Highlights of the 2026 sporting calendar January-May: Winter Olympics, Cheltenham Festival, Masters

Nick Metcalfe is relishing the prospect of the next 12 months and looks ahead to a number of special events to come in this festive feature. Here is part one, with part two now available by clicking on this link.

World Darts Championship final

• January 3

The World Darts Championship is even bigger now than it ever was. The tournament began way back on December 11 – England hadn't even lost the Ashes series back then. The jamboree will finally come to its climax at a noisy Alexandra Palace on the third day of 2026. Part of the event's recent growth is of course down to teenage sensation Luke Littler. If he makes the final for the third time in a row, it will mean a boon to viewing figures, more column inches and wider public attention. Littler was runner-up to Luke Humphries when he was just 16 in 2024, and then became the champion for the first time in 2025 at the age of 17. Now Littler is really getting on a bit at 18. And he's very much the man to beat in north London.

Six Nations

• February 5-March 14 (men) and April 11-May 17 (women)

There are some events in sport that you can just rely on to deliver the goods. The Six Nations is on that list. The men's tournament kicks off with a barnstormer of a clash in Paris that could well decide the championship, France against Ireland on February 5 – quick note if you're confused, that is a Thursday night game. Steve Borthwick's England will be heavy favourites to start their campaign with a victory at home to Wales, but then face a far trickier game against Scotland at Murrayfield. If the Scots win that crunch clash, they will believe this could finally be the year when they turn promise into glory. In the women's tournament, England will be buoyant after their memorable World Cup success on home soil. Ireland are the first opponents for England on April 11, with the match to be played at Twickenham. In this diverse broadcasting age, it almost feels surprising that the tournaments remain live on free to air television.

Winter Olympics

• February 6-22

Just how many different ways can athletes come downhill on snow and ice? We'll soon find out. The Winter Olympics will never quite be the all-encompassing event the summer Games is – especially in the UK – but the truth is that we'll tune in for the big moments in our millions. Hopes will be high for British success in the snowboard, with Mia Brookes, Charlotte Bankes and Kirsty Muir all with medal chances. Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson could well win Britain's first skating medals since the legendary Torvill and Dean. And of course there's the curling teams, with Britain's women defending their title and the men hoping to go one better after claiming silver in Beijing in 2022. Brooms at the ready. Live coverage of the Milano Cortina Games will be on British TV morning, noon and night. It will be a feast for the eyes.

T20 Cricket World Cups

• February 7-March 8 (men) and June 12-July 5 (women)

England had to wait decades before finally winning cricket's most significant World Cup – the 50 over version – but the T20 World Cup has been far kinder to them. England have won two of the nine men's tournaments so far, in 2010 and 2022, and Harry Brook's team will go for glory again in India and Sri Lanka in February and March. As for the women's tournament, that's taking place in early summer in England, with the final at Lord's on July 5. England, who are captained by Nat Sciver-Brunt, will be looking for their first success since the inaugural event in 2009. In a sports and entertainment world where expensive tickets is now the norm, it should be noted that the prices are very reasonable for this event, should you fancy attending.

Super Bowl

• February 8

In recent years, we've become used to domination in the NFL for the Kansas City Chiefs. Andy Reid's team of superstars – inspired by quarterback Patrick Mahomes – has been in five of the last six Super Bowls. But the Chiefs have been nowhere near as strong this season, and haven't even made it to the playoffs. All in all, it's been the most unpredictable of seasons, and frankly it's anyone's guess who will be there at the biggest game in Santa Clara, California, on February 8. There are always plenty of bleary-eyed Britons on that Monday morning following the Super Bowl – here's hoping they're rewarded for staying up so late with a brilliant game.

Cheltenham Festival

• March 10-13

An absolute madhouse. That's the only way to describe the Festival. I love making the pilgrimage there myself. It isn't easy to keep your head when all around are losing theirs, but that's exactly what gamblers everywhere try to do because this is a betting week like no other. The big race on day one is the Champion Hurdle – Nicky Henderson's Sir Gino is a clear favourite for that right now after a terrific win in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton. Marine Nationale is strongly fancied to repeat his Champion Chase victory of 2025 – that race is on day two. The blue riband of the Festival – and one of the great sporting events of the year – is of course the Cheltenham Gold Cup, which will take place on March 13. Inothewayurthinkin was a fabulous winner in 2025 and will aim to repeat the trick at Prestbury Park, as winter once more turns into spring.

The Masters

• April 9-12

It's tempting to think 'After the Lord Mayor's Show' about the 2026 Masters. That victory for Rory McIlroy last spring was quite simply one for the sporting annals. The narrative of McIlroy trying to win the thing for so long – and then going about eventually doing so in the most outrageous way possible – elevated that tournament into something almost ethereal. But remember, this is the Masters. It wasn't long ago that we saw Tiger Woods claim his 15th major in incredible fashion and wondered how that could ever be followed. Augusta National in Georgia may be among the most preposterous venues in sport – has any place anywhere ever given off such a feeling of self reverence? – but there's no doubt it provides a sporting magic all of its own. We won't be able to take our eyes off the Masters from start to finish.

Grand National

• April 11

We couldn't quite believe the levels of emotion showed by Willie Mullins at the 2025 Grand National. It was the race of dreams for master trainer Mullins – he had the winner, Nick Rockett, ridden by his son, amateur jockey Patrick Mullins. He also trained the horses that came home second and third. It doesn't matter who you are, the National just hits different for everyone. The stories we've grown up hearing are part of folklore – Devon Loch losing when miles clear, Foinavon winning when everyone else messed up, Red Rum in the 1970s, Bob Champion and Aldaniti in 1981. It will never be just another horse race – and for so many of us, the Aintree marathon will be appointment viewing once more on April 11.

World Snooker Championship

• April 18-May 4

One of the clear trends of modern snooker is how unpredictable the sport is. Mark Selby is the only multiple winner of a tournament so far in this 2025-26 season. The last three world champions meanwhile have all been first timers – Luca Brecel, Kyren Wilson and Zhao Xintong. The great Ronnie O'Sullivan is probably more of a Marmite figure than ever, but there's no question many fans would delight in him winning a record eighth Crucible crown. Current world number one Judd Trump will again aim to become a multiple winner of snooker's biggest event, while Selby will be on the hunt for his fifth world title. The 'marathon of the mind' at one of sport's most evocative arenas will be as compelling as ever. I'll hope to see you there.

Champions League finals

• May 23 (women) and May 30 (men)

Paris Saint-Germain were genuinely spellbinding as they stormed to Champions League glory in 2025, ending the hopes of Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal along the way, and thrashing Inter Milan 5-0 in the final. PSG may well take some stopping again, but Bayern Munich under Vincent Kompany look stronger than they did last term and 15-time winners Real Madrid can never be discounted. Of the six English clubs involved, Arsenal look well capable of making it to Budapest on May 30, but going for their first domestic title in 22 years at the same time could prove to be their undoing. In last season's women's tournament, Arsenal memorably saw off Barcelona in the final to claim the big prize. The Gunners, Chelsea and Manchester United will all be setting their sights on May's showpiece match, which is in Oslo.