By Sophie Lee, English Second Year
With the promise of a Bristol summer drawing ever closer, let's take a look at some sporting events happening over the next few months. From international football tournaments to nail-biting Formula 1 races, there’s truly something for everyone, even if you just prefer to grab a pint and watch your housemates argue over who the best team is. Here are some of the major events taking place, ready to give you that summer feeling.
UEFA Women’s Championship
The 2025 Women’s Euros will be taking place in Switzerland from the 2nd to the 27th July, bringing together the top football teams from across Europe as they battle it out to see who will dethrone England as the defending champions. Both England and Wales qualified for the tournament, meaning students will have no shortage of home players to cheer on.
Lioness fan favourites such as Mary Earps, Lucy Bronze, and Leah Williamson will all be playing, with Williamson taking the captaincy of the team for her second outing at the Euros.
2025 Rugby World Cup
Continuing with the theme of female-led sports, the Women’s Rugby World Cup is being hosted by England for the first time since 2010. The tournament starts on the 22nd August and culminates in an epic final at Twickenham Stadium on the 27th September.
With all the buzz created by Ilona Maher’s recent stint at the Bristol Bears, we can expect to see record attendance at the World Cup, as the profile of female rugby continues to rise higher. Maher herself will be competing for the United States at the tournament, although it remains to be seen whether she’ll be facing some of her old Bears teammates on the England team.
World Athletics Championships
For those of you who prefer individual sports, the 2025 World Athletics Championships is being hosted in Tokyo from the 13th to the 21st September, taking place in the Olympic Stadium. Although not as well known as the Olympics, many athletes view the Worlds as good preparation for the Olympics, with many of the world’s top athletes competing.
Key competitors to look out for are Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson in the 800m, Dina Asher-Smith in the 100m and 200m, and Katarina Johnson-Thompson in the heptathlon.
The French Open and Wimbledon
The tennis season is having its usual busy summer, with the French Open taking place from the 25th May to the 8th June, shortly being followed by Wimbledon from the 30th June to the 13th July. Whether you’re sipping champagne in Centre Court, snacking on strawberries and cream on Henman Hill, or pouring a glass of Pimms to watch at home, sit back, relax, and get ready to turn your head from side to side for a few hours.
Tennis' latest stories include Emma Raducanu’s continuing coaching saga, Katie Boutler’s battle to remain British number one, and whether Carlos Alcaraz can maintain his title as the Men’s Singles Champion at the French Open.
Formula 1
Finally, the F1 season continues throughout summer, with Grands Prix taking place across Europe and North America throughout May, June, and July. The Monaco Grand Prix on the 25th May is the highlight of the summer calendar, with Ferrari expected to achieve good results due to their driver pairing of the Monegasque Charles Leclerc, and the seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.
Which sporting event are you most looking forward to this summer?
Featured image: Gustavo Ferreira/Unsplash
