Dame Lisa Carrington could add to her golden tally at the Paris Olympics.
Dame Lisa Carrington could add to her golden tally at the Paris Olympics.
Get your 2024 calendar out and circle these dates. Cameron McMillan runs through the top sporting events in the upcoming 12 months.
Super Bowl LVIII - February 12
The Super Bowl comes to Las Vegas. The AFC and NFC Championship games are often better matches than the Super Bowl but the big one is always a must-watch. Usher is the halftime act. Yeah! Will it be the Ravens vs 49ers again? Another Kelce Bowl or maybe the Cowboys return to the Super Bowl since 1995? Or it could very well be Joe Flacco outduelling Jared Goff’s Lions in the dome.
Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk - February 17
The WBC heavyweight champion takes on the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight champion - yes all the belts are on the line when they enter the ring in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Fury has 34 wins and one draw with Deontay Wilder while Usyk has a 21-0 record, 14 by knockout. Usyk impressed in his two wins over Anthony Joshua but fought only once in 2023 - another KO. Fury also had just one fight last year - a split decision against UFC star Francis Ngannou - so it’s hard to read what to make of recent efforts.
The defending World Test Champions vs the first title holders. New Zealand have won just one test against Australia in 20 years, being the 2011 victory in Hobart. Their last win on home soil came in 1993 and their only win at the Basin was in 1990. Doesn’t make great reading for the Black Caps but they’ve had a fine run at home of late. Kane Williamson vs Pat Cummins at the Basin - can’t wait.
Kane Williamson batting. Photo / Photosport
Liverpool vs Manchester City - March 10
Aston Villa and Arsenal might have something to say about it but the Anfield clash is shaping up to be the possible title decider - albeit with 10 games remaining in the season after this game. City then host Arsenal two weeks later while Villa host Liverpool in the penultimate game of the season. Would be great to see an EPL go down to the last day.
Warriors vs Storm - March 16
Andrew Webster’s side had a brilliant year in 2023 falling a game short of the NRL final but the slate is wiped clean and expectations step up for the 2024 season. They host the Sharks in round one, which isn’t an easy start to the season, before heading to Melbourne for their first away game of 2024. It will be a real tester for the side but should give an indication of where the 2024 Warriors are heading.
The Masters final round - April 14
Hopefully Kiwi Ryan Fox will be in action in the fourth round as he makes his second appearance at Augusta. Fox will have a decent lead-in having secured a PGA Tour card in 2024. He’s also a possible selection for the Presidents Cup, this year being hosted in Montreal in September. The Masters will have the added intrigue of defending champion Jon Rahm returning as LIV Golf player, while Tiger Woods should be in better shape after withdrawing from the 2023 event on the Sunday.
Men’s Twenty20 World Cup final - June 30
West Indies and the US are hosting with the schedule yet to be revealed but I’m calling it now, this will be the Black Caps’ maiden short-form title.
Uefa returns to one host again and the last time Germany did the job, it was as West Germany. They were superb as World Cup hosts in 2006 with quick train rides to each venue and have plenty of impressive stadia. There are plenty of great match-ups in the group phase with Spain, Croatia and Italy all in the same pool, while France take on the Netherlands on June 22. England have an easier-looking group (Serbia, Denmark and Slovenia) and expectations will be as high as ever after going so close at Wembley three years ago only to lose in the final to Italy.
Paris Olympics - Women’s 400m freestyle final - July 28
Ariarne Titmus, Katie Ledecky, Erika Fairweather and Summer McIntosh all battling it out in the Paris pool. Titmus broke Ledecky’s world record at the world championships with Fairweather finishing third behind the American great. Ledecky may have her eyes on the longer distances to add to her seven Olympic titles.
Paris Olympics - Women’s Rugby Sevens gold medal match - July 31
Australia appear to have the edge over the Black Ferns Sevens after winning the opening two events of the Sevens series. New Zealand were shocked by France in the Cape Town Sevens but have plenty of events in the lead-up to the Olympics to return to form.
Michaela Blyde scores during the semifinal defeat to France at the Cape Town Sevens event. Photosport
Paris Olympics - Women’s K1 500m - August 9
The K1 200m has been dropped for Paris but Dame Lisa Carrington could add more gold medals to her record six so far, in either the K1 500m, K2 500m or the K4 500m.
Paris Olympics - Men’s 1500m final - August 7
Many prefer the 100m final but it hasn’t been the same without Usain Bolt. The 1500m provides plenty of drama each year.
All Blacks vs Springboks, Ellis Park, September 1
An All Blacks visit to Ellis Park is always worth getting up for but there will be even more on this clash between the great rugby rivals being their first meeting since the Rugby World Cup final. It will also be a huge tester for new coach Scott Robertson with the two games in South Africa likely to decide the Rugby Championship.
All Blacks winger Mark Telea during the Rugby World Cup final against the Springboks.
America’s Cup race one - October 12
The sprint to the first leg often says it all in the America’s Cup match. Can Team New Zealand defend the Auld Mug on away waters? Will the nation still care?
Auckland A-League franchise’s opening game - October 20-something
The team doesn’t have a name or any players signed yet but the new Auckland franchise will kick-off their maiden A-League season in October. The A-League should do the smart thing and make the opener a home game against the Wellington Phoenix - or at least save an afternoon Labour Day kick-off.
Cameron McMillan has been a sports journalist since 2003 and is NZME’s deputy head of sport. A career highlight was live blogging the 2011 Rugby World Cup final from Eden Park (in a media box surrounded by French journalists).
