The sports highlights of 2024: Olympics, European Football Championships and much more

2024 will be a year full of sporting highlights: the European Football Championship in our own country, the Olympic Games – and much more. The sports show provides an overview for optimal holiday planning.

Darts – World Cup final on January 3rd

The year ends with darts and begins with darts. The 2023 World Championships will run until January 3rd in London’s legendary Ally Pally – but the winner will not be determined until 2024. The final will take place on January 3rd at 9 p.m.

Ski jumping – Four Hills Tournament until January 6th

The situation is similar to the darts kings with the ski jumpers: their annual highlight from the end of 2023 also continues after New Year’s Eve. The decision about the champion of the Four Hills Tournament will be made on January 6th in Bischofshofen, followed by the New Year’s competition in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in 2024 and the event on Bergisel in Innsbruck on January 3rd. ARD, ZDF and Eurosport will broadcast the spectacular air show live.

Handball – Men’s European Championship from January 10th to 28th in Germany

You wouldn’t have thought of it spontaneously: Germany is actually hosting a men’s European handball championship for the first time this year. From January 10th to 28th, 2024, Sweden wants to defend the title, the opening game in Düsseldorf in the football stadium is expected to bring a new world record in handball spectators – around 50,000 fans can fit in the arena.

The final takes place in Cologne, the hall has a capacity of almost 20,000 seats. The broadcasting rights lie with ARD and ZDF, the payment platform DYN also offers all games without German participation.

Tennis – Australian Open from January 14th to 28th

The hunt for the Grand Slam traditionally begins Down Under in Melbourne. In 2023, Novak Djokovic was only missing the title at Wimbledon for the big hit. Since there are also the Olympic Games this year, “Djoker” would even have a chance at the Golden Slam. Rafael Nadal’s comeback is also eagerly awaited – and of course whether Alexander Zverev can fulfill his dream of a Grand Slam title. Eurosport broadcasts live from Australia.

The other Grand Slam tournaments in 2024:

Tobogganing – World Championship from January 22nd to 28th

Last year, eight of nine World Cup titles went to Germany. Can Max Langenhans, Julia Taubit and Co. shine similarly in Altenberg this year?

To swim – World Championship from February 2nd to 18th

The swimmers are actually trying to avoid the Olympics. But after the corona pandemic, the World Swimming Federation’s calendar is not yet back in the “old” mode. That’s why there are two highlights for water sports enthusiasts this year. The World Cup kicks off in Doha. The German team, led by long-distance specialist Florian Wellbrock, is sending ten athletes into the race in the pool competitions.

biathlon – World Championship from February 4th to 18th

Sprint, hunting races, individual and mass starts and three different relays – the biathletes have an absolutely full program at their world championships from February 4th to 18th, 2024 in the Vysočina Arena in Nové Město na Moravě, Czech Republic. ARD and ZDF show all competitions alternately, Eurosport is also at the start.

Football – Super Bowl on February 11th in Las Vegas

It’s going to be another crazy show: the world’s largest single sporting event of the year, the Super Bowl, is taking place in the gaming and celebrity metropolis of Las Vegas. On February 11th, the Las Vegas Raiders’ Allegiant Stadium will take place in front of 72,000 fans. In the halftime show, R&B superstar Usher is the main act, RTL and DAZN broadcast live.

Gymnastics – European Championships for men and women from April 24th to May 5th

The Olympic dress rehearsal for the European artistic gymnasts is taking place in Naples. At the European Championships, the team around parallel bars world champion Lukas Dauser is putting the finishing touches on Paris.

Ice Hockey – Men’s World Cup from May 10th to 26th

The 87th edition of the Men’s Ice Hockey World Championship will take place from May 10th to 26th, 2024 in Prague and Ostrava in the Czech Republic. Vice world champion Germany is of course there and will face top-class players such as Canada, Sweden and Slovakia in Group A. Sport1 and Sportdeutschland TV have broadcast rights.

Athletics – European Championship from June 7th to 12th

After the World Cup disaster without a single medal, the European Championships in Rome come at just the right time for the German team as a development competition before the Olympic Games. At the last European Championships in Munich in 2022, the DLV selection was really successful with 16 medals, including seven gold.

Football – European Championship in Germany from June 14th to July 14th

Whether Julian Nagelsmann will have a powerful team by then is still up in the air – but it would be extremely helpful in turning the 2024 European Football Championship in Germany into a new summer fairy tale. The opening game of the DFB selection against Scotland (June 14th) will take place in Munich, the final in Berlin. 34 of the 51 games are shown on free TV on ARD and ZDF, and all games are also available for a fee on Magenta TV.

More football highlights:

Cycling – Tour de France from June 29th to July 21st

In addition to France, Italy and Monaco are the international stops of the Tour de France 2024. The 111th staging of the most important stage race in cycling. The Grand Depart is in Florence, then there are two very special final scenarios: Because of the Olympic Games, the tour ends this time not on the Champs-Elysées in Paris, but in Nice – and then with an individual time trial.

The cozy glass of bubbly shortly before the finish of the “Tour d’Honneur” of a champion who was already determined on the penultimate day of the tour will definitely not be available this time. The rights lie with ARD and Eurosport, but it is not yet entirely clear under what framework the first will be broadcast.

The other major tours:

Olympic Games in Paris from July 16th to August 11th

The Summer Olympics are taking place in the French capital Paris for the third time after 1900 and 1924 – but above all the opening ceremony is unprecedented. It is not the stadium that plays the main role, but rather the River Seine; the setting also includes the lower part of the Avenue des Champs-Élysées and the Place de la Concorde.

Mark your calendar in red: The men’s 100-meter run is on August 4th at 9:50 p.m., the women’s sprint for gold the day before at 9:20 p.m. The women’s long jump competition with Malaika Mihambo, which is hopefully very interesting from a German perspective, is on August 8th from 8 p.m. ARD, ZDF and Eurosport are on the air in Paris.

More Olympic highlights:

Paralympics from August 28th to September 8th

Paris is also the center of the competition year for para athletes. The 17th edition of the Paralympic Summer Games will certainly set new records – and again bring in a shower of German medals. In Tokyo, the German starters won 13 gold medals. Of course, the competitions and decisions also take place at the sports show.

Handball – Women’s European Championship from November 28th to December 15th

The handball bracket around 2024 makes the Women’s European Championship in Austria, Hungary and Switzerland perfect. For the first time, 24 teams are taking part – and after sixth place at the World Cup, the German team, like defending champion Norway, wants to fight for the medals this time.

… and on December 15, 2024 the next sporting year will of course start again with the Darts World Cup in London’s Ally Pally.