Your 2026 Sports Travel Bucket List, From Milan to Mexico

Sports travel offers a way to experience a place at its most immediate and alive. It’s also one of the fastest-growing segments of global tourism—a new Expedia report estimates sports-related travel now accounts for roughly 10% of worldwide tourism spending, with the market projected to exceed $1.7 trillion globally within the next decade. Major events increasingly motivate trips not just for attendance, but for the atmosphere they create—setting the rhythm of entire cities as they come through.

In 2026, that pull stretches across the globe, from the red clay courts of Paris and the manicured lawns of London to city streets transformed by marathons, alpine roads lined with cyclists, and waves that define the world’s most iconic surf breaks. These sports events temporarily reshape their surroundings as hotels swell, public spaces pulse with energy, and local traditions move to the forefront. Some competitions carry centuries of history; others reflect the evolving scale and spectacle of international sport.

You don’t have to love sports to love traveling for them. Trust me—I’ve never been athletic, nor have I cared much for stats or scores, but something shifts when you’re in a city—new or known—during a big game. The streets come alive, the buzz is palpable, and for a moment, everyone’s on the same team. (Or united against a common adversary—which is always fun, too.) For travelers, sports provide both focus and context—an opportunity to witness new or revisited cities and landscapes through the lens of performance, passion, and celebration. Whether a single championship anchors a journey or frames a larger itinerary, read on for a month-by-month calendar, highlighting where sport, place, and timing will intersect most memorably in 2026.

**Editor’s note: We will be updating this list through the year as host cities and more information releases. **

Overlooking Melbourne Park, home of the Australian Open. The tournament is the richest Grand Slam Tennis tournament in history, where the world’s top tennis players compete for the prize as Australian Grand Slam Champion.

Getty

January 2026

Australian Open

When: January 18–31
Where: Melbourne, Australia

The Australian Open kicks off this year’s tennis calendar with sun-splashed courts, heart-racing rallies, and a global field of elite competitors vying for the season’s first Grand Slam. Melbourne’s unmistakable energy—from its famed café culture to its vibrant laneways and cutting-edge galleries—is woven into the event, making the city as much a protagonist as the sport itself. For travelers, this is a chance to combine world-class competition with one of Australia’s most livable cities.

When: January 19
Where: Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida

The coronation game of the college football season, this championship draws fans from across the United States for one electrifying night of sport and spectacle. It’s a cultural moment as much as a competition—from pre-game tailgates to watch parties across Miami’s nightlife districts. Whether you bleed your school’s colors or just love great American pageantry, this game is a destination event.

2026 Winter X Games

When: January 21–24
Where: Aspen, Colorado, US