Europe as a continent is a sports enthusiast’s dream. It boasts the steep slopes, vast bodies of water and mountain-passes that have inspired some of the most challenging sporting events known to man. Its countries also happen to produce exceptional athletes who continually baffle us with their incredible skill and talent. While it’s all good and well to watch iconic sporting events on the telly, nothing quite beats the thrill of being there in the flesh. Expat Explore has compiled this list of the 2023 sport events that make people flock from all over the world to Europe and the United Kingdom.
The Championships, Wimbledon: London & the world’s oldest tennis tournament
3 – 16 July 2023
The Championships, Wimbledon, most commonly referred to simply as ‘Wimbledon’, has been held on the outdoor grass courts of the All England Club in Wimbledon since 1877. It’s rated as one of the most prestigious tennis events the world over. This premier Grand Slam tournament takes place over the course of two weeks in early July. It draws visitors from far and wide who come dressed to the nines to watch the main, junior, wheelchair, qualifying and invitation events and rub shoulders with the who’s who of UK royalty and celebrities.
Related: Continue your royal time with these top places to visit in London!
IAAF World Championships – Budapest, Hungary
19 – 27 August 2023
The IAAF World Championships, commonly known as the World Championships in Athletics, is an athletics event organised by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and takes place once every two years. This year the event will be hosted by Budapest at the National Athletics Centre. Visitors can look forward to an enormous selection of track and field events that showcase the talents of some of the world’s foremost athletes – riveting to say the least!
London Marathon: The UK’s foremost long-distance running event
23 April 2023
The TCS London Marathon is a very popular long-distance running event that takes place in London each year and forms part of the World Marathon Majors. This means it is on the bucket list of just about every serious runner out there. The marathon is run an on almost entirely flat course that loops around the River Thames. It spans just over 42 kilometres (26 miles), and has three different starting points that converge after the first 4.5km (2.8 miles). The London Marathon also attracts thousands of spectators who come to cheer on the runners. If your interest in the event is more along this vein, here is some great advice about the best locations to watch from, etc.
Monaco Grand Prix: The world’s most glamorous F1 event
28 May 2023
Raced on the winding, cobbled streets of Monaco off the coast of France, the Monaco Grand Prix is not your average car race. This prestigious circuit is frequented by the who’s who in the automotive industry and also happens to one of the most demanding F1 tracks in the world, despite the low average speeds. The many elevation changes and tight turns means it’s one of the most dangerous places to race, which, of course, makes for nail-biting viewing. There are tickets available to view the spectacle from a variety of glamorous locations throughout the city, including a yacht if your budget allows!
Palio di Siena – Siena, Italy
2 July + 16 August 2023
The Palio di Siena is an epic biannual event that has been taking place in Siena since 1644. What in essence boils down to a 90-second horse race in which ten horses and bare-back riders challenge each other to three laps around the Piazza del Campo is actually so much more than that – it’s a civic institution. The ten horses and riders each represent a Sienese contrade, or ward. There are 17 contrades in total, and lots are drawn to see which wards compete in this historical spectacle each year. Visitors can look forward to plenty of colourful decorations and (mostly) friendly rivalry as the contrades dress up their neighbourhoods to support their challenger, and a boisterous carnival atmosphere permeates the streets – lots of fun!
Related: Saddle up for a true Italian experience with one of our tours to Italy.
Tour de France – France
1 – 23 July 2023
The Tour de France is an epic, annual multiple-stage bicycle race that takes place throughout France, but also occasionally segues into nearby countries, and has been a proud French institution since 1903. This year’s challenging route kicks off in Bilbao, Spain and finishes in Paris, France after 21 gruelling stages. The 2023 route traverses parts of Spain, up through France, transfers to the Pyrénées, crosses the Massif Central into the Alps and includes Puy de Dôme, which hasn’t appeared on the Tour route since 1988. In short – there are plenty of beautiful areas in which to cheer on the Tour de France racers this year. Just check the schedule ahead of time and coincide a leg of your European trip to meet up with a route touchpoint.
And the big wait is over for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Hosts
The FIFA World Cup 2026™ tournament (yes, it’s so huge that even the name is trademarked!) is the world’s most-watched sporting event. Held once every four years, the tournament features the talents of the senior men’s national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). The upcoming tournament will be the first-ever hosted by three counties, Canada, the USA and Mexico, and will also be the first edition to feature 48 teams. If you’re a soccer fan, seeing at least one FIFA World Cup 2026™ match should be at the top of your bucket list – the sheer electricity and spirit of the crowds alone are enough to give you goosebumps, and then there’s the incredible soccer of course!
Here’s to a year jam-packed with iconic European sporting events! Discover our Europe multi-country tours and keep your eye on the blog for more annual event inspiration to motivate your next travel adventure.