Laura Hayes by

December and January bring a different pace, with festive fixtures, major championships, and the first big events of the new sporting year. Boxing Day football, the PDC World Darts Championship, and The Ashes dominate the holiday period, while racing fans get a marquee moment with the King George VI Chase at Kempton.

January then kicks into top gear. The Australian Open launches the tennis season, the NFL moves into the playoffs, and motorsport returns with the Dakar Rally and Rallye Monte-Carlo.

The calendar is rounded out by gambling industry events like ICE Barcelona, making it a busy start to 2026 across sport, gaming, and betting.

December 2025

  • Dec 2–22 – Poker: WPT World Championship Festival – Wynn Las Vegas, USA.
  • Dec 11–Jan 3 – Darts: PDC World Darts Championship – Alexandra Palace, London, UK.
  • Dec 15–21 – Snooker: Scottish Open – Meadowbank Sports Centre, Edinburgh, UK.
  • Dec 26 – Horse Racing: King George VI Chase Day – Kempton Park, UK.
  • Dec 26 – Soccer: Premier League Boxing Day fixtures – England.
  • Dec 26–30 – Cricket: The Ashes 4th Test – Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Australia.
  • Dec 31 – Athletics: NYRR Midnight Run – Central Park, New York City, USA.

January 2026

  • Jan 2–11 – Tennis: United Cup – Perth & Sydney, Australia.
  • Jan 3–17 – Motorsport: Dakar Rally – Saudi Arabia.
  • Jan 4–8 – Cricket: The Ashes 5th Test – Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), Australia.
  • Jan 9–12 – Soccer: FA Cup Third Round – England.
  • Jan 9–11 – Rugby Union: EPCR Champions Cup Round 3 – Europe/South Africa.
  • w/c Jan 12 – Soccer: Carabao Cup semi-final first legs – England.
  • Jan 10–12 – American Football: NFL Wild Card Weekend – USA.
  • Jan 11 – Awards: Golden Globes – Beverly Hills, USA.
  • Jan 11–18 – Snooker: The Masters – Alexandra Palace, London, UK.
  • Jan 12–Feb 1 – Tennis: Australian Open – Melbourne Park, Australia.
  • Jan 12–18 – Golf: Sony Open in Hawaii (PGA Tour) – Waialae Country Club, Honolulu, USA.
  • Jan 12–25 – Esports: BLAST Premier: Bounty – (global circuit / online).
  • Jan 16–18 – Rugby Union: EPCR Champions Cup Round 4 – Europe/South Africa.
  • Jan 19–21 – Casino & iGaming: ICE Barcelona – Fira Barcelona Gran Via, Spain.
  • Jan 22–25 – Motorsport: WRC Rallye Monte-Carlo – Monaco/France.
  • Jan 22–25 – Golf: Hero Dubai Desert Classic (DP World Tour) – Emirates Golf Club, Dubai, UAE.
  • Jan 24 – Horse Racing: Pegasus World Cup – Gulfstream Park, Florida, USA.
Laura Hayes
Writer

Laura is an experienced writer specializing in sports betting and online casinos. With years of industry knowledge from her time at Freebets.com and CanadaCasinos.ca, she now focuses on providing clear, actionable insights to help readers make smarter betting decisions.