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Sports & Activities

Ramble Worldwide’s top 10 walking holidays for beginners in 2026
Outdoor & Adventure, Trips & Experiences

Ramble Worldwide’s top 10 walking holidays for beginners in 2026

Ramble Worldwide has revealed its top 10 walking holidays for beginners – a curated selection of gentle to moderate breaks designed specifically for newcomers to walking adventures, and those wanting to explore at a gentler pace, including small group, guided tours of the UK, Greece and Portugal. Walking holidays have been widely recognised as a rapidly growing travel trend, increasingly being chosen by travellers of all ages, seeking meaningful experiences which support both physical and mental wellbeing. Gentle exercise in nature has been shown to reduce stress, improve mood, support cardiovascular health, and enhance overall fitness, making these trips ideal for those wanting a restorative break with a sense of achievement. Walking in small groups also fosters connection and communit...
Sports travel bucket list: an epic cycling holiday from Barcelona to Porto
Bucket List, Cycling & Biking, Europe, Trips & Experiences

Sports travel bucket list: an epic cycling holiday from Barcelona to Porto

Adding to Saddle Skedaddle’s growing list of iconic cycling journeys, the new 22-day guided road cycling holiday from Barcelona in Spain to Porto in Portugal takes riders on an epic 935-mile adventure along the Iberian Peninsula.  Starting in Barcelona, the route leaves the hustle and bustle of the city behind to reach the wide-open skies of southern Catalonia. After weaving through endless vineyards in the Penedès wine region (homeland of Cava), the scenery transforms into oak and pine forests in the foothills of the Prades Mountains. Crossing the River Ebro for the first time, the quiet village of Bot marks the gateway to the rugged Ports de Tortosa-Beseit mountains as the scenery changes again, with jagged limestone cliffs rising against the open sky.  Passing through an...
Golf 2026 events calendar: majors and biggest tournaments
Event Calendars, Events, Golf

Golf 2026 events calendar: majors and biggest tournaments

Golf fans around the world can look forward to a packed international calendar in 2026. At the heart of the season are the four men’s majors and five women’s majors, each offering its own legacy and challenge. On the men’s major schedule the Masters Tournament returns to Augusta National in April, followed by the PGA Championship in May, the US Open in June, and The Open Championship in July, where golf’s oldest major will again draw massive global attention.  The women’s game takes centre stage across five majors, reflecting its rapid international growth. The Chevron Championship tees off the major season, while the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, US Women’s Open, Amundi Evian Championship, and the AIG Women’s Open continue to elevate the global reach of elite women’s golf, att...
Football 2026 events calendar: major tournaments and finals
Event Calendars, Events, Football

Football 2026 events calendar: major tournaments and finals

Football in 2026 is set for a landmark year shaped by the biggest tournament in the sport: the 2026 FIFA World Cup, staged across Canada, the United States and Mexico from 11 June to 19 July. Featuring 48 teams for the first time, the expanded format brings more matches, more host cities, and an unprecedented festival of global football. From the opening game in Mexico City to the final in New York/New Jersey, the World Cup will dominate the sporting calendar, driving massive worldwide attention and a surge in sports tourism. At club level, European men's football reaches its usual crescendo in May 2026, when the continent's top competitions crown their champions. The UEFA Champions League final, one of the most-watched annual events on the planet, will headline the month, followed by t...
Formula 1 2026 race calendar: grand prix dates and circuits
Event Calendars, Events, F1 & Motorsport

Formula 1 2026 race calendar: grand prix dates and circuits

The 2026 Formula 1 World Championship features an expansive, 24-race calendar that runs from early March through early December, spanning five continents and blending classic venues with fresh additions. The season officially kicks off with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne (6-8 March), followed closely by China in Shanghai and Japan at Suzuka in March, establishing a thrilling early-season rhythm.  Across the spring and summer, the grid races at traditional European highlights including Monaco, Barcelona-Catalunya, Silverstone, Spa-Francorchamps, and Zandvoort, with fans also treated to stops in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Miami, and Montreal.  One of the biggest talking points of 2026 is the introduction of a second Spanish round in Madrid, hosted on the new Madring stree...
Darts in 2026: events calendar and biggest tournaments
Event Calendars, Events, Other sports

Darts in 2026: events calendar and biggest tournaments

Darts has evolved from a traditional pub pastime into a global sporting phenomenon, captivating millions with its combination of precision, drama, and high-energy entertainment. What was once a quiet game played in local bars is now a stadium-filling spectacle, thanks largely to the transformative influence of the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC). The PDC has reshaped the sport with booming walk-on music, electric crowds, and star-driven narratives that rival any major sport. With English teenager Luke Littler leading the way, and winning back-to-back world championships, his victory has not only captivated global audiences but also inspired a new generation of players and significantly boosted international interest in darts. The UK remains the heartland of the sport, hosting ...
Boston takes centre stage for the UK’s home nations in FIFA World Cup
Football, The Americas

Boston takes centre stage for the UK’s home nations in FIFA World Cup

It’s getting mightily close and excitement is building for the greatest football festival on earth, so here at Sports Tourism News we thought we would wet the appetite with a FIFA fan’s guide to Boston. Boston is gearing up to steal the show as one of the lead host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the city will be pulsing with football from June 13 to July 9. Seven matches land in the region, including two Scotland group games, an England group game, and a quarterfinal, all at the iconic Boston Stadium in Foxborough. But the party won’t be confined to the pitch. Boston City Hall Plaza will transform into the Official FIFA Fan Festival™: 16 days of free, public celebrations showcasing the city’s creativity and community. Expect live match screenings, appearances by FIFA legends,...
2026 FIFA World Cup guide: day-by-day fixtures and host cities
Event Guides, Football

2026 FIFA World Cup guide: day-by-day fixtures and host cities

The FIFA World Cup 2026 brings together 48 nations across three host countries – the United States, Canada and Mexico – from 11 June to 19 July.  Expanded from 32 teams to 48 for the first time, the tournament will feature a record 104 matches played in 16 host cities before ending with the final at MetLife Stadium in New York/New Jersey on 19 July.  The competition begins with 12 groups of four teams, with 32 nations progressing to the knockout rounds as the race to become world champions unfolds across North America. Host cities  US: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle Mexico: Guadalajara, Mexico City, Monterrey Canada: Toronto, Vancouver  The groups and team...
Sports travel bucket list: exploring Stockholm Archipelago on two wheels
Bucket List, Cycling & Biking, Europe, Outdoor & Adventure, Trips & Experiences

Sports travel bucket list: exploring Stockholm Archipelago on two wheels

Home to 30,000 islands and islets, Stockholm’s archipelago is a unique mix of nature and culture – which makes it an ideal addition to any sports travel bucket list. Saddle Skedaddle’s new seven-day, self-guided cycling holiday hops between islands by ferry and bike to explore a landscape shaped by land and sea. Starting in Sweden’s capital Stockholm – a city built across 14 islands and connected by a network of bridges – the riding begins with a relaxed spin around Royal Djurgården, a leafy island right in the heart of the city. After travelling by ferry to Bogesundslandet, peaceful forest tracks, gravel tracks and quiet roads lead the way to the harbour town of Vaxholm, often referred to as the ‘capital of the archipelago’. There’s a choice of two different routes on the ride to Fa...
Sports travel bucket list: Traws Eryri mountain bike holiday in North Wales
Bucket List, Cycling & Biking, Europe, Outdoor & Adventure, Trips & Experiences

Sports travel bucket list: Traws Eryri mountain bike holiday in North Wales

Following the Traws Eryri Cycling UK route, Saddle Skedaddle’s new seven-day guided mountain bike holiday in Eryri National Park covers some of the best off-road trails North Wales has to offer. Starting with a loop ride on Mach Trails, riders follow a mix of steep gravel climbs and flowy single-track descents, while taking in sprawling views over the Plynlimon mountains. Riding deeper into the heart of North Wales, an alpine-style singletrack road leads up the historic Ffordd Ddu to uncover views of Barmouth Bay as Eryri National Park comes into view.  Crossing the Grade II-listed Penmaenpool Toll Bridge across the River Mawddach to the lower Wynach Valley, gravel tracks take riders to the remote lake of Llyn Cwm-mynach. The route then jumps off the official Traws Eryri route to e...
Sports travel bucket list: Loch Ness and Great Glen Way walking holiday 
Bucket List, Editor's Pick, Europe, Outdoor & Adventure, Trips & Experiences

Sports travel bucket list: Loch Ness and Great Glen Way walking holiday 

Self-guided walking holiday specialist Inntravel has launched a number of new European itineraries for 2026, ranging from the wild atmosphere of Loch Ness in Scotland to the Prosecco Hills of northeastern Italy.  Among the other introductions for the year ahead are Spain’s oldest National Park, the wild Picos de Europa, and its ‘Green Coast’, and a single centre walking holiday in the whitewashed fishing village of Calella de Palafrugell on the quiet side of the Costa Brava.  In this new addition to the sports travel bucket list, we look at Inntravel’s walking holiday to the most famous glen and loch in the Scottish Highlands.  Loch Ness and the Great Glen Way  Explore both shores of Loch Ness on this self-guided holiday based at a stylish four-star hotel in Fort Augustus. The ren...
153rd Open at Royal Portrush: a £280m economic impact for Northern Ireland
Europe, Events, Golf, Sports Business

153rd Open at Royal Portrush: a £280m economic impact for Northern Ireland

Golf's Open Championship has reaffirmed its status as one of the world’s most powerful drivers of sports tourism, with the 153rd Open at Royal Portrush generating £89.2 million in total economic impact for Northern Ireland, according to a study by Sheffield Hallam University’s Sports Industry Research Centre. Causeway Coast and Glens alone benefited by £43.7 million, underscoring the Championship’s transformative effect on host destinations.  Beyond visitor spending, the global visibility of the golf major delivered a further £191 million in destination marketing value, driven by worldwide broadcast coverage, digital platforms and extensive online media reach, as reported by YouGov.  The Open’s spectacular return to the iconic Causeway Coast drew a record-breaking 278,000 specta...
Sports travel bucket list: ultimate basketball fan experiences with NBATrips
Bucket List, Other sports, The Americas, Trips & Experiences

Sports travel bucket list: ultimate basketball fan experiences with NBATrips

For basketball lovers, few experiences compare to stepping onto an NBA hardwood, tightening your laces, and running a full 5-on-5 game just hours before the pros take the floor. Yet this is not an unrealistic bucket list item, it’s the signature experience delivered by luxury basketball travel company NBATrips. Over the past four years, NBATrips has rapidly evolved into a global leader in high-end NBA travel experiences. Drawing fans from more than 20 countries – including, for the first time this season, the United States – the company offers immersive, meticulously curated journeys built entirely around the world’s greatest basketball league. Each seven- to 10-day adventure caters to around 50 guests and centres on three to five NBA games in iconic hoops destinations such as Los Angel...
FIFA Women’s World Cup 2035: a potential UK sports tourism blockbuster
Editor's Pick, Europe, Events, Football, Sports Business

FIFA Women’s World Cup 2035: a potential UK sports tourism blockbuster

England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have formally launched a joint bid to host the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2035, positioning the tournament as the biggest single-sport event ever staged on UK soil – and a potential blockbuster for sports tourism across all four nations.  Under the “All Together” bid banner, the four football associations are proposing 22 stadiums across 16 host cities, with FIFA expected to trim that list to around 14-16 venues should the bid be successful. The tournament – expanded to 48 teams – would feature 104 matches over 39 days, with organisers targeting 4.5 million ticket sales and a global TV audience of 3.5 billion. It would also be the UK’s first World Cup since 1966, giving a new generation of fans the chance to experience a global finals on home tu...
PGA Tour 2026 calendar marks 20th year of golf’s FedExCup
Event Calendars, Golf

PGA Tour 2026 calendar marks 20th year of golf’s FedExCup

The 2026 PGA Tour men's golf season is set to deliver one of the most globally compelling and competitive calendars in recent memory, showcasing a seamless blend of tradition, innovation, and world-class destinations. The 2026 Tour marks the 20th edition of the FedExCup. Tee­ing off in January under the Hawaiian sun, the season charts a dynamic journey through iconic American courses, coastal classics, and major metropolitan stops – each offering its own drama as players battle for FedExCup points and season-defining moments. A highlight of the year once again comes from the sport’s four men’s majors, with the Masters, PGA Championship, US Open, and The Open Championship anchoring the heart of the season and drawing global attention from millions of fans and sports travellers.  ...
Sports travel bucket list: horse trekking into Mongolia’s untamed wilds
Asia & Oceania, Bucket List, Outdoor & Adventure, Trips & Experiences

Sports travel bucket list: horse trekking into Mongolia’s untamed wilds

For travellers seeking a truly off-grid adventure, World Expeditions’ newest experience – the Central Mongolia Horse Trek Expedition – is one to add to your sports travel bucket list. Launching in June 2026, this remote expedition blends endurance travel, cultural immersion and wilderness exploration, offering an extraordinary chance to retrace the ancient riding trails of the Mongol Empire.  Spanning sweeping steppe, forested valleys and rugged mountain passes, the journey takes travellers deep into the Khentii Mountains, birthplace of Genghis Khan and heartland of Mongolia’s nomadic civilisation. This is a region where roads fade into rivers, where horizons seem endless, and where the horse remains central to daily life.  Across multiple days of point-to-point riding, guests p...
Sports travel bucket list: a ski touring weekend in Norway’s Lofoten Islands
Bucket List, Europe, Outdoor & Adventure, Trips & Experiences, Winter Sports

Sports travel bucket list: a ski touring weekend in Norway’s Lofoten Islands

With travellers already mapping out their 2026 ski escapes, Norway has emerged as one of the world’s trending luxury destinations – ranking third among the “on the rise” hotspots in the 2026 Virtuoso Luxe Report.  As active travel continues to surge, a new ski touring weekend in the Lofoten Islands by high-end Norwegian travel brand Norrøna Adventure is the kind of bucket list experience drawing global attention. For sports travellers seeking pristine slopes, rugged landscapes and authentic Nordic culture, this four-day journey offers a rare chance to ski where mountains meet the sea. Set for 12-15 March 2026, the experience in northern Norway blends world-class ski touring with the storied charm of Henningsvær, a fishing village known for its colourful houses, artistic heritage and ...
Harlem Globetrotters celebrate 100 years with blockbuster tour
Events, Other sports

Harlem Globetrotters celebrate 100 years with blockbuster tour

As one of the most recognisable teams on the planet marks its centenary, the Harlem Globetrotters are celebrating 100 years of sporting showmanship with a blockbuster world tour. The Harlem Globetrotters 100 Year Tour begins with a special event on Sunday 14 December at Madison Square Garden in New York City, with the full tour launching with games in Boston and Pittsburgh on Friday 26 December. The tour will continue on to more than 200 domestic markets in the US and more than 125 markets internationally, including France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands, Mexico, and across Asia.  “There are very few brands in any business, let alone sports, that cannot just withstand but grow over the course of 100 years, and the Harlem Globetrotters are...
Sports travel bucket list: a women’s padel-wellness retreat in Bali   
Asia & Oceania, Bucket List, Tennis & Padel, Trends, Trips & Experiences

Sports travel bucket list: a women’s padel-wellness retreat in Bali   

Padel and wellness, two of the fastest-growing trends in sport and active travel, are the focus of a new experience hosted by Goddess Retreats. The Padel Goddess Retreat in Seminyak, Bali, is the world’s first women-only padel, yoga, and wellness retreat – and one of the most exciting new additions to our global sports travel bucket list. Blending professional padel coaching with yoga, cultural rituals, unlimited spa treatments and boutique villa living, this seven-day, six-night all-inclusive retreat invites guests to play, connect and reset in a vibrant, supportive setting. Whether you're a curious beginner or a committed padel fan, this Bali getaway delivers movement, mindfulness and meaningful community in paradise. Why padel and wellness is the next big trend Padel’s rise isn...
Ultimate ski bucket list: skiing under the Northern Lights tops poll
Bucket List, Trends, Trips & Experiences, Winter Sports

Ultimate ski bucket list: skiing under the Northern Lights tops poll

A survey by ski holiday specialist Heidi has revealed the No.1 ski bucket list experience for UK skiers. Topping the list by a considerable margin is skiing under the Northern Lights, voted the must-do adventure across all age groups.  Participants rated 30 iconic ski experiences they’d love to tick off at least once in their lifetime. The magic of gliding across snow while the aurora dances overhead scored almost twice as highly as the average activity – making it the undisputed favourite.  In second place was another nocturnal thrill: night skiing under the stars, followed by tackling the world’s longest on-piste run – the legendary 22km descent from Klein Matterhorn to Valtournenche in the Zermatt-Cervinia ski area, crossing the Swiss-Italian border.  Interesting...