India is gearing up for an eventful year in sports in 2026, with a diverse calendar featuring global tournaments, continental championships, and domestic leagues across various disciplines. From cricket and badminton to hockey, shooting, and athletics, Indian sports fans can look forward to a packed schedule.
The year commences with the Women's Premier League (WPL) from January 9 to February 5, followed by the India Open badminton Super 750 in New Delhi, the Mumbai Marathon, and the Hockey India League in Chennai, Ranchi, and Bhubaneswar.
February promises to be a busy month. India will co-host the ICC Men's T20 World Cup. In tennis, Bengaluru will host the Davis Cup Qualifiers, while Chennai will stage the WTT Star Contender in table tennis. Shooting will take center stage with the Asian Championship Rifle/Pistol in New Delhi, followed by the inaugural Shooting League of India. India will also host FIH Pro League hockey matches.
In March, squash takes the spotlight with the JSW Indian Open, alongside the men's Indian Open golf event in New Delhi. The hugely popular Indian Premier League (IPL) is also expected to commence in March and continue through May.
Ahmedabad will host the Asian Weightlifting Championships in April.
August will see New Delhi host the BWF World Championships, one of badminton's most prestigious tournaments. Bhubaneswar will host India's first-ever World Athletics Continental Tour Silver-level meet.
In October, the National Open Athletics Championships will be held in New Delhi. Gurugram will host the Women's Indian Open in golf, followed by the India International Challenge badminton tournament in Raipur. Lucknow will host the Syed Modi India International Super 300 in November. The Guwahati Masters and the Odisha Masters are scheduled for December.
India will also participate in major multi-sport events, including the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, and the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. However, it's worth noting that shooting and wrestling have been removed from the Commonwealth Games roster to reduce costs. India's medal hopes will largely depend on athletics, boxing, and weightlifting.
Other significant events include the Under-19 50-over World Cup in Zimbabwe and Namibia from January 15 to February 6, the All England Championships in badminton starting March 3, the AFC Women's Asian Cup in Australia from March 1, and the Hockey World Cups (men's and women's) in Belgium and the Netherlands starting August 14. The Diamond League Finals will be held in Brussels on September 4 and 5, and the Chess Olympiad will take place in Tashkent in September. The World Championships of wrestling and weightlifting are scheduled for October and November, respectively.
