Sporting Highlights for 2023
Major events for this 2023 calendar were the Women's FIFA World Cup, Rugby World Cup, World Aquatics Championships and the World Athletics Championships.
Max Verstappen continued his remarkable run in Formula 1 The FIFA Women's World Cup, jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand, saw exciting performances and record-breaking viewership, bringing even more attention to women's soccer worldwide. Spain won their first-ever FIFA Women's World Cup, defeating England 1-0 in the final.
Serbian tennis legend Novak Djokovic claimed his 24th Grand Slam title at the US Open, tying Margaret Court’s all-time record and moving him clear of Serena Williams for Grand Slam wins in the Open era. Djokovic's remarkable year solidified his claim as one of tennis's greatest players. History was made at Wimbledon, the 2023 Wimbledon ladies' singles final was won by Marketa Vondrousova, defeating Ons Jabeur to become lowest ranked winner in history. There was a big gap at the French Open, with Nadal missing the tournament for the first time in 19 years.
At the ICC Cricket World Cup, Australia won their sixth title, defeating India in the final, despite India going through the tournament undefeated up to that point.
The NFL saw the Kansas City Chiefs win Super Bowl LVII. Led by star quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35. Mahomes also earned the MVP title, solidifying his status as one of the NFL's gretest ever players.
One of the biggest news in sport in recent years was the changes to world golf. There is talk of a merger between the PGA Tour and the Saudi-backed LIV Golf, the end the bitter rivalry that has divided the sport. News of theis historic deal has sparked widespread debate, with financial implications and questions about the future structure of the sport.
Max Verstappen, driving for Red Bull Racing, continued his remarkable run in Formula 1, winning his third consecutive World Championship.
The Denver Nuggets secured their first-ever NBA Championship, defeating the Miami Heat in the Finals. Nikola Jokić, their star player, was named Finals MVP for his outstanding performances throughout the series.
South Africa won their fourth Rugby World Cup, defeating New Zealand in a thrilling final. The Springboks’ strong defense and tactical game helped them secure a 12-11 victory, making them the most successful team in Rugby World Cup history.
Jonas Vingegaard of Denmark won the 2023 Tour de France for the second consecutive year. His consistent performance through the mountain stages and time trials helped him secure victory in one of the world's toughest sporting events.
Awards: The 2023 Laureus World Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year Awards went to footballer Lionel Messi and Jamaican sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. The Laureus World Team of the Year was Argentina Men's Football Team, the 2022 FIFA World Cup winning team. The highest paid sports person in 2023 according to Forbes Magazine was Cristiano Ronaldo, overtaking last year's leader Lionel Messi.
Significant sports-related deaths:
- Jim Brown (American Football) - NFL legend Jim Brown, one of the greatest running backs of all time, was known for his unmatched power and athleticism, leaving a lasting legacy on and off the field as a civil rights advocate.
- Jim Hines (Track & Field) - Jim Hines, the first man to break the 10-second barrier in the 100 meters, won two gold medals at the 1968 Olympics.
- Dick Fosbury (Athletics) - Dick Fosbury revolutionized the high jump with the "Fosbury Flop," winning Olympic gold in 1968 and forever changing the sport with his innovative technique.
- Sir Bobby Charlton (Football) - Sir Bobby Charlton, a Manchester United and England football legend, was a key figure in England’s 1966 World Cup victory, was admired for his remarkable skills, sportsmanship, and leadership in football.
What was your highlight? Take the poll of the Greatest Sporting Highlight of 2023.
Below is a timeline of some significant results in the world of sport for the year 2023.
| Date(s) | Sport | Event | Location | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 16-29 | Tennis | Australian Open | Melbourne, Australia | |
| Jan 12-22 | Multi-sports | Winter World University Games | Lake Placid, USA | |
| Jan 12–29 | Handball | World Championships (men) | Poland and Sweden | |
| Jan 13-29 | Field Hockey | Men's Hockey World Cup | Bhubaneswar & Rourkela, India | |
| Jan 21-27 (postponed from 2021 & 2022) | Multi-sports | Special Olympics World Winter Games | Kazan, Russia | |
| Jan 27-30 | Extreme Sports | Winter X Games 27 | Aspen, Colorado, USA | |
| Feb 1-11 | Football (Soccer) | 2022 FIFA Club World Cup | Morocco | |
| Feb 4 - Mar 18 | Rugby | Six Nations | UK, Ireland, France & Italy | |
| Feb 5-19 | Skiing | Alpine World Ski Championships | Courchevel-Méribel, France | |
| Feb 10-26 | Cricket | ICC World T20 (women) | South Africa | |
| Feb 12 | Football (American) | Super Bowl | Glendale, Arizona | |
| Feb 22u - Mar 5 | Skiing (Nordic) | FIS Nordic World Ski Championships | Planica, Slovenia | |
| Mar 14 - Apr 3 | Basketball | NCAA finals (March Madness) | USA | |
| Mar 8 - Jul 2 | Water Polo | FINA Water Polo World Cup (Men) | LA, USA | |
| Mar 15-26 | Boxing | IBA World Championships (women) | New Delhi, India | |
| Mar 8-21 | Baseball | World Baseball Classic | Japan, Taiwan, USA | |
| Apr 6-9 | Golf | Masters | Augusta, Georgia, USA | |
| Apr 11 - Jun 25 | Water Polo | FINA Water Polo World Cup (Women) | final Long Beach, California, USA | |
| Apr 15 - May 1 | Snooker | World Snooker Championship | Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, England | |
| Apr 15 | Horse Racing | Grand National | Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool | |
| May 1-14 | Boxing | IBA World Championships (men) | Tashkent, Uzbekistan | |
| May 5-16 | Multi-sports | South-East Asian Games | Phnom Penh, Cambodia | |
| May 6 | Horse Racing | Kentucky Derby | Louisville, Kentucky, US | |
| May 12-21 | Ice Hockey | IIHF World Championship | ||
| May 18–21 | Golf | US PGA | Oak Hill Country Club, Rochester, New York | |
| May 22-28 | Table Tennis | World Championship | Durban, South Africa | |
| May 28 | Auto Racing | Indianapolis 500 | Indianapolis, USA | |
| May 28 - Jun 11 | Tennis | French Open | Paris, France | |
| Jun 1-12 | Basketball | NBA Finals | USA/Canada | |
| Jun 3-13 | Ice Hockey | Stanley Cup finals | ||
| June 10 | Football (Soccer) | UEFA Champions League Final | Atatürk Olympic Stadium, Istanbul | |
| Jun 14-18 | Football (Soccer) | UEFA Nations League | Netherlands | |
| Jun 15-18 | Golf | US Open | Los Angeles Country Club Los Angeles, California | |
| Jun 16-25 | Multi-sports | Special Olympics World Summer Games | Berlin, Germany | |
| Jun 16 - Jul 16 | Football (Soccer) | AFC Asian Cup | China or South Korea | |
| Jun 21 - Jul 1 | Lacrosse | World Lacrosse Championship (men) | San Diego, USA | |
| Jun 21 - Jul 2 | Multi-sports | European Games | Kraków, Poland | |
| Jul 1-23 | Cycling | Tour de France | France | |
| Jul 3-16 | Tennis | Wimbledon | London, England | |
| Jul 10 - Aug 20 | Football (Soccer) | Women's World Cup | Australia / New Zealand | |
| Jul 14-30 | Swimming | World Aquatics Championships | Fukuoka, Japan | |
| Jul 20–23 | Golf | The Open Championship | Royal Liverpool Golf Club Hoylake Merseyside England | |
| Jul 21-23 | Extreme Sports | Summer X Games | California, USA | |
| Jul 23-30 | Cycling | Tour de France Femmes | France | |
| Jul 28 - Aug 6 | Multi-sports | World Police and Fire Games | Winnipeg, Canada | |
| Jul 28 - Aug 6 | Netball | Netball World Cup | Cape Town, South Africa | |
| Jul 28 - Aug 8 | Multi-sports | Summer World University Games | ||
| Aug 3-13 | Cycling | UCI Cycling World Championships | Glasgow, Scotland, UK | |
| Multi-sports | World Beach Games | |||
| Aug 10-20 | Sailing | World Championships | The Hauge, Netherlands | |
| Aug 19-27 | Athletics | IAAF World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | |
| Aug 23 - Sep 3 | Multi-sports | Indian Ocean Island Games | Madagascar | |
| Aug 25 - Sept 10 | Basketball | FIBA Basketball World Cup (men) | Indonesia, Japan, and the Philippines | |
| Aug 28 - Sep 10 | Tennis | US Open | New York, USA | |
| Sep 2-17 | Weightlifting | World Championships | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | |
| Sep 3-10 | Rowing | World Rowing Championships | Belgrade, Serbia | |
| Sep 8 - Oct 28 | Rugby | World Cup (men) | France | |
| Sep 9-16 (postponed from 2020) | Multi-sports | Invictus Games | Düsseldorf, Germany | |
| Sep 22-24 | Golf | Solheim Cup | Casares, Málaga, Andalusia, Spain | |
| Sep 23 - Oct 8 | Multi-sports | Asian Games | Hangzhou, China | |
| Sep 29 - Oct 1 | Golf | Ryder Cup | Marco Simone Golf and Country Club, Rome, Italy | |
| Sept 30 | AFL | Grand Final | Melbourne, Australia | |
| Sep 30 - Oct 8 | Gymnastics | World Championships (Artistic) | Antwerp, Belgium | |
| Oct 1 | Rugby League | NRL Grand Final | ACCOR Stadium, Sydney | |
| Oct 5 - Nov 19 | Cricket | ODI World Cup | India | |
| Oct 20 - Nov 5 | Multi-sports | Pan American Games | Santiago, Chile | |
| Oct 21-30 | Multi-sports | World Combat Games | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | |
| Oct 27 - Nov 1 | Baseball | World Series | Texas & Phoenix, USA | |
| Nov 3-11 (postponed from 2022) | Multi-sports | Gay Games | Hong Kong, China | |
| Nov 7 | Horse Racing | Melbourne Cup | Victoria, Australia | |
| Nov 19 - Dec 1 | Multi-sports | Pacific Games | Honiara, Solomon Islands | |
| Nov 30 - Dec 17 | Handball | World Championships (women) | Denmark / Norway / Sweden |
If you have a correction or know of events that should be included here, please let me know.
Related Pages
- Top-10 Major Sporting Events of 2023
- Timeline (all years) in the world of sport
- Major Events Sport Calendar for 2023
- Highlights of Australian sport in 2023
Any comments, suggestions, or corrections? Please let us know.
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