The Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Lausanne 2020 Winter Youth Olympics headline a big year of sport, in addition to world championships.
It’s a big year in the sporting landscape as we enter 2020, with two Olympic Games – the Lausanne 2020 Winter Youth Olympics and Tokyo 2020 – on the calendar.
Stars of the future will announce themselves in Lausanne before the world’s best athletes gather in Japan’s capital in July, where baseball/softball makes its Olympic return and karate, skateboarding, sport climbing, and surfing will appear on the Olympic program for the first time.
As it’s an Olympic year, there are no world championships in a number of summer sports, with the Olympic Games competition or tournament taking pride of place on the calendar. Additionally, there are also no world championship events in sports which run those competitions every odd-numbered year.
Here we run through the big events of the year, and more information on final Olympic qualifying events.
Multi-sport events
Olympic Games 2020
Where? Tokyo, Japan (some events will take place in other parts of Japan)
When? 24 July–9 August 2020, although some events will start prior to 24 July.
It’s the big one of the year and the event every athlete plans their four-year cycle around. Competition will begin on 22 July in football and softball before the Opening Ceremony two days later.
Outside of Tokyo, football matches will also be played in Saitama, Yokohama, Kashima, Rifu, and Sapporo; baseball/softball will be played entirely in Yokohama and Fukushima; basketball will be staged in Saitama; golf will take place in Kawagoe City; and the athletics marathons and race walks will be held in Sapporo to avoid high summer temperatures in the capital.
Elsewhere, Tsurigasaki Beach in Chiba Prefecture will host surfing’s Olympic debut; sailing can be seen off the island of Enoshima south of Tokyo; track and mountainbike cycling will be held in Izu City; and the cycling road races and individual time trials will be based around the Fuji International Speedway race circuit.
Read our full schedule and day-by-day guide.
Winter Youth Olympic Games 2020
Where? Lausanne, Switzerland (some events will take place elsewhere)
When? 9–22 January 2020
The world’s best winter youth athletes are gathering in Switzerland for the third Winter Youth Olympic Games (following Innsbruck 2012 and Lillehammer 2016).
The events are split into four location clusters. Ice hockey, figure skating, and short track will all take place in the Olympic Capital, while the other sports will be spread out across Switzerland and France.
France’s Jura resort of Les Tuffes will host biathlon, Nordic combined, and ski jumping while the Vallée de Joux across the border in Switzerland hosts cross-country skiing. A third cluster of athletes will be based in the eastern Swiss city of St. Moritz, where the sliding sports (bobsleigh/skeleton and luge) and speed skating will take place.
And the other cluster will see Leysin host freestyle ski and snowboarding; Villars will host ski cross, snowboard cross, and the new sport of ski mountaineering; alpine skiing will be held at Les Diablerets; and the curling competitions will happen in Champéry.
Read our full schedule, preview, or our athletes to watch guide.
We are the Game changers and our time starts now.
Paralympic Games 2020
Where? Tokyo, Japan (some events will take place in other parts of Japan)
When? 25 August–6 September 2020
A little over two weeks after the Olympic athletes depart Tokyo, it will be the turn of the Paralympians to shine in Japan.
Summer sports
Aquatics (Artistic swimming, Diving, Swimming, and Water polo)
Tokyo 2020 dates
Artistic swimming: 3–8 August 2020
Diving: 26 July–8 August 2020
Swimming: 25 July–2 August 2020
Water polo: 25 July–9 August 2020
Other key events
FINA Men’s Water Polo Olympic Games Qualification Tournament, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. 22–29 March 2020
FINA Women’s Water Polo Olympic Games Qualification Tournament, Italy. Dates to be announced
FINA Artistic Swimming Olympic Games Qualification Tournament, Tokyo, Japan. 30 April–3 May 2020
FINA Olympic Marathon Swim Qualifier, Fukuoka, Japan. 30–31 May 2020
FINA World Swimming Championships (25m), Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. 15–20 December 2020
Archery
Tokyo 2020 dates
24 July–1 August 2020
Other key events
World Archery Final Qualification Tournament (World Cup stage 3), Berlin, Germany. 21–28 June 2020
Continental Olympic qualifiers will also take place throughout April and May.
Athletics
Tokyo 2020 dates
Track and field: 31 July–8 August 2020
Marathons and race walks (Sapporo): 6–9 August 2020
Other key events
World Athletics Indoor Championships, Nanjing, China. 13–15 March 2020
United States Olympic Trials, Eugene, Oregon, USA. 19–28 June 2020
Qualification for Tokyo 2020 is partially through the World Athletics Rankings. Ranking cutoff date: 29 June 2020
An exclusive interview with the eight-time Olympic gold medallist reveals the former sprinter thinks “anything is possible” on the new track after he ran 200 metres at the inauguration. There was no “Lightening Bolt” celebration after his team was beaten in an exhibition relay race at the official opening of the Japan National Stadium. But the Jamaican did help set a new World Record on top of his 100m, 200m times. Watch more to find out what Bolt thought of the rebuilt venue where athletics and ceremonies at the Tokyo 2020 Games will take place.
Badminton
Tokyo 2020 dates
25 July–3 August 2020
Other key events
Qualification for Tokyo 2020 is through the World Rankings. Ranking cutoff date: 26 April 2020 (rankings published 30 April 2020)
BWF World Tour Finals, Guangzhou, China. 9–13 December 2020
Baseball/softball
Tokyo 2020 dates
Baseball: 29 July–8 August 2020
Softball: 22–28 July 2020
Other key events
WBSC Baseball Americas Qualifier, Arizona, USA. 22–26 March 2020
WBSC Baseball Final Qualifier, Taichung, Chinese Taipei. 1–5 April 2020
Basketball (including Basketball 3×3)
Tokyo 2020 dates
3×3: 25–29 July 2020
Basketball: 26 July–9 August 2020
Other key events
FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournaments, Ostend, Belgium; Foshan, China; Bourges, France; Belgrade, Serbia. 6–9 February 2020
FIBA 3×3 Olympic Qualifying Tournament, India. 18–22 March 2020
FIBA 3×3 Universality Olympic Qualifying Tournament, Budapest, Hungary. 24–26 April 2020
FIBA Men’s Olympic Qualifying Tournaments, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada; Split, Croatia; Kaunas, Lithuania; Belgrade, Serbia. 23–28 June 2020
Welcome to the exciting world of 3×3!
Boxing
The International Olympic Committee suspended its recognition of the International Boxing Association (AIBA) in 2019. The IOC says: “Due to the suspension of the IOC recognition of AIBA, all aspects of all boxing competitions, including but not limited to any and all qualifying competitions or events for or at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 shall be organised and operated under the authority of the IOC Executive Board. The Executive Board has created a special taskforce with the mandate to organise and ensure the delivery of the qualification events for boxing and the boxing tournament at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 and also develop a Tokyo 2020 Qualification System for boxing. The enforcement of the regulations and the qualification criteria will be the responsibility of the Boxing Task Force, the respective national federations of the sport and the NOCs in the fields of their respective responsibilities.“
Tokyo 2020 dates
25 July–9 August 2020
Other key events
Boxing Asian/Oceanian Olympic Qualification Event, Wuhan, China. 3–14 February 2020
Boxing African Olympic Qualification Event, Dakar, Senegal. 20–29 February 2020
Boxing European Olympic Qualification Event, London, Great Britain. 13–23 March 2020
Boxing American Olympic Qualification Event, Buenos Aires, Argentina. 26 March–3 April 2020
Boxing World Olympic Qualification Event, Paris, France. 13–24 May 2020
All five events will be streamed live in Olympic Channel. You can visit the Olympic Channel’s event page for the qualification events, or read our preview and explainer.
Canoe/kayak (slalom and sprint)
Tokyo 2020 dates
Slalom: 26–30 July 2020
Sprint: 3–8 August 2020
Other key events
Continental Olympic qualifiers will take place from February through May.
Cycling – BMX (freestyle and racing)
Tokyo 2020 dates
Freestyle: 1–2 August 2020
Racing: 30–31 July 2020
Other key events
UCI BMX World Championships, Houston, Texas, USA. 26–31 May 2020
The BMX World Championships cover BMX racing only, and will also serve as the final Olympic qualifier in the discipline.
Additionally, qualification for Tokyo 2020 is partially through the UCI Olympic BMX Rankings. Ranking cutoff date: 12 May 2020 (freestyle), 2 June 2020 (racing)
News BMX Freestyle
If you are training for your sport’s inaugural Olympics, you need to step up your game. That’s what Australia’s BMX freestyle star Logan Martin did by building his own BMX park.
Cycling – Mountain bike
Tokyo 2020 dates
27–28 July 2020
Other key events
UCI Mountain Bike World Championships (Cross-country), Albstadt, Germany. 25–28 June 2020
Qualification for Tokyo 2020 is through the UCI Olympic Mountainbike Rankings. Ranking cutoff date: 28 May 2020
Cycling – Road
Tokyo 2020 dates
25–29 July 2020
Other key events
UCI Road Cycling World Championships, Aigle-Martigny, Switzerland. 20–27 September 2020
It will be the 11th time Switzerland has hosted the UCI Road World Championships, but the first time in the country’s French-speaking region.
Cycling – Track
Tokyo 2020 dates
3–9 August 2020
Other key events
UCI Track Cycling World Championships, Berlin, Germany. 26 February–1 March 2020
Qualification for Tokyo 2020 is through the UCI Olympic Track Rankings. Ranking cutoff date: 2 March 2020
Equestrian (dressage, eventing, and jumping)
Tokyo 2020 dates
Dressage: 25–29 July 2020
Eventing: 31 July–3 August 2020
Jumping: 4–8 August 2020
Fencing
Tokyo 2020 dates
25 July–2 August 2020
Other key events
FIE Olympic Zone Qualifying Events, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Cairo, Egypt; Panama City, Panama; Madrid, Spain. 15–19 April 2020
Additionally, qualification for Tokyo 2020 is partially through the FIE Official Rankings. Ranking cutoff date: 4 April 2020
At Tokyo 2020, all twelve events on the fencing programme (individual and team, men’s and women’s, in all three weapons) will be held for the first time at an Olympic Games. Previously, only two team events would be held for both men and women, with one weapon missing out on rotation every Games.
Football
Tokyo 2020 dates
22 July–8 August 2020
Other key events
Various Olympic qualifying tournaments will be held in both men’s and women’s football from January through April 2020.
UEFA European Championships 2020, various countries. 12 June–12 July 2020
CONMEBOL Copa América 2020, Argentina and Colombia. 12 June–12 July 2020
Golf
Tokyo 2020 dates
Men’s: 30 July–2 August 2020
Women’s: 5–8 August 2020
Other key events
Qualification for Tokyo 2020 is through the Official World Golf Rankings. Ranking cutoff date: 22 June 2020 (men), 29 June 2020 (women)
Great Britain’s Rose gives Olympic history its first hole-in-one on day one of golf at Rio 2016.
Gymnastics (Artistic, Rhythmic, and Trampoline)
Tokyo 2020 dates
Artistic: 25 July–4 August 2020
Rhythmic: 7–9 August 2020
Trampoline: 31 July–1 August 2020
Other key events
Continental championships in 2020 will double as Olympic qualification events.
Handball
Tokyo 2020 dates
25 July–9 August 2020
Other key events
IHF Women’s Olympic Qualification Tournaments, Spain; Hungary; Montenegro. 20–22 March 2020
IHF Men’s Olympic Qualification Tournaments, Norway; France; Germany. 17–19 April 2020
Hockey
Tokyo 2020 dates
25 July–7 August 2020
Other key events
FIH Pro League. 10 January–28 June 2020
Olympic qualification has already been finalised in field hockey. Read our preview guide to hockey at the Tokyo Olympics.
Judo
Tokyo 2020 dates
25 July–1 August 2020
Qualification for Tokyo 2020 is through the IJF World Rankings. Ranking cutoff date: 25 May 2020
Karate
Tokyo 2020 dates
6–8 August 2020
Other key events
WKF Karate Tokyo 2020 Qualification Tournament, Paris, France. 8–10 May 2020
WKF Karate World Championships, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. 17–22 November 2020
There is also qualification for Tokyo 2020 through the WKF Olympic Standing List. Ranking cutoff date: 6 April 2020
Originals Inspired By Olympians
Try something new! Enjoy watching this compilation featuring the five new sports that will be introduced in Tokyo 2020.
Modern pentathlon
Tokyo 2020 dates
6–8 August 2020
Other key events
UIPM Pentathlon World Championships, Xiamen, China. 25–31 May 2020
The World Championships will also serve as the final Olympic qualifier in the sport.
Tokyo 2020 qualification will partially happen through the UIPM Pentathlon World Ranking. Ranking cutoff date: 1 June 2020
Rowing
Tokyo 2020 dates
24–31 July 2020
Other key events
FISA Final Olympic Qualification Regatta, Lucerne, Switzerland. 17–19 May 2020
Continental Olympic qualifiers will also take place in April.
Rugby Sevens
Tokyo 2020 dates
27 July–1 August 2020
Other key events
World Rugby Olympic Repechage Tournament (final qualification tournament), location to be announced. 20–21 June 2020
Sailing
Tokyo 2020 dates
26 July–5 August 2020
Other key events
Various continental championships will act as Olympic qualifiers from February through April.
Additionally, for Oceanian sailors, individual World Championships in the various classes held in February will serve as qualifying events.
Argentine sailor and six-time Olympian Santiago Lange lost half a lung to cancer, but still went on to win his first gold in Rio.
Shooting
Tokyo 2020 dates
25 July–3 August 2020
Other key events
Most places at the Olympic Games have already been filled, although there is one final European Olympic Qualifying Tournament to be held in Plzen, Czech Republic, from 18–25 May 2020.
One spot in each individual event will be allocated to an NOC through the ISSF’s World Olympic Rankings. Ranking cutoff date: 31 May 2020
Skateboarding (Park and Street)
Tokyo 2020 dates
Park: 5–6 August 2020
Street: 26–27 July 2020
Other key events
World Skate/SLS World Skateboarding Championships, London, Great Britain. 19–24 May 2020
World Skate Park World Championships, Nanjing, China. 26–31 May 2020
This year’s two world championships act as direct Olympic qualification events for Tokyo 2020.
The remaining spots will be allocated through the World Skate Olympic Rankings. Ranking cutoff date: 1 June 2020
Sport climbing
Tokyo 2020 dates
4–7 August 2020
Other key events
Continental championships in April and May will determine the final qualifiers for the Olympic Games.
Surfing
Tokyo 2020 dates
26–29 July 2020, with a window until 2 August 2020 in case of poor weather or surf conditions
Other key events
The last major Olympic qualifier is the 2020 ISA World Surfing Games, although its location and dates are yet to be confirmed.
Table tennis
Tokyo 2020 dates
25 July–7 August 2020
Other key events
ITTF World Olympic Team Qualification Event, Gondomar, Portugal. 22–26 January 2020
ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships, Busan, South Korea. 22–29 March 2020
ITTF World Olympic Singles Qualification Event, Doha, Qatar. 28–31 May 2020
Continental qualification events will also be held in singles and mixed doubles from February through April.
Taekwondo
Tokyo 2020 dates
25–28 July 2020
Other key events
Continental Olympic qualifiers will be held from February to April.
Tennis
Tokyo 2020 dates
25 July–2 August 2020
Other key events
ATP and WTA World Rankings Olympic qualification cutoff date: 8 June 2020
ITF Fed Cup Finals, Budapest, Hungary. 14–19 April 2020
ITF Davis Cup Finals, Madrid, Spain. 23–29 November 2020
Players must make themselves available for Fed Cup or Davis Cup selection (including in qualifiers or zonal events) at least twice between 2016 and 2020 to be eligible to play at Tokyo 2020.
WTA Finals, Shenzhen, China. 26 October–2 November 2020
ATP Finals, London, Great Britain. 15–22 November 2020
Triathlon
Tokyo 2020 dates
27 July–1 August 2020
Other key events
ITU Mixed Relay Olympic Qualification Rankings cutoff date: 31 March 2020
ITU Mixed Relay Olympic Qualification Event, Chengdu, China. 9 May 2020
ITU Individual Olympic Qualification Rankings cutoff date: 11 May 2020
ITU Triathlon Mixed Relay World Championships, Hamburg, Germany. 12 July 2020
ITU World Triathlon Grand Final, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. 20–23 August 2020
Volleyball (beach and indoor)
Tokyo 2020 dates
Beach: 25 July–8 August 2020
Volleyball: 25 July–9 August 2020
Other key events
Continental Olympic qualifiers in volleyball (indoor) take place in January.
Final beach volleyball qualifiers will be decided through each continent’s regular two-year Continental Cup.
FIVB Women’s Volleyball Nations League Finals, Nanjing, China. 1–5 July 2020
FIVB Men’s Volleyball Nations League Finals, Turin, Italy. 1–5 July 2020
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Teams consist of two players who play over best of three sets. Types of shots include an ace, a bump pass, a dig, a spike, a dink and block.
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Teams consist of six athletes playing the best of five sets. A player called the ‘Libero’ may substitute into the back court for any player.
Weightlifting
Tokyo 2020 dates
25 July–5 August 2020
Qualification for Tokyo 2020 is through the IWF World Rankings. Ranking cutoff date: 30 April 2020
Wrestling
Tokyo 2020 dates
2–8 August 2020
Other key events
UWW World Olympic Games Qualifier, Sofia, Bulgaria. 30 April–3 May 2020
Continental qualification events will also be held in March.
Winter sports
Alpine skiing
Lausanne 2020 dates
10–15 January 2020 (read our Lausanne alpine skiing explainer)
Other key events
FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Finals, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. 16–22 March 2020
Biathlon
Lausanne 2020 dates
11–15 January 2020 (read our Lausanne biathlon explainer)
Other key events
IBU Biathlon World Championships, Antholz-Anterselva, Italy. 12–23 February 2020
Bobsleigh (including Skeleton)
Lausanne 2020 dates
19–20 January 2020 (read our Lausanne skeleton explainer)
Other key events
IBSF World Championships, Altenberg, Germany. 21 February–1 March 2020
Nordic skiing (Cross-country skiing, Nordic combined, and Ski jumping)
Lausanne 2020 dates
Cross-country skiing: 18–22 January 2020 (read our Lausanne cross-country skiing explainer)
Nordic combined: 18–22 January 2020 (watch our Lausanne Nordic combined explainer)
Ski jumping: 19–22 January 2020 (read our Lausanne ski jumping explainer)
Other key events
FIS Cross-Country World Cup Season Finale, Canmore, Alberta, Canada. 21–22 March 2020
FIS Ski Flying World Championships, Planica, Slovenia. 19–22 March 2020
Curling
Lausanne 2020 dates
10–22 January 2020 (read our Lausanne curling explainer)
Other key events
World Women’s Curling Championship, Prince George, British Columbia, Canada. 14–22 March 2020
World Men’s Curling Championship, Glasgow, Scotland. 28 March–5 April 2020
World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. 18–25 April 2020
Figure skating
Lausanne 2020 dates
10–15 January 2020 (read our Lausanne figure skating explainer)
Other key events
ISU World Figure Skating Championships, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. 16–22 March 2020
ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final 2020/21, Beijing, China. 10–13 December 2020
Freestyle skiing and Snowboarding
Lausanne 2020 dates
18–22 January 2020 (read our Lausanne snowboarding explainer)
Ice hockey
Lausanne 2020 dates
3-on-3 Mixed NOCs tournament: 10–15 January 2020
Team tournament: 17–22 January 2020 (read our Lausanne ice hockey explainer)
Other key events
IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship, Halifax and Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada. 31 March–10 April 2020
IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship, Lausanne and Zurich, Switzerland. 8–24 May 2020
This year’s men’s world championship will be jointly-hosted by Lausanne in the Vaudoise Arena, which will also hold the Winter Youth Olympic Games ice hockey events.
Luge
Lausanne 2020 dates
17–20 January 2020 (read our YOG luge explainer)
Other key events
FIL World Championships, Sochi, Russia. 15–16 February 2020
Short track speed skating
Lausanne 2020 dates
18–22 January 2020 (watch our Lausanne sport explainer for short track)
Other key events
ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships, Seoul, South Korea. 13–15 March 2020
Speed skating
Lausanne 2020 dates
12–16 January 2020 (read our YOG speed skating explainer)
Other key events
ISU World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. 13–16 February 2020
Combined ISU World Sprint & World Allround Speed Skating Championships, Hamar, Norway. 28 February–1 March 2020
Look back on our Facebook Live with USA’s Sugar Todd and team nutritionist Jessica LaRoche as they discussed the diet of a speed skater.
Don’t forget to follow the Olympic Channel throughout the year for the latest news and highlights from your favourite sports, as well as extensive coverage from both Lausanne 2020 and Tokyo 2020.
