A football World Cup with 48 teams, changes to the Winter Games and fresh formats: What sports fans can expect in 2026.
Olympic Games in winter, Football World Cup in summer: sports fans can look forward to two mega highlights in 2026, which will also bring innovations. But it’s not just the Olympics and the World Cup that are changing. A selection.
More teams than ever before at the World Cup
For the first time, 48 national teams will be taking part in the World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico this summer, instead of the usual 32 since 1998. The mega World Cup from June 11 to July 19 will therefore also feature significantly more matches: Fans can look forward to 104 matches. At the last edition in Qatar, there were 64 matches.
Longer international phase in the fall
Instead of three nine-day international match windows, there will only be two windows in the second half of the year from the 2026/2027 season onwards. The two windows in September and October will merge into one longer phase from September 21 to October 6. Four international matches per national team are then scheduled during this 16-day phase. The remaining international match phases will remain as before.
Champions League final with earlier kick-off time
From the final in Budapest on May 30, the Champions League final will be kicked off at 6 p.m. instead of 9 p.m. as before. According to UEFA, the European governing body, this is intended to provide a better fan experience for both spectators in the stadium and those watching on TV.
Ski mountaineering at the Olympics, classic team jumping not
Changes at the Olympics: Ski mountaineering will be included for the first time at the Winter Games in Italy in February. New events such as the women’s doubles in luge and the mixed team in skeleton have also been included. The classic team competitions for men in ski jumping and Nordic combined, on the other hand, have been canceled. Instead, there will be a super team event in ski jumping and a team sprint in Nordic combined with only two athletes per nation. The men’s ice hockey tournament is likely to receive significantly more attention than last time, as the stars from the North American professional league NHL will be taking part for the first time since 2014.
Audi’s Formula 1 entry
There is a new German works team in Formula 1. Following the takeover of the private racing team Sauber, Audi wants to try its luck in the premier class of motorsport. Up to this point, things have not always gone perfectly, and in difficult times for German car manufacturers, the project is providing plenty to talk about. German veteran Nico Hülkenberg and Brazilian Gabriel Bortoleto will drive the car in titanium, carbon black and Audi red livery in its second season. Audi wants to be competitive from 2028 onwards, and the brand with the rings wants to compete for the title from 2030.
Reformed set of rules in Formula 1
It is the biggest reform since 2014, when Formula 1 celebrated the return of the turbo. This time too, the focus is on the drive. Half of the more than 1000 hp will be generated by hybrid components and the cars will run on 100 percent sustainable fuel. But that’s not all: the cars will also be smaller and lighter, which should help with overtaking and speed up the racing action.
New event in athletics
From September 11 to 13, the World Athletics Ultimate Championships will be held in Budapest for the first time. The best athletes will compete against each other in 28 athletics disciplines. The financially lucrative event is to take place every two years and therefore in every non-World Championship year. The winners of the individual events will receive a prize of 150,000 US dollars.
Ironman World Championship together again in Hawaii
The Ironman Mecca of Hawaii will once again host a joint men’s and women’s world championship in 2026. The last time this took place was in 2019. In previous years, the title fights were held separately in Nice, France, and Hawaii, rotating according to gender.
New NBA All-Star format
The North American professional basketball league NBA is making its next attempt to make its All-Star format more attractive. On February 15, a world selection and two US teams will meet in a mini-tournament in Los Angeles. This should entertain the fans better than has been the case in previous years.
Controversial doping games make their debut
The so-called Enhanced Games will celebrate their premiere on May 24 in the US city of Las Vegas. Doping is expressly permitted in athletics, swimming and weightlifting, each with selected disciplines. The organizers are offering high rewards. There is prize money of 500,000 US dollars per competition, with the winners alone receiving 250,000 US dollars each.
