A guide to the most awaited sporting events in 2023
The sports community has seen major events in 2022. In the past year, fans were able to watch their favourite sports teams and players compete in some of the industry’s best and most renowned sporting events like the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Now that the year has come to an end, sports fans are eager to see what’s about to come in 2023.
This year is expected to be a good year for the sports industry as many huge events are anticipated to take place throughout the year. One of the reasons why various sports events are raved about by millions of people is because this is where pro athletes showcase their immense talent. Aside from giving pride to their home countries, winning at renowned sports events proves that they are among the greatest players in the world.
With renowned betting sites such as Sportsbet that provide betting services in markets like sports betting Japan, keeping tabs on major sports events is easier than ever. It’s also more convenient to support your favourite athletes and players thanks to online sports betting.
Highlights of 2022
Before heading to the most awaited events in 2023, it’s nice to look back on some of the best sports highlights of the previous year. As mentioned, 2022 was a fruitful year for the sports community. Many great players were able to shine and steal the spotlight. Some players also achieved secure titles and broke records.
Not only was 2022 a fruitful year for many athletes, but it also produced some of the most memorable highlights in sports history. Some of these are:
- Lionel Messi leads Argentina to FIFA World Cup 2022 victory
Argentina’s most skilled and renowned player, Messi, was able to lead the country to win the World Cup. This solidified his place among the sport's all-time greats. Messi finished the tournament with seven goals, enough to earn him the Golden Ball as the 2022 World Cup's top player.
- Roger Federer announces retirement
Fans expected Roger Federer to return in full form sometime in the second half of 2022 after his announcement of his retirement from professional tennis and the sport’s top tournaments. However, the 20-time Grand Slam winner startled the tennis world by announcing his retirement from the sport following the Laver Cup 2022.
- Indian hockey team won a silver medal
After losing the final against Australia, the Indian men's hockey team brought home a silver medal from the 2022 Commonwealth Games (CWG) in Birmingham. After a heartbreaking penalty shootout loss to New Zealand in CWG 2022, the Indian women's hockey team brought home the bronze.
- Hardik Pandya appointed as captain
When the Gujarat Titans played in the 2022 Indian Premier League, they had Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya leading the team. Pandya took charge early and led the squad to an IPL 2022 title. With this, Pandya captained India in T20Is in two separate series, against Ireland and New Zealand.
- England wins ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022
Two years after winning the inaugural tournament in South Africa, England defeated Pakistan to win the ICC Men's T20 World Cup in Australia. During the summit match, Ben Stokes scored 52 runs without being dismissed. This helped propel England to a decisive victory over Pakistan.
- Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal duo
For his last match, Federer matched up with Rafael Nadal, a longtime opponent and close friend. Despite their team's loss against Team World, they delivered one of the best moments in the history of tennis.
- Max Verstappen dominates F1 2022 season
Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing broke multiple Formula One records and won his second World Championship in 2022. In this victory, The Dutchman was able to defend his 2021 drivers' championship.
Verstappen achieved this with a total of 15 victories, two podium finishes, and 454 points. With a final point differential of nearly 200 points over second-place Ferrari, Red Bull took home the constructors' title for the first time.
- Leon Edwards shocks the MMA World
Many unexpected outcomes occurred in mixed martial arts in 2022. One of the most notable highlights is the collapse of Kamaru Usman's unbeaten streak of 15 matches. The UFC welterweight title fight ultimately ended in favour of Usman's long-time opponent Leon Edwards. After landing a devastating head kick on Usman in the fifth round, Edwards was declared the winner through technical knockout.
- Carlos Alcaraz wins Grand Slam title
The year 2022 was a dream come true for Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz, who won his first Grand Slam title and completed the year ranked No. 1 in the world. US Open 2022 champion Alcaraz defeated Casper Ruud in the final. Alcaraz set a record as the youngest player to reach the top spot in the ATP men's singles rankings at the age of 19.
Most awaited sporting events of 2023
Now that 2022 has come to a close, millions of sports fans are excited to see 2023’s biggest events. This year is expected to be one of the best years for the sports industry after the success that the previous year brought. Some of the most awaited sporting events of 2023 include:
Handball World Championships
The 28th International Handball Federation will take place in January 2023, in Poland and Sweden. Poland will host nine cities for the 2023 World Men's Handball Championship: Krakow, Gdansk, Katowice, and Plock. The tournament will kick off in Katowice and end in Stockholm.
Winning the tournament in 2019 and 2021, Denmark will be attempting to retain its crown this year making fans more excited for the event. Spain, Montenegro, Chile, and Iran are in Group 1 of the tournament's eight groups. Group D includes Iceland, Portugal, Hungary, and South Korea. Meanwhile, Group H consists of the current champions, Denmark, along with Belgium, Bahrain, and Tunisia.
FIBA Basketball World Cup
One of basketball’s most renowned and awaited events is the FIBA Basketball World Cup. For the 20th tournament in 2023, Indonesia, Japan, and the Philippines will hold the first-ever co-hosted Basketball World Cup. It will be held on September 1st and run through the 17th of 2023.
Cricket World Cup in India
The 13th edition of the international one-day cricket championship, the Cricket World Cup will be held in India in February 2023. Since the Cricket World Cup is one of cricket’s major events aside from the sport’s premier leagues like the IPL, it is expected that the most devoted cricket fans in the world will be in attendance for what might be the fourth-largest athletic event in the globe. The one-day competition features all Test-playing nations and some qualifying countries.
World Aquatics Championships
The World Aquatics Championships is also known as the FINA World Championships and is usually held every two years. This competition is one of four consecutive tournaments in four years caused by the disruption of the sporting calendar due to the pandemic.
The World Aquatics Championships features five different aquatic sports. Some of these include swimming, open water swimming, water polo, and high diving. The event will take place in Fukuoka, Japan, from the 14th to the 30th of July 2023.
Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup is a major rugby union tournament held every four years amongst national teams from all over the world. It will be held in France in October 2023, exactly two hundred years after William Webb Ellis invented the sport. Stade de France in Paris will host the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.
FIFA Women’s World Cup
Football's biggest event for women, the FIFA Women's World Cup, will take place from July to August 2023. The FIFA Women's World Cup is held every four years, following the men's competition by one year.
The number of teams competing in the 9th World Cup will increase from 24 to 32 in the group stage, making it the largest tournament in history. The games will take place in Australia and New Zealand, the first time the event has been hosted in the southern hemisphere.
Cycling World Championships
In August 2023, Glasgow, Scotland will host the first-ever Cycling World Championships, which will go down in history as a major event. It's a new event that will be held once every four years. The Cycling World Championships is the most important event in the world of cycling that’s much awaited by sports fans.
World Baseball Classic
The World Baseball Classic is one of baseball’s biggest events and is sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation (IBF). It showcases the top baseball players from all around the world. Unlike the victor of the MLB World Series, the champion of the World Baseball Classic is considered the best in the world.
This event was supposed to take place in 2021, but was postponed because of the pandemic. The 2023 World Baseball Classic is expected to commence on March 8 to March 21, 2023.
Ryder Cup
Every two years, Europe and the United States square off in a golf tournament known as the Ryder Cup. Every other year, the tournament will be held in a different European or American country. The 44th Ryder Cup will take place from September 29 to October 1, 2023, at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome, Italy.
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