Major sports events in May 2026

By Klimentijs Konevs | Published: April 29, 2026

May is one of the busiest months in sport, with many seasons coming to an end across different competitions. At the same time, there are also several big tournaments taking place. Read below to see what's coming up this month.

Formula 1 returns in May with the Miami Grand Prix on May 3 and the Canadian Grand Prix on May 24. There has been a long gap in the calendar, with the last race taking place in Japan on March 29, after Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were removed from the April schedule.

Mercedes have dominated the opening part of the season, winning all three races so far. Their drivers, Kimi Antonelli and George Russell, currently sit first and second in the standings. Ferrari are the closest team behind them, with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton placed third and fourth in the drivers' table. A few refinements to the 2026 regulations were also agreed ahead of Miami, so the order could still shift as the season moves on.

Tweaks to the 2026 F1 regulations have been agreed by all stakeholders following an FIA meeting, and will be implemented from the next round in Miami

Details here 👉 https://t.co/S7CQaHbvSV#F1 pic.twitter.com/8OUTnZuYo1

— Formula 1 (@F1) April 20, 2026

The 2026 Giro d'Italia will run from May 8 to 31, starting in Bulgaria and finishing in Rome. This year's edition features 21 stages over more than 3,400 kilometres. It includes a mix of flat routes, mountain climbs, and an individual time trial.

Jonas Vingegaard is seen as the main favourite. The Danish cyclist already has two Tour de France titles on his record. This year, he won the 2025 Vuelta a Espana, finished runner-up at the Tour de France for the second straight year, and has already taken overall victories at Paris-Nice and Volta a Catalunya in 2026.

UFC 328 will take place on May 9 in Newark, New Jersey. The main event is a highly anticipated middleweight title fight between Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland. The build-up has been heated. Both fighters exchanged plenty of trash talk online, and there is clear bad blood between them heading into the bout. The co-main event will be another title fight, as Joshua Van defends his flyweight belt against Tatsuro Taira.

UFC 328 UPDATED CARD with Van vs Taira pic.twitter.com/qnObhwlOm0

— Dovy🔌 (@DovySimuMMA) April 5, 2026

The tournament will take place from May 14 to 17 at Aronimink Golf Club in Pennsylvania. It will be the 108th edition of the tournament and the second time this historic venue hosts the event, having previously done so in 1962. As the second major of the year, the PGA Championship always attracts one of the strongest fields in golf. Rory McIlroy comes into the tournament in strong form after winning the US Masters 2026 for the second year in a row. He is currently the second favourite to win, just behind Scottie Scheffler.

The 2026 edition of the Ice Hockey World Championship will take place in Switzerland from May 15 to 31, with games hosted in Zurich and Fribourg. A total of 16 national teams will compete, including the usual top contenders like Canada, Sweden, and the United States.

The tournament starts with a group stage before moving into the knockout rounds. The United States enter the competition as the reigning champions after winning gold in 2025, but Canada have opened as the early favourites to lift the trophy this year.

The EuroLeague season reaches its climax with the Final Four, which will take place in Athens on May 22-24. After a long regular season and the play-offs, four best teams will battle it out in two semi-finals, followed by the championship game to decide the winner.

Olympiacos come into the Final Four as the current favourites after finishing top of the standings with 26 wins. Real Madrid and the reigning champions, Fenerbahçe, are also firmly in the mix.

The 2026 French Open will take place from May 24 to June 7 at Roland Garros in Paris, marking the 125th edition of the tournament. As the only Grand Slam played on clay, it is known for its slower surface and physically demanding matches.

Carlos Alcaraz returns as the defending men's champion after winning the 2025 title, and he is once again expected to battle his biggest rival, Jannik Sinner. Coco Gauff comes into the tournament as the reigning women's champion. This year's edition will also include several tribute events, celebrating former players and key moments in the tournament's history.

Alcaraz speaks on wrist injury👀

Here's what we know at this time just a month out from the French Open...

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— Served with Andy Roddick (@Served_Podcast) April 21, 2026

The 2026 Champions League Final will take place on May 30 at the Puskas Arena, Budapest. This will be the second time the stadium hosts the final, having previously staged it in 2023. It is the biggest match in European club football, bringing together the two best teams of the season to fight for the most prestigious trophy on the continent. Bayern Munich are currently seen as the favourites to lift the trophy.

The final of the 2026 Indian Premier League will take place on May 31, bringing the season to a close after two months of intense T20 action. As the biggest match in franchise cricket, it decides the champion of one of the most popular leagues in the world. Punjab Kings are currently seen as the favourites to win the title this season. You can read more about the teams, favourites, and key trends in our IPL 2026 Predictions article.

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