Sports calendar 2021: the year's biggest events and key dates
When do the postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games take place? What's happening with world championships? Here's what to look out for in a huge year of sport.
A big year in the sporting landscape is upon us, with the postponed Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 the highlight.
Circumstances allowing, the world's best athletes will gather in Japan's capital in July, where baseball/softball makes its Olympic return and karate, skateboarding, sport climbing, and surfing will appear on the Olympic programme for the first time.
Due to the delay of the Games, a number of world championships in summer sports originally scheduled for 2021 have been postponed, as the Olympic Games competition or tournament takes pride of place on the calendar.
Here we run through the big events of the year, plus information on final Olympic qualifying events that were put back from 2020.
The dates and locations of all events are subject to change, with the prevailing local conditions dictating whether they are held as scheduled.
Multi-sport events
Olympic Games 2020
Where? Tokyo, Japan (some events will take place in other parts of Japan)
When? 23 July–8 August 2021, although some events will start prior to 23 July.
It's the big one of the year and the event every athlete plans their four-year cycle around. Competition will begin on 21 July in football and softball before the Opening Ceremony two days later.
Outside of Tokyo, football matches will also be played in Saitama, Yokohama, Kashima, Rifu, and Sapporo; baseball/softball will be played entirely in Yokohama and Fukushima; basketball in Saitama; golf in Kawagoe; and the athletics marathons and race walks in Sapporo to avoid high summer temperatures in the capital.
Elsewhere, Tsurigasaki Beach in Chiba Prefecture will host surfing's Olympic debut; sailing can be seen off the island of Enoshima south of Tokyo; track and mountainbike cycling will be held in Izu City; and the cycling road races and individual time trials will be based around the Fuji International Speedway motor racing track.
Outstanding Tokyo 2020 test events will also be held in 2021. You can find out more, along with a full schedule, here.
Paralympic Games 2020
Where? Tokyo, Japan (some events will take place in other parts of Japan)
When? 24 August–5 September 2021
A little over two weeks after the Olympic athletes depart Tokyo, it will be the turn of the Paralympians to shine in Japan.
Summer sports
Aquatics (Artistic Swimming, Diving, Swimming, and Water Polo)
Tokyo 2020 dates
Artistic swimming: 2–7 August 2021
Diving: 25 July–7 August 2021
Swimming: 24 July–1 August 2021
Open water swimming: 4–5 August 2021
Water polo: 24 July–8 August 2021
Other key events
FINA Men's Water Polo Olympic Games Qualification Tournament, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. 21–28 February 2021
FINA Women's Water Polo Olympic Games Qualification Tournament, Trieste, Italy. 17–24 January 2021
FINA Diving World Cup Tokyo (final Olympic qualifier), Tokyo, Japan. 1–6 May 2021
FINA Artistic Swimming Olympic Games Qualification Tournament, Tokyo, Japan. Status tbc.
FINA Olympic Marathon Swim Qualifier, Setubal, Portugal. 19–20 June 2021
United States Olympic Trials, Omaha, Nebraska, USA. 13–20 June 2021
Cut-off date for swimming Olympic qualifying standard: 27 June 2021
FINA World Swimming Championships (25m), Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. 13–18 December 2021
Archery
Tokyo 2020 dates
23–31 July 2021
Other key events
World Archery Final Qualification Tournament, Paris, France. 18–21 July 2021
World Archery Championships, Yankton, South Dakota, USA. 19–26 September 2021
Continental Olympic qualifiers will also take place from March through May.
Athletics
Tokyo 2020 dates
Track and field: 30 July–7 August 2021
Marathons and race walks (Sapporo): 5–8 August 2021
Other key events
United States Olympic Trials, Eugene, Oregon, USA. 18–27 June 2021
Qualification for Tokyo 2020 is partially through the World Athletics Rankings. Ranking cutoff date: 29 June 2021 (31 May 2021 for marathon and men's 50 km walk)
Badminton
Tokyo 2020 dates
24 July–2 August 2021
Other key events
Qualification for Tokyo 2020 is through the World Rankings. Ranking cutoff date: 25 April 2021 (rankings published 29 April 2021)
BWF World Tour Finals (2020), Bangkok, Thailand. 27–31 January 2021
BWF Badminton World Championships, Huelva, Spain. 29 November–5 December 2021
BWF World Tour Finals (2021), Guangzhou, China. 15–19 December 2021
Baseball/Softball
Tokyo 2020 dates
Baseball: 28 July–7 August 2021
Softball: 21–27 July 2021
Other key events
WBSC Baseball Americas Qualifier, Florida, USA. 31 May–6 June 2021
WBSC Baseball Final Qualifier, Taichung, Chinese Taipei. 16–20 June 2021
Basketball (including Basketball 3×3)
Tokyo 2020 dates
3×3: 24–28 July 2021
Basketball: 25 July–8 August 2021
Other key events
FIBA 3×3 Olympic Qualifying Tournament, Graz, Austria. 26–30 May 2021.
FIBA 3×3 Universality Olympic Qualifying Tournament, Budapest, Hungary. Dates to be announced.
FIBA Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournaments, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada; Split, Croatia; Kaunas, Lithuania; Belgrade, Serbia. 22 June–4 July 2021
FIBA Asia Cup, Indonesia. 17–29 August 2021
FIBA AfroBasket, Rwanda. 24 August–5 September 2021
Boxing
The International Olympic Committee suspended its recognition of the International Boxing Association (AIBA) in 2019. The IOC says: "Due to the suspension of the IOC recognition of AIBA, all aspects of all boxing competitions, including but not limited to any and all qualifying competitions or events for or at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 shall be organised and operated under the authority of the IOC Executive Board. The Executive Board has created a special taskforce with the mandate to organise and ensure the delivery of the qualification events for boxing and the boxing tournament at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 and also develop a Tokyo 2020 Qualification System for boxing. The enforcement of the regulations and the qualification criteria will be the responsibility of the Boxing Task Force, the respective national federations of the sport and the NOCs in the fields of their respective responsibilities."
Tokyo 2020 dates
24 July–8 August 2021
Other key events
Boxing European Olympic Qualification Event. Originally suspended after three days of competition in London, Great Britain, March 2020 due to coronavirus measures, to be completed 4–8 June 2021 in Paris, France.
Boxing Americas Olympic Qualification Event, 6–13 May 2021, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Both events will be streamed live on Olympic Channel. You can visit the Olympic Channel's event page for the qualification events, or read our preview and explainer.
Canoe/Kayak (Slalom and Sprint)
Tokyo 2020 dates
Slalom: 25–29 July 2021
Sprint: 2–7 August 2021
Other key events
ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships, Copenhagen, Denmark. 16–19 September 2021
ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships, Bratislava, Slovakia. 21–26 September 2021
Continental Olympic qualifiers will take place from February through May.
Cycling – BMX (Freestyle and Racing)
Tokyo 2020 dates
Freestyle: 31 July–1 August 2021
Racing: 29–30 July 2021
Other key events
UCI BMX World Championships, Papendal, Netherlands. 17–22 August 2021
Qualification for Tokyo 2020 is partially through the UCI Olympic BMX Rankings, with cutoff dates to be announced depending on the 2021 World Cup schedules.
Cycling – Mountain Bike
Tokyo 2020 dates
26–27 July 2021
Other key events
UCI Mountain Bike World Championships (Cross-country), Val di Sole, Italy. 25–29 August 2021
Qualification for Tokyo 2020 is partially through the UCI Olympic Mountain Bike Rankings, with cutoff dates to be announced depending on the 2021 World Cup schedules.
Cycling – Road
Tokyo 2020 dates
24–28 July 2021
Other key events
Giro d'Italia, Italy. 8-30 May 2021
Tour de France, France. 26 June-18 July 2021
Vuelta a España, Spain. 14 August-5 September 2021
UCI Road Cycling World Championships, Flanders, Belgium. 19–26 September 2021
Cycling – Track
Tokyo 2020 dates
2–8 August 2021
Other key events
UCI Track Cycling World Championships, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. 13–17 October 2021
Equestrian (Dressage, Eventing, and Jumping)
Tokyo 2020 dates
Dressage: 24–28 July 2021
Eventing: 30 July–2 August 2021
Jumping: 3–7 August 2021
Fencing
Tokyo 2020 dates
24 July–1 August 2021
Other key events
FIE Olympic Zone Qualifying Events, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Cairo, Egypt; Panama City, Panama; Madrid, Spain. 15–30 April 2021
Additionally, qualification for Tokyo 2020 is partially through the FIE Official Rankings. Ranking cutoff date: 5 April 2021
FIE World Fencing Championships, date and location to be announced.
At Tokyo 2020, all twelve events on the fencing programme (individual and team, men's and women's, in all three weapons) will be held for the first time at an Olympic Games. Previously, only two team events would be held for both men and women, with one weapon missing out on rotation every Games.
Football
Tokyo 2020 dates
21 July–7 August 2020
Other key events
Various Olympic qualifying tournaments will be held in both men's and women's football in February and March 2021.
UEFA European Championships 2020, various countries. 11 June–11 July 2021
CONMEBOL Copa América 2020, Argentina and Colombia. 11 June–10 July 2021
Golf
Tokyo 2020 dates
Men's: 29 July–1 August 2021
Women's: 4–7 August 2021
Other key events
ANA Inspiration, Mission Hills, California, USA. 1–4 April 2021
The Masters, Augusta, Georgia, USA. 8–11 April 2021
PGA Championship, Kiawah Island, South Carolina, USA. 20–23 May 2021
US Open, Torrey Pines, California, USA. 17–20 June 2021
Women's PGA Championship, Atlanta Athletic Club, Georgia, USA. 24–27 June 2021
Open Championship, Royal St George's, Sandwich, England, UK. 15–18 July 2021
Women's British Open, Carnoustie, Scotland, UK. 19–22 August 2021
Qualification for Tokyo 2020 is through the Official World Golf Rankings. Ranking cutoff date: 21 June 2021 (men), 28 June 2021 (women)
Gymnastics (Artistic, Rhythmic, and Trampoline)
Tokyo 2020 dates
Artistic: 24 July–3 August 2021
Rhythmic: 6–8 August 2021
Trampoline: 30–31 July 2021
Other key events
FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, Kitakyushu, Japan. 18–24 October 2021
FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships, Kitakyushu, Japan. 27–31 October 2021
FIG Trampoline Gymnastics World Championships, Baku, Azerbaijan. 11–14 November 2021
Continental championships in 2021 will also double as Olympic qualification events. For the first time ever, world championships in both artistic and rhythmic gymnastics will be held in the same city in the same year.
Handball
Tokyo 2020 dates
24 July–8 August 2021
Other key events
IHF World Men's Handball Championship, Egypt. 13–31 January 2021
IHF Women’s Olympic Qualification Tournaments, Spain; Hungary; Montenegro. 19–21 March 2021
IHF Men's Olympic Qualification Tournaments, Norway; France; Germany. 12–14 March 2021
IHF World Women's Handball Championship, Spain. 2–19 December 2021
Hockey
Tokyo 2020 dates
24 July–6 August 2021
Other key events
FIH Pro League. 11 January 2020–30 May 2021
Judo
Tokyo 2020 dates
24–31 July 2021
Other key events
IJF World Judo Championships, dates and location to be confirmed by IJF. Hungarian media have reported the event will start on 3 June in Budapest.
Qualification for Tokyo 2020 is through the IJF World Rankings. Ranking cutoff date: 28 June 2021
Karate
Tokyo 2020 dates
5–7 August 2021
Other key events
WKF Karate Tokyo 2020 Qualification Tournament, Paris, France. 11–13 June 2021
There is also qualification for Tokyo 2020 through the WKF Olympic Standing List. Ranking cutoff date: 18 March 2021
Modern Pentathlon
Tokyo 2020 dates
5–7 August 2021
Other key events
UIPM Pentathlon World Championships, Minsk, Belarus. 7–13 June 2021
The World Championships will also serve as the final Olympic qualifier in the sport.
Tokyo 2020 qualification will partially happen through the UIPM Pentathlon World Ranking. Ranking cutoff date: 14 June 2021
Rowing
Tokyo 2020 dates
23–30 July 2021
Other key events
FISA Final Olympic Qualification Regatta, Lucerne, Switzerland. 16–18 May 2021
FISA World Rowing Championships, Shanghai, China. 17–24 October 2021
Rugby Sevens
Tokyo 2020 dates
26–31 July 2021
Other key events
World Rugby Olympic Repechage Tournament (final qualification tournament), Monaco. 19–20 June 2021
Sailing
Tokyo 2020 dates
25 July–4 August 2021
Other key events
African, Asian, and European qualifying events will take place from February through May 2021.
36th America's Cup, Auckland, New Zealand. 6–21 March 2021
Shooting
Tokyo 2020 dates
24 July–2 August 2021
Other key events
European Shooting Championships 10m, Lohja, Finland. 26 February–8 March 2021 (Olympic qualifier)
European Shotgun Championships and European Shooting Championships 25m/50m, Osijek, Croatia. 23 May–6 June 2021 (Olympic qualifier)
One spot in each individual event will be allocated to an NOC through the ISSF's World Olympic Rankings. Ranking cutoff date: to be confirmed after World Cup schedule announced.
Skateboarding (Park and Street)
Tokyo 2020 dates
Park: 4–5 August 2021
Street: 25–26 July 2021
Other key events
The 2021 World Championships will act as direct Olympic qualification events for Tokyo 2020. Dates and locations to be announced.
Remaining spots will be allocated through the World Skate Olympic Rankings. Ranking cutoff date: 30 June 2021
Sport Climbing
Tokyo 2020 dates
2–5 August 2021
Other key events
IFSC Climbing World Championships, Moscow, Russia. 15–22 September 2021
Surfing
Tokyo 2020 dates
25–28 July 2021, with a window until 1 August 2021 in case of poor weather or surf conditions
Other key events
ISA World Surfing Games, El Sunzal and La Bocana, El Salvador. 8–16 May 2021 (final Olympic qualifier)
Table Tennis
Tokyo 2020 dates
24 July–6 August 2021
Other key events
ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals 2021, USA. Exact location and dates to be announced.
ITTF World Olympic Singles Qualification Event. Doha, Qatar. 16–19 March 2021
Continental qualification events will also be held in singles and mixed doubles in locations and dates to be confirmed.
Taekwondo
Tokyo 2020 dates
24–27 July 2021
Other key events
European and Asian continental Olympic qualifiers will be held from January onwards.
World Taekwondo Championships. Dates and location to be announced.
Tennis
Tokyo 2020 dates
24 July–1 August 2021
Other key events
Australian Open, Melbourne, Australia. 8–21 February 2021
ITF Billie Jean King Cup Finals, Budapest, Hungary. 13–18 April 2021
French Open, Paris, France. 24 May–13 June 2021
Wimbledon, London, England, UK. 28 June–11 July 2021
US Open, New York, USA. 30 August–12 September 2021
WTA Finals, Shenzhen, China. Dates to be announced.
ATP Finals, Turin, Italy. 14–21 November 2021
ITF Davis Cup Finals, Innsbruck, Austria; Turin, Italy; Madrid, Spain. 25 November–5 December 2021
ATP and WTA World Rankings Olympic qualification cutoff date: 7 June 2021
Players must make themselves available for Fed Cup or Davis Cup selection (including in qualifiers or zonal events) at least twice between 2016 and 2020 to be eligible to play at Tokyo 2020, with the exception of any cancelled ties due to Covid-19.
Triathlon
Tokyo 2020 dates
26–31 July 2021
Dates for Olympic qualification events and rankings cut-offs to be confirmed.
Volleyball (Beach and Indoor)
Tokyo 2020 dates
Beach: 24 July–7 August 2021
Volleyball: 24 July–8 August 2021
Other key events
Final beach volleyball qualifiers will be decided through each continent's Continental Cup Final, scheduled from 21–27 June 2021.
Some spots will be allocated through the FIVB Beach Volleyball Olympic Rankings. Ranking cutoff date: 13 June 2021
Weightlifting
Tokyo 2020 dates
24 July–4 August 2021
Other key events
Qualification for Tokyo 2020 is through the IWF World Rankings. Ranking cutoff date: 30 April 2021
IWF World Weightlifting Championships, Lima, Peru. November 2021 – exact dates to be confirmed.
Wrestling
Tokyo 2020 dates
1–7 August 2021
Other key events
UWW World Olympic Games Qualifier, Sofia, Bulgaria. 29 April–2 May 2021
Continental qualification events will also be held in March.
UWW World Wrestling Championships, Oslo, Norway. 2–10 October 2021
Winter sports
Alpine Skiing
Key events
FIS Alpine World Ski Championships, Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. 7–21 February 2021
FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Finals, Lenzerheide, Switzerland. 17–21 March 2021
Biathlon
Key events
IBU Biathlon World Championships, Pokljuka, Slovakia. 9–21 February 2021
Bobsleigh (including Skeleton)
Key events
IBSF World Championships, Altenberg, Germany. 5–14 February 2021
IBSF World Cup finals. Dates and location to be announced.
Cross-Country Skiing
FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, Oberstdorf, Germany. 22 February–7 March 2021
Curling
Key events
World Men's Curling Championship, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. 2–11 April 2021
World Women's Curling Championship, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. 30 April–9 May 2021
World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship, Aberdeen, Great Britain. 17–23 May 2021
Figure Skating
Key events
ISU World Figure Skating Championships, Stockholm, Sweden. 22–28 March 2021
ISU World Team Trophy in Figure Skating, Osaka, Japan. 15–18 April 2021
Freestyle Skiing and Snowboarding
FIS Freestyle Ski and Snowboard World Championships. Originally due to be held in Zhangjiakou, China, from 18–28 February 2021; cancelled and re-located to the following locations:
Ski cross and snowboard cross. Idre, Sweden. 9–13 February 2021
Snowboard parallel giant slalom and parallel slalom. Rogla, Slovenia. 1–2 March 2021
Freestyle skiing aerials and moguls. Almaty, Kazakhstan. 8–11 March 2021
Freeski and snowboard big air, halfpipe, and slopestyle. Aspen, Colorado, USA. 10–16 March 2021
Ice Hockey
Key events
IIHF Ice Hockey Women's World Championship, Halifax and Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada. 7–17 May 2021
IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship, Riga, Latvia. 21 May–6 June 2021. Originally due to be co-hosted by Belarus, Minsk was stripped of hosting responsibilities in January.
Luge
Key events
FIL World Championships, Königsee, Germany. 5–7 February 2021
Nordic Combined
Key events
FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, Oberstdorf, Germany. 22 February–7 March 2021
Short Track Speed Skating
Key events
ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships, Dordrecht, Netherlands. 5–7 March 2021
Ski Jumping
Key events
69th Four Hills Tournament, Austria and Germany. 29 December 2020–6 January 2021
FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, Oberstdorf, Germany. 22 February–7 March 2021
Speed skating
Key events
ISU World Speed Skating Championships, Heerenveen, Netherlands. 11–14 February 2021
Don't forget to follow Olympic Channel throughout the year for the latest news and highlights from your favourite sports, as well as extensive coverage from Tokyo 2020.