6 sporting events you must visit in the UK

With the wide plethora of sports now available on television through the multitude of available sports channels, and not to forget live streaming services offered by several bookmakers on selected events means that as sports fans we are never far from the action, few things in life are better than taking in some live action from our favourite sport.

Up and down the length and breadth of the UK throughout the year, there are numerous big occasions and fantastic events taking place, from rugby through horse racing and football to athletic events and more in-between, a live sports event isn’t just about the sport itself. It is an opportunity to mix and mingle with friends old and new, and like-minded individual to share in the experience and atmosphere, and maybe even enjoy pre-and-post match drinks to analyse and dissect the action.

With so much going on, it is impossible to highlight every event, but we’ve come up with six of the best sporting events in the UK that any sports fan shouldn’t miss!

Cheltenham Festival

Horse racing fans refer to it as the ‘greatest show on earth’ and it isn’t hard to see why, as the cream of the jumps game’s equine talent come together on the battlefield of Prestbury Park to compete over four scintillating days of fast and furious action.

Whether a hardened punter, or simply a fiver-a-race racegoer, the atmosphere around Cheltenham on the Tuesday as the tapes go up on the Festival’s opening race – the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle – is simply electric, and the atmosphere only intensifies with each passing race until the Gold Cup goes to post on Friday.

The Cheltenham Festival is one event which every sports fan – whether a racing enthusiast or not – should experience at least once.

Cheltenham Open Festival, sporting events in the UK by Steven Jones

NFL International Series

Always a sell-out event, the NFL International Series brings the best teams in the NFL together over several matches in the regular league as the NFC and AFC teams battle their way towards Superbowl glory.

The fever-pitch atmosphere amongst fans in the lead-up the game is hard to beat, and the series brings out not just fans of the teams who will take to the Wembley pitch but also fans of other NFL teams looking to take in some gridiron action that they might otherwise only see on TV.

From a one-game per season trial, the International Series has expanded to three games in the regular season, and there may be more in the pipeline in the future.

NFL International Series, sporting events in the UK by Pete Sheffield

FA Cup Final

Staying at Wembley, the world’s oldest football cup competition that is the FA Cup final generates an atmosphere that is hard to beat anywhere.

The final two teams remaining from a gruelling knock-out competition will go to battle on the hallowed Wembley turf for the football season’s final piece of silverware and a chance to compete the following season against some of Europe’s elite in the European Cup, and fans of both sides – as well as football neutrals – will be out in force to make the event a match to savour.

FA Cup Final, sporting events in the UK by Jon Candy

World Darts Championship

Few sporting events can claim to be as much about the crowd as those who are playing the game, but the World Darts Championship event can certainly lay down a strong case!

The year-end event sees stars such as Michael Van Gerwen, Phil Taylor, Gary Anderson, Adrian Lewis and James Wade compete on the oche to be crowned Champion, and whip the crowd into a frenzy in the process!

Free-flowing beer, fancy dress costumes and, of course, the darts walk-on girls – not to mention the players themselves – all contribute towards making the World Darts Championship a must-see event at the famous Alexandra Palace venue.

World Darts Championship, sporting events in the UK by Chris Ibbotson

Open Championship

If the darts atmosphere is too rowdy, the much more sedate atmosphere of the Open Championship shouldn’t put off any sports fan from experiencing getting up close and personal with the likes of Rory McIlroy, Jordan Speith, Tiger Woods, Rickie Fowler, Adam Scott and Bubba Watson as the top golfers in the world converge on the links to battle it out for the season’s third golf Major.

Away from the ropes, the tented villages provide ample refreshment away from the action while TV screens ensure that no strokes are missed; however, following a favourite player and watching them strut their stuff on the fairways is an experience to savour.

Golf Course, Open Championship, sporting events in the UK by Wojciech Migda

Wimbledon

The premier tennis event is one of the highlights of the summer, and the hopes of a nation in the mens’ game will once again come to bear on the shoulders of Andy Murray as the Scot pits his skills against the likes of Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal amongst others in a bid for Centre Court glory.

Meanwhile, British hopes in the womens’ event will rest with the likes of Johanna Konta and Heather Watson.

The atmosphere around W1, both inside and outside the courts – including Murray Mount/Henman Hill – will be at fever pitch for the two weeks of the top tennis contest, and if the weather is kind there is no better place to be!

Heather Watson playing tennis, Wimbledon, sporting events in the UK by Kate