As the curtain draws on another bumper sporting year that saw Team GB excel in Paris and more heartbreak for the England men's team at Euro 2024, attention turns to 2025 and the action that will no doubt thrill, delight and despair over the course of the next 12 months.
Here is ESPN's guide on the big events to look out for.
Football
Women's European Championship 2025, Switzerland
Dates: July 2-27.
England's Lionesses will look to go one better than their male compatriots once again as they defend their European Championship title in July, with Wales earning qualification for the competition in dramatic fashion against the Republic of Ireland in December for their first-ever appearance at a major tournament.
Switzerland plays host to the 2025 edition with Spain, Germany and France among the teams most likely to dethrone Sarina Wiegman's team. Spain of course won the Women's World Cup in 2023 and can boast the likes of Aitana Bonmatí and Alexia Putellas in midfield, meaning they enter the competition as favourites to lift the trophy in July.
December's draw saw England and Wales entered into the same group, which also features 2017 champions the Netherlands and France, so both home nations will have their work cut out to progress to the knockout stages.
FIFA men's Club World Cup, U.S.
Dates: June 14-July 13.
FIFA and Gianni Infantino's new tournament has raised eyebrows over its potential effect on the already-congested football calendar, though the organisers remain confident it can thrill fans in the U.S. a year before the World Cup itself arrives in the country for the second time.
While the previous incarnation of the Club World Cup saw seven teams from the six FIFA confederations play seven matches across 11 days, the new, more comprehensive competition pits 32 teams against each other in a schedule that sees 63 fixtures into 29 days.
Chelsea and Manchester City are the sole representatives from the Premier League owing to their respective UEFA Champions League wins in 2021 and 2023, while Real Madrid, Barcelona and Inter Miami will be among the other teams involved.
- ESPN's 2025 FIFA Club World Cup explainer
Other key football dates:
Carabao Cup final: March 16.
FA Cup final: May 17.
Women's FA Cup final: May 18.
Women's Champions League final: May 25 (Estádio José Alvalade, Lisbon).
Men's Champions League final: May 31 (Allianz Arena, Munich).
Cricket
The women's Ashes in Australia
Dates: Jan. 11-30.
The cricketing year begins early for England and Australia's women's teams as the multi-format Ashes series gets under way with an ODI at North Sydney on Jan. 11. Unlike the men's series, which is made up of five Test matches, the women's Ashes is decided by a points system with weighted scores for each T20, ODI and a single Test which finishes the series.
Australia have dominated the contest in recent years, winning or drawing every edition since England's last triumph in Australia in 2013-14 to keep hold of the trophy for a decade. There will be renewed hope in the England camp, however, with the squad travelling to the Antipodes a good blend of established stars such as Heather Knight and Nat Sciver-Brunt and emerging talents like Maia Bouchier and Ryana MacDonald-Gay.
Jon Lewis' team will be desperate to end the wait in a jam-packed schedule that sees the teams compete seven times in 22 days -- something that has sparked criticism, not least from Lewis himself.
England men vs. India
Dates: June 20-Aug. 4.
England men's bumper year of Test cricket begins in earnest in June against an India side who will be desperate to earn their country's first series win on English soil since Sachin Tendulkar and co. did so in 2007.
Brendon McCullum was only in situ as England coach for the final, postponed Test of the previous series in the UK in 2022, and whether or not his swashbuckling coaching style, headed on-field by the formidable Ben Stokes, can conquer arguably the best team in world cricket will stand as something of a litmus test for the success of his reign overall.
The five Test matches are dotted around the UK, starting at Headingley in Leeds, before games at Edgbaston (Birmingham), Lord's (London), Old Trafford (Manchester) and The Oval (London).
ICC Women's ODI World Cup, India
Dates: Sept/ Oct. (TBC).
Australia's recent era of modern dominance in ICC tournaments diminished at the T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates in 2024, and though Ellyse Perry and co. will no doubt be hungrier than ever to reassert themselves in India in the 50-over version in the upcoming autumn, England and several other sides will have renewed confidence that the 13th edition will be their moment to shine on the global stage.
England won this competition in 2017 at Lord's, defeating India in the final, who have themselves never claimed the trophy and will be desperate to do so on home soil.
New Zealand beat South Africa in the final of the T20 competition in the UAE, and both teams no doubt can stake a serious claim to be among the frontrunners come September.
The men's Ashes in Australia
Dates: Nov. 21, 2025 to Jan. 8, 2026.
The heady days of Andrew Strauss' team celebrating with a 'sprinkler' dance on the Melbourne Cricket Ground pitch in 2010/11 have almost been forgotten amongst the English cricketing fraternity, given that no touring side has managed to win a single Test since that series.
McCullum and Stokes are desperate to change that, with a number of this team likely to be making the final Down Under trips of their careers. That group includes Joe Root, who could cement his legacy as one of the greatest batters of the modern era with a maiden Test century in Australia.
The games are set to take place in Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney.
Formula 1
British Grand Prix weekend, July 4-6.
Formula 1 returns to Silverstone in July for what will be the 12th race of the championship's 75th season, the midpoint of what promises to be a fascinating year for the sport as drastic change looms.
From the drivers' perspective, Lewis Hamilton will be sporting the unfamiliar red of Ferrari after concluding his hugely successful spell with Mercedes that saw him win six of his seven world titles -- triggering a series of moves around the grid, including Carlos Sainz joining Alpine.
Newly crowned four-time world champion Max Verstappen, meanwhile, will have a new Red Bull teammate in Liam Lawson after Sergio Perez's disastrous form cost the team the constructors' championship. Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri and McLaren took that title, and both will no doubt be harbouring individual aspirations of their own in 2025.
Hamilton claimed a record-extending ninth British GP win last season in dramatic circumstances -- if he can do so again for Ferrari, it will bode well for the season's competitiveness.
Other key F1 dates:
Season-opening Australian Grand Prix: March 14-16.
Monaco Grand Prix: May 23-25.
Las Vegas Grand Prix: Nov. 20-22.
Season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: Dec. 5-7.
- Being Max's teammate: A timeline of Red Bull No. 2 failures
- 2025 Formula 1 Schedule in full
Rugby
The men's Six Nations
Dates: Jan. 31-March 15.
The northern hemisphere's best do battle once again at the start of the year with Ireland looking to make it three straight titles and the rest seeking to close the gap on the No. 2-ranked team in the world.
England last claimed the famous trophy in 2020 and have floundered somewhat in recent years, while Wales are on a historic losing run that began with them tasting defeat in four of their five contests in 2024 and will be desperate to see a turnaround in fortunes.
An Antoine Dupont-inspired France enjoyed a successful Autumn International series and will be looking to claim the title with their talismanic scrum-half back at the wheel after his successful sojourn into Sevens at the Paris Olympics. Scotland and Italy, meanwhile, both won two games in the 2024 edition and have the talent to cause upsets and much more in the annual competition.
The women's Six Nations
Dates: March 22-April 26.
England's all-conquering White Roses have won three consecutive Grand Slams and will no doubt be eyeing a fourth as the perfect preparation for the Women's Rugby World Cup to come later in the year.
France were the last team to stop England winning the crown in 2018 and look set to be their fiercest test again this year. Ireland have also made good progress in the last 12 months and will be hoping to mount a challenge of their own.
The British and Irish Lions Tour of Australia
Dates: June 28-Aug. 2.
Every four years, Six Nations rivalries are put to one side and the best of the bunch from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales head to the southern hemisphere to don the famous red shirt and stake a claim for rugby immortality.
This year's crop stand a better chance than most as they go Down Under to face an Australia team in transition, though the Autumn Nations Series saw seeds of progress sewn by Joe Schmidt and the Wallabies. Indeed, the last time the Lions tasted series victory was against Australia in 2013 where Warren Gatland's team stormed to a famous 41-16 win in the deciding Test match behind Sam Warburton and Leigh Halfpenny in particular.
Since then, a tied series in New Zealand was followed with defeat in South Africa in 2021. Andy Farrell is to temporarily take leave from his Ireland head coach role to select and lead the 2025 group in three Test matches in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, after a host of warm-up clashes against the nation's best club and invitational sides.
- British & Irish Lions 2025: Australia tour fixtures
- British & Irish Lions tour of Australia: Who's trending in, out?
Women's Rugby World Cup, England
Dates: Aug. 22-Sept. 27.
England have emerged as the dominant force in women's rugby in over the past few years but the current crop has yet to lift the most prestigious prize in the sport -- the World Cup.
The previous edition of the tournament saw the Red Roses lose out to six-time winners New Zealand in heartbreaking fashion in 2022 (the tournament was delayed a year by the COVID-19 pandemic) and that defeat remains the last time they came out of any contest on the losing side.
Their chances of claiming the trophy for the first time since will be boosted by the fact that the tournament will take place entirely in England, with matches set for London, Sunderland, Brighton, Bristol, Exeter, Northampton, Manchester and York.
England will begin the tournament at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland against the U.S. on Aug. 22, with Australia and Samoa also in their group. Scotland and Wales were drawn in Group B with Canada and Fiji, while Ireland face New Zealand Japan and Spain.
- 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup draw: England to face Australia, USA
- How women's rugby is evolving as '25 World Cup in England looms
Golf
TGL
Dates: Jan. 7-March 25.
The brainchild of Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy will finally debut in January 2025 as 24 of the world's finest golfers, including Woods himself, take to the new "tech-infused" format of golf for its inaugural season.
Six teams made up of four players will compete in a purpose-built arena in Florida with a giant simulator screen and surrounding seats for spectators, as well as a chipping area for the short game. Each match will only include three players from each of the sides as the new competition looks to accommodate the PGA Tour season.
The teams will play a round robin of matches against each other to decide seedings, before a semifinal and final stage for the best four.
- Confused? Read ESPN's TGL explainer here
The Open, Royal Portrush, Northern Ireland
Dates: July 17-20.
As executives from the PGA Tour and the Saudi state investment fund-owned LIV Golf continue to negotiate a deal over golf's future, the four majors have taken an even greater precedence in the sport's calendar, with The Open considered by many to be the most hallowed of them all.
This year, the 153rd edition of the tournament sees the fate of the Claret Jug decided at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland. The last time the event was staged there in 2019, Shane Lowry claimed an emotional victory, holding off a stern challenge from Tommy Fleetwood on the final day.
The question on many punters' lips will be that of whether Rory McIlroy can finally end his major drought as it enters its 11th year. His last triumph in one of golf's flagship events came in The Open at Royal Liverpool in 2014.
Other major dates:
The Masters, Augusta National: April 10-13.
PGA Championship, Quail Hollow: May 15-18.
US Open, Oakmont: June 13-16.
Tennis
Wimbledon at the All England Lawn Tennis Club
Dates: June 30-July 13.
Tennis fever will no doubt take hold on these shores once again as the All England Lawn Tennis Club prepares for its first grand slam since the emotional retirement of Sir Andy Murray at the Paris Olympics last year.
Carlos Alcaraz continued to cement his reputation as, along with Jannik Sinner, a pre-eminent star of the men's tennis world with his straight-sets triumph over Novak Djokovic in the final in 2024. Both men will be looking to add to their growing collection of silverware at Wimbledon next year, but will have to stave off challengers such as Taylor Fritz, Alex Zverev and Daniil Medvedev, as well as Djokovic again of course.
On the women's side, Barbora Krecjikova beat Jasmine Paolini to claim the title last year but it is anyone's guess as to who could usurp her this time around. Iga Swiatek, world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and American Coco Gauff all possess the ability to take home the much-vaunted Venus Rosewater dish, though none have managed to reach the final at SW19 previously.
Jack Draper and Cameron Norrie will be carrying the banner for home support on the men's side, while Katie Boulter, Emma Raducanu and Harriet Dart have all enjoyed good wins there in the women's singles.
Other grand slam dates:
Australian Open: Jan. 12-26
French Open: May 25-June 8.
US Open: Aug. 25-Sept. 7
- From Sinner to Sabalenka, the best tennis players and moments of 2024
Combat
Daniel Dubois vs Joseph Parker in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Date: Feb. 22.
After his stunning knockout win over Anthony Joshua, Daniel Dubois will be looking to solidify himself as the No. 1 contender for Oleksandr Usyk's heavyweight belts and a unification bout for the ages in his February clash with New Zealander Joseph Parker.
The fight for the IBF heavyweight belt will be the co-main event on a highly anticipated card which is stacked with title fights and headlined by the rematch between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol for the undisputed lightweight crown. Parker's stock has been on the rise in recent months having earned a convincing win over Deontay Wilder in December 2023 before going on to beat Zhilei Zhang in March.
All eyes will also be on the futures of fellow British heavyweight stars Joshua and Fury, both of whom will be licking their wounds after defeats to Dubois and Usyk, respectively. It may not be the super-fight Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren would have once envisioned, but could 2025 be the year we finally see the UK's foremost boxers of their generation meet in the ring?
-ESPN's comprehensive boxing schedule
UFC London, The O2 Arena
Date: March 22.
The UFC returns to the UK for the 30th time in March, heading back to London after hosting last year's fight night in Manchester.
While the lineup has not yet been announced, British MMA fans can expect a bumper night for the home crowd. Recent years have seen the likes of Leon Edwards, Tom Aspinall and Paddy Pimblett all take to the octagon on the UK cards.
The last card in London was UFC Fight Night 224 in July 2023 when Aspinall headlined The O2 with a first-round knockout of Marcin Tybura.
- Who will be the UFC champions on Dec. 31, 2025?
Athletics
Grand Slam Track
Dates: April 4-June 29.
Founded by sprint legend Michael Johnson, Grand Slam Track is a new athletics league that hopes to grow the sport and bring in new funding and fans.
Several of the world's greatest track athletes will take part in four meets around the world, with four events announced for 2025 in Kingston, Jamaica (April 4-6), Miami (May 2-4), Philadelphia (May 30-June 1) and Los Angeles (June 27-29).
Athletes already announced include 400m hurdles supremo Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, 1500m Olympic gold medalist Cole Hocker (and Team GB's Josh Kerr, who he pipped to the line in Paris) and sprint sensations Fred Kerley and Kenny Bednarek.
World Athletics Championships, Tokyo.
Dates: Sept. 13-21.
The Tokyo Olympics suffered the misfortune of being pandemic-affected and devoid of spectators, but the rebuilt National Stadium will get its chance to play host to elite athletics in front of fans in September as the World Championships comes to the Japanese capital.
The stars from the subsequent Olympics in Paris last year will get the chance to further their reputations in Tokyo. Saint Lucian superstar Julien Alfred shocked the world to win gold in the women's 100 metres -- her nation's first-ever medal -- while Noah Lyles pipped Kishane Thompson in the men's event.
From a British perspective, Keely Hodgkinson will be hoping to continue her own rise to stardom after cruising to the gold medal in the women's 800m in Paris. Josh Kerr, meanwhile, will want to improve upon the silver he picked up in France after being shocked by American Cole Hocker in the 1500m.