2021 will be a very busy and sporting year. Despite the pandemic times associated with the coronavirus, a host of global events are planned. There will also be high-profile sports competitions in selected countries and continents. Let’s take a look at the top 5 most engaging sports events to watch out for in 2021.
- Olympic Games 2021
In Tokyo, there is an “Olympic clock” where a symbolic countdown is held until the start of the Olympic Games. In March 2020, it was suspended for almost a week. Then the International Olympic Committee and the Japanese authorities, who were forced to announce the impossibility of holding the Games in 2020, decided what to do with them next. In the end, the 2020 Olympics agreed to be held in 2021 – or not at all.
In the entire history of the Olympic Games, they were canceled only three times – in 1916, 1940 and 1944, that is, during the world wars. And if the Games are canceled in peacetime, it is unlikely that this will positively affect the reputation of Japan, which will host them. The Japanese side has already received one reputational blow: the head of the organizing committee of the Games Yoshiro Mori resigned, who allowed himself to make sexist statements.
Of course, informally, Japanese officials admit that it is difficult, to put it mildly, to be in time with the preparations for the Games on time, and their cancellation would be the best option. And there, until 2032 (the next unoccupied Summer Olympics) is not far. But they prefer that the initiative did not come from them, but from, for example, the same IOC – so it will be possible to “save face”, as it actually was in March 2020.
It should also not be forgotten that Japan was counting on the Olympics as a source of investment and tourism. And in the event of a complete cancellation of the Games, as calculated by Kinki University professor Katsushiro Miyamoto, the state will lose more than $ 41 billion. Hence – the insistent assurances of the already new Japanese prime minister that the Olympics in 2021 must definitely pass, moreover, to unite the world in these terrible coronavirus times.
- Euro 2020
The final stage of the Euro 2020 tournament will take place from June 11 to July 11, 2021.
Who will play in the group stage?
Group A: Turkey, Italy, Wales, Switzerland
Group B: Denmark, Finland, Belgium, Russia
Group C: Netherlands, Ukraine, Austria, North Macedonia
Group D: England, Croatia, Scotland, Czech Republic
Group E: Spain, Sweden, Poland, Slovakia
Group F: Hungary, Portugal, France, Germany
For the first time in the 60-year history of the European Championship, the final tournament will take place across the continent. UEFA EURO 2020 matches will be hosted by 12 cities.
UEFA EURO 2020 cities:
Three group stage matches, 1/8 finals match, semi-finals and final
London, England: Wembley
Three group stage matches, one quarter-finals
Baku, Azerbaijan: “Olympic”
Munich, Germany: “Arena Munich”
Rome, Italy: Olimpico
Saint Petersburg, Russia: “Saint Petersburg”
Three group stage matches, one 1/8 finals match
Amsterdam, Netherlands: “Johan Cruyff Arena”
Bilbao, Spain: San Mames
Bucharest, Romania: “Arena National”
Budapest, Hungary: “Ferenc Puskas”
Copenhagen, Denmark: “Parken”
Dublin, Ireland: “Dublin Arena”
Glasgow, Scotland: Hampden Park
What is the format of the final tournament?
How the UEFA EURO 2020 qualifying play-offs will be played
The same as at EURO 2016. Two strongest teams from each group and four best third place winners will advance to the 1/8 finals.
UEFA has confirmed its intention to host the European Championship in 12 cities according to the already published schedule. All parties are aware of the need for flexibility in making decisions about organizing the tournament in order to take into account the various problems and circumstances in which the cities find themselves.
As a result, and due to the rapidly changing situation around the pandemic, the deadline for submitting plans for placing fans in stadiums has been postponed to early April.
UEFA President Aleksandar Čeferin said: “UEFA intends to host Euro 2020 in the originally planned 12 cities. The Euro is the flagship soccer tournament for national teams in Europe and a vital source of funding for grassroots football and the future development of the game.
It is important that we give host cities and governments as much time as possible to formulate an accurate picture of what may be in store for us in June and July.
The fans are a huge part of what makes football special, and this is true of the European Championship as well as any match. We must give ourselves as much space as possible so that they can return to the stadiums.”
- European Champions League Playoffs (February-June)
Undoubtedly, the last Champions League playoff turned out to be unique, it completely surpassed the expectations of fans of the game under quarantine conditions. But then there were no fans in the stands, and all the series were held in one match. Now the teams will be forced to demonstrate the optimal level in order to still compete for the “eared” one.
And even at the stage of 1/4 finals, you can already find intrigue – which is only the battle between Bayern and PSG, between Lewandowski and Neymar. Defends the title of Bayern Munich, which became the absolute best team of 2020. Any participant in the playoffs can surprise and end up in the finals.
- IPL 2021
The Indian Premier League is the most popular professional cricket league in India. The Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Kolkata Knight Riders, Punjab Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals are ready to show their best in the new season. The Indian Premier League is the most visited cricket league in the world and is ranked sixth among all sports leagues in the world. These strong indicators mean that the whole world will pay attention to the IPL 2021 in the spring.
IPL 2021 is also attractive for its betting properties. Many enthusiasts are going to bet on the matches of this competition. Live betting directly in real time when watching matches will be especially popular. And more subtleties and tips on betting strategies and the choice of sites for this business can be found on the resource https://bettingking.in/ .
- The International 2021
Esports fans will have their own juicy event. The largest championship in the history of the Dota 2 discipline, The International 2021, will take place in August. It is noteworthy that this will be the anniversary rally that will determine the best team in the professional scene. 16 worthy applicants will compete for an incredible prize pool – at the moment it is 40 million dollars.
If Valve decides to release a new Battle Pass, then the amount can almost double. Watching the battles of top teams will be interesting even for those who have never heard of eSports before.