As 2022 draws ever nearer, there is a lot for fans of sport to get excited about. The festive period is a fantastic time, with football matches almost every day, the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace and some top horse racing meetings. However, the action carries on into the New Year, with January acting as a fresh start for many sports, like tennis, golf and so on, while for others, things begin to really heat up.
That said, read on as we take a look at some of the big sporting events to look forward to in the opening months of 2022 — there will be something for everyone!
Africa Cup of Nations: Jan 9 – Feb 6
While football fans around Europe are dreading the prospect of losing their club’s star players to the Africa Cup of Nations, it must be said that the four-week tournament has the potential to be one of the best renewals of the African competition in years. The likes of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mané, Édouard Mendy and many more top talents will attract a lot of interest to the Africa Cup of Nations — especially as a lot more people are really starting to take an interest in players as individuals.
Australian Open: Jan 17-30
The first tennis Grand Slam of the year, the Australian Open is set to take place at Melbourne Park in its usual January slot. It is certainly going to be an interesting renewal of the tournament as it has been confirmed that unvaccinated players will not be allowed to take part in Melbourne, meaning that nine-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic will not be making an appearance Down Under — ruling him out from winning the tournament for a fourth successive time. Daniil Medvedev will likely take the favourite status in the online betting UK, with Ashley Barty once again tipped to win the her home Grand Slam in the women’s tournament.
Super Bowl LVI: Feb 13
With the NFL adding an extra game to their regular season, extending it to 17 matches, the Super Bowl has been pushed back from its traditional spot on the first Sunday of February to the following one (February 13th). Super Bowl LVI will see the final game return to Los Angeles for the first time since it was held at the Rose Bowl in 1993, with SoFi Stadium, the home of the Chargers and the Rams, set to be the host venue. Last year’s champions, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, are tipped to lift the Vince Lombardi Trophy again this year. But last year’s Super Bowl losers, the Kansas City Chiefs, who have turned their season around, are starting to look like real contenders again.
The Cheltenham Festival: Mar 15-18
With fans absent from last year’s Cheltenham Festival, the excitement for the 2022 renewal of the jumps racing pinnacle is rife. Four days of thrilling action, there is nothing quite like the prestigious Prestbury Park meeting. Last year’s Cheltenham Festival took place behind closed doors. So, this year’s meeting promises to be better than ever, with 65,000 spectators set to cram into the Cotswolds-based venue for the 28 races — 15 of which are Grade 1s, including the Queen Mother Champion Chase, the Arkle and the Gold Cup. It really is a punter’s dream.
