Leaves are falling from the trees, the nights are drawing in, and children are heading back to school; autumn is here. Some sports leagues are just getting going while others are building toward a thrilling climax, so put on your sweater, grab your pumpkin spice latte, and check out these 10 awesome autumn events!
Laver Cup (23-25 September 2022), Tennis
The O2, London, UK
Tennis is generally reserved for the summertime in the United Kingdom but, this autumn, one of the most star-studded events in the game, the Laver Cup, will be heading to London. This light-hearted, all-star competition pits Team Europe against Team World, with this year’s incredible player roster set to include Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Andy Murray, and Rafael Nadal, among others. Single session ticket prices start at GBP £161 including fees, and you don’t have to worry about the English weather being just a bit too autumnal, because the Laver Cup will be taking place under the iconic roof of the O2 – so there’s no risk of rain stopping play!
Alfred Dunhill Links Championship (29 September - 2 October 2022), Golf
St. Andrews Links, St. Andrews, UK · Carnoustie Golf Links, Carnoustie, UK · Kingsbarns Golf Links, Kingsbarns, UK
What do you get when you combine world-class golfers and a host of famous faces? The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship! One of the highlights of the DP World Tour, this event partners golfers and celebrities for a thrilling pro-am team championship, which runs concurrently with the pros’ individual competition. The event has attracted huge names including Hollywood stars Bill Murray and Samuel L. Jackson, pop stars Justin Timberlake and Ronan Keating, and sporting legends Sir Steve Redgrave and Shane Warne to take part in the past, so whether you’re a golf fan or not, there’s something for everyone here. Admission is free for all spectators over the first 3 days of the competition, while attendance on the final day costs just GBP £20 for adults.
The Great Autumn Meeting (29 September 2022), Horse Racing
Warwick Racecourse, Warwick, UK
Autumn signals the end of the summer, but it also heralds the coming of more bracing weather and the much-anticipated return of the jump racing season! It's time to put those summer dresses and linen suits in the cupboard; wrap up in a cosy scarf and get your wellies on, because the hurdlers and chasers have limbered up and are ready to race! The Great Autumn Meeting at Warwick Racecourse is just one of the fantastic meetings kickstarting the jump season. Tickets start at just GBP £20 and there’s also the option to book a Horses for Courses Tour where you get a behind-the-scenes look at the course before the day’s racing. The fixture raises funds for Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance and includes the annual charity race!
Liverpool v Rangers (4 October 2022), Football
Anfield, Liverpool, UK
Midweek autumn nights wouldn’t be complete without UEFA Champions League football under the lights, and if you’re looking for a match to go to, then Liverpool’s group stage clash with Glasgow Rangers could be perfect. European nights at Anfield are famous for their atmosphere, and with Rangers back in this competition for the first time since the 2010-11 season, the travelling Glaswegian support are sure to match the home fans in voice. Adult tickets will start from £37, which will secure you a seat in the iconic Kop End, when tickets for this match go on sale.
NHL Global Series (7-8 October & 4-5 November 2022), Ice Hockey
O2 Arena, Prague, Czechia · Nokia Arena, Tampere, Finland
The NHL Global Series marks the start of another nail-biting NHL season; what better way to see in the cooler weather than with ice hockey?! The NHL Global Series Challenge games – Nashville Predators v SC Bern (3 Oct at the PostFinance-Arena, Bern, Switzerland) and San Jose Sharks v Eisbären Berlin (4 Oct at Mercedes-Benz Arena, Berlin, Germany) – serve as gripping pre-season match-ups where fans of top European teams can see how their sides fare against NHL giants. The Predators and the Sharks then travel to Prague to face-off against each other twice (once on 7 Oct and then on 8 Oct) in the first regular season games of the 2022-23 campaign. On 4 Nov and 5 Nov, the Columbus Blue Jackets and reigning Stanley Cup champions Colorado Avalanche also play at the Nokia Arena.
US Open Pool Championship (10-15 October), Pool
The Waterfront at Harrah’s Resort, Atlantic City, USA
First played in 1976, the US Open Pool Championship is one of the most historic and highly-coveted 9-ball pool tournaments in the world. Each autumn, over 250 hopefuls step up to the table with their hearts set on hoisting the Barry Behrman Trophy and slipping on the famous green blazer reserved exclusively for winners of this great championship. Best of all, the US Open is a truly “open” competition, meaning amateurs and professionals alike meet on an even playing field, so expect some David and Goliath clashes, with a few fairy-tale upsets thrown in for good measure when the world's best rack it up in New Jersey this fall. Tickets for the US Open start at USD $28 for a single day’s action, and $152 for a 6-Day Pass.
Rugby League World Cup 2021 (15 October – 19 November 2022), Rugby
Venues across England
The Rugby League World Cup is the biggest event in international rugby league, and its postponement from 2021 to the autumn of 2022 has only served to intensify the hype around the tournament. The competition will feature 32 of the best teams across men’s, women’s, and wheelchair rugby league in an integrated month-long competition – one of the first formats of its kind outside of multi-sport events – and will showcase 21 of England’s finest sporting venues from London to Newcastle, with affordable tickets available up and down the land. Adult ticket prices start at GBP £20 at many group stage games, child discounts are available at all matches, and some tickets are valid for doubleheader fixtures, giving fans more matches for their money!
United States Grand Prix (21-23 October 2022), Motorsports
Circuit of the Americas, Austin, USA
October brings the relief of slightly cooler weather to Austin, Texas, until Formula 1 roars into town to heat things up again. The United States Grand Prix, held at the Circuit of the Americas since 2012, is one of the most well-attended race weekends on the motorsports calendar. Last year, more than 400,000 people showed up! This time around, concerts from Green Day and Ed Sheeran will add to the festivities, as Lewis Hamilton seeks to fight back and to add to his record 6 wins in Texas. Single day tickets are available from USD $38, while weekend passes start at $754 for a seat at Turn 19.
WWE Survivor Series (26 November 2022), Wrestling
TD Garden, Boston, USA
WWE has become such a vibrant part of popular culture that many fans associate the seasons with the company’s biggest pay-per-views (PPVs). Winter has the Royal Rumble, WrestleMania is a sign of spring, SummerSlam is a celebration of, well, summer, and since 1987 autumn has laid claim to Survivor Series. As WWE’s second longest running PPV (after WrestleMania), Survivor Series has played host to some of pro-wrestling's most iconic moments, including the infamous Shawn Michaels v Bret Hart match of 1997, a colossal 5-on-5 tag match between Team WWE and Team Alliance in 2001, and the first-ever Elimination Chamber match in 2002. Boston welcomes Survivor Series for the fourth time on 26 November, with tickets available from around USD $72.
Alabama v Auburn (26 November 2022), American Football
Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, USA
Thanksgiving and American football go together like pecans and pie crust. The holiday weekend traditionally features a number of high-profile NFL and college games, and 2022 is no different. Of all the intense rivalry matchups on the schedule this year, Auburn at Alabama looks like the pick of the bunch. The Iron Bowl is a fierce battle between 2 titans of the Southeastern Conference, both hailing from the football-mad state of Alabama. The Crimson Tide is a popular favourite to win the college football national championship, but the Auburn Tigers would love nothing more than to dent their in-state rival’s ambitions by winning on the Tide’s home field. Tickets are on sale from USD $229.
For more information on these events, including ticket prices, click the links below:
- Laver Cup (23-25 September 2022), Tennis
- Alfred Dunhill Links Championship (29 September – 2 October 2022), Golf
- The Great Autumn Meeting (29 September 2022), Horse Racing
- Liverpool v Rangers (4 October 2022), Football
- NHL Global Series (7-8 October & 4-5 November 2022), Ice Hockey
- US Open Pool Championship (10-15 October), Pool
- Rugby League World Cup 2021 (15 October – 19 November 2022), Rugby
- United States Grand Prix (21-23 October 2022), Motorsports
- WWE Survivor Series (26 November 2022), Wrestling
- Alabama v Auburn (26 November 2022), American Football