The year 2025 will hold several major sporting events. It will be a busy time for golf, cricket, and football fans. We discuss the tournaments taking place in the text below.
The world’s major sports tournaments tend to occur in even-numbered years, mainly the Olympics and the World Cup, or continental football. Yet 2025 should not be written off. Instead, it is a year of sport unlike any other, with old rivalries and new pursuits joining the fray. Below, we dive into the major sporting tournaments in 2025 and what you should look for.
The Ashes Test Series
The Ashes occurs every two years and is a five-match test between England and Australia. However, the rivalry does not just mean that the spectators come from those two countries. Cricket fans from all over the world tune in to see one of the most famous grudge matches and often experience some edge-of-your-seat cricket to go with it.
This series will take place towards the year’s back end, from November 2025 to January 2026. It will be part of the ICC World Test Championship. Going into the bout, Australia has plenty of pressure piled on. They won the Ashes in 2021 and 2022 and then managed to hold them due to a draw in 2023. A list of UK betting sites will tell you the odds for a win. This will change throughout the year, though Australia is currently at around 8/11 to take the win.
Test matches will be played across Australia at the height of its summer. For the first time, the Perth Optus Stadium will host an Ashes test as the sport returns to Western Australia after a hiatus in the last series. It will also be the first Australian Ashes contest not to start in Brisbane since the early eighties.
FIFA Intercontinental Cup
The FIFA Intercontinental Cup will be a real triumph of international football. It is a relatively new tournament, born of the expansion of the FIFA Club Cup in 2022, with thirty-two teams. It features the winners of the major top club confederations, including the UEFA Champions League, Asian Football Confederations Champions League, and others.
Its first round will see a team from the Oceania Club Championship alternate with the AFC and CAF alternatingly. In a second round, another representative from these clubs will face off, with teams from the Americas doing the same. This funnels teams into a playoff. Whoever manages to get through then goes on to play the FIFA representative.
While the qualification and winning process is quite convoluted, it should make for some spectacular matches. The 2024 final was between the Mexican team Pachuca, who play in the top division of Mexican football. They played against Spain’s Real Madrid, who managed a 3-0 win at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar.
The Ryder Cup
The Ryder Cup is one of golf’s most fearsome contests between the USA and Europe. It began in 1927 and switches between Europe and the US each year. It is a collaborative effort by the PGAs worldwide, including the UK, Europe, and the US. Initially, it took place between the United Kingdom and the US alone. However, in 1979, players from continental Europe were included due to the rapid ascension of Spain as a major golfing nation and some sterling players.
Since that date, Europe has had 12 wins. The US has won nine times, and Europe once retained due to a draw. Oddly, for a major golf tournament with a huge amount of sponsorship, press, and broadcast rights, players have no prize money. This adds a new level to the competition, with players battling it for prestige alone.
This time, the action moves back to the US and will occur in Farmingdale, New York. Between September 26th and 28th, Bethpage Blackcourse will see golf’s biggest stars arrive, along with huge numbers of spectators. The US hopes to claw back victory after a European home-soil won in 2023.
The 2025 World Games
The World Games can often be some of the most enjoyable viewing. This is mainly because it includes sports and events not usually represented at the Olympics. Thirty-five sports will be included. It is quite surprising that some of these are not already Olympic sports, such as classic powerlifting, snooker, and lacrosse. However, it is the niche sports that are fun to behold. Have you ever thought about spending the day watching dragon boat racing, parkour, or fistball? Now is the time.
Many nations will compete in the games, which will be hosted in Chengdu, China. Multiple districts will be used for differing disciplines, spread across the city and broader province. Held from the 7th to the 17th of August, it is the first time China will host the games, but it will be held in Asia for the third time.
There are many more major sporting events taking place this year. For sports fans, it may mean a bit more of a deep dive away from the major tournaments. However, this will only broaden the horizons, and a year of fantastic sporting action is ahead.
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