The joy of a great sporting rivalry is that it makes both rivals perform even better. When there’s more on the line than just victory or defeat, the fans and spectators are the real winners. Here are 10 events taking place in 2022 where passionate rivalries raise the stakes:
IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship (13-29 May 2022), Ice Hockey
Tampere Deck Arena, Tampere, Finland · Helsinki Ice Hall, Helsinki
We’re heading into the decisive stages of this premier international competition and it’s all about rivalries. Hosts Finland have already taken on Sweden, and they’re due to play Austria (21 May) and Czechia (24 May) in what should be nail-biting games. Watch some hockey giants in action when Canada faces Switzerland (21 May), Denmark (23 May), and France (24 May). Neighbours Sweden and Norway take to the ice on 22 May, but which skilled Scandinavian skaters will come out on top? All that before we even get to the quarterfinals (26 May), semifinals (28 May), and then the final (29 May)! Tickets are available as multi-game packages or as single games for the final stages with tickets for the final starting from EUR €355.
England v New Zealand LV= Insurance Test Series (2–27 June 2022), Cricket
Lord’s Cricket Ground, London, UK · Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, Nottingham · Headingley Cricket Ground, Leeds
Australia might be England’s most famous cricketing rivals, but in recent years, England and New Zealand have shared the more dramatic and meaningful battles on the field, including the heart-stopping 2019 World Cup Final. England may have won on that occasion, but New Zealand have since asserted themselves as the world’s best Test side. In 2022, the rivalry will be reignited as New Zealand return to England for a 3-match Test series. To add extra fuel to the fire, the contest will be New Zealand legend Brendon McCullum’s first match as England Head Coach. Enjoy a day at Trent Bridge for the Second Test from GBP £18, or alternatively, treat yourself to first-class hospitality at Lord’s for the First Test from £574.
New South Wales Swifts v Queensland Firebirds (12 June 2022), Netball
Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Centre, Sydney, Australia
The Swifts and the Firebirds first lined up against each other in 1997, as members of the Commonwealth Bank Trophy League. 25 years and several competition reshuffles later, these icons of Australian netball maintain one of the fiercest rivalries in the sport. In both 2015 and 2016, the last seasons of the ANZ Championship, the Firebirds vanquished the Swifts in incredibly tight Grand Finals. The tables have turned since the formation of Suncorp Super Netball, with the Firebirds forced to watch as the Swifts claimed 2 Championship titles. The Queensland team triumphed when the sides met earlier this season, but the Swifts are reigning champions, and their fans will not take kindly to another loss when the rivalry reignites on 12 June. Adult tickets start at AUD $25 (USD $18).
Summer Series: Australia v England (2-16 July 2022), Rugby Union
Perth Stadium (Optus), Perth, Australia · Lang Park (Brisbane Stadium), Brisbane · Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Australia and England may lie at opposite ends of the globe, but they always find a way to come up against each other on some of the biggest sporting stages in the world - did someone mention the Ashes, or the Summer Olympics medal table? The rivalry also extends to the rugby pitch, with high-profile matches such as the 2003 Rugby World Cup final exhibiting a fierce animosity. England’s 3-test tour of Australia during the 2022 Summer Series will be the latest instalment of this famous feud, with matches scheduled in Perth, Brisbane, and Sydney throughout July. Adult ticket prices start at AUD $99 (USD $68) at all 3 matches.
World Athletics Championships (15-24 July 2022), Athletics
Hayward Field, Eugene, Oregon, USA
As rivalries go, there are not many more tense than those between athletes as they line up on the track or warm up on the field, competing as individuals to be fastest, strongest, toughest. It doesn’t come much bigger than the World Athletics Championships, taking place this year in Eugene, Oregon. Will Elaine Thompson-Herah claim that 200m crown or will Gabby Thomas step up? Will it be Mondo Duplantis or rising star Chris Nilsen jumping to pole vault victory? The compelling action takes place over 10 days, with 2 sessions on most days. The best seats in the house are situated along the finishing straight and start at USD $95, but the cheapest tickets start at just $10.
Presidents Cup (19-25 September 2022), Golf
Quail Hollow Club, Charlotte, USA
We might be in an off-year for the Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get your fill of major international team golf competition. The Presidents Cup is a biennial tournament in the same vein, pitting the United States against a “rest of the world” team formed of the best competitors that Australia, South Africa, Japan, and more have to offer. Team golf events lend themselves to tension, passion, and drama like few others, and when you throw in some of the world’s best players, it makes for an unmissable contest. The USA are on a hot streak in this competition, but an International Team upset would be truly unforgettable. Prices start from USD $64 for standard tickets and $164 for hospitality.
Victor Denmark Open (18-23 October 2022), Badminton: Viktor Axelsen v Kento Momota
Jyske Bank Arena, Odense, Denmark
Going into the 2021 Denmark Open final, then-men's singles world number 1 Kento Momota had a dominant 14-1 record against Viktor Axelsen. After 93 sensational minutes, that record stood at 14-2, with Axelsen having triumphed in front of his home crowd to win his first Denmark Open title. The rivalry between Axelsen and Momota is not a bitter, personal feud, but a clash of styles, and a battle for the most coveted trophies on the BWF tour. Going into the 2022 Denmark Open, Axelsen is likely to have the higher ranking, but Momota will still boast the better head-to-head record. Should the players meet during the tournament, it’s sure to be one of the matches of the year. Adult general admission day tickets start from DKK Kr. 155 (USD $24).
FIFA World Cup: England vs. USA (25 November 2022), Football
Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor, Qatar
April’s FIFA World Cup draw threw up some interesting matchups during the group stage in Qatar, and one of the most intriguing will be England’s clash with the United States in the second round of matches in Group B. Meetings between these men’s sides have historically been very one-sided in favour of the Three Lions, but the World Cup is a different story. Team USA stunned their opponents 1-0 when they met in the 1950 tournament, and at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa they drew 1-1. It will be a vital game for both sides as they look to reach the knockout phase, so this promises to be a high-stakes showdown! Tickets start at QAR 250 (USD $69) for international fans, while resale begins at QAR 1,427 (USD $392).
Ohio State Buckeyes v Michigan Wolverines (26 November 2022), American Football
Ohio Stadium, Columbus, USA
The Buckeyes and the Wolverines have such a long history of vicious rivalry that their annual matchup is often referred to simply as “The Game.” Dating back to a first clash in 1897, this meeting is the big one for fans of either team. Between 1918 and 2020 the teams met every year without interruption, and ESPN has called it the greatest US sports rivalry of all time. Michigan leads the series with 59 wins to Ohio State’s 51, but these are 2 of the most successful programs in college football, and anything can happen in The Game. Before the Wolverines won in 2021, the Buckeyes had enjoyed an 8-year victory streak. Tickets for the eagerly-awaited 2022 matchup start at USD $302.
Mosconi Cup (30 November – 3 December 2022), Pool
Bally's Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, USA
There’s something about international team-based events that seems to create great rivalries. The Mosconi Cup – 9-ball pool’s answer to golf’s Ryder Cup or 10-pin bowling’s Weber Cup – is no different. Spurred on by a passionate crowd wherever the tournament is held, teams from the USA and Europe have played out 27 editions of the Mosconi Cup with enough fist-pumping, cue-throwing, and nail-biting suspense to last a lifetime. In 2022, after back-to-back wins for Europe in 2020 and 2021, the competition returns to Las Vegas where, backed by a vocal American crowd, the US will hope to tie Europe’s 14 all-time Mosconi Cup wins. With standard tickets available from USD $85, and VIP packages from $434, this is a high-stakes, head-to-head showdown not to be missed.
For more information on these events, including ticket prices, click the links below:
- IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship (13-29 May 2022), Ice Hockey
- England v New Zealand LV= Insurance Test Series (2–27 June 2022), Cricket
- New South Wales Swifts v Queensland Firebirds (12 June 2022), Netball
- Summer Series: Australia v England (2-16 July 2022), Rugby Union
- World Athletics Championships (15-24 July 2022), Athletics
- Presidents Cup (19-25 September 2022), Golf
- Victor Denmark Open (18-23 October 2022), Badminton: Viktor Axelsen v Kento Momota
- FIFA World Cup: England vs. USA (25 November 2022), Football
- Ohio State Buckeyes v Michigan Wolverines (26 November 2022), American Football
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Mosconi Cup (30 November – 3 December 2022), Pool