2026 Biggest Sporting Events in Summer
With the summer now fast approaching, keen sports fans will have a lot to look forward to for the remainder of 2026.
That in itself is remarkable as we’ve already seen some pretty epic sporting scenes this year, and we’re only in May. We’ve witnessed Olympians dazzle in the snow at the Winter Olympics, we’ve watched Tyson Fury come out of retirement (again) emerging victorious and hopefully finally setting up a much-anticipated showdown against Anthony Joshua, plus we’ve seen Rory McIlroy do the unthinkable and win back-to-back green jackets by winning The Masters.
While most people will have their sights set on the football World Cup next month in June, there’s also plenty more in store for sporting fans to sink their teeth into. That also means there’s plenty of choice when it comes to sports betting, and, potentially winning some money in the process.
From the World Cup in America, Canada, and Mexico to Wimbledon in, well, Wimbledon, here’s a look at the biggest sporting events coming up in summer 2026.
The World Cup
Starting off with the biggie, we have the World Cup, and if recent performances are anything to go by, it looks set to be an absolute belter.
Sadly, not all of the home nations could qualify this year, but with England and Scotland both through, there’s still a lot to be excited about. Scotland in particular, will be worth a watch, and potentially a cheeky flutter, as this will be their first World Cup in almost three decades. At 250/1, they’re clearly not the bookies’ favourites, but surely for Scots fans, backing your home nation has got to be worth a quid or two?
England, however, have much better odds and are currently 7/1. Considering Harry Kane’s confidence will be through the roof after another ridiculous goal tally for Bayern, and with Bellingham starting to find his form, the Three Lions will surely be dangerous.
The big Irish football betting sites, though, are currently favouring Spain (BOYLE Sports 5/1), followed by France (11/2) to add another World Cup to their tally. Spain’s Lamine Yamal will be appearing at his first World Cup, and second major tournament for Spain, and he will almost certainly be one to watch. As for France, Mbappe is only five goals away from becoming the all-time goalscorer at the World Cup, so he’ll be out to prove a point. Then of course, you’ve got a defender’s worst nightmare in the form of Ousmane Dembele.
Wimbledon
Summer in the UK just wouldn’t be summer without Wimbledon.
Considered by many to be the premier tournament in the world of tennis, Wimbledon offers the perfect respite for those looking for a slower, more refined change of pace when compared with football.
Beginning June 29th, Wimbledon promises plenty of excitement, with the prospect of a few dark horses upsetting a few big names along the way.
Carlos Alcaraz is currently the 2/1 favourite to retain his title for the third consecutive year. Should he do so, this in itself will be quite remarkable as no man has done that since Roger Federer. Alcaraz has proved to be exceptional on the grass, and considering his past performances here, the smart money is on him.
Novak Djokovic will also be one to keep a close eye upon, especially considering he makes making the final here look so effortless time and time again. He may be pushing 40, but you should never bet against him, especially considering he currently has one of the most dangerous looking serves in the game today.
As for the women, world number one Aryna Sabalenka is currently favourite to win, with odds roughly of 5/2 across most of the boards. Her style of play is suited perfectly for the grass of Wimbledon, plus her serve also makes her a threat. Elena Rybakina, who won back in 2022, also has her sights set on the prize, as she too clearly enjoys playing on the grass.
The Open Championship
Following the excitement of April’s The Masters, keen golfing fans will have their sights firmly set on The Open Championship in July.
Following the controversy surrounding LIV losing its financial backing at the end of the season, golf fans will be watching the remaining fixtures this year very closely indeed.
Of course, world number one Scottie Scheffler is the favourite, with odds of roughly 11/2. Scottie has proved to be incredibly consistent in recent months, and at The Masters, he closed the gap massively on Saturday and Sunday, and for a while, he looked like he was in with a real shot of winning. That performance will clearly have done his mental game a lot of good.
Rory McIlroy is another name to watch very closely indeed. Rory is coming off the back of two successive Masters Championships, so his confidence will be through the roof. What’s even more reassuring is the fact that he is looking far more confident off the tee. His iron game has always been strong, and his putting is also as good as it’s ever been. That’s why he is currently 7/1 to win the Open Championship in July.
Tommy Fleetwood, Xander Schauffele, and the controversial Jon Rahm will also be looking to prove a point here.
The PDC World Cup of Darts
Finally, from the 11th of June until the 14th of June, at the Eissporthalle, Frankfurt, it’s another World Cup, this time the PDC World Cup of Darts.
This is a tournament that a lot of darts fans are eagerly looking forward to, especially as seeing the same 8 players week in and week out at the Premier League, can get a little stale and repetitive at this point in the calendar year.
Last year saw the Welsh Dragons Jonny Clayton and Gerwyn Price bring home the title in emphatic fashion. A few weeks ago, the odds of that happening again were very high, as Price always looked threatening and Clayton was playing, arguably, the best darts of his career. Unfortunately, Price has withdrawn for unknown reasons, meaning Clayton must now team up with Nick Kenny.
England, who were knocked out last year by Germany, will be looking to make up for their last performance and bring home the glory. Considering they’re made up of world number one Luke Littler, and world number two Luke Humphries, the two Lukes will surely perform better this year. The hostile German crowd could prove the difference maker. If they can keep their heads, there’s no reason why they can’t go all the way.
It is perhaps the Dutch team whom could prove the trickiest. Gian Van Veen looks to be finding his feet again, while Michael Van Gerwen will be buzzing after his recent Players Championship 15 victory, which was capped by an astonishing 122.34 average demolition job of Martin Schindler, who himself averaged more than 108. This was vintage MVG and if he can keep that up, the title is theirs.