Not too many countries around the world can boast the variety and quality of sporting events that the UK does. The country may be primarily known for its soccer, and yes, some of the venues and match-ups concerning the “beautiful game” are among the top attractions. However, there’s a huge collection of incredible sporting events for travelers seeking entertainment and recreation to take in, and these are some of the must-sees.
The Manchester Derby at Old Trafford
Old Trafford has become one of the more famous sporting venues in the world as the historic home of Manchester United. So really, it’s worth a visit no matter who the opponent or what the occasion. But seeing a Manchester Derby there is a next level experience. This is the name given to the bi-annual clash between United and Manchester City, and naturally it’s become quite the rivalry over the years. Man Utd. is actually part of a rivalry that’s considered even fiercer with Liverpool, but there’s just something riveting about the cross-town clash.
The Boat Race on The Thames
This event may be particularly appealing to American travelers used to college sports and the rivalries they produce. That’s because the London Boat Race pretty much shames any claim to tradition made with regard to U.S. college rivalries. According to the race’s about page, this rowing contest was first held in 1829 between Oxford and Cambridge (and 1927 for women), and it’s run almost without interruption ever since.
The Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse
Betfair’s Cheltenham Festival page characterizes this incredible sporting event as a four-day cluster of races, occurring in mid-March and featuring four of the biggest individual contests in British racing. Those contests are the Champion Hurdle, Champion Chase, World Hurdle, and Gold Cup, and each brings its own particular flavor of festivity to the event. Not only that, but it includes a wonderful “Ladies Day” (when racegoers go all out with their fashion choices) and a wild St. Patrick’s Day celebration.
The North London Derby at the Emirates
There are plenty of great chances to witness top-level soccer in London, but none tops the North London Derby matches between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur. These two placed sixth in a ranking by Telegraph of the fiercest rivalries in English soccer, but most of those that ranked higher were between smaller clubs. Arsenal vs. Tottenham is about as intense as it gets at the highest level, and nothing beats seeing it at Arsenal’s state-of-the-art Emirates Stadium.
Roger Federer at Wimbledon Centre Court
The Wimbledon tennis crowds love their heroes, and for that reason there are numerous players who can turn Centre Court into a special, buzzing atmosphere. On the women’s side, Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova always draw excited crowds. On the men’s side, Rafael Nadal still commands respect and Andy Murray inspires a great deal of patriotic pride. But no one quite captures the attention of the Wimbledon crowd like Roger Federer. As long as he’s still playing matches at Centre Court, they’ll be among the most compelling events in world sport.
British Grand Prix at Silverstone
Plenty of British fans get very excited about Formula 1 racing, and that makes the British Grand Prix a pretty unique experience. Unlike some other events on the F1 calendar that tend to take over major urban areas, the British Grand Prix is set aside at the Silverstone racecourse, which allows for more of a complete spectacle. Silverstone’s page on the 2016 race reveals that there’s a great deal of side entertainment (including musical performances and the “F1 Village”), making for what’s really a festival environment. And of course, the race itself tends to be pretty amazing.
There are more events to see, and to an extent the best of them will depend on your own preferences. But this isn’t a bad athletic travel bucket list to start with!