Major sports events in London
London will play host to several high-profile sporting events in the coming months and years. These events will bring some of the greatest athletes in the world to the capital.
Events maintain London’s position as the sporting capital of the world, and contribute to the city’s economy and global reach. In addition, events have the potential to have real impact in the Mayor’s priority areas including enhancing diversity, tackling hate, protecting the environment, and bringing communities together.
Why London?
London is one of the most diverse cities in the world, with over 300 languages spoken on the streets every day. The capital city is home to communities from almost every nation on earth.
The 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games showcased the city’s passion and enthusiasm for world-class sports events. More recently, London hosted the 2022 Women’s European Championships which saw the Lionesses end a 56-year wait to be crowned champions in front of 87,000 fans at Wembley Stadium.
Boasting a wealth of state-of-the-art sports venues: from London Stadium to the Lee Valley Velodrome; and Wembley Stadium to the London Aquatics Centre. There is an iconic venue for every sporting occasion.
The city is also one of the best connected in the world, with six airports serving 180 destinations.
Being synonymous with major sporting events, London is set to welcome even more in the years to come.
Events in 2024
London hosts a series of annual major sports events in the city, ranging from the London Marathon the All England Lawn Tennis Club Championships, to the FA Cup Final.
In addition to these regular fixtures, London secured a variety of events in 2024, including:
The UEFA Champions League Final is the biggest European club football match in the sporting calendar. On 1 June 2024, Wembley Stadium in London will host the 69th edition of the prestigious tournament.
Returning to the ‘Home of Football’ for a record eighth time, Bayern Munich were the last team to lift the trophy under the iconic Wembley Arch. Arjen Robben scored the winning goal on that occasion, as Bayern Munich earned a 2-1 victory over domestic rivals Borussia Dortmund in 2013.
Thirty-two teams will compete in this season’s competition, with the best two taking part in the showpiece event in London.
The 2024 European Professional Club Rugby Finals will take place on Friday 24 and Saturday 25 May at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The greatest players in European and South African club rugby will run out on the hallowed turf at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and compete to become champions.
In 2019, the first ever MLB international matches took place in London. The city has host some of the oldest rivalries in baseball including the New York Yankees versus the Boston Red Sox and St Louis Cardinals versus the Chicago Cubs.
MLB will be returning to London Stadium 8-9 June in 2024 which will see the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies meet in two regular season games. There will also be activities taking place across the city. Check back here in 2024 for more information on what is happening across London.
The Diamond League is the premium competition for World Athletics, which consists of a series of 14 track and field athletics meets held over the course of the year.
The Diamond League returned to London in 2023 after a four-year absence, and the good news is that the best athletes in the world will return to the capital again for the Diamond League London Meeting on 20 July 2024.
The first ePrix held in London was in 2015 at the Battersea Park Street Circuit. Since 2022, the race has moved to the Excel Exhibition Centre and Royal Victoria Dock on the first ever indoor/outdoor track.
The London ePrix will once again be the final race of the Formula E season and feature a double-header race weekend at the Excel Exhibition Centre and Royal Victoria Dock 20-21 July.
London will play host to the USA Basketball Men’s National Team who will play a pair of games at The O2 as part of the 2024 USA Basketball Showcase and in preparation for the 2024 Olympic Summer Games in Paris. The Games in London will be taking place on Saturday 20 and Monday 22 July 2024.
The NFL have committed to host two regular season games at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium until 2029. In 2024, the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Cubs will be the designated home teams for these matches.
On top of this, the Jacksonville Jaguars will be hosting one of their regular season games at Wembley in 2024.
The dates and away teams are yet to be announced.
Future events
The top nine men’s cricket test playing nations compete in the ICC World Test Championship over a three-year period. The best two teams progress to the ICC World Test Championship Final, with the next edition taking place at Lord’s in the summer of 2025.
Twickenham Stadium has been announced as a host venue for the Women’s Rugby World Cup taking place between 22 August and 27 September 2025.
For the first time ever, it will be a 16-team event featuring reigning champions England, Canada, , France and New Zealand. All four teams have already qualified by finishing in the top four at the RWC 2021. The remaining places will be filled by a brand-new women’s international 15s tournament, WXV, and regional competitions in 2024.
The ITTF has awarded London the World Team Table Tennis Championships in 2026. The event will take place at the OVO Wembley Arena in Spring 2026. This event will celebrate the centenary of the World Table Tennis Championships with the first edition also held in London in 1926. Dates are yet to be announced.
London has a long-term deal with MLB and will be hosting a two-match series in 2026 as part of the regular season.
The UK and Ireland were successful in their bid to host the 2028 Men’s Euro’s. London will be the only city of the five host nations to have two host venues - Wembley Stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.