The Winter Olympics, the football World Cup and a series of major championships in the Netherlands will make 2026 a busy year for sports fans.

The international calendar is dominated by the Winter Olympics in Italy running from February 6 to 22, followed later in the year by the football World Cup in North America.

The Netherlands will also be represented at the men’s T20 World Cup cricket tournament, which starts on February 7 in India and Sri Lanka.

The football World Cup runs from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The Dutch national team opens its campaign on June 14 in Dallas.

Then in August, the hockey World championships take place in the Netherlands and Belgium between August 15 and 30. The Wagener Stadium in Amstelveen will host the Dutch arm of the competitions and the women’s final.

At the same time, the world rowing championships will take place on the nearby  Bosbaan rowing course from August 24 to 30.

Zandvoort also hosts what is expected to be the final Dutch Formula 1 Grand Prix on August 23.

Top-level sport continues into the autumn, with the world gymnastics championships in Rotterdam in October, alongside the Amsterdam Marathon and European cyclo-cross events.