Sports Editor Abyan Memon and Staff Writer Isabel Moon-Parry explore the upcoming sporting events to keep an eye out for this summer.
With the start of 2025 already hosting several exciting events, from the NBA Finals, PSG’s UCL victory and a record-breaking young darts Champion, there is no time to take a break as more exciting sports events kick into action this summer!
FIFA Club World Cup 14 June – 13 July
This summer sees the start of the revamped FIFA Club World Cup. Modelled more closely after the World Cup, this 32-team competition begins on June 14th in the USA. The competition has a total prize pool of $1 billion, with the chosen teams comprised of the winners of each continent’s previous winners dating back to 2021.
Additional spots were allocated to the next best teams based on continental rankings, with a limit of two teams per nation in Europe, hence the absence of super teams Barcelona and Liverpool.
The opening game saw Egypt’s Al Ahly take on Inter Miami, led by Barcelona legends Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, who failed to threaten the Egyptians’ net with the tournament opener ending in a dull nil-nil. The tournament’s second match saw German champions Bayern Munich score 10 past New Zealand amateurs Auckland City, whose players had to take annual leave or leave without pay to participate in the competition.
The favourites for the tournament remain the European teams Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester City and Bayern Munich but multiple upsets have already occurred thanks to the South and North American teams with Botafogo beating Champions League winners, PSG while Inter Miami saw off Portuguese opposition, Porto thanks to a Lionel Messi freekick.
The UK is represented by Manchester City and Chelsea, who qualified with their respective Champions League wins in 2023 and 2021.
The final of the tournament will take place on July 13th at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Games can be viewed in the UK via DAZN and Channel Five.
CONCACAF Gold Cup 14 June – 6 July
The USA and Canada are also hosting the CONCACAF Gold Cup from 14 June to 6 July on the west coast of the USA and in Vancouver. The tournament, held every two years, brings together the best nations in North America to compete for the continent’s top trophy.
The first match of the tournament saw the holders, Mexico beat the Dominican Republic 3-2 with Premier League players Edson Alvarez and Raul Jimenez on the scoresheet for Mexico. This year’s edition of the tournament welcomes Saudi Arabia as a guest team with them beating Haiti 1-0 in their opening game.
The United States entered the tournament off the back of four straight losses for the side managed by former Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino. The losses came after Christian Pulisic opted not to play in the tournament and was subsequently excluded from playing in the USA’s friendlies against Turkey and Switzerland.
In a press conference before the tournament, Pochettino said “I am the head coach” hitting back at Pulisic while saying “Players need to listen and to stick with our plan. They cannot dictate the plan“. The USMNT went on to end their losing streak in their first match against Trinidad and Tobago with a 5-0 victory.
Gold Cup favourites, Mexico, saw themselves qualify for the knockouts at the top of their group following a 0-0 draw with Costa Rica on Sunday evening. The side, who recently saw the return of legends Hirving Lozano and Guillermo Ochoa to their squad will face off against Saudi Arabia in the quarter-final.
The final of the tournament will be played on July 6th at the NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas while all matches can be viewed in the UK on Premier Sports.
UEFA Women’s European Championship 2 July – 27 July
Three years since the successful 2022 competition held in England, the Women’s European Championship is back and set to kick off on 2 July in Switzerland with Iceland v Finland, while the hosts Switzerland will face Norway.
Title-holders England will be hoping to retain the crown that they so memorably gained in 2022. Wales are also included in the tournament with the two teams will facing off against each other on 13 July in the final game of Group D.
Alongside England and Wales in their group are France and the Netherlands. England will face off against France in their opening fixture on 5 July while Wales will play the Netherlands on the same day.
England will be without goalkeeper Mary Earps and Brighton’s Fran Kirby after the two stars retired from international duty during the most recent Nations League fixtures. Chelsea captain, Millie Bright, also withdrew from contention for the upcoming tournament, with her having undergone a “minor knee surgery“.
World Champions and reigning Nations League title holders, Spain remain favourites to win the tournament.The side boasts the likes of two-time Ballon d’Or winners Aitana Bonmatí and Alexia Putellas as well as UEFA Women’s Champions League winner with Arsenal, Mariona Caldentey.
In the UK matches can be viewed on the BBC and ITV.
Wimbledon 30 June – 13 July
The year’s third, and the only one still played on grass, Grand Slam of the calendar year will run from 30 June to 13 July and will feature Men’s and Women’s Singles and Doubles, as well as Mixed Doubles, and Boys’, Girls’, and Wheelchair events. The tournament will introduce the use of Sony Hawk-Eye cameras this year to replace line judges.
Eyeing his third consecutive Wimbledon Men’s Singles title, Carlos Alcaraz will look to come out hot after a win over his tennis rival Jannik Sinner in a 5-hour, 29-minute-long French Open final. Jannik Sinner is currently ranked World No. 1 and won his first Grand Slam earlier this year at the Australian Open. Other competitors to watch include Britain’s best, Jack Draper, on his home ground and Novak Djokovic chasing his 25th Grand Slam singles title while battling a knee injury.
In the Women’s Singles, Coco Gauff will chase her third Grand Slam title after pulling off a sensational comeback against World No. 1, Aryna Sabalenka, at the 2025 French Open for her second title. Aryna Sabalenka had to withdraw from last year’s Wimbledon due to an injured shoulder but will look to make a deep run this year. Other competitors include British No. 1 Katie Boulter and reigning Wimbledon Women’s Singles champion Barbora Krejčíková.
Coverage will be provided by BBC and Eurosport for UK viewers.
Tour de France 5 July – 27 July
The oldest and most prestigious of cycling’s three Grand Tours is back from 5 July to 27 July. The Tour de France will take the riders from the north of France, through the mountainous southern region, and finish in Paris, staying entirely in France for the first time since 2020. British riders include past winner Geraint Thomas and twin brothers Simon and Adam Yates.
This year, 23 teams with eight riders each are competing in the Grand Tours. There are four riders to watch out for: reigning Tour de France champion Tadej Pogačar, 2022 and 2023 winner Vingegaard, Remco Evenepoel, who won the best young rider’s jersey in his debut last year, and Primož Roglič. British riders include 2022 British Championships winner Alice Towers, and breakout star of the World Championships last September, Cat Ferguson.
Coverage will be provided by ITV and Eurosport for UK viewers.
Tour de France Femmes 26 July – 3 August
The Women’s Tour de France will run from 26 July to 3 August. The riders will start in Vannes in north-west France and ride south-east, finishing in Châtel. There are 22 teams, each competing with seven riders.
The riders to watch include Kasia Niewidoma, looking to defend her title after she won the 2024 Tour de France by a “magical four seconds”, the runner-up Demi Vollering, the young Gaia Realini with ambitions to be the best and the 2024 Giro d’Italia Women winner, Elisa Longo Borghini.
Coverage will be provided by Eurosport for UK viewers.
Looking for something else…
Over in the world of motorsport, the four-way Drivers’ Championship fight is heating up in Formula 1 with George Russell’s recent surge. The Grands Prix will continue until the summer break on July 28th and are available to watch on Sky Sports.
Across in Rugby for this year’s quadrennial tour the British and Irish Lions union rugby team is heading to Australia to play Oceania-based teams, culminating in a three-match series against Australia’s national team, from June 20th to August 2nd. The tour will be broadcast on Sky Sports.
In the U.S., NASCAR will run throughout the summer on Sky Sports, Atlanta will host the MLB All-Star Week from July 10th to 15th with coverage on TNT Sports and MLB.TV and the Major League Cricket season spans from June 13th to July 14th, also broadcasting on TNT Sports.
