The 2008 Sporting calendar

JANUARY

5 (Saturday) FOOTBALL FA Cup third round (& 6)

SKIING Alpine World Cup
(various, to 16 Mar)

DARTS BDO World Championships (Frimley Green, to 13)

8 FOOTBALL Carling Cup semi-final first leg (& 9)

12 BOWLS World Championship (Christchurch, to 27)

FOOTBALL Scottish Cup fourth round (& 13)

13 SNOOKER The Masters (Wembley Arena, to 20)

BASKETBALL BBL Cup final (NIA, Birmingham)

14 TENNIS Australian Open (Melbourne, to 27)

18 CYCLING UCI Track W Cup Classic (Los Angeles, to 20)

19 BOXING Roy Jones Jnr v Felix Trinidad (New York)

RACING Victor Chandler Chase (Ascot)

20 FOOTBALL African Nations Cup (Ghana, to 10 Feb)

22 FOOTBALL Carling Cup semi-final second leg (& 23)

25 RALLYING Monte Carlo Rally (to 27)

26 FOOTBALL FA Cup fourth round (& 27)

ATHLETICS Norwich Union International (Glasgow)

29 FOOTBALL CIS Insurance Cup semi-final (& 30)

31 GOLF Dubai Desert Classic (Emirates, to 3 Feb)

****

FEBRUARY

1 BADMINTON National Champ'ship (Manchester, to 3)

2 FOOTBALL Scottish Cup fifth round (& 3)

RUGBY UNION Six Nations: England v Wales, Ireland v Italy

3 RUGBY UNION Six Nations: Scotland v France

RUGBY LEAGUE Super League XIII begins

AMERICAN FOOTBALL Superbowl XLII (Phoenix, to 3)

5 CRICKET First Twenty20 international: New Zealand v England (Christchurch)

6 FOOTBALL Friendlies: England v Switzerland (Wembley), Rep of Ireland v Brazil (Croke Park), Wales v Norway (Wrexham)

7 CRICKET Second Twenty20 international: New Zealand v England (Auckland)

8 TENNIS Davis Cup: Argentina v Great Britain (Buenos Aires)

8 RALLYING Sweden Rally (Karlstad, to 10)

9 ATHLETICS World Indoor trials & UK Championships (Sheffield, & 10)

CRICKET First ODI: New Zealand v England (Wellington)

RUGBY UNION Six Nations: France v Ireland, Wales v Scotland

RACING Totesport Trophy (Newbury)

10 FOOTBALL African Nations Cup final (Accra)

RUGBY UNION Six Nations: Italy v England

SQUASH British National Champ'ship (Manchester, to 17)

11 SNOOKER Welsh Open (Newport, to 17)

12 CRICKET Second ODI: New Zealand v England (Hamilton)

BADMINTON European Championship (Netherlands, to 17)

1 3 FOOTBALL Uefa Cup round of 32 first leg (& 14)

15 CRICKET Third ODI: New Zealand v England (Auckland)

RUGBY LEAGUE First full round of Super League matches

16 ATHLETICS Norwich Union Indoor Grand Prix (Birmingham)

FOOTBALL FA Cup fifth round (& 17)

17 ATHLETICS Tokyo Marathon

18 GOLF World Match Play Championships (Arizona, to 24)

19 FOOTBALL Champions Lge
second round first leg (& 20)

20 CRICKET Fourth ODI: New Zealand v England (Napier)

FOOTBALL Uefa Cup round of 32 second leg (& 21)

GOLF WGC Accenture Match Play (Tucson, Arizona, to 24)

23 CRICKET Fifth ODI: NZ v England (Christchurch)

RUGBY UNION Six Nations: France v England, Ireland v Scotland, Wales v Italy

MOTORCYCLING World Superbikes (Losail, Qatar)

24 FOOTBALL Carling Cup final (Wembley)

28 RALLYING Mexico Rally (Leon, to 2 Mar)

29 RUGBY LEAGUE World Club Challenge: Leeds v Melbourne (Leeds)

****

MARCH

2 BASKETBALL BBL Trophy Final (Plymouth)

MOTORCYCLING World Superbikes (Phillip Island, Aus)

4 BADMINTON All England Champ'ship (Birmingham, to 9)

FOOTBALL Champions League second round second leg (& 5, 11)

5 CRICKET First Test: NZ v

England (Hamilton, to 9)

6 FOOTBALL Uefa Cup round of 16 first leg

7 ATHLETICS World Indoor Championship (Valencia, to 9)

RUGBY UNION EDF Energy Cup semi-finals (to 9)

8 FOOTBALL FA Cup sixth round (& 9)

FOOTBALL Scottish Cup sixth round (& 9)

RUGBY UNION Six Nations: Ireland v Wales, Scotland v England

9 MOTORCYCLING Qatar MotoGP (Losail)

RUGBY UNION Six Nations: France v Italy

10 TENNIS ATP Masters Series (Indian Wells, California, to 23)

11 RACING Cheltenham Festival (to 14): Champion Hurdle; 12 Queen Mother Champion Chase; 13 World Hurdle; 14 Cheltenham Gold Cup

12 FOOTBALL Uefa Cup round of 16 second leg (& 13)

13 SWIMMING European Champ'ships (Eindhoven, to 24)

CRICKET Second Test: NZ v England (Wellington, to 17)

14 RUGBY LEAGUE NRL starts

15 RUGBY UNION Six Nations: England v Ireland, Italy v Scotland, Wales v France

16 MOTOR RACING Formula 1 Australian GP (Melbourne)

FOOTBALL CIS Insurance Cup final (Hampden Park)

18 ICE-SKATING World Figure Skating Championship (Gothenburg, Sweden, to 23)

20 GOLF WGC CA Championship (Dorai, Miami, to 23)

22 CRICKET Third Test: NZ v England (Napier, to 26)

RUGBY UNION EDF Energy Cup semi-finals (Cardiff)

23 MOTOR RACING Formula 1 Malaysian GP (Sepang)

24 RACING Irish Grand National (Fairyhouse)

SNOOKER China Open (Beijing, to 30)

TENNIS ATP Masters Series (Miami, to 6 Apr)

25 BASEBALL Major League opening matches (Tokyo, & 26)

FOOTBALL Friendlies: France v England (Paris); Luxembourg v Wales

CYCLING World Track Championship (Manchester, to 30)

28 RALLYING Argentina Rally (Cordoba, to 30)

29 ROWING The Boat Race Cambridge v Oxford (Putney)

30 MOTORCYCLING Spanish Moto GP (Jerez)

ATHLETICS World Cross-Country Ch'ship (Edinburgh)

RACING Lincoln Handicap (Doncaster)

****

APRIL

1 FOOTBALL Champions League quarter-finals first leg (& 2)

3 GOLF Kraft Nabisco Women's Championship (Rancho Mirage, California, to 6)

EQUESTRIANISM British Open Show Jumping Championship (Birmingham, to 6)

FOOTBALL Uefa Cup quarter-finals first leg

5 FOOTBALL FA Cup semi-finals (Wembley, & 6)

RACING Grand National (Aintree)

6 MOTOR RACING Formula 1 Bahrain GP (Sakhir)

MOTORCYCLING World Superbikes (Valencia, Spain)

8 FOOTBALL Champions League quarter-finals second leg (& 9)

10 CRICKET MCC v Sussex (Lord's, to 13)

GOLF Masters (Augusta, to 13)

11 TENNIS Davis Cup quarter-finals (to 13)

12 RUGBY UNION EDF Energy Cup final (Twickenham)

FOOTBALL Scottish Cup semi-final (& 13)

13 MOTORCYCLING Portugal MotoGP (Estoril)

ATHLETICS London Marathon; Rotterdam Marathon

16 CRICKET First round of County Championship matches

BASKETBALL NBA regular season ends

19 RACING Scottish Grand National (Ayr)

SNOOKER World Championship (Crucible, to 5 May)

BASKETBALL NBA play-offs begin

20 CRICKET First round of Friends Provident Trophy

RUGBY LEAGUE Challenge Cup fourth round

21 TENNIS ATP Masters Series (Monte Carlo, Monaco, to 27)

22 FOOTBALL Champions League semi-final first leg (&23)

24 FOOTBALL Uefa Cup semi-finals first leg

EQUESTRIANISM FEI World Cup final (Gothenburg, to 27)

25 RALLYING Jordan Rally (to 27)

RUGBY UNION Heineken Cup semi-finals (to 27)

26 RACING Betfred Gold Cup (Sandown)

SPEEDWAY Slovenian GP (Krsko)

2 7 MOTOR RACING Formula 1 Spanish GP (Barcelona)

MOTORCYCLING World Superbikes (Assen, Netherlands)

29 FOOTBALL Champions League semi-final second leg (& 30)

****

MAY

1 FOOTBALL Uefa Cup semi-finals second leg

EQUESTRIANISM Badminton Horse Trials (to 4)

3 RACING 2,000 Guineas (Newmarket)

RUGBY LEAGUE Millennium Magic Weekend (Cardiff, & 4)

BASKETBALL BBL play-offs (Birmingham, & 4)

4 RACING 1,000 Gunieas (Newmarket)

FOOTBALL Championship (final day)

MOTORCYCLING China MotoGP (Shanghai)

5 TENNIS ATP Masters Series (Rome, Italy, to 11)

8 GOLF The Players Championship (Sawgrass, Florida, to 11)

EQUESTRIANISM Royal Windsor Horse Show (to 11)

10 RUGBY UNION Last day of Premiership season

SPEEDWAY European GP (Lezno, Poland)

11 FOOTBALL Premier League final day

MOTOR RACING Formula 1 Turkish GP (Istanbul)

12 TENNIS ATP Masters Series (Hamburg, Germany, to 18)

14 FOOTBALL Uefa Cup final (Manchester)

15 CRICKET First Test: England v New Zealand (Lord's, to 19)

GOLF Irish Open (Adare, to 18)

16 RUGBY UNION Guinness Premiership semi-finals (to 18)

RALLYING Italy/Sardinia Rally (to 18)

17 FOOTBALL FA Cup final (Wembley)

HOCKEY English Cup finals

18 ATHLETICS Bupa Great Manchester Run

MOTORCYCLING France MotoGP (Le Mans)

21 FOOTBALL European Cup final (Moscow)

22 GOLF BMW PGA Championship (Wentworth, to 25)

23 CRICKET Second Test: England v NZ (Old Trafford, to 27)

24 RUGBY UNION Heineken Cup final (venue tba); European Challenge Cup final (venue tba)

FOOTBALL Championship play-off final (Wembley)

FOOTBALL Scottish Cup final (Hampden Park)

FOOTBALL Friendly: Rep of Ireland v Serbia (Croke Park)

SPEEDWAY Swedish GP (Gothenburg)

25 MOTOR RACING Formula 1 Monaco GP (Monte Carlo)

FOOTBALL League One play-off final (Wembley)

TENNIS French Open (Roland Garros, to 8 June)

26 FOOTBALL League Two play-off final (Wembley)

29 GOLF Wales Open (Newport, to 1 June)

30 GOLF Curtis Cup (GB & Ire v US; St Andrews, to 1 June)

RALLYING Greece Rally (to 1 June)

31 RUGBY UNION Guinness Premiership final (Twickenham)

****

JUNE

1 MOTORCYCLING Italy MotoGP (Mugello)

MOTORCYCLING World Superbikes (Salt Lake City, US)

ATHLETICS IAAF Golden League (Berlin)

4 CRICKET Friends Provident Trophy quarter-finals

5 CRICKET Third Test: England v NZ (Trent Bridge, to 9)

BASKETBALL NBA finals (to 19)

GOLF LPGA Women's Championship (Bulle Rock, Maryland, to 8)

6 RACING Oaks (Epsom)

ATHLETICS IAAF Golden League (Oslo)

7 FOOTBALL European Championship starts (Austria and Switzerland, to 29)

RUGBY UNION New Zealand v Ireland (Wellington); South Africa v Wales (Blomfontein)

RACING Derby (Epsom)

8 MOTOR RACING Formula 1 Italian GP (Monza)

MOTORCYCLING Catalunya MotoGP (Barcelona)

9 TENNIS Stella Artois Championships (Queens Club, to 15)

TENNIS DFS Classic (Edgbaston)

11 CRICKET Group matches of Twenty20 Cup begin (to 27)

12 GOLF US Open (Torrey Pines, California, to 15)

13 CRICKET Twenty20 int: England v NZ (Old Trafford)

RALLYING Turkey Rally (to 15)

1 4 SPEEDWAY D anish GP (Copenhagen)

RUGBY UNION New Zealand v England (Auckland); South Africa v Wales (Pretoria)

15 CRICKET First ODI, England v New Zealand (Riverside)

16 TENNIS Nottingham Open (to 21)

TENNIS International Women's Open (Eastbourne, to 21)

GOLF The Amateur Championship (Turnberry, to 21)

17 RACING Royal Ascot (to 21)

18 CRICKET Second ODI, England v NZ (Edgbaston)

21 CRICKET Third ODI, England v NZ (Bristol)

RUGBY UNION New Zealand v England (Christchurch)

HOCKEY Champions Trophy (Rotterdam, to 29)

22 MOTOR RACING Formula 1 French GP (Magny-Cours)

MOTORCYCLING Great Britain MotoGP (Donington Park)

23 TENNIS Wimbledon (to 6 July)

25 CRICKET Fourth ODI, England v New Zealand (The Oval)

26 GOLF Open de France (Versailles, to 29)

GOLF US Women's Open (Interlachen, Minnesota, to 29)

28 CRICKET Fifth ODI, England v NZ (Lords)

MOTORCYCLING Netherlands MotoGP (Assen)

MOTORCYCLING World Superbikes (Misano, San Marino)

SPEEDWAY British GP (Cardiff)

29 RACING Irish Derby (Curragh)

****

JULY

2 ROWING Henley Royal Regatta (to 6)

3 GOLF European Open (venue tba, to 6)

4 CRICKET Friends Provident Trophy semi-final (& 5)

5 RACING Eclipse Stakes (Sandown)

CYCLING Tour de France (to 27)

6 MOTOR RACING Formula 1 British GP (Silverstone)

7 CRICKET Twenty20 Cup quarter-finals (& 8,9)

10 CRICKET First Test: England v South Africa (Lord's, to 14)

GOLF Scottish Open (Loch Lomond, to 13)

11 ATHLETICS IAAF Golden League (Rome)

MOTORCYCLING Festival of Speed (Goodwood, to 13)

13 MOTORCYCLING Germany MotoGP (Sachsenring)

15 CRICKET Pro40 League starts

FOOTBALL Champions League qualifying begins (to 27 Aug)

17 GOLF The Open Championship (Royal Birkdale, to 20)

18 CRICKET Second Test: England v SA (Headingley, to 22)

ATHLETICS IAAF Golden League (Paris)

20 MOTOR RACING Formula 1 German GP (Hockenheim)

MOTORCYCLING United States MotoGP (Laguna Seca)

MOTORCYCLING World Superbikes (Brno, Czech Rep)

21 TENNIS ATP Masters Series (Toronto, Canada to 27)

25 CRICKET England XI v Woolmer World XI (Edgbaston)

ATHLETICS IAAF London Grand Prix (Crystal Palace)

26 RACING King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Ascot)

CRICKET Twenty20 finals day (Rose Bowl)

RUGBY LEAGUE Challenge Cup semi-final (& 27)

28 TENNIS ATP Masters Series (Cincinnati, Ohio to 3 Aug)

29 RACING Glorious Goodwood (to 2 Aug)

30 CRICKET Third Test: England v SA (Edgbaston, to 3 Aug)

31 GOLF WGA Bridgestone Invitational (Akron, Ohio, to 3 Aug)

GOLF Women's British Open (Sunningdale, to 3 Aug)

****

AUGUST

1 RALLYING Finland Rally (to 3 Aug)

2 SPEEDWAY Czech Rep GP (Prague)

SAILING Cowes week (to 9)

3 MOTOR RACING Formula 1 Hungarian GP (Hungaroring)

MOTORCYCLING World Superbikes (Brands Hatch)

7 CRICKET Fourth Test: England v South Africa (The Oval, to 11)

GOLF USPGA Championship (Oakland Hills, Detroit, to 10)

8 OLYMPIC GAMES (Beijing, China, to 24)

9 ATHLETICS MAZDA London Triathlon (ExCel Centre)

15 RALLYING Germany Rally (to 17)

16 CRICKET Friends Provident Trophy final (Lords)

SPEEDWAY Scandanavian GP (Malilla, Sweden)

17 MOTORCYCLING Czech Republic MotoGP (Brno)

18 CRICKET ODI: Scotland v England (Edinburgh)

19 RACING York Ebor Meeting (to 22)

20 CRICKET Twenty20 Int: England v SA (Chester-le-Street)

FOOTBALL Friendly: Wales v Georgia

22 CRICKET Natwest Series: First ODI, England v South Africa (Headingley)

24 MOTOR RACING Formula 1 European GP (Valencia)

25 TENNIS US Open (Flushing Meadows, to 7 Sep)

26 CRICKET Natwest Series: Second ODI, England v South Africa (Trent Bridge)

28 GOLF Johnnie Walker Champ'ship (Gleneagles, to 31)

29 CRICKET Natwest Series: Third ODI, England v South Africa (The Oval)

FOOTBALL Uefa Super Cup final (Monaco)

RALLYING New Zealand Rally (to 31)

30 RUGBY LEAGUE Challenge Cup final (Wembley)

SPEEDWAY Latvian GP (Daugavpils)

31 CRICKET Natwest Series: Fourth ODI, England v South Africa (Lord's)

MOTORCYCLING San Marino MotoGP (Misano)

ATHLETICS Norwich Union British Grand Prix (Gateshead)

****

SEPTEMBER

2 ATHLETICS Lausanne GP

3 CRICKET Natwest Series: Fifth ODI, England v SA (Cardiff)

5 ATHLETICS IAAF Golden League (Brussels)

6 ATHLETICS Paralympic Games (Beijing, to 17)

FOOTBALL World Cup 2010 qualifier: Macedonia v Scotland

7 MOTOR RACING Formula 1 Italian GP (Monza)

MOTORCYCLING World Superbikes (Donington Park)

RUGBY LEAGUE National League play-offs start

CYCLING Tour of Britain (to 14)

10 FOOTBALL World Cup 2010 qualifier: Iceland v Scotland

12 RUGBY LEAGUE Super League play-offs start

13 RACING St Leger (Doncaster)

ATHLETICS IAAF World Athletics Final (Stuttgart, & 14)

TENNIS Fed Cup final

SPEEDWAY Polish GP (Bydgoszcz)

14 MOTOR RACING F1 Belgian GP (Spa-Francorchamps)

MOTORCYCLING Indianapolis MotoGP

CRICKET Final Round of Pro40 matches

16 FOOTBALL Champions League group stages (to 10 Dec)

18 FOOTBALL Uefa Cup first round (& 2 Oct)

19 TENNIS Davis Cup semi-finals and play-offs (to 21)

GOLF Ryder Cup (Valhalla, Kentucky, to 21)

TENNIS Davis Cup World Group semi-finals and play-offs (to 21)

20 RACING Ayr Gold Cup

24 CRICKET Final County Championship matches (to 28)

25 GOLF British Masters (Belfry, to 28)

GOLF The Tour Championship (Atlanta, Georgia, to 28)

27 RACING Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Ascot)

SPEEDWAY Italian GP (Lonigo)

28 MOTOR RACING Formula 1 Singapore GP (Marina Bay)

MOTORCYCLING Japan MotoGP (Motegi)

MOTORCYCLING World Superbikes (Vallelunga, Italy)

ATHLETICS Berlin Marathon

RUGBY LEAGUE National League Grand Finals

****

OCTOBER

2 GOLF Dunhill Links Championship (St Andrews, Carnoustie, Kingsbarns, to 5)

RALLYING Spain Rally (to 5)

4 RUGBY LEAGUE Super League XIII Grand Final (Old Trafford)

5 ATHLETICS Bupa Great North Run (Newcastle)

MOTORCYCLING Australia MotoGP (Phillip Island)

MOTORCYCLING World Superbikes (Magny-Cours, Fr)

RACING Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Longchamp, France)

8 EQUESTRIANISM Horse of the Year Show (Birmingham, to 12)

9 GOLF World Match Play Champ'ship (Wentworth, to 12)

10 RALLYING France/Corsica Rally (to 12)

11 SPEEDWAY German GP (Gelsenkirchen)

FOOTBALL World Cup 2010 qualifier: Scotland v Norway

SQUASH World Championships (Manchester, to 19)

12 MOTOR RACING Formula 1 Chinese GP (Shanghai)

TENNIS ATP Masters Series (Madrid, Spain, to 19)

ATHLETICS Chicago Marathon

18 RACING Champions' Day (Newmarket)

19 MOTOR RACING Formula 1 Japanese GP (Fuji)

MOTORCYCLING Malaysia MotoGP (Sepang)

23 FOOTBALL Uefa Cup group stages begin (to 18 Dec)

24 RALLYING Japan Rally (to 26)

25 RACING Breeders' Cup (Santa Anita, US)

RUGBY LEAGUE World Cup starts: England v Papua New Guinea (Australia, to 22 Nov)

26 MOTORCYCLING Spain MotoGP (Valencia)

MOTORCYCLING World Superbikes (Portimao, Portugal)

27 TENNIS ATP Masters Series (Paris, France, to 9 Nov)

30 GOLF Volvo Masters (Valderrama, Spain, to 2 Nov)

****

NOVEMBER

2 MOTOR RACING Formula 1 Brazilian GP (Interlagos)

ATHLETICS New York Marathon

4 TENNIS Sony Ericsson WTA Championships (Doha, to 9)

RACING Melbourne Cup (Flemington, Aus)

9 TENNIS Masters Cup (Shanghai, to 16)

15 RACING Paddy Power Gold Cup (Cheltenham)

DARTS Grand Slam of Darts (Wolverhampton, to 23)

17 GOLF World Cup (Mission Hills, California, to 23)

21 TENNIS Davis Cup final (to 23)

22 RUGBY LEAGUE World Cup final (Brisbane)

28 RALLYING Britain Rally (Cardiff, to 30)

29 RACING Hennessy Gold Cup (Newbury)

****

DECEMBER

6 RACING Tingle Creek Chase (Sandown)

12 FOOTBALL Fifa Club World Cup (Japan, to 21)

13 RACING Boylesports Gold Cup (Cheltenham)

16 EQUESTRIANISM London Horse Show (Olympia, to 21)

17 DARTS PDC World Championship (Alexandra Palace, to 1 Jan)

26 RACING King George VI Chase (Kempton)

27 RACING Welsh National (Chepstow)

Compiled by James Mariner, Sean Calvert, Samuel Crome,Gareth Davies, Jerome Doraisamy and Gareth Ellis