World Sports Timeline
Here is a timeline of some significant events in the world of sport. There are many more things that happen each year related to sport, but here I am trying to list just those significant events for 'world' sports.
For sporting events this and other future events, see the Calendar of Major Sporting Events. See also the timeline of sport firsts and a brief history of sports.
| Year | Significant Events |
|---|---|
| 2024 | See results and analysis of sports in 2024. |
| 2023 | See results and analysis of sports in 2023. |
| 2022 | The year's highlights included Winter Olympics in Beijing, the FIFA World Cup. See results and analysis of sports in 2022. |
| 2021 | The coronavirus pandemic continued to wreak havoc on the sporting calendar, but the show still went on. The postponed Tokyo Olympics brought a spectacular show of athletes and sporting achievement. See results and analysis of sports in 2021. |
| 2020 | In a year disrupted by the global pandemic, there were still many major sporting events held. See results and analysis of sports in 2020. |
| 2019 | The highlights for 2019 included FIFA Women's World Cup, Cricket World Cup, Rugby World Cup, the inaugural World Urban Games and World Beach Games. See results and analysis of sports in 2019. |
| 2018 | The highlights for 2018 included the FIFA world cup in Russia, the Winter Olympics and the Commonwealth Games. See results and analysis of sports in 2018. |
| 2017 | The highlights for 2017 included a historic Super Bowl finish, and sprinter Usain Bolt having his final international races. See results and analysis of sports in 2017. |
| 2016 | The major sporting event in 2016 was the Rio Olympics, showcasing Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps, though the highlight of the year was Leicester City's fairy-tale win in the English Premier League. See results and analysis of sports in 2016. |
| 2015 | Major sporting events in 2015 included the inaugural European Games, Summer Universiade, the Rugby World Cup, and the Cricket World Cup. See results and analysis of sports in 2015. |
| 2014 | The year 2014 was another exciting year in sport, including the major events of Winter Olympics and FIFA World Cup in Brazil. See results and analysis of sports in 2014. |
| 2013 | A major highlight of this year was one of the greatest ever sporting comebacks was provided by the America's Cup sailing race held in San Francisco. The US Oracle Team came back from being 1-8 down to win 9-8 against Team New Zealand. See more results and analysis of sports in 2013. |
| 2012 | The major event of this year was the London Olympic Games, which finished with the USA on top of the medal tally, above China and the UK. The superstar was Usain Bolt winning the 100/200m double again. The biggest story to rock the sporting world was the banning of Lance Armstrong, and stripping of his 7 Tour de France titles. See more results and analysis of sports in 2012. |
| 2011 | Major sporting events this year included the Women's Football World Cup, and World Cups in Rugby, Baseball and Cricket. In basketball, Dallas defeated Miami to win their first NBA title, however the biggest news story was the 161-day NBA lockout over money issues which delayed the start of the 2011–12 regular season. See more results and analysis of sports in 2011. |
| 2010 | The year 2010 had three major multi-sport events, the Winter Olympics, FIFA World Cup and the Commonwealth Games. Athletes from Spain performed well, with Spain winning the World Cup, Alberto Contador winning the Tour de France and Rafael Nadal taking over the mantle of Federer in the world of tennis. See more results and analysis of sports in 2010. |
| 2009 | Highlights of this year in sport include the New York Yankees winning their 27th World Series in their 40th appearance. Lance Armstrong was somewhat successful in his comeback, finishing third in the Tour de France behind Spain's Alberto Contador. See more results and analysis of sports in 2009. |
| 2008 | The biggest event of the year was the Beijing Summer Olympics. It was a very successful Games, both on and off the sporting field. Highlight performances were by swimmer Michael Phelps and Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt. Tiger Woods won the US Golf Open for the third time, and was again the Top Earner for 2008. See more results and analysis of sports in 2008. |
See also a summary of the sports highlights for the following years:
2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995, 1994, 1993, 1992, 1991, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1987, 1986, 1985, 1984, 1983, 1982, 1981, 1980, 1979, 1978, 1977, 1976, 1975, 1974, 1973, 1972, 1971, 1970, 1969, 1968, 1967, 1966, 1965, 1964, 1963, 1962, 1961, 1960, 1959, 1958, 1957, 1956, 1955, 1954, 1953, 1952, 1951, 1950, 1949, 1948, 1947, 1946, 1945, 1944, 1943, 1942, 1941, 1940, 1939, 1938, 1937, 1936, 1935, 1934, 1933, 1932, 1931, 1930, 1929, 1928, 1927, 1926, 1925, 1924, 1923, 1922, 1921, 1920, 1919, 1918, 1917, 1916, 1915, 1914, 1913, 1912, 1911, 1910, 1909, 1908, 1907, 1906, 1905, 1904, 1903, 1902, 1901, 1900, 1899, 1898, 1897, 1896, 1895, 1894, 1893, 1892, 1891, 1890, 1889, 1888, 1887, 1886, 1885, 1884, 1883, 1882, 1881, 1880, 1879, 1878, 1877, 1876, 1875, 1874, 1873, 1872, 1871, 1870, 1869, 1868, 1867, 1866, 1865, 1864, 1863, 1862, 1861, 1860, 1859, 1858, 1857 ... 1855 ..1851 ... 1839
Related Pages
- History of Sport
- The timeline of sport firsts.
- Calendar of future major sporting events
- Australian sports highlights in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
- More about the World of Sport
Any comments, suggestions, or corrections? Please let us know.
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