In the words of Henry James, “it takes an endless amount of history to make even a little tradition”, and these sports events are just a few that have cemented their place in tradition through years of history, fierce rivalries, and showstopping moments.
Cazoo UK Championship (12–20 November), Snooker
York Barbican, York, UK
Snooker’s UK Championship is not only one of the game’s most prestigious tournaments, but also one of its oldest. Part of the Triple Crown Series, alongside the World Championship and Masters, the UK Championship was first played in the shadow of the Blackpool Tower in 1977. Since then, the event has been won by a long list of legends, including Ronnie O’Sullivan, Steve Davis, Stephen Hendry, Alex Higgins, and Neil Robertson. In 2022, the UK Championship will be held at York Barbican between 12–20 November. The ancient city of York, which has been the tournament’s most regular home since 2000, is a fitting setting for this distinguished event, where standard, single-session tickets are available from GBP £25.
FIFA World Cup (20 November – 18 December 2022), Football
Venues across Qatar
The biggest event in football and arguably the biggest sporting event on the planet, the FIFA World Cup is a quadrennial meeting of 32 of the best national teams from around the globe as they battle to be crowned world champions. First held in Uruguay in 1930 – when just 13 teams contested the competition – no other international football competition can match the World Cup for historic significance or prestige, and with so much at stake, the drama and thrills are equally unrivalled. This year marks the first time the tournament has been held in the Middle East as it heads to Qatar. Standard match tickets are available from QR 40 (USD $11) for Qatar residents and QR 250 ($69) for international fans, while hospitality is available from USD $950.
Cazoo World Darts Championship (15 December 2022 - 3 January 2023), Darts
Alexandra Palace, London, UK
The World Darts Championship is historic not due to its longevity – it has only been held since 1994 – but thanks to its role in shaping the history of professional darts. The inaugural World Championship was held amidst a player-led breakaway from the British Darts Organisation (BDO), darts’ then-dominant governing body, and represented a watershed moment in the professionalisation of the sport. The defectors’ rival championship eventually gave rise to the organisation which was to become the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC), which has since displaced the BDO. Today, the World Darts Championship is a festive highlight of the PDC calendar and the most coveted trophy in the game. Single session tickets for the 2022-2023 event start from GBP £34.
Rose Bowl Game (2 Jan 2023), American Football
Rose Bowl, Pasadena, United States
Known in football circles as “the Granddaddy of Them All,” the Rose Bowl Game is one of the most iconic spectacles in United States sports. The college football postseason is made up of bowl games, one-off matchups between the best-performing teams from the regular season. Of all these, the Rose Bowl Game is both the oldest and the most prestigious. It was first contested in 1902 and has been an annual fixture since 1916, hosted at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena from 1923 onwards. The 2023 game will feature the Pac-12 conference champion against the Big Ten champion, as long as neither of these teams is selected for the College Football Playoffs. Tickets are available from USD $300.
Yonex All England Open Badminton Championships (14-19 March 2023), Badminton
Utilita Arena Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
The All England was first held in 1898 in Surrey, UK, making it the world’s oldest badminton tournament. Since that first edition, the All England has been held almost every year, stopping only during the world wars, and the event’s unrivalled longevity has contributed to the unique level of prestige it enjoys; it is not the only Super 1000-level event in the badminton calendar, but its trophy is certainly the most coveted. Indeed, the All England was considered badminton’s de facto world championship for much of the 20th century. Despite being over 100 years old, however, it is still a vibrant, modern event, attended by thousands of fans every year. Adult day tickets for next year’s All England start at GBP £19.
Boodles May Festival (10-12 May 2023), Horse Racing
Chester Racecourse, Chester, UK
As one of the world’s oldest sports, it is no wonder that horse racing has many long-lived events with everything from the Epsom Derby to the Kentucky Derby. Chester Racecourse, however, is something truly special in holding the record for the world’s oldest racecourse still in operation, dating back to 1539. The course’s most prestigious meet of the year is the Boodles May Festival, a 3-day flat racing fixture including City Day, Ladies Day, and Chester Cup Day. Chester is yet to release their 2023 tickets, but they always offer fantastic hospitality packages as well as the most affordable tickets in The Roodee (Open Course and Dee Stand) with access to both sides of the famously tight track. Add the event to your Koobit interests to be informed of ticket releases!
Monaco Grand Prix (25-28 May 2023), Motorsports
Circuit de Monaco, Monaco
The Monaco Grand Prix is synonymous with glitz, glamour, and motor racing excellence. Part of the Triple Crown of Motorsport, this Formula 1 event has been held 79 times and continues to attract huge crowds to the winding city streets of Monaco. Unlike most modern circuits, the Circuit de Monaco is set up entirely on public roads, providing the drivers with the challenges of wildly tight corners and steep, narrow climbs. Fittingly for such a moneyed location, the Grand Prix offers an array of luxurious hospitality packages as well as traditional grandstand viewing. Tickets are on sale now for next year’s race, with Sunday grandstand prices starting at EUR €660.
Stanley Cup Finals (June 2023), Ice Hockey
Venue to be confirmed, United States or Canada
We may only be a month into the National Hockey League (NHL) 2022/23 season, but it’s never too early to look ahead to the prize they’re all playing for. The Stanley Cup is North America’s oldest professional sports trophy having been first awarded as a hockey prize in 1892. After the regular season of competition running from October to April followed by the first rounds of the playoffs, the Finals will see the Eastern Conference champions take on the Western Conference champions in a best-of-7 series. Though a date is yet to be confirmed, the first Finals game is expected to take place in mid-June. Last season, the Colorado Avalanche claimed victory over Tampa Bay Lightning to lift - and accidentally drop - the iconic trophy. That’s one way to make your mark in history!
The Ashes (16 June – 31 July 2023), Cricket
Lord’s Cricket Ground, London, UK · The Kia Oval, London · Old Trafford Cricket Ground, Manchester · Edgbaston Cricket Ground, Birmingham · Headingley Cricket Ground, Leeds
Organised cricket matches have been played since the early 1600s, so it is no surprise that the game has its fair share of historic rivalries and tournaments. Arguably the greatest of all cricketing traditions is The Ashes – a biennial Test series between England and Australia dating back to 1882. Responsible for so many dramatic matches through the years, The Ashes sees the 2 sides compete for a terracotta urn containing a burnt cricket bail from the 1882 Series. In 2023, the 73rd Ashes Series will take place at cricket grounds across England between 16 June – 31 July, as a rejuvenated England side attempt to wrestle the trophy from Australia’s grasp for the first time since 2015.
The Open (16-23 July 2023), Golf
Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Merseyside, UK
Few sporting events are more historic than The Open Championship, which is the oldest golf tournament in the world having first been held in 1860. Britain’s national open is one of the 4 men’s major golf competitions, held at a different prestigious course each year in which the best golf professionals – and a handful of the world’s top amateurs – face off to win the iconic Claret Jug and cement their place in golf history. In 2023, the 151st edition of the tournament will be held at Royal Liverpool, the 13th time it has been played on that course. The ballot for standard tickets has closed, however, hospitality is still available to purchase from GBP £330. Resale tickets are also available from £133.
For more information on these events, including ticket prices, click the links below:
- Cazoo UK Championship (12–20 November), Snooker
- FIFA World Cup (20 November – 18 December 2022), Football
- Cazoo World Darts Championship (15 December 2022 - 3 January 2023), Darts
- Rose Bowl Game (2 Jan 2023), American Football
- Yonex All England Open Badminton Championships (14-19 March 2023), Badminton
- Boodles May Festival (10-12 May 2023), Horse Racing
- Monaco Grand Prix (25-28 May 2023), Motorsports
- Stanley Cup Finals (June 2023), Ice Hockey
- The Ashes (16 June – 31 July 2023), Cricket
- The Open (16-23 July 2023), Golf