From the world darts final at Alexandra Palace through to the Boxing Day Ashes Test in Melbourne, 2025 promises to be another thrilling year in sport.
Nick Metcalfe is relishing the prospect of the next 12 months and looks ahead to 20 events to come in this special festive feature. This is part one.
World Darts Championship final
- January 3, Alexandra Palace, London
Why not kick off the New Year with a party? That's what the World Darts Championship has become now at Alexandra Palace and the tournament's big finale comes three days into 2025. I was at the 2024 final and it was a raucous night to remember, as 16-year-old Luke Littler came so close to an extraordinary triumph, but was beaten by Luke Humphries. This time, those two darting titans are on the same side of the draw, so could meet in a semi-final. If Littler – now getting on a bit at 17 – does make the final, the hype is likely to be off the scale again and travel far beyond darts. A remarkable television audience of nearly four million viewers watched that Littler v Humphries showdown on Sky Sports last January.
Six Nations
- January 31-March 15 (men) and March 22-April 26 (women), UK and Ireland
There's something to be said about events that have stayed largely unchanged for decades. What a winter warmer the Six Nations remains in our lives, with its ancient rivalries and fevered atmospheres. The top four in the men's tournament in 2024 were Ireland, France, England and Scotland. And all those teams should be competitive again. Steve Borthwick's England certainly have some convincing to do after a string of defeats in recent months, but their opening fixture in Dublin on the first day of February could hardly be more testing. Meanwhile, John Mitchell's England will start as favourites in the Women's Six Nations and will be keen to lay down a marker in the year of a World Cup they host.
Super Bowl
- February 9, New Orleans, USA
Having been lucky enough to attend four Super Bowls in the past decade, I can honestly say that no single annual day of sport feels bigger when you're there. This is a truly gargantuan affair and, while it remains a very American occasion in many ways, the global nature of today's NFL means there will be legitimate interest in the game in New Orleans from all corners of the world. The Kansas City Chiefs, with their superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes, have won the last two Super Bowls and are aiming to become the first team ever to claim three in a row. But plenty of other fine outfits will be out to stop them, among them the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions.
Cheltenham Festival
- March 11-14, Cheltenham Racecourse
Hold onto your hats. And your betting slips. Cheltenham is an absolute madhouse of a week and a pure thrill if you're fortunate enough to go to Prestbury Park. I usually try to make it to the opening day, my favourite of the four. The Supreme Novices' Hurdle is a cracking race to kick off the Festival, the Arkle has such a strong history and the Champion Hurdle tends to throw up an exciting spectacle. Nothing however quite compares to the magic of the Gold Cup as Cheltenham comes to its climax. Galopin Des Champs has won the race in the last two years for the redoubtable team of jockey Paul Townend and trainer Willie Mullins, and is expected to go for glory again this time.
Grand National
- April 5, Aintree Racecourse
I was genuinely concerned when watching the beleaguered 2023 Grand National, with a host of bad news stories engulfing this classic British sporting event. But despite a litany of concerns and woes that spring, the National bounced back in reassuring fashion in 2024, with a number of alterations made – including a reduction in the number of runners – and a race largely free of controversy. Victory went to I Am Maximus – yes, that pair Townend and Mullins again. This April ritual remains an event for the sentimentalists among us, as we'll wallow during the long build-up in those familiar tales of Foinavon, Red Rum and Aldaniti. As for picking a winner in the race, best of luck to you. The words 'pin the tale on the donkey' come to mind.
The Masters
- April 10-13, Augusta National, Georgia, USA
Ahhh, spring properly arrives at last. Those beautiful azaleas. The glories of Amen Corner. Those little birds tweet tweeting. Sorry, I got lost in the moment there for a minute. The Masters at Augusta may in many ways be extraordinarily odd – plenty believe some of that tweet tweeting is fake for starters – but there's no doubting its history of providing great sporting theatre. Rory McIlroy will again be targeting a completion of the golfing Grand Slam, Jon Rahm will be out to repeat his success of 2023, and Bryson DeChambeau will... well, just be aiming to whack the little white thing as far as he can. But frankly, they may all once again be chasing 2024 champion Scottie Scheffler. The prolific world number one is the sport's most reliable winner right now, and Scheffler's best could well be still to come.
World Snooker Championship
- April 19-May, Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
Seventeen long days and nights at the Crucible. Book us a seat on the sofa please. The annual Sheffield marathon remains a proper stamina test for everyone concerned and picking a winner these days is no easy task. The great Ronnie O'Sullivan will be aiming for a record eighth world title, which would put him ahead of Stephen Hendry in the all-time standings, while generational talent Judd Trump will be desperate to claim his second. The defending champion is Kyren Wilson and the Kettering man has been making positive noises about defying the Crucible curse – no first-time winner has ever defended their title the following year since the tournament moved to the theatre in 1977. If you're planning on a trip to Sheffield, you'll have a brilliant time. Not just a visit for snooker fans of course, but a pilgrimage.
Champions League finals
- May 31 (men) and May 25 (women), Munich and Lisbon
Club football's biggest night feels like it's essentially become the preserve of Real Madrid. The Spanish giants were champions once more in 2024, making it an outstanding six wins from the past 11 editions. It doesn't even tend to matter if they look that convincing at times during their run, they're just an indefatigable force in this competition. Real should face some stiff competition this time though, including from English clubs. Arsenal, Liverpool and 2023 winners Manchester City will all fancy their chances. The final will be played in one of the very finest stadiums in European football, Munich's Allianz Arena. The women's final meanwhile is in Lisbon, with Barcelona hoping to win the trophy for the third season in a row.
The Derby
- June 7, Epsom
The first Saturday in June means the famous Epsom Downs in Surrey and Flat racing's greatest occasion. There's no question that the Derby has lost some of its lustre over the years – when I was growing up, it was a Wednesday race and very much seen as a stellar day in the British sporting year – but despite that, it does still retain some of that old gravitas. The Lion In Winter, trained by Aidan O'Brien, has been talked about as a leading contender for some time now, especially after impressive victories at the Curragh and York last summer. O'Brien has already enjoyed ten Derby successes, the latest coming in 2024 with City Of Troy.
England v India Test series
- June 20-August 4
Five-Test series are so rare now that it feels lovely to think that with the Ashes on the horizon, we'll first see a proper old-fashioned duel between these two fierce rivals in the summer. They played each other very recently, and while England fans will have fond memories of a famous Test win in Hyderabad last January, the Indians responded in truly emphatic fashion by winning the next four matches. This winter has been a mixed bag for Ben Stokes and his men in the Test arena, with defeat in Pakistan and then victory in New Zealand, but they're usually a more formidable proposition on home soil. If it's anything like the 2021 series, which finished in a 2-2 draw, we'll be in for a treat.
Part two of Nick's look ahead to 2025 in sport will be published on New Year's Eve. You can follow him on X, @Nick_Metcalfe, and listen to his Talking Snooker podcast via all major platforms. You can also read his regular snooker columns via our snooker index, including this look back at 2024.