, United States

30 June to 13 July: Wimbledon

2-27 July: Women's Euro 2025, Switzerland

28 June to 2 August: British & Irish Lions tour to Australia

4-6 July: British Formula 1 Grand Prix, Silverstone

17-20 July: The Open, Royal Portrush, Northern Ireland

22 August to 27 September: Women's Rugby World Cup, England

13-21 September: World Athletics Championships, Tokyo

Dates TBC in September & October: Women's Cricket World Cup, India

26-28 September: Ryder Cup, Bethpage Black, New York

21 November to 8 January 2026: The Ashes, Australia

3 January - Darts - PDC World Championship final, Alexandra Palace, London

7 January - Football - EFL Cup semi-final first leg: Arsenal v Newcastle

7 January - Golf - Tomorrow's Golf League starts at SoFi Centre, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida - full details

8 January - Football - EFL Cup semi-final first leg: Tottenham v Liverpool

10-13 January - Football - FA Cup third round - full draw

11 January - Boxing - WBC lightweight title fight: Caroline Dubois v Jessica Camara, Canon Medical Arena, Sheffield

12-19 January - Snooker - The Masters, Alexandra Palace, London

12-26 January - Tennis - Australian Open, Melbourne

12 January to 2 February - Cricket - Women's Ashes in Australia – three one-day internationals, three T20 internationals and four-day Test match

18 January - Mixed Martial Arts - UFC 311, California

18-23 January - Snooker - Women's World Championship, Saidia, Morocco

22 January to 12 February - Cricket - England men in India - five T20 internationals and three one-day internationals

23-25 January - Winter Sports - X Games Aspen, Buttermilk, Colorado

25 January - Boxing - IBF & WBO super-bantamweight title fight: Ellie Scotney v Mea Motu, Nottingham Arena

26 January - Basketball - Super League Trophy finals, Birmingham Arena

31 January to 1 February - Tennis - Davis Cup Qualifiers first round: Japan v Great Britain, Miki City

31 January to 15 March - Rugby Union - Men's Six Nations - fixtures

1-2 February - Netball - England host the Nations Cup, Nottingham Arena

4-16 February - Winter Sports - Alpine Skiing World Championships, Saalbach, Austria

5 February - Football - EFL Cup semi-final second leg: Newcastle v Arsenal

6 February - Football - EFL Cup semi-final second leg: Liverpool v Tottenham

6 February - Darts - Premier League season starts in Belfast

7-8 February - Netball - Nations Cup concludes, Copper Box Arena, London

8 February - Boxing - Heavyweight fight: Derek Chisora v Otto Wallin, Co-op Live, Manchester

9 February - American Football - NFL Super Bowl, Caesars Superdome, New Orleans

9 February - Mixed Martial Arts - UFC 312, Sydney

12-16 February - Cycling - European Track Cycling Championships, Heusden-Zolder, Belgium

13-16 February - Rugby League - Opening round of Super League season

15 February - Athletics - The Keely Classic, Birmingham Arena

19 February to 9 March - Cricket - Champions Trophy, Pakistan (India games to be played in Dubai)

21 February - Football - Women's Nations League: Austria v Scotland, Poland v Northern Ireland, Portugal v England, Italy v Wales

22 February - Boxing - IBF heavyweight title fight: Daniel Dubois v Joseph Parker, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

25 February - Football - Women's Nations League: Northern Ireland v Bosnia-Herzegovina, Scotland v Netherlands, Wales v Sweden

26 February - Football - Women's Nations League: England v Spain

26-28 February - Formula 1 - Pre-season testing, Bahrain

1 March - Rugby League - England women v Australia women, plus men's Super League match between Wigan and Warrington at Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas

6-9 March - Athletics - European Championships, Apeldoorn, Netherlands

6-16 March - Winter Sports - Bobsled and Skeleton World Championships, Lake Placid, United States

7 March - Boxing - WBC, WBA & IBF welterweight title fight: Natasha Jonas v Lauren Price, Royal Albert Hall, London

8-10 March - Football - FA Cup quarter-finals

11-14 March - Horse Racing - Cheltenham Festival

13-16 March - Golf - Players Championship, TPC Sawgrass, Florida

16 March - Football - English League Cup final, Wembley Stadium

16 March - Formula 1 - Season starts at Australian Grand Prix, Melbourne - full calendar

16 March - Rugby Union - Premiership Women's Rugby final, StoneX Stadium, London

17-30 March - Winter Sports - Freestyle World Championships, St Moritz, Switzerland

20 March - Football - Nations League play-off first leg: Greece v Scotland

21 March - Football - World Cup qualifying: England v Albania

21-23 March - World Indoor Athletics Championships, Nanjing, China

22 March to 26 April - Rugby Union - Women's Six Nations - fixtures

22 March - Mixed Martial Arts - UFC London, O2 Arena, London

23 March - Formula 1 - Chinese Grand Prix, Shanghai

24 March - Football - World Cup qualifying: England v Latvia

25-30 March - Winter Sports - World Figure Skating Championships, Boston, United States

29 March to 6 April - Winter Sports - World Men's World Curling Championship, Moose Jaw, Canada

4 April - Football - Women's Nations League: Romania v Northern Ireland, Scotland v Germany, England v Belgium, Wales v Denmark

4-6 April - Athletics - Inaugural Grand Slam Track meeting, Kingston, Jamaica

4-7 April - Cricket - opening round of County Championship matches

6 April - Formula 1 - Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka

8 April - Football - Women's Nations League: Germany v Scotland, Northern Ireland v Romania, Belgium v England, Sweden v Wales

10-13 April - Golf - Masters, Augusta National

12 April - Horse racing - Grand National, Aintree Racecourse, Liverpool

13 April - Formula 1- Bahrain Grand Prix, Sakhir

13 April - Rowing - The Boat Race, River Thames

15-20 April - Swimming - Aquatics GB Championships, London Aquatics Centre

19-20 April - Football - Scottish Cup semi-finals

19-20 April - Football - Women's Champions League semi-final first legs

19 April to 5 May - Snooker - World Championship, Crucible Theatre, Sheffield

20 April - Formula 1 - Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Jeddah

24-27 April - Golf - Women's major: The Chevron Championship, Carlton Woods, Texas

26 April - Athletics - Diamond League season starts in Xiamen, China - full calendar

26-27 April - Football - FA Cup semi-finals, Wembley Stadium

26-27 April - Football - Women's Champions League semi-final second legs

27 April - Athletics - London Marathon

29-30 April - Football - Champions League semi-final first legs

1 May - Football - Europa League & Conference League semi-final first legs

2-4 May - Rugby Union - European Champions Cup semi-finals

3 May - Athletics - Yangtze Delta Diamond League Gala, Suzhou, China

3-4 May - Rugby League - Magic Weekend, Newcastle

4 May - Formula 1 - Miami Grand Prix

5-11 May - Cycling - Women's Tour of Spain

6-7 May - Football - Champions League semi-final first legs

8 May - Football - Europa League & Conference League semi-final second legs

9-30 May - Cycling - Giro d'Italia

10-11 May - Athletics - World Relays, Guangzhou, China

15-18 May - Golf - US PGA Championship, Quail Hollow Club, Charlotte

16 May - Athletics - Doha Diamond League

17 May - Football - FA Cup final, Wembley Stadium

18 May - Football - Women's FA Cup final, Wembley Stadium

18 May - Formula 1 - Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Imola

21 May - Football - Europa League final, San Mames Stadium, Bilbao

21 May to 7 June - Cricket - West Indies women in England for three T20 internationals and three one-day internationals

22 May - Football - Scottish Premiership play-off final first leg

22-25 May - Cricket - England v Zimbabwe Test, Trent Bridge

23 May - Rugby Union - European Challenge Cup final, Principality Stadium, Cardiff

23-25 May - Motorsport- British Grand Prix MotoGP, Silverstone

24 May - Football - Scottish Cup final, Hampden Park

24 May - Rugby Union - Champions Cup final, Principality Stadium, Cardiff

24-26 May - Football - English Football League play-off finals, Wembley Stadium

25 May - Football - Final round of Premier League games

25 May - Football - Women's Scottish Cup final, Hampden Park

25 May - Football - Women's Champions League final, Estadio Jose Alvalade, Lisbon

25 May - Football - Scottish Premiership play-off final second leg

25 May - Formula 1 - Monaco Grand Prix, Monte Carlo

25 May - Athletics - Rabat Diamond League, Morocco

25 May to 8 June - Tennis - French Open, Roland Garros, Paris

26 May - Motorsport - Indy 500, Indianapolis Motor Speedway

26-31 May - Gymnastics - European Artistic Championships, Leipzig, Germany

28 May - Football - Conference League final, Wroclaw Stadium, Poland

29 May - Darts - Premier League play-offs, O2, London

29 May - Cricket - T20 Blast starts

29 May to 1 June - Golf - US Women's Open, Erin Hills Country Club, Wisconsin

29 May to 1 June - Rowing - European Championships, Plovdiv, Bulgaria

29 May to 10 June - Cricket - West Indies men in England for three one-day internationals and three T20 internationals

30 May - Football - Women's Nations League: England v Portugal, Scotland v Austria, Denmark v Wales, Northern Ireland v Poland

31 May - Football - Champions League final, Allianz Arena, Munich

1 June - Formula 1 - Spanish Grand Prix, Barcelona

3 June - Football - Women's Nations League: Spain v England, Netherlands v Scotland, Wales v Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina v Northern Ireland

5-8 June - Cycling - Tour of Britain Women

5-22 June - Basketball - NBA Finals

6 June - Athletics - Rome Golden Gala Diamond League

6 June - Horse Racing - The Oaks, Epsom Downs Racecourse

6 June - Football - World Cup qualifying: Wales v Liechtenstein

7 June - Football - World Cup qualifying: Andorra v England

7 June - Horse Racing - The Derby, Epsom Downs Racecourse

7 June - Rugby League - Challenge Cup finals, Wembley Stadium

8 June - Football - Men's Nations League final (semi-finals on 4&5 June)

9 June - Football - World Cup qualifying: Belgium v Wales

9-15 June - Tennis - WTA event, Queen's Club, London

11-15 June - Cricket - World Test Championship final, Lord's

12 June - Athletics - Oslo Bislett Games Diamond League

12-15 June - Golf - US Open, Oakmont Country Club, Oakmont, Pennsylvania

12-15 June - Darts - World Cup, Frankfurt

14 June - Rugby Union - Premiership final, Allianz Stadium, Twickenham

14 June - Rugby Union - United Rugby Championship Grand Final, venue TBC

14-15 June - Motorsport - Le Mans 24 Hours

14-22 June - Hockey - Pro League mini-tournament, Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre, London

15 June - Formula 1 - Canadian Grand Prix, Montreal

15 June - Athletics - Stockholm Diamond League

15 June to 13 July - Football - Fifa Club World Cup in United States - full draw

16-22 June - Tennis - Cinch Championships, Queen's Club, London

17-21 June - Horse Racing - Royal Ascot

19-22 June - Golf - Women's PGA Championship, PGA Frisco, Texas

20 June - Rugby Union - British and Irish Lions v Argentina, Aviva Stadium, Dublin

20 June - Athletics - Paris Diamond League

20-24 June - Cricket - England v India, first Test of five-match series, Headingley - full schedule

21 June - Rugby Union - England XV v France XV, Allianz Stadium, Twickenham

23-29 June - Tennis - Eastbourne International, Devonshire Park, Sussex

27-29 June - Athletics - European Team Championships Division 1, Madrid

28 June to 22 July - Cricket - India women in England for five T20 internationals and three one-day internationals

28 June to 2 August - Rugby Union - British & Irish Lions tour to Australia - Tests on 19 July, 26 July and 2 August - full schedule

29 June - Formula 1 - Austrian Grand Prix, Spielberg

30 June to 13 July - Tennis - Wimbledon Championships, London

Dates TBC - Rugby Union - summer tours for England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales TBA

2-6 July - Cricket - England v India second Test, Edgbaston

2-27 July - Football - Women's Euros, Switzerland - fixtures

5 July - Athletics - Prefontaine Classic Diamond League, Eugene

5-27 July - Cycling - Tour de France (Lille to Paris) - full route

6 July - Formula 1 - British Grand Prix, Silverstone

6 July - Netball - Super League Grand Final, O2, London

10-13 July - Golf - Women's major: Evian Championships, Evian-les-Bains, France

10-14 July - Cricket - England v India third Test, Lord's

11 July - Athletics - Monaco Diamond League

11 July to 3 August - Aquatics - World Championships, Singapore

13 July - Motorsport - British round of World Superbike Championship, Donington Park

17-20 July - Golf - The Open, Royal Portrush, Northern Ireland

19 July - Athletics - London Diamond League, London Stadium

19-20 July - Sailing - Great Britain Sail Grand Prix, Portsmouth

19-27 July - Darts - World Matchplay plus Women's World Matchplay, Blackpool

23-27 July - Cricket - England v India fourth Test, Old Trafford

25-27 July - Golf - LIV UK, JCB Golf & Country Club, Rocester

26-27 July - Motorsport - Formula E rounds 15 and 16, ExCeL London

26 July to 3 August - Cycling - Women's Tour de France (Vannes to Chatel)

27 July - Formula 1 - Belgian Grand Prix, Spa-Francorchamps

27 July - Cricket - Women's T20 Blast finals day, The Oval

31 July to 3 August - Golf - Women's Open, Royal Porthcawl, Wales

31 July to 4 August - Cricket - England v India fifth Test, The Oval

Dates TBC - Cricket - The Hundred

2-3 August - Athletics - UK Championships, Alexander Stadium, Birmingham

3 August - Formula 1 - Hungarian Grand Prix, Budapest

8-17 August - Hockey – Men's and women's EuroHockey Championships, Monchengladbach

9 August - Football - FA Community Shield, Wembley Stadium

13 August - Football - Uefa Super Cup, Udine, Italy

16 August - Football - New Premier League season starts

16 August - Athletics - Silesia Kamila Skolimowska Memorial Diamond League, Chorzow, Poland

16 August to 4 October - Rugby Union - Rugby Championship

20 August - Athletics - Lausanne Diamond League, Switzerland

22 August - Athletics - Memorial van Damme Diamond League, Brussels

22 Aug to 27 September - Rugby Union - Women's Rugby World Cup in England - fixtures

23 August to 14 September - Cycling - Tour of Spain

25 August to 7 September - Tennis - US Open, Flushing Meadows, New York

27-28 August - Athletics - Diamond League Grand Final, Zurich

28-31 August - Disability Sport - Para-cycling Road World Championships, Ronse, Belgium

31 August - Formula 1 - Dutch Grand Prix, Zandvoort

2-7 September - Cycling - Tour of Britain

2-14 September - Cricket - South Africa men in England for three one-day internationals and three T20 internationals

4 September - Football - World Cup qualifying: Luxembourg v Northern Ireland, Kazakhstan v Wales

5 September - Football - World Cup qualifying: Portugal/Denmark TBC v Scotland

6 September - Football - World Cup qualifying: England v Andorra

7 September - Athletics - Great North Run, Newcastle

7 September - Formula 1 - Italian Grand Prix, Monza

8 September - Football - World Cup qualifying: Belarus v Scotland

9 September - Football - World Cup qualifying: Serbia v England

11-14 September - Golf - PGA Championship, Wentworth

12-14 September - Darts - World Series, Amsterdam

12-13 or 13-14 September - Tennis - Davis Cup Qualifying second round

13 September - Cricket - T20 Blast finals day, Edgbaston

13-21 September - Athletics - World Championships, Tokyo

Dates TBC September to October - Cricket - Women's World Cup, India

17-21 September - Cricket - England men in Ireland for three one-day internationals

19-21 September - Tennis - Laver Cup, Chase Center, San Francisco

20 September - Cricket - Men's One-Day Cup final, Trent Bridge

21 September - Formula 1 - Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Baku

21 September - Cricket - Women's One-Day Cup final, Rose Bowl

21-27 September - Disability Sport - Para-swimming World Championships, Singapore

21-28 September - Cycling - Road World Championships, Kigali, Rwanda

21-28 September - Rowing - World Championships, Sydney, Australia

26-28 September - Golf - Ryder Cup, Bethpage Black, New York

26 September to 5 October - Disability Sport - Para-athletics World Championships, New Delhi, India

28 September - Disability Sport - Wheelchair Rugby League Grand Final, Manchester

Dates TBC - Baseball - World Series

5 October - Formula 1 - Singapore Grand Prix, Singapore

5 October - Rugby League - Women's Super League Grand Final, venue TBC

6-12 October - Darts - World Grand Prix, Leicester

9 October - Football - World Cup qualifying: Scotland v Greece

10 October - Football - World Cup qualifying: Northern Ireland v Slovakia

11 October - Rugby League - Super League Grand Final, Old Trafford

12 October - Football - World Cup qualifying: Scotland v Belarus

13 October - Football - World Cup qualifying: Northern Ireland v TBC, Wales v Belgium

14 October - Football - World Cup qualifying: Latvia v England

15-19 October - Triathlon - World Championship Finals, Wollongong, Australia

18 October - Horse Racing - British Champions Day, Ascot Racecourse

19 October - Formula 1 - United States Grand Prix, Austin, Texas

19-25 October - Gymnastics - World Artistic Championships, Jakarta, Indonesia

22-26 October - Cycling - World Track Championships, Santiago, Chile

23-26 October - Darts - European Championships, Dortmund

26 October - Formula 1 - Mexico City Grand Prix, Mexico City

Games & dates TBC - Rugby Union - Autumn Nations Series

Dates TBC - Tennis - Billie Jean King Cup Finals, venue TBC

Dates TBC - Tennis - Davis Cup Final 8, Bologna, Italy

1-8 November - Tennis - WTA Finals, Riyadh

8-16 November - Darts - Grand Slam of Darts, Wolverhampton

9 November - Formula 1 - Brazilian Grand Prix, Sao Paulo

9-16 November - Tennis - ATP Finals, Turin

13 November - Football - World Cup qualifying: England v Serbia

13-16 November - Golf - DP World Tour Championship, Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai

14 November - Football - World Cup qualifying: Slovakia v Northern Ireland

15 November - Football - World Cup qualifying: Greece v Scotland, Liechtenstein v Wales

16 November - Football - World Cup qualifying: Albania v England

17 November - Football - World Cup qualifying: Northern Ireland v Luxembourg

18 November - Football - World Cup qualifying: Scotland v Portugal/Denmark TBC, Wales v North Macedonia

21-23 November - Darts - Players Championship Finals, Minehead

21 November to 8 January - Cricket - Ashes series in Australia - full schedule

22 November - Formula 1 - Las Vegas Grand Prix, Las Vegas

26 November to 2 December - Football - Women's Nations League finals, venue TBC

29 November to 7 December - Snooker - UK Championship, York Barbican

30 November - Formula 1 - Qatar Grand Prix, Lusail

Dates TBC - Darts - PDC World Championship, Alexandra Palace, London

7 December - Formula 1 - Season ends with Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Yas Marina

14 December - Athletics - European Cross Country Championships, Lagoa, Portugal

21 December to 18 January - Football - Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco