Sports fans across the world never need to wait too long for a thrilling event, as there are many superb tournaments, championships and races on the calendar throughout the year.
If you are always looking forward to the next big game, or want to cheer on the underdog, there will be an excellent sporting competition to watch on the small screen. Check out the biggest sporting events of 2019 – past and present.
Super Bowl LIII
One sporting event most Americans refuse to miss is the Super Bowl, which is an annual National Football League (NFL) championship game. It is the culmination of an adrenaline-fueled season, which starts in late summer and ends in early February. Unsurprisingly, the New England Patriots enjoyed victory once again at Super Bowl LIII on 3rd February, beating the Los Angeles Rams 13-3.
The Six Nations
Rugby fans anxiously await the launch of the Six Nations, which is an annual rugby union competition between England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Italy and France. This year, Wales proved to be unstoppable, as they expertly beat all five nations, which was their first Grand Slam since 1912. You can guarantee the losing countries will be seeking their revenge come 2020.
The Masters
It’s fair to say this year’s Masters was exciting, with Tiger Woods proving he’s not out of the game just yet – even though many critics didn’t project he would win the tournament. The golfing icon came back in style this April, claiming the 15th major in his sporting career. Was it a fluke? It’s doubtful; as golf fans will know, The Masters is the most challenging major in the sport.
The Grand National
The Grand National has been held annually at Aintree Racecourse, Liverpool, England, since 1839, with horses jumping over 30 fences throughout the 4-mile and 2½ furlong race. The only horse to have won the handicap steeplechase three times was Red Rum; however, this year’s champion, Tiger Roll, could potentially match the same record in 2020, as it was the first to cross the finish line for the second year running in April.
The Premier League
It doesn’t matter if you live in the United Kingdom or the United States, it is impossible not to become wrapped up in the Premier League, which is the English soccer league system. The 2018/2019 season did not disappoint, with football fans across the world arguing whether Liverpool FC or Manchester City would take home the cup, as the team were neck-in-neck from August through to May. Unfortunately, the dream was not to be for LFC, who lost by one point to Manchester City.
FA Cup Final
Lovers of English football also anxiously await the FA Cup Final every year, which this year was between Manchester City and Watford FC on May 18th. While Watford FC did well to end up in the final, it seems there was no stopping City who stormed to victory by winning 6-0 and securing a domestic Treble.
The Championships, Wimbledon
The next big event on the sporting calendar has to be The Championships, Wimbledon, which will start from June 1st to July 14th 2019. It is the oldest and most prestigious tennis tournament in the sport, as the finest players have been taking to the court since 1877. It is also the only tennis major that is played on grass.
Will Novak Djokovic and Angelique Kerber do it again? Or will the likes of Kevin Anderson and Serena Williams win the £34 million prize money? Only time will tell.
The UEFA Champions League Final
While the UEFA Champions League Final is an international sporting event, it will be an all-English final in 2019. Despite Liverpool FC losing out to Manchester City in the Premier League, they still have a chance of securing victory at the UEFA Champions League Final.
After surprisingly thrashing Barcelona in the semi-finals, they are set to go up against Tottenham Hotspur FC on June 1st. Will LFC win their sixth Champions League Cup, or will Tottenham repeat their historic 1963 victory?
.jpg){kind=link}
US Open - Golf
If you’re missing all the action from The Masters, you will definitely want to tune in to the US Open from June 13th to 16th 2019. The annual national golf championship will be held at Pebble Beach, California, and it is the second of four major golf championships throughout the year.
Tiger Woods will more than likely be eager to prove that The Masters was more than just a fluke, but he will face tough competition from Brooks Koepka, the world’s top ranked player, as well as Dustin Johnson, who is the world number two.
NBA Finals
The NBA playoffs have been keeping basketball fans on the edge of their seats since April 13. However, the NBA finals will conclude the season this June. It looks likely that the Golden State Warriors will meet the Cleveland Cavaliers in the final, as they have done every year since June 2015 and this year is shaping up to be no different.
Tour de France
You can tune in to the Tour de France from July 6th, which is when the finest men’s cyclists in the sport will embark on the multi-stage bicycle race; it is primarily located in France but will briefly pass through other nearby countries. It features 21 day-long stages, which are held over 23 days, and will this year mark the 100th anniversary of the event.
US Open – Tennis
The United States Open Tennis Championships, also known as the US Open, is the modern equivalent of the oldest American tennis championship, the US National Championship. While it might lack the prestige of Wimbledon, it is one of the most respected tournaments in the sport. It will this year begin on August 26th and will come to a close on September 8th. While lifting the trophy might be prize enough, the winners of both the men’s and women’s singles will each walk away with $3.7 million.
2019 has already got off to an exciting start and it shows no signs of slowing down any time soon, as there are plenty of exciting annual events to look forward to on the calendar that you will not want to miss.
