Worldwide Showcase Sports Events in 2022
The COVID-19 pandemic has crushed the world of sports for the past 3 years. But as we come out the other side, so do the biggest sporting competitions and events. Pat Alderton takes you through 2022’s showcase events for sports fans around the globe.
The start of February is a festive time for sports fans in the USA, the vast majority of the country gets an infection more viral than COVID: Super-bowl Fever.
The Super-bowl is the NFL’s showpiece game, a playoff between the two best teams in the competition for that season, and averages over 112 million viewers a year. However, this year is stacked with exciting events for sports lovers, the Winter Olympics in Beijing wrapped up on the 20th of February, and the NRL and AFL seasons get underway in March.
Below are the three major competitions occurring in 2022, and there’s bound to be something for all sports fans.
FIFA 2022 World Cup
The FIFA World Cup is the pinnacle of international football (soccer), 32 of the world’s best teams fight their way through qualification to take a shot at the title of World Champions.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup will be held in Qatar, which beat several countries, including Australia, in a bid to host the prestigious tournament. Qualification for the World Cup finishes in June, which will see the final 32 teams locked into the tournament, which will be held in November.
The early favourites for the tournament are the star-studded French national team, as well as Belgium, Brazil, and Germany who always make a strong showing for themselves. If you’re a football fan, the World Cup is a must-see event, and you’ll be kicking yourself (no pun intended) if you miss out.
2022 Winter Paralympics
The Paralympics is a showcase that is nothing short of remarkable.
The games come around on a four-year cycle that lines up with the Summer and Winter Olympics respectively, with the inaugural Winter Paralympic Games being hosted by Sweden back in 1976. The 2022 game marks the 13th Winter Games, and the festival of parasports will get underway in Beijing on the 4th of March.
Keep an eye out for a couple of notable Aussies who will be competing, including Newcastle local Patrick Jensen, who will be competing in the Men’s Para-Alpine Skiing event teamed up with his sight guide Amelia Hodgson.
Another competitor to keep an eye on is Ben Tudhope, a Para-Snowboarding prodigy who is headed to his third Winter Paralympics at the age of just 22 Tudhope became the youngest to ever represent Australia in 2014 when he was selected for the Sochi Winter Olympics at just 14-years-old. In 2022, he returns with his sights set on the gold medal and is a definite one to watch.
2022 Sevens Rugby World Cup
The Rugby Sevens is an entertaining spectacle for both die-hard rugby fans and for casual sports enthusiasts looking for something new. Every four years the tournament is held, with players from around the globe competing in a modified format of rugby, each side only having 7 players on the field at any one time. This creates space for a much faster-paced, free-flowing game and in turn, makes for exciting play.
The 2022’s event will be the eighth installment of the tournament and will be held in South Africa from 9th -11th September. Make sure you tune in for this showcase as 23 of the world’s best teams look to dethrone the defending men’s and women’s champions – New Zealand.
These are three of the biggest showpieces of world sport for 2022! Of course, not all of these options will be for you, but, if you’re a sports fanatic like me then you’re bound to come across something new that you enjoy. Sports are back in a big way this year and I for one, can’t wait.
Feature image by Porapak Apichodilok from Pexels
