As America turns 250, its 2026 sports calendar will be one of the biggest yet

By Stacker

Published December 19, 2025 7:45 pm

Wu Xiaoling // Xinhua via Getty Images

If you thought the sports world peaked in 2025, brace yourself. As the United States gears up to celebrate its semiquincentennial—that’s the big 2-5-0—the nation is transforming into the global capital of competition. From the pitch to the Octagon, 2026 promises a calendar so packed with historic firsts and championship drama that it is poised to be a great year in American sporting history.

Outwander.com shares a guide to 10 sporting events you cannot miss in 2026.

1. College Football Playoff National Championship

When: Jan. 19, 2026
Where: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida

The expanded 12-team playoff format will fully mature by this championship game. After a month of bracket-busting upsets, the two survivors will meet in South Florida. The expanded field has already proven that more teams mean more drama, potentially setting up a Cinderella-story finale under the lights of Hard Rock Stadium to kick off the year.

2. Super Bowl LX

When: Feb. 8, 2026
Where: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, California

The NFL’s golden anniversary was big, but Super Bowl 60 is set to be technologically unmatched. Returning to the heart of Silicon Valley, the league is promising a viewer experience that blends reality with the digital frontier. But for the fans in the stands, it remains about one thing: seeing who lifts the Lombardi Trophy in the California sun. For official details, visit Levi’s Stadium.

3. NBA All-Star Game

When: Feb. 15, 2026
Where: Intuit Dome, Inglewood, California

The Clippers’ new billion-dollar palace, the Intuit Dome, gets its first massive global spotlight. This year features a major shake-up: The league is debuting a new “USA vs. World” format, featuring two U.S. teams and one international team competing in a round-robin tournament. Expect national pride to turn this exhibition into a genuine battle. See the official announcement here.

4. World Baseball Classic Championship

When: March 17, 2026 (Final)
Where: loanDepot Park, Miami, Florida

Before the MLB season even starts, the world will unite for the World Baseball Classic. The tournament has exploded in prestige, with players representing their heritage with an intensity rarely seen in exhibition games. The finals return to the electric atmosphere of Miami, serving as the perfect appetizer for a year dominated by international competition. MLB.com has the full schedule and ticket information.

5. NCAA Men’s Final Four

When: April 4 and 6, 2026
Where: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana

Basketball comes home to the Hoosier State. Indianapolis is widely considered the gold standard for Final Four host cities due to its walkability and deep love for the game. In 2026, “March Madness” will culminate here, bringing the passion of the college game to a city that treats basketball like a religion. Visit NCAA.com for venue details.

6. UFC ‘America 250’ at the White House

When: June 2026
Where: The South Lawn, The White House, Washington, D.C.

It sounds like a fan-fiction fever dream, but it is real. To commemorate the nation’s 250th birthday, the Ultimate Fighting Championship is taking the Octagon to Pennsylvania Avenue. Confirmed by CEO Dana White, this unprecedented event will see fighters throwing down on the South Lawn. It is a collision of combat sports and presidential pageantry that is guaranteed to be the most surreal visual of the decade. In the midst of the planning stages, White said, at UFC 320’s post-fight press conference in October, that the event at this historic venue would be the “greatest fight card ever assembled.”

7. The US Open at Shinnecock Hills

When: June 18-21, 2026
Where: Southampton, New York

Shinnecock Hills is one of the founding clubs of the USGA and a course that demands perfection. Historic, windy, and notoriously difficult, it is the perfect venue for a major championship during a year of national reflection. The world’s best golfers will battle not just each other, but one of America’s true cathedrals of the game. See the USGA schedule.

8. FIFA World Cup 26

When: June 11-July 19, 2026
Where: Nationwide (Final at MetLife Stadium, New Jersey)

The world’s game returns to North American soil, and it is bigger than ever. While the tournament is shared with neighbors Canada and Mexico, the U.S. serves as the main stage. The sheer scale is hard to overstate, culminating on July 19 when the Final takes over MetLife Stadium. With over 82,000 fans in attendance, the roar in New Jersey will serve as the soundtrack for the biggest single sporting event on the planet. Official details at FIFA.com.

9. MLB All-Star Game: The 250th Anniversary Edition

When: July 14, 2026
Where: Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

There is no more fitting place to celebrate America’s 250th birthday than the birthplace of the nation. Major League Baseball has timed this perfectly, bringing the Midsummer Classic back to Philadelphia. Expect a celebration that leans heavily on history, with tributes to the signing of the Declaration of Independence woven into the fabric of the game. MLB.com confirms the location.

10. Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix

When: Nov. 21, 2026 (Race Day)
Where: Las Vegas Strip Circuit, Nevada

F1 has firmly planted its flag in America, but the Vegas race remains the crown jewel of the calendar. Racing down the Strip at 200 mph with the neon lights blurring by is a spectacle that transcends motorsport. By its fourth year, the “newness” may have worn off, but the glitz, glamour, and championship implications will be higher than ever as the season nears its end. See the official schedule at Formula1.com.

This story was produced by outwander.com and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.

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