As we wave goodbye to 2023, it was a fantastic year for sports: the Lionesses brought it home, Man City won the treble and there were numerous thrilling bouts. We wave a very welcoming hello to 2024. Here are eight sporting events to get excited about and place a wager on.
1. Natasha Jonas vs. Mikaela Mayer
There is already a vast female boxing fight on the cards for 2024. Natasha Jonas and Mikaela Mayer will go head-to-head in the ring. Jonas is hoping to retain her IBF welterweight title.
The fight is currently set for ten rounds at two minutes each, which is quite normal for a high-profile women’s bout. However, there has been some conversation about women’s boxing, and there should be a switch to 12 three-minute rounds to match men’s boxing.
“We’re the type of pioneers who should be doing that,” Mayer told Sky Sports. “These are the type of moves we should be making. “I train 12 three-minute rounds in the gym; that’s the pace that I’m used to.”
If the fight gets switched to 12 three-minute rounds, it will be a game-changing move for female boxing and could help women progress in the sport.
The fight is just around the corner and will take place on January 20th.
2. The African Cup Of Nations
The 34th biennial African Association Football Tournament is returning in 2024 after having been pushed back from last summer for only the second time in history. Ivory Coast will host the event.
The highly anticipated football event will have some of the biggest names in the sport come together and compete for their country to be crowned the best team on the continent. Some of your favourite players, from Mo Salah to Victor Osimhen, will participate in the event.
Several countries have already qualified and will host games, including Morocco, Algeria, Senegal, Egypt, Nigeria, Cape Verde and Burkina Faso.
Footie fans, be sure to tune in. The games will take place from January 13th to February 11th 2024.
3. Superbowl LVIII
The biggest American football event is back and, of course, better. The Super Bowl, as per usual, brings the NFL season to an end, and oh, does it go out with a bang. It’s not just any American football game; it’s an extravaganza featuring some of the biggest celebrities and stars.
Millions each year tune in to watch one of the world’s most significant sporting events (even if they do not watch American football) and, each year, it seems the Superbowl just gets bigger.
Last year was a massive showcase between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles, where the Chiefs won in a close game, 38-35. The show went extra-viral last year when Rihanna performed, which was not only her first performance in seven years but also when she announced to the world she was expecting baby no. 2 with partner, A$AP Rocky. Fans went wild for her performance. This year will be similar, as no other than the R&B king – Usher – is set to perform. Millions of NFL and Usher fans alike are set to tune in.
Keep your calendars marked for February 11th; it won’t be one to miss.
4. Fury v Usyk
It is the heavyweight battle we have all been waiting for. The contract has been signed, and the gloves are off ( or should I say on) and, at last, Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk will go head to head for the undisputed world heavyweight championship.
There has been a lot of back and forth between both parties, bickering about who is the best heavyweight boxer. Finally, the argument will be settled. Before Fury’s fight with MMA fighter Francis Nagannou, the fight was due to take place December 23rd, also known as the Day Of Reckoning, but the fight soon got pushed back and will now take place February 17th in Saudi Arabia.
5. FA Cup Final
Football fans everywhere will be on the edge of their seats to see who will be crowned as the 2024 FA Cup champions.
If you want to watch the finals, know the build-up has already begun. Last year, Man City took home the treble after winning the treble (this happens when a team wins their national league competition, the main cup competition in the country, and their continent’s main club trophy). They are only the second English team to do so.
This year, Arsenal has been making strides after a few problematic seasons; they came second in the table last year and seem they are going for the W this year, similar to Liverpool, who have also been rising in the current league table after coming surprisingly fifth last year.
The final will take place May 25th at the home of football, Wembley Stadium.
6. NBA Finals
Bringing to a close the NBA season, the annual NBA Finals are back this year and is an exciting time for any basketball fan. The top seven teams in the NBA will compete against each other for the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy.
Last year, the Denver Nuggets won against the Miami Heat, which was their first-ever win for the championship trophy. Currently, the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics are tied for the most titles won at seventeen, the Golden State Warriors are second with seven titles, and
The Chicago Bulls are third with six titles.
So far, the playoffs are scheduled for seven games, but this may change depending on the results of each game, with the first match set to take place on June 6th.
7. Euros 2024
The Euros are back, and if you are an England supporter, you might be reading this with some bitter memories. As you may remember, England got all the way to the Euro finals but sadly lost in a penalty shootout against Italy.
Nonetheless, The Euros is the biggest football event for the continent; the best twenty-four teams from across Europe will partake in 10 venues across Germany from Berlin, Munich, Dortmund, Stuttgart, Gelsenkirchen, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Cologne, Leipzig and Düsseldorf in hopes to raise the legendary Henri Delaunay Cup at the end.
Following the knockout stages, the final will be on July 14th at Berlin’s Olympiastadion.
8. Summer Olympics
The biggest sporting event is returning after three years- as you may remember, the Tokyo Olympics was set to take place in 2020 but was postponed due to COVID-19.
The world’s best swimmers, sprinters and fencers (and more) will join in the city of love, Paris, this year. The Paris games are set to be even better than any Olympic game prior. The long list of sports to watch will include athletics, basketball, fencing, surfing, gymnastics, skateboarding, and table tennis, and this list goes on with break dancing set to make its Olympic debut.
This year, the game makers have decided that the kick-off celebrations will take place in the Jardins du Trocadero with a beautiful view of the city’s iconic River Seine, meaning that thousands can watch the evening celebration this year. The games will run from the July 26th to August 11th 2024
