5 sports and sporting events to follow in 2022

Sports enthusiasts are spoiled for choice with several events and competitions to pick from every year. 

However, football takes center stage almost every time, with the various leagues in Europe happening week in week out.

This is aside from the numerous national team events that take place periodically. Already, we are stuffed with football excitement with the African Cup Of Nations taking center stage in January.

Similarly, the FIFA World Cup is just months away in Qatar and generates the noises as it does every four years.

Let’s dive into five other sports and sporting competitions that can give you an entertaining sporting experience in 2022.

1. Formula 1

With the way Max Verstappen rode to the World title at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in the UAE in December, it will be unsurprising if Formula 1 fanatics are already marking their calendars for the race dates in 2022.

Lewis Hamilton previously held the world title for four years consecutively, and he was very close to last year’s championship.

Dutch driver Verstappen gave Lewis thrilling competition, and people quickly forgot that his closest contenders in 2020 were Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel.

in every scenario like this, there are fears that Max’s victory was big on luck and a possible flash in the pan, but with British driver Lewis on the wrong side of thirty and already mooting retirement, it may be Max’s time on the track.

Who knows, it might be a second chance to see all that happened last year again in another year as well.

2. Tennis (Grand Slams)

Like Formula 1, this is a sport that will take you all around the world, starting with January’s Australian Open.

There is also Roland Garros – the French Open – and other ATP/WTA opens to follow all through; you never can tell where and with which one Serena Williams will eventually get her 24th Grand Slam title.

Furthermore, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer aren’t done yet in their rivalry on the courts.

3. Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics

Recent sporting events have had a massive imprint of the Covid-19 virus on them; after the global lockdown in 2020, several postponements and cancellations happened.

Thus, organizers have dealt with Covid infections and travel obstructions; China would have learned from Japan, who hosted Tokyo 2020 Olympics last year almost hitch-free.

However, Beijing will have to manoeuvre through Covid obstacles and political hindrances as there have been diplomatic boycotts from the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Canada, and Lithuania.

This has been in protest of China’s human rights violations, and stakeholders will follow this competition to see what role sports will play in global politics.

4. UFC

In the last decade, Mixed Martial Arts has grown in followership and popularity. Three Africans, including two Nigerians, have excelled in the previous three years.

Nigerian fighter Kamaru Usman was the first African UFC champion after winning the 170-pound welterweight title in early 2019. 

Israel Adesanya is also a champion in his weight category. At the same time, you may want to catch the best of Francis Ngannou before he fulfils his dreams of actively fighting in professional Boxing.

5. IAAF World Championships

Everybody loves the Olympics, but the major focus has always been on the Athletics event.

However, since we have to wait two more years before the Paris 2024 Olympics, we can fill in with the IAAF World Athletics Championship.

Apart from the fancy of the competition, Athletics fans would love to see how their favorite Olympic athletes are faring just a few months after.

Furthermore, many fans are still looking out for the Athlete who will command attention like Usain Bolt did before he retired from Athletics.