The Christmas holidays are a time to settle down in front of a crackling fire, to unwind with a glass of mulled wine, to exchange gifts, sing carols, and eat until you’re sick – right? Yes! BUT… the Christmas holidays are also a time for hurtling horses, steam-rolling scrums, and big-hitting boxers! Don’t believe us? Well, check out these 8 wonderfully wintery sports events - ‘tis the sporting season!
Festive Racing (dates throughout December), Horse Racing
Venues across the UK & Ireland
Racecourses across the UK and Ireland will be hosting their annual festive meetings where you can bring along the whole family to revel in holiday celebrations. You may not see Father Christmas’ antlered friends soar across the sky, but you’ll get to witness festive fillies, merry mares, and sparkling stallions flying down the track! As it’s National Hunt (jump) racing season, expect all the thrills of the hurdles at Chepstow, Warwick, Doncaster, Fairyhouse, Carlisle, Ffos Las, Exeter, Ascot, Musselburgh, and Ayr with the 2 biggest meetings happening at Leopardstown and Kempton. At Kempton's King George VI Chase, prices start from just £11!
Gallagher Premiership: Exeter Chiefs v Saracens (4 December 2021), Rugby
Sandy Park, Exeter, UK
Between them, Chiefs and Sarries have won 6 of the last 7 Premiership finals, and so despite the visitors’ short stay in the Championship last season, these teams know each other incredibly well. Saracens go into this chilly December clash a couple of places above their opponents, but the home team will be roared on by a warm Sandy Park reception, which is sure to thaw the frost and spur them on – maybe all the way to the Premiership Final next summer! Adult tickets start from just £34, with discounted tickets for children and students in most viewing areas.
WWE Holiday Tour (4-30 December 2021), Professional Wrestling
Venues across the USA & Canada
'Tis the season to be brawling, and what better way to chase the winter blues away than watching your favourite SmackDown and Raw Superstars bring festive greetings (and beatings) to a wrestling ring near you? That's right, WWE takes its live show on tour across America and Canada this holiday season, kicking things off in Edinburg, Texas, at the
Bert Ogden Arena on Saturday 4 December. The tour dates run until Thursday 30 December, and include venues in
New York,
Orlando, and
Toronto. Tickets for each show are already on sale, starting at $37.52 (fees included) for a standard admission at the Edinburg date, with plenty of tickets available for the
other shows too!
Jake Paul v Tommy Fury (18 December 2021), Boxing
Amalie Arena, Tampa, USA
Jake Paul and Tommy Fury will finally step into the ring on Saturday 18 December, having been engaged in a bitter war of words since March. Paul, one of the world’s most successful YouTubers with more than 7 billion views to his name, is unbeaten in his fledgling boxing career with a 4-0 record that includes victories over former MMA champions Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley. Love Island star Fury – half-brother of heavyweight world champ Tyson – fought on the undercard of Paul’s clash with Woodley in August, beating Anthony Taylor to extend his professional record to 7-0. Tickets start at just USD $37.50, so grab yours today!
NFL Christmas Day Games : Green Bay Packers v Cleveland Browns & Arizona Cardinals v Indianapolis Colts (25 December 2021), American Football
Lambeau Field, Green Bay, USA · State Farm Stadium, Glendale, USA
It's not just Santa Claus who'll be touching down this Christmas - the NFL has a few festive fixtures lined up for you football fans, so you can enjoy watching the egg-shaped ball being tossed around while sipping on eggnog this holiday season. Watch the Green Bay Packers take on the Cleveland Browns at Lambeau Field whilst the Arizona Cardinals host the Indianapolis Colts at State Farm Stadium, scheduled for 25 December 2021. Tickets for the Packers v Browns match start at $103.49 (fees included), whilst you can snag some Cardinals v Colts tickets for $81.90 (fees included).
Atlanta Hawks v New York Knicks (25 December 2021), Basketball
Madison Square Garden, New York, USA
Treat yourself this Christmas to some world-class sporting entertainment as reigning Southeast Division champions the Atlanta Hawks take on the New York Knicks at one of sport’s most iconic venues, Madison Square Garden. The Hawks knocked the Knicks out of the Playoffs last season on their way to reaching the Eastern Conference Final, so the hosts will be desperate for revenge! A range of seats and hospitality experiences are available starting from USD $256.10 for seats on the upper level, although you could save money by purchasing resale tickets starting at $223.88.
Gallagher Premiership Boxing Day Fixtures (26 December 2021), Rugby
Ashton Gate Stadium, Bristol, UK · Kingston Park Stadium, Newcastle, UK · StoneX Stadium, London, UK · Coventry Building Society Arena, Coventry, UK · The Recreation Ground, Bath, UK
In the UK, Boxing Day is more traditionally a day for association football, but this year there will also be a host of Premiership rugby matches to enjoy. These fixtures are well worth skipping the leftover turkey for, with head-to-heads up and down the table taking place. The pick of the bunch might be the West Country derby between Bath and Gloucester, with adult tickets starting from £40, but Bristol Bears v Leicester Tigers is another to keep an eye on – adult tickets here start from £30. Wherever you look, there are great match-ups to be had, so swap the tinsel for some tackles and get down to the rugby!
NHL Winter Classic (1 January 2022), Ice Hockey
Target Field, Minneapolis, USA
As a thrilling National Hockey League (NHL) outdoor ice hockey game played in the epic arena of Target Field, nothing marks the holidays quite like the Winter Classic. On New Year’s Day 2022, the Minnesota Wild host the St. Louis Blues, showcasing 2 great teams and their prestigious players. Tickets start from around $205; a fantastic price for such a distinctive fixture! There are also plenty of other league games happening throughout the festive period that are sure to serve as an enthralling day out with family and friends – check them out here!
