Major Sporting Events Calendar: 2026 / 2027

October 15, 2026
Major Sporting Events Calendar: 2026 / 2027.
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SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, host of Super Bowl LXI
October 2026 – December 2027

2026–27 Major Sporting Events Calendar

The sports year in one place: every major event between now and the end of 2027, with dates, venues and a link to our travel guide wherever we cover the venue.

Updated October 2026

Coming up next

Oct 23–25 F1 United States Grand Prix Circuit of the Americas, Austin Oct 23–31 World Series Pennant winners' ballparks Nov 8 NFL in Madrid: Bengals at Falcons Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid Nov 15 NFL in Munich: Patriots at Lions Allianz Arena, Munich Nov 26 NFL Thanksgiving Ford Field and AT&T Stadium Nov 28 The Iron Bowl Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa Nov 28 The Game: Michigan at Ohio State Ohio Stadium, Columbus Dec 25 Christmas Day Games 8 NBA and NFL games, times and TV Dec 31 NHL Winter Classic Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City Jan 1 Rose Bowl Game Rose Bowl, Pasadena Jan 25 CFP National Championship Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas Feb 14 Super Bowl LXI SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles Feb 19–21 NBA All-Star Weekend Mortgage Matchup Center, Phoenix Apr 3 & 5 Men's Final Four Ford Field, Detroit April The Masters Augusta National Late May Monaco Grand Prix Circuit de Monaco Jun 5 Champions League Final Riyadh Air Metropolitano, Madrid June College World Series Charles Schwab Field, Omaha Late Jun–Jul Wimbledon All England Club, London Jul 13 MLB All-Star Game Wrigley Field, Chicago Jul 25 Women's World Cup Final Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro Early Sep NFL Kickoff The 2027 season opener Sep 17–19 Ryder Cup Adare Manor, Ireland Late Sep AFL Grand Final Melbourne Cricket Ground Oct 1 Rugby World Cup Kicks Off Perth Stadium, Australia Early Oct NRL Grand Final Accor Stadium, Sydney Late Oct F1 United States Grand Prix Circuit of the Americas, Austin Late Oct World Series Pennant winners' ballparks Nov 13 Rugby World Cup Final Accor Stadium, Sydney Nov 25 NFL Thanksgiving Ford Field and AT&T Stadium Nov 27 The Iron Bowl Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn Nov 27 The Game: Ohio State at Michigan Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor Dec 11 Army-Navy Game Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia Dec 25 Christmas Day Games NBA and NFL, matchups TBA Jan 2028 CFP National Championship Caesars Superdome, New Orleans Feb 13, 2028 Super Bowl LXII Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta

The headline dates

Quick Guide: Championship Dates and Venues

When is the 2026 World Series?

Game 1 is Friday, October 23, and a Game 7 would fall on Saturday, October 31. The pennant winners host, so check our MLB ballpark guides.

When is Super Bowl LXI?

February 14, 2027, at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

Where is the 2027 College Football Playoff National Championship?

January 25, 2027, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

Where is the 2027 NHL Winter Classic?

December 31, 2026 (New Year's Eve, not New Year's Day) at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, with the Utah Mammoth hosting the Colorado Avalanche.

Where is the 2027 Final Four?

Ford Field in Detroit, April 3 and 5, 2027.

Where is the 2027 NBA All-Star Game?

The Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, February 19-21, 2027.

Where is the 2027 MLB All-Star Game?

Wrigley Field in Chicago, July 13, 2027.

Where is the 2027 Champions League Final?

The Riyadh Air Metropolitano in Madrid, June 5, 2027.

Where is the 2027 Women's World Cup?

Brazil, June 24 to July 25, 2027.

Where is the 2027 Rugby World Cup?

Australia, October 1 to November 13, 2027. Perth hosts the opener and the final is at Stadium Australia (Accor Stadium) in Sydney.

Where is the 2027 Ryder Cup?

Adare Manor in Ireland, September 17-19, 2027.

Tickets

Find tickets through our partner Vivid Seats. Availability varies by country.

Find tickets on Vivid Seats
Dodger Stadium and Chavez Ravine during a Cubs at Dodgers game
October2026

October 2026: The World Series and NBA Tipoff

The single best month to be a sports traveler. Late October is the only stretch of the year when baseball, football, basketball and hockey are all live simultaneously. In Chicago, Detroit and Denver, three sports in one weekend is genuinely doable. The NFL is also in London and Paris on back-to-back Sundays, and our NFL International Games guide has every game still to come this season.
Ohio State vs. Michigan football game
November2026

November 2026: College Football Rivalry Week and NFL Thanksgiving

Rivalry week is the hardest ticket in college football. This year the Iron Bowl is in Tuscaloosa and The Game is in Columbus, both on November 28. Book hotels six months out: rooms in college towns sell out long before tickets do, and they sell out on the date, not the matchup. Start with our Bryant-Denny Stadium guide and our Ohio Stadium guide.
SEC Championship Game
December2026

December 2026: Bowl Season, CFP First Round and the MLB Lockout Deadline

Baseball fans, plan around this one. The MLB collective bargaining agreement expires December 1, 2026, and a lockout is widely expected. The last expiration, in December 2021, produced a lockout that ran into March and pushed Opening Day back a week. If you're booking a spring training trip or a 2027 Opening Day trip, hold off on non-refundable reservations until there's a deal.

Christmas Day Sports Schedule 2026: NBA and NFL Games, Times and TV

December 25 is the densest single day on the sports calendar. The NBA has released five Christmas Day matchups — headlined by an NBA Finals rematch between the champion New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs — and the NFL's Christmas triple-header runs alongside them. Eight games, ten and a half hours, no gaps. All times Eastern.

12:00 p.m.NBA
Spurs at KnicksABCMadison Square Garden
1:00 p.m.NFL
Packers at BearsNetflixSoldier Field, Chicago
2:30 p.m.NBA
Heat at CelticsABCTD Garden, Boston
4:30 p.m.NFL
Bills at BroncosNetflixEmpower Field at Mile High, Denver
5:00 p.m.NBA
76ers at LakersESPNCrypto.com Arena, Los Angeles
8:00 p.m.NBA
Thunder at TimberwolvesABCTarget Center, Minneapolis
8:15 p.m.NFL
Rams at SeahawksFoxLumen Field, Seattle
10:30 p.m.NBA
Nuggets at WarriorsABCChase Center, San Francisco
If you're going in person rather than watching: Christmas Day seats run above a normal regular-season game in every one of these markets, but the ticket is the easy part — it's the flights that hurt. December 24 and 26 are two of the highest-fare travel days of the year. Driving distance is the play, and several of these markets have a second team in town if you want to stack another game on the 26th.
The Rose Bowl in Pasadena with the San Gabriel Mountains behind it
January2027

January 2027: The Rose Bowl, CFP National Championship and NFL Playoffs

Vegas in late January is the easiest championship trip on this calendar. The title game lands in a city with more hotel inventory than any other host in the rotation, which keeps room rates far saner than a Super Bowl market — and there's a full slate of other events in town the same week. Our Allegiant Stadium guide covers seating, parking and where to stay.
Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, host of 2027 NBA All-Star Weekend
February2027

February 2027: Super Bowl LXI, NBA All-Star Weekend and the Daytona 500

Two marquee events, one week, one region. Super Bowl LXI in Los Angeles on February 14 and NBA All-Star in Phoenix five days later are a six-hour drive apart. If you can get tickets to both, it's the best two-event trip of the year. Start with our SoFi Stadium guide and our Mortgage Matchup Center guide.
March2027

March 2027: March Madness, MLB Opening Day and the MLS Season Start

  • Late Feb–MarMLS season opensMLS venues
  • EarlyMarConference tournamentsArenas nationwide
  • EarlyMarNHL trade deadlineLeague-wide
  • EarlyMarFormula 1 season opensTBAApprox.
  • MidMarSelection SundayNCAA Tournament bracket reveal
  • MidMarNCAA Tournament first and second roundsRegional host arenas
  • LateMarSweet 16 and Elite EightRegional sites
  • LateMarMLB Opening DayAll 30 ballparksPending CBA
March Madness first-round sites are the value play in college basketball. Eight teams, two days, one arena, and a ticket that costs a fraction of a Final Four seat.
The Masters logo in flowers at Augusta National Golf Club
April2027

April 2027: The Final Four, The Masters and NBA/NHL Playoffs

  • Apr3 & 5Men's Final FourFord Field, DetroitMarquee
  • EarlyAprWomen's Final FourNationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio
  • 2ndWeekThe MastersAugusta NationalApprox.
  • MidAprNBA regular season ends / Play-InNBA arenas
  • MidAprNHL regular season endsNHL arenas
  • Mid-lateAprNBA and NHL playoffs beginHigher seeds' arenas
  • Apr 29–May 1NFL DraftNational Mall, Washington D.C.Marquee
April is the densest month on the calendar. The Final Four, the Masters, the opening rounds of two playoff brackets and a full baseball schedule all land inside three weeks. Plan the big two with our Ford Field guide and our Masters guide.
May2027

May 2027: The Kentucky Derby, Indy 500 and Monaco Grand Prix

Derby weekend books earliest of anything on this list. Louisville hotels go a year out and triple in price. If it's on your list for 2027, start now.
Madison Square Garden in New York City
June2027

June 2027: The NBA Finals, Stanley Cup and Champions League Final

Madrid, the first week of June. The Champions League final at the Metropolitano is the biggest single-match ticket in club football and the one date worth building an entire European trip around. Our Riyadh Air Metropolitano guide covers seating, transit and matchday logistics.
Wimbledon Championships at the All England Club
July2027

July 2027: Wimbledon, the MLB All-Star Game and the Women's World Cup Final

  • AllMonthTour de FranceFrance
  • MidJulWimbledon finalsAll England Club, London
  • Jul13MLB All-Star GameWrigley Field, ChicagoMarquee
  • Jul15–18The Open ChampionshipSt Andrews, Scotland
  • Jul25Women's World Cup FinalMaracanã, Rio de JaneiroVenue expected
  • LateJulNFL training camps openTeam facilities
Wrigley in July is a bucket-list week. The Cubs have hosted the All-Star Game three times — 1947, 1962 and 1990 — and Wrigley will become one of only three ballparks to host a fourth. Wrigleyville hotel inventory is thin and books instantly. Start with our Wrigley Field guide.
August2027

August 2027: College Football Openers, Premier League Kickoff and the US Open

Football season kicking off in September
September2027

September 2027: NFL Kickoff, the Ryder Cup and the US Open Finals

Ireland in mid-September is the trip of the month. The Ryder Cup comes to Adare Manor in County Limerick, the first time Ireland has hosted it since 2006, and the area has nowhere near enough hotel rooms for the crowd. Base yourself in Limerick city or further out, and book as soon as you have tickets.
Dodger Stadium during an October baseball game
October2027

October 2027: The Rugby World Cup, the World Series and NBA Tipoff

Australia is the big trip of the autumn. The Rugby World Cup runs six weeks across eight stadiums, from the opener in Perth on October 1 to the final at Stadium Australia in Sydney on November 13. Sydney and Melbourne carry the most matches, so plan around our Accor Stadium, Allianz Stadium and Marvel Stadium guides.
Ohio State vs. Michigan football game
November2027

November 2027: The Rugby World Cup Final, Rivalry Week and NFL Thanksgiving

Rivalry week swaps campuses in 2027. The Iron Bowl moves to Auburn and The Game moves to Ann Arbor, both expected on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Rooms in college towns sell out on the date, not the matchup, so book as soon as schedules confirm. Start with our Jordan-Hare Stadium guide and our Michigan Stadium guide.
SEC Championship Game
December2027

December 2027: Conference Championships, Army-Navy and Bowl Season

Philadelphia owns the second Saturday of December. Army-Navy returns to Lincoln Financial Field on December 11, in the city that has hosted the game more than any other. Expect the whole weekend to sell out downtown. Our Lincoln Financial Field guide covers seating, parking and where to stay.

Book early

Looking Ahead: Major Sporting Events in 2028

The next wave of bucket-list events, already locked in.

January 2028CFP National ChampionshipCaesars Superdome, New Orleans
Feb 13, 2028Super Bowl LXIIMercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
May 2028Champions League FinalAllianz Arena, Munich
July 2028UEFA Euro 2028 FinalWembley Stadium, London
July 14-30, 2028Summer OlympicsLos Angeles

Before you pick dates

How to Plan Your Sports Travel Year

A few patterns worth knowing before you book anything.

1

Cheapest months to see a game

September and March. Baseball is winding down and basketball hasn't peaked, so secondary-market prices soften across the board.

2

Most expensive weeks

Super Bowl week, Masters week, Derby weekend, and the days around any Game 7.

3

Best value championship

The College World Series in Omaha. Ten days of baseball, a walkable downtown, and ticket prices a fraction of any pro championship. Our Omaha guide has the details.

4

Book hotels before tickets

For anything at a fixed venue — Augusta, Omaha, Louisville, Indianapolis. Small host cities sell out on the date, not the matchup.

5

The two-sport weekend is underrated

Any city with an NFL and an MLB team gives you a Saturday-Sunday double in September, and any city with both an NBA and NHL tenant gives you one all winter. Our arena guides note which venues are shared.

6

Taking the NFL abroad

London, Paris, Madrid, Munich and Mexico City all host regular-season games this fall. Our NFL International Games guide has kickoff times and where to stay for each.

Circle these dates

The Biggest Events on the Calendar

The next four championships worth building a trip around, with the guide for each venue.

Oct 23–31 World Series Pennant winners' ballparks Jan 25 CFP National Championship Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas Feb 14 Super Bowl LXI SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles Apr 3 & 5 Men's Final Four Ford Field, Detroit April The Masters Augusta National Jun 5 Champions League Final Riyadh Air Metropolitano, Madrid Jul 25 Women's World Cup Final Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro Sep 17–19 Ryder Cup Adare Manor, Ireland Late Oct World Series Pennant winners' ballparks Nov 13 Rugby World Cup Final Accor Stadium, Sydney Jan 2028 CFP National Championship Caesars Superdome, New Orleans Feb 13, 2028 Super Bowl LXII Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta

Written by Brad Richards, Founder of Gameday Guides. This guide includes insights from personal visits as well as updated info from team sources, fan forums, and stadium policies. We aim to help you plan with confidence — enjoy your gameday.

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