The yr of 2022 has come to an finish, bringing the curtain down on what has been one other monumental yr of sport.
The controversial Qatar World Cup has been and gone, the Lionesses gained their first main trophy in girls’s soccer whereas the winter Olympics kicked off the yr in model again in February.
But now, with 12 nice months of sport behind us, what are the largest and standout sporting events we will begin trying ahead as we enter 2023? Calendars on the prepared as a result of Sportsmail has you lined…
The Qatar World Cup brings the curtain down on 2022 and one other enthralling yr of sport
Fury and Usyk to lastly unify the heavyweight division
Date TBC
While this entry appears a little bit little bit of a cop-out as there isn’t any actual date confirmed on the time of writing, you may nonetheless anticipate to see Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk go at it in 2023 and lastly unify the heavyweight division.
Usyk’s supervisor had claimed that the combat might happen on March 4, and Fury stays adamant that he’ll ‘take out’ the Ukrainian heavyweight in the event that they face off subsequent yr.
Tyson Fury (left) and Oleksandr Usyk (proper) look set to face one another early subsequent yr
A combat between Fury and Usyk will see them lastly unify the heavyweight division
A location for the combat – which can see the division unified for the primary time since Lennox Lewis in 1999 – can also be nonetheless but to be determined, though each fighters are eager for the conflict to come in early 2023.
Usyk is the present occupant of the WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight belts after he convincingly beat Anthony Joshua for all 4 belts in September 2021, earlier than profitable the rematch slightly below a yr later in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Fury presently holds the WBC heavyweight title.
It guarantees to be a monumental combat between two males who maintain all of the gold.
Hamilton aiming to make F1 historical past
February by way of to NovemberÂ
After a yr of watching Max Verstappen completely dominate from begin to end, Lewis Hamilton can be itching to get the season began in February.
Having controversially misplaced out to Verstappen on the ultimate lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2021, Hamilton struggled to compete with the Red Bull, leaving many to query whether or not he would proceed racing, given how he turns 38 this month.
A hatful of points – together with a porpoising automotive through the first half of the yr – additionally noticed Hamilton failed to report a single race win in a season for the primary time in his profession.
However, regardless of a troublesome marketing campaign and uncertainty over his future, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff ‘completely’ expects Hamilton to stay as a driver for the crew past 2023.
Lewis Hamilton can be out to win a record-breaking eighth world driver’s championship
Max Verstappen dominated proceedings final season to win his second world title
Issues noticed Hamilton fail to report a single race win in a season for the primary time in his profession
Hamilton beforehand declared that he wouldn’t race past his fortieth birthday – which might be in January 2025 – however continues to be keen to seek out a record-breaking eighth driver’s championship title.
His legion of followers can be determined to lastly clinch that eighth world title, and ought to he keep and have a automotive able to matching the Red Bull, lastly surpassing Michael Schumacher’s seven world titles might definitely be on the playing cards.Â
Lionesses gunning for glory on the Women’s World Cup
July 20 – August 20
Is it coming house… once more?Â
The Lionesses made historical past earlier this summer time by profitable their first main trophy in girls’s soccer, after beating Germany in entrance of over 80,000 followers at Wembley to grip the nation.
It was actually a superb achievement from a squad who’ve etched their names in English folklore and will now out to grow to be world champions in the USA subsequent summer time.
The Lionesses turned European champions after beating Germany at Wembley final summer time
England followers should still be licking their wounds following the boys’s exit from the Qatar World Cup by the hands of France, however they will get again behind Sarina Wiegman’s aspect come July and hope for extra of the identical one yr on from their Euro 2022 triumph.
However, will probably be no simple feat for Beth Mead and Co, given the reigning world champions USA can be taking part in on house soil, making them the heavy favourites.
Can Arsenal maintain the momentum going?
Now by way of to May 28Â
As the Premier League took a month-long break due to the Qatar World Cup, so did Arsenal’s spectacular bid to win the title.
The Gunners are one of the best crew on the midway stage, boasting a seven-point hole to nearest challengers, and reigning champions, Manchester City.
Mikel Arteta’s males have misplaced simply as soon as in the league this season and have loved a stellar marketing campaign to this point.
Arsenal had been flying in the Premier League earlier than membership soccer halted for the Qatar World Cup
Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne will look to hunt the Gunners down for Manchester City
However, there’s nonetheless a great distance to go earlier than we discover out in the event that they handle to sustain the momentum, or they pale away with another person pipping them to high spot come the top of May.
Will Gabriel Jesus’ lengthy lay-off due to a knee damage derail their title bid or will Arteta find a way to regular the ship and reignite their pre-World Cup kind?
Rugby World Cup
September 8 – October 28
The males’s Rugby World Cup returns in September with South Africa trying to defend their crown in France.
The Springboks will nonetheless have nice reminiscences of the final time this competitors was held in France, given how they beat England – the identical opponents they beat to win the 2019 crown – in that 2007 remaining.
South Africa can be out to retain their World Cup crown at this yr’s event in France
Since 2007, the World Cup has solely been shared between the Springboks and New Zealand, with the All Blacks profitable it back-to-back in 2011 and then 2015, with each nations now tied on three world titles apiece.
This yr’s version may also be the primary main event since 2015 that England won’t be lead by Eddie Jones, following his sacking earlier this month.
The Ryder Cup returns to Europe
September 25 – October 1
The yr 2022 was dominated by the beginning of the controversial LIV Golf, which almost tore the game aside on the seams.
Defections from a few of golf’s greatest stars to the Saudi-financed tour has left query marks over whether or not these concerned can be permitted in the game’s conventional huge event.
This contains the Ryder Cup, which is again on European soil for the primary time, with Rome’s Marco Simone & Country Club taking part in host this yr.
Europe had been blown away over a yr in the past by Team USA at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin in 2021
Both groups are set to make wholesale modifications, with Europe captain Luke Donald hinting that he won’t to choose those that have defected to the breakaway collection – which might see the likes of Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood all miss out.
Europe had been blown away over a yr in the past by Team USA at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin, shedding 19-9, which was the heaviest in fashionable historical past.
With revenge on the road for Europe and the doable exemption of LIV defectors, it makes the 2023 version as one not to miss.Â
England to defend their 50-over Cricket World Cup title
October by way of to November
England have been on high of the world in cricket as of late.Â
In 2019, they gained the Cricket World Cup in probably the most dramatic methods, with Eoin Morgan’s aspect requiring an excellent over to beat New Zealand on an unimaginable day at Lord’s.
Fast ahead to November this yr and Jos Buttler’ aspect are topped as champions of the T20 World Cup after beating Pakistan by 5 wickets on the MCG.
England gained the 2019 Cricket World Cup in spectacular and dramatic style at Lord’s
It sees them grow to be the primary males’s crew to maintain each white-ball trophies on the similar time and Stokes can be hoping to proceed England’s pink sizzling kind into the event this summer time.
It guarantees to be one other thrilling event however will probably be an almighty problem given it’s going to hosted totally in India – for the primary time ever – this time spherical.
But given their latest performances, you would not put it previous Buttler and Co to pull off one other epic efficiency and mirror Morgan’s 2019 aspect’s achievement.
…and the Ashes can be up for grabs!
June 16 – July 31
It guarantees to be an enormous summer time of cricket with the Ashes set to be contested in England this time spherical.
Australia dominated Joe Root’s aspect final time spherical, profitable the five-match collection Down Under 4-0 in humiliating style.
But since then Ben Stokes has taken the reins and has turned England’s pink ball fortunes round, having recorded the primary ever whitewash over Pakistan on their very own patch in December’s three-Test collection.
With England a lot improved, this summer time’s Ashes guarantees to be much more aggressive in actuality – and that is good for everybody, proper?
Australia dominated England final time spherical, profitable the five-match collection Down Under 4-0