The list of 2024 major sporting events taking place around the world is extensive. From this, it may seem that British sports fans might need to pack travel bags and book flights to find top-class live international sports.
Think about it. There’s the T20 Cricket World Cup in the USA and the West Indies, and the UEFA European Championships football in Germany. Then there’s also the 2024 Summer Olympics in France and much more to look forward to.
Yes, a lot of sports are happening beyond the UK’s borders. That doesn’t mean you have to travel to get your fill as a British sports supporter, though. In the first six months of 2024 alone, there is still enough live sport happening domestically to keep UK sports fans busy and interested. What’s more, it’s varied and will cater to fans of many genres.
Let’s look at some of the live sporting events taking place within the UK over the first half of 2024.
January 2024
PDC World Darts Championship
The business end of the world’s premier darts tournament takes place from 1 January, with the World Champion crowned on 3 January. Three-time winner and finalist last year, Michael van Gerwen, currently tops the bookmakers’ list for the 2023/24 tournament with odds of 7/2 on offer.
The 2021 winner, Welshman Gerwyn Price is next best in the betting, finding odds of 9/2. “Bully Boy” Michael Smith, the reigning champion, is third favourite right now, with odds of 11/2 on offer for him.
Fans and punters alike can book tickets for the culmination of this Alexandra Palace event to witness some of the best darts the world has to offer.
February 2024
Rugby Union’s Six Nations Tournament
England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales will all be back in action in some of rugby’s most hallowed venues. We may even witness a World Champion in action during the 2024 tournament! England, France, Ireland and Wales could still win the 2023 World Cup with them all making the quarter-finals.
The first 2024 Six Nations action in the UK happens on 3 February at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, when Wales hosts Scotland. The following week, Twickenham and Murrayfield play host as England and Scotland meet Italy and France respectively.
France and Ireland are presently the early Six Nations favourites with the bookies. Of course, this may change substantially by the time the tournament starts. If you’re a fan of making your own odds and taking on other punters as opposed to the bookies, the top rated betting exchange sites will allow you to do just that nearer the time of the event. These are popular for rugby betting, as more popular teams often have poorer odds on mainstream sportsbooks, unlike in more established markets like football or horse race betting where odds tend to be more accurately reflected.
March 2024
World Indoor Athletics Championships
Most of the world’s top athletes will converge on the Emirates Arena in Glasgow from 1-3 March with some true world-beaters likely to be in action. Amongst the men, Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen in the 1500m and Lamecha Girma of Ethiopia in the 3000m are worth a watch. The pole vault will see Sweden’s Armand Duplantis looking to better his 2023 indoor world record.
Among the women, Femke Bol of the Netherlands, Venezuela’s Yulimar Rojas and Nafissatou Thiam will try to improve on their world marks. They’ll compete in the Women’s 400m, triple jump and pentathlon respectively.
Athletics (Image: pexels.com)
April 2024
Grand National
The most famous of all British horse races, the Grand National, takes place at Liverpool’s Aintree Racecourse on 13 April. Corach Rambler, the defending champion, will likely be the favourite to defend its crown with early odds of 20/1 on offer. The Scottish-trained gelding is joint-favourite with Ahoy Senor, also trained by Lucinda Russell.
World Snooker Championship
Belgian Luca Brecel became the first player from continental Europe to win the World Snooker Championship in 2023. Before beating Mark Selby in the final, the rank outsider also defeated former champions Mark Williams and Ronnie O’Sullivan. When Brecel beat Williams in the first round, it was the first time in five attempts that he’d progressed further than round one.
The defending champion will be back at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield from 20 April. He’s currently the 11/1 fourth favourite for the event, behind only O’Sullivan (9/2), Judd Trump (7/1) and Neil Robertson (8/1) in the betting.
May 2024
European Rugby Champions Cup Final
La Rochelle of France retained the trophy in 2023 by beating Leinster 27-26. It’s therefore not surprising that these two teams are the bookmakers’ early favourites to win the Champions Cup in 2024. Toulouse, Saracens, Munster and The Stormers from South Africa are the best of the rest in the betting at this early stage.
The 2024 final takes place at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on 25 May. If you’re a rugby union and football fan, this could provide you with a tough decision. The FA Cup Final takes place across London at Wembley on the same day.
Rugby (Image: pixabay.com)
June 2024
UEFA Champions League Final
Speaking of Wembley Stadium, another huge final takes place there six days after the FA Cup. UEFA chose England to host the final of Europe’s premier club tournament in 2024. The defending champions, Man City, will be looking to reach the final again and retain their crown on home soil.
It’s early days in the competition, with the group stages still a long way from reaching a conclusion. The Citizens already top the betting boards, though, with odds of 9/4. The usual suspects, Bayern Munich (5/1) and Real Madrid (15/2) are next best, while Arsenal (9/1) is finding money as fourth favourites early on. Could we see another English winner when the final whistle blows on 1 June?
In Closing
We’ve only covered a few of the live sporting events available to Britons over the first six months of 2024. There is so much more to watch, and bet on, over that period and as we move deeper into the year. Domestic football, rugby union and rugby league, and the London Marathon all immediately come to mind. Then there’s also Wimbledon tennis, the British F1 Grand Prix and the British Open golf major.
Despite some of the huge international sporting events taking place, there’s also no shortage of great sports taking place in the UK. As such, there’s no need to pack those bags and book any flights if you don’t feel like it!
David Prior
David Prior is the editor of Today News, responsible for the overall editorial strategy. He is an NCTJ-qualified journalist with over 20 years’ experience, and is also editor of the award-winning hyperlocal news title Altrincham Today. His LinkedIn profile is here.
