Overview
- Milano‑Cortina Winter Olympics run 6–22 February, with the opening in Milan and the closing ceremony at Verona’s Arena.
- The first 48‑team FIFA World Cup spans the USA, Mexico and Canada, opening 11 June in Mexico City and concluding 19 July at MetLife Stadium in New York.
- Italy faces World Cup play-offs: a semifinal on 26 March in Bergamo against Northern Ireland, then a potential 31 March away final versus Wales or Bosnia, with group placement and June fixtures applying only if qualified.
- Formula 1 adds nine pre‑season test days under new rules—Barcelona on 26–30 January behind closed doors, then Bahrain on 11–13 and 18–20 February—before the season starts 8 March in Australia and ends 6 December in Abu Dhabi.
- Key fixtures include Sinner vs Alcaraz in a 10 January Seoul exhibition ahead of the Australian Open (18 Jan–1 Feb), and Italy hosting the men’s European Volleyball Championship 10–26 September across Naples, Modena, Turin and Milan.