Overview
- Men’s European Handball Championship begins on January 15 across Denmark, Norway and Sweden, with Germany opening against Austria at 20:30 CET.
- The Australian Open starts on January 18, with top Germans Alexander Zverev and Eva Lys among the confirmed entrants.
- The Winter Olympics open on February 6 in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo and conclude on February 22, featuring 735 medals and German men’s ice hockey reinforced by nine active NHL players including Leon Draisaitl.
- The expanded FIFA World Cup runs June 11–July 19 across the United States, Canada and Mexico, opening with Mexico vs South Africa in Mexico City and concluding with the final in New York; Germany’s first match is in Houston against Curaçao at 19:00 CET.
- In North Rhine-Westphalia, 17 municipalities will hold an April 19 vote on whether to pursue a future Olympic and Paralympic bid, signaling a regional push to host major events.