For sporting enthusiasts, there is no better way to enjoy the true nature of a country than attending a local sporting event. Here are a few events that are well-worth attending in various locations around the world.
Formula1 Grand Prix, various countries
Formula1 is raced in over 22 countries from late March to late November. If you plan on traveling around the world and are interested in motorsports, it is well worth checking if any of the countries you are traveling to are hosting the event at the time you are there. The event usually goes for about four days with practice and qualifying races occurring which are equally exciting as the main race. Other entertainment also takes place at the races including music and celebrity appearances.
FIFA World Cup, various countries
Soccer, or football as it is mostly known, is one of the biggest and most popular sports in the world. Every country in the world plays the sport and it has a following of over 4 billion people worldwide. The FIFA World Cup is one of the biggest sporting events in the world and is watched by over 1 billion people every four years. It was inaugurated in 1930 and first played in Montevideo, Uruguay. It has since been hosted in many countries including South Africa, the United States, Russia, Brazil, Mexico, England, Spain, France, and Italy. The current World Cup Champions are France who won in Russia against Croatia 4-2. The next FIFA World Cup will be in 2022 and will be hosted by Qatar.
The Sydney Cup, Sydney, Australia
Inaugurated in 1862, this is one of the biggest horse racing events in Australia. It is run during the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival and is part of the ATC Championships. At 3200 meters, it is the longest race in the club and has a total prize purse of $2,000,000. Knowing the Sydney Cup odds is important to be able to determine how other races will go and can help a punter immensely, especially if you were looking to go for the trifecta. It became a Group 1 race in 1980 and was won by legendary thoroughbred horse Kingston Town. Other notable horses to have won the race are Makybe Diva in 2004 and Tie the Knot in 1998 and 1999. The most recent winner was Selino in 2021.
Tour de France, various cities towns and villages, France
This is the biggest cycling event in the world and primarily takes place in France although since the 1950s other countries have hosted different stages of the race including Italy, Andorra, Belgium, Ireland, Spain, and Switzerland. Millions of people turn out to watch the event and try to find places to camp out to get the best view of the race. The first Tour de France was held in 1903, and was won by Italian-born Frenchman Maurice Garin. Although the race has been rife with doping issues over the years, the sporting organizers have become more stringent and as such have had no issues in the past decade. The race continues to be popular to this day and has been dominated by France although the most recent winner was Tadej Pogačar, a Slovenian who won the race in both 2020 and 2021.
No matter where you go in the world, sport is a big part of many cultures. Attending a sporting event is a fantastic way to dig a little deeper into the destination you are visiting and get a real feel for the local people.
