2013 Sports Calendar

Your essential guide to the year’s best sporting action

Wales flanker, Sam Warburton (Getty Images)

1 DARTS Ladbrokes World Championship final (Alexandra Palace)

5 ATHLETICS Great Edinburgh Cross-country

5-7 FOOTBALL FA Cup third round

5-13 DARTS BDO World Championship (Frimley Green)

6 CRICKET England tour match (Delhi)

8 CRICKET England tour match (Delhi)

8/9 FOOTBALL League Cup semi-final, first legs

11 CRICKET First One-Day International: India v England (Rajkot)

14-27 TENNIS Australian Open (Melbourne)

15 CRICKET Second One-Day International: India v England (Kochi)

17 BASKETBALL Detroit Pistons v New York Knicks (London)

19 CRICKET Third ODI: India v England (Ranchi)

19-10 Feb FOOTBALL African Nations Cup (South Africa)

22/23 FOOTBALL League Cup semi-final, second legs

23 CRICKET Fourth ODI: India v England (Mohali)

26 ATHLETICS British Athletics Indoor International Match (Glasgow)

26-27 FOOTBALL FA Cup fourth round; Scottish League Cup semi-finals

27 CRICKET Fifth ODI: India v England (Dharamsala)

31-17 Feb CRICKET Women's World Cup (India)

February

1 RUGBY LEAGUE Super League season starts

1-3 TENNIS Davis Cup first rd

2 FOOTBALL Scottish Cup fifth round; RUGBY UNION Six Nations: Wales v Ireland; England v Scotland

3 AMERICAN FOOTBALL Superbowl XLVII (N Orleans)

RUGBY UNION Six Nations: Italy v France

4 CRICKET Twenty20: NZ XI v England (Whangarei)

6 FOOTBALL Friendlies: Eng-v Brazil, Malta v N Ire; Rep of Ire v Poland, Scot v Estonia, Wales v Austria; CRICKET T20 New Zealand XI v England (Whangarei)

6-9 TENNIS Fed Cup Eur/Afr Zone Grp One (Eilat, Isr)

9 CRICKET First T20 international: New Zealand v England (Auckland); RUGBY UNION Six Nations France v Wales; Scotland v Italy

9-10 ATHLETICS European Indoor trials and UK Championships (Sheffield); TENNIS Fed Cup World Grp/World Group Two first round

10 RUGBY UNION Six Nations: Ireland v England

12 CRICKET Second T20i: NZ v England (Hamilton)

12-13/19-20 FOOTBALL Champs Lge, round of 16, first legs

14 FOOTBALL Europa League round of 32 first legs

15 CRICKET Third T20i: NZ v England (Wellington)

16 ATHLETICS IAAF Indoor Grand Prix (Birmingham)

16-17 FOOTBALL FA Cup fifth round

17 CRICKET First ODI: NZ v England (Hamilton)

18-24 GOLF WGC-Accenture Match Play Ch'ship (Tucson)

20 CRICKET Second ODI: NZ v England (Napier)

21 FOOTBALL Europa League R32, second legs

22 RUGBY LEAGUE World Club Challenge: Leeds v Melbourne (Headingley)

23 CRICKET Third ODI: NZ v England (Auckland); RUGBY UNION Six Nations: Italy v Wales, England v France

24 FOOTBALL League Cup final (Wembley); RUGBY UNION Six Nations: Scotland v Ireland

27-2 Mar CRICKET NZ XI v England (Queenstown)

March

1-3 ATHLETICS European Indoor Championships (Gothenburg, Swe)

2 FOOTBALL Scottish Cup sixth round

3-10 CYCLING Paris-Nice

5-6/12-13 FOOTBALL Champions League round of 16, second legs

5-9 CRICKET First Test: New Zealand v England (Dunedin)

7 FOOTBALL Europa League round of 16, first legs

7-10 Golf WGC CA Championship (Miami)

7-17 TENNIS Indian Wells Masters

9 RUGBY UNION Six Nations: Scotland v Wales; Ireland v France

9-10 FOOTBALL FA Cup sixth round

10 RUGBY UNION Six Nations: England v Italy

13-17 CRICKET Second Test: NZ v England (Wellington)

14 FOOTBALL Europa League round of 16, second legs

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

17 CYCLING Milan-San Remo; FOOTBALL Scottish League Cup final; FORMULA ONE Australian GP (Mel-bourne); RUGBY UNION Anglo-Welsh Cup final

18-31 TENNIS Miami Masters

21-25 CRICKET: Third Test: NZ v England (Auckland)

22 FOOTBALL World Cup qualifiers: Northern Ireland v Russia; San Marino v England; Scotland v Wales; Sweden v Republic of Ireland

23 FOOTBALL Start of Women's Super League

24 CRICKET MCC v Warwickshire (Abu Dhabi); FORMULA ONE Malaysian Grand Prix (Kuala Lumpur)

26 FOOTBALL World Cup qualifiers: Montenegro v England; Northern Ireland v Israel; Republic of Ireland v Austria; Serbia v Scotland; Wales v Croatia

30 RACING Dubai World Cup

31 CYCLING Tour of Flanders; ROWING Boat Race (London)

April

2/3 FOOTBALL Champions League quarter-final first legs

3 CRICKET Indian Premier League starts

4 FOOTBALL Europa League quarter-final first legs

4/5/6 RUGBY UNION Heineken Cup quarter-finals

4-6 RACING Grand National Meeting (Aintree)

5-7 TENNIS Davis Cup Europe/Africa Zone Group One: Great Britain v Russia

7 CYCLING Paris-Roubaix; FOOTBALL Johnstone's Paint Trophy Final (Wembley)

9/10 FOOTBALL Champions League q-final second legs

10-13 CRICKET First round of LV County Championship

11 FOOTBALL Europa League q-final second legs

11-14 GOLF US Masters (Augusta)

13/14 FOOTBALL FA Cup semi-finals; Scottish Cup semi-finals

14 FORMULA ONE Chinese Grand Prix (Shanghai)

14-21 TENNIS Monte Carlo Masters

17 CYCLING Fleche Wallonne

20-21 TENNIS Fed Cup World Group semi-finals; World Group play-offs

20-6 May SNOOKER World Championship (Sheffield)

21 ATHLETICS Virgin London Marathon; CYCLING Liege-Bastogne-Liege; FORMULA ONE Bahrain Grand Prix (Sakhir)

23/24 FOOTBALL Champions League semi-final first legs

25 FOOTBALL Europa League semi-final first legs

26/27/28 RUGBY UNION Heineken Cup semi-finals

30/1 May FOOTBALL Champions League semi-final second legs

May

2 FOOTBALL Europa League semi-final second legs

3 CRICKET Clydesdale Bank 40 begins

3-12 TENNIS Madrid Masters

4 FOOTBALL Final day of Championship season

4-5 RACING Guineas meeting (Newmarket)

4-6 CRICKET Tour match: Derbyshire v NZ (Derby)

4-26 CYCLING Giro d'Italia

9-12 GOLF Players Championships (Florida); CRICKET Tour match: Eng Lions v NZ (Leicester)

10 ATHLETICS Diamond League meeting (Doha)

11 FOOTBALL FA Cup final (Wembley)

11/12 RUGBY UNION Premiership semi-finals

11-19 TENNIS Rome Masters

12 FORMULA ONE Spanish Grand Prix (Barcelona)

15 FOOTBALL Europa League final (Amsterdam)

16-20 CRICKET First Test: England v N Zealand (Lord's)

17 RUGBY UNION Amlin Challenge Cup final (Dublin)

18 FOOTBALL League Two play-off final (Wembley); RUGBY UNION Heineken Cup final (Dublin)

19 ATHLETICS Diamond League meeting (Shanghai); FOOTBALL Final day of Premier League; League One play-off final (Wembley)

23 FOOTBALL Women's Cha-mps Lg final (S'ford Bridge)

23-26 GOLF BMW PGA Championship (Wentworth)

24-28 CRICKET Second Test: Eng v NZ (Headingley)

25 ATHLETICS Diamond League meeting (New York); FOOTBALL Champions League final (Wembley); RUGBY UNION Premiership final (T'ham); Pro12 final

25-26 ATHLETICS Hypo Meeting (Gotzis); RUGBY LEAGUE Super League Magic Weekend (Manchester)

26 ATHLETICS Great Man-chester Run 10K/Great City-Games; CRICKET Indian Premier League final; FOOTBALL Scottish Cup final (Hampden Park); Women's FA Cup final; F. ONE Monaco GP (Monte Carlo); RUGBY UNION England v Barbarians (T'ham)

26-9 Jun TENNIS French Open (Paris)

27 FOOTBALL Champion-ship play-off final (Wembley)

29 FOOTBALL Friendly: England v R of Ire (Wembley)

31 CRICKET First ODI: England v N Zealand (Lord's)

31-1 Jun RACING Derby meeting (Epsom)

June

1 ATHLETICS Prefontaine Classic Diamond League meeting (Eugene); RUGBY UNION Barbarians v British and Irish Lions (Hong Kong)

2 CRICKET Second ODI: England v NZ (Southampton); FOOTBALL Friendly: Brazil v England (Rio de Janeiro)

2-9 CYCLING Critérium du Dauphiné

5 CRICKET Third ODI: England v New Zealand (Trent Bridge); RUGBY UNION Western Force v British and Irish Lions (Perth)

5-18 FOOTBALL European Under-21 Championship (Israel)

6 ATHLETICS Golden Gala Diamond League meeting (Rome)

6-23 CRICKET ICC Champions Trophy (Cardiff, Edgbaston and The Oval)

7 FOOTBALL World Cup qualifiers: Croatia v Scotland; Republic of Ireland v Faroe Islands; RUGBY UNION United States v Ireland (Houston)

8 RUGBY UNION Q'sland Reds v Brit and Irish Lions (Bris-bane); Japan v Wales (Osaka)

8-16 CYCLING Tour de Suisse

9 FORMULA ONE Canadian Grand Prix (Montreal)

10-16 TENNIS Aegon Championships (Queen's Club); Aegon Classic (Edgbaston)

11 RUGBY UNION Combined Country XV v Lions (Newcastle)

13 ATHLETICS Bislett Games Diamond League meeting (Oslo)

13-16 GOLF US Open (Ardmore)

15 RUGBY UNION N Sth Wales Waratahs v Brit and Irish Lions (Sydney); Japan v Wales (Tokyo); Canada v Ireland (Toronto)

15-16 RUGBY LEAGUE Representative Weekend

15-22 TENNIS Aegon International (Eastbourne)

15-30 FOOTBALL Confederations Cup (Brazil)

17-22 GOLF The Amateur (Royal Cinque Ports & Prince's, Kent)

18 RUGBY UNION ACT Brumbies v British and Irish Lions (Canberra)

18-22 RACING Royal Ascot

22 CRICKET T20: Kent v New Zealand (Canterbury); RUGBY UNION First Test: Australia v British Isles (Brisbane)

22-23 ATHLETICS European Team Championships (Gateshead)

23 CRICKET ICC Champions Trophy final (Edgbaston)

24-7 Jul TENNIS Wimbledon Championships (All England Club)

25 CRICKET First T20 International: England v New Zealand (The Oval); RUGBY UNION Melbourne Rebels v British and Irish Lions

26 CRICKET Friends Life t20 begins

26-29 CRICKET Tour match: Somerset v Australia (Taunton)

27 CRICKET Second T20 International: England v New Zealand (The Oval)

27-30 GOLF US Women's Open (New York)

29 RUGBY UNION Second Test: Australia v British Isles (Melbourne)

29-21 Jul CYCLING Tour de France

30 ATHLETICS Diamond League meeting (Birmingham); FORMULA ONE British Grand Prix (Silverstone)

30-3 Jul CRICKET Essex v England (Chelmsford)

July

2-5 CRICKET Tour match: Worcestershire v Australia (Worcester)

4 ATHLETICS Athletissima Diamond League meeting (Lausanne)

6 ATHLETICS Areva Diamond League meeting (Paris); RUGBY UNION Third Test: Australia v British Isles (Sydney)

7 FORMULA ONE German Grand Prix (tba)

10-14 CRICKET First Test: Eng v Australia (Trent Bridge)

10-28 FOOTBALL Women's European Championship (Sweden)

11-14 GOLF Scottish Open (Castle Stuart)

12-14 ATHLETICS World trials and UK Championships (Birmingham)

18-21 GOLF The Open (Muirfield)

18-22 CRICKET Second Test: England v Australia (Lord's)

19 ATHLETICS Herculis Diamond League meeting (Monaco)

21 FORMULA ONE Grand Prix (venue tba)

26-27 ATHLETICS Diamond League meeting (Crystal Palace)

26-28 CRICKET Tour match: Sussex v Australia (Hove)

27 RACING King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Ascot)

27-28 RUGBY LEAGUE Challenge Cup semi-finals

28 FORMULA ONE Hungarian Grand Prix (Budapest)

30-3 Aug RACING Glorious Goodwood

August

1-4 GOLF WGC Bridgestone Invitational (Ohio); Ricoh Women's British Open (St Andrew's)

1-5 CRICKET Third Test: England v Australia (Old Trafford)

3 FOOTBALL Start of Football League season

3-10 SAILING Cowes Week

5-11 TENNIS Montreal Masters

8-11 GOLF US PGA Championship (New York)

9-13 CRICKET Fourth Test: England v Australia (Chester-le-Street)

10-18 ATHLETICS World Championships (Moscow); TENNIS Cincinnati Masters

11 FOOTBALL Community Shield (Wembley)

13-16 CRICKET Women's Test: England v Australia (Wormsley)

14 FOOTBALL International friendly: England v Scotland (Wembley)

16-17 CRICKET Tour match: Northamptonshire v Australia (Northampton)

16-18 GOLF Solheim Cup (Colorado)

17 CRICKET Friends Life t20 finals day (Edgbaston); FOOTBALL Start of Premier League season

20 CRICKET First Women's ODI: England v Australia (Lord's)

21-24 RACING Ebor meeting (York)

21-25 CRICKET Fifth Test: England v Australia (The Oval)

23 ATHLETICS Diamond League meeting (Stockholm); CRICKET Second Women's ODI: England v Australia (Hove)

24 RUGBY LEAGUE Challenge Cup final (Wembley)

24-15 Sep CYCLING Tour of Spain

25 CRICKET Third Women's ODI: England v Australia (Hove); FORMULA ONE Belgian Grand Prix (Spa-Francorchamps)

26-9 Sept TENNIS US Open (Flushing Meadows, New York)

27 CRICKET First Women's T20 International: England v Australia (Chelmsford)

29 ATHLETICS Diamond League meeting (Zurich); CRICKET First T20 international: England v Australia; Second Women's T20 International: England v Australia (both Southampton)

30 FOOTBALL European Super Cup (Prague)

31 CRICKET Second T20 international: England v Australia; Third Women's T20 international England v Australia (both Chester-le-Street)

September

3 CRICKET ODI matches: Ireland v England (Dublin); Scotland v Australia (Edinburgh)

6 ATHLETICS Van Damme Diamond League meeting (Brussels); CRICKET First ODI: England v Australia (Headingley); FOOTBALL World Cup qualifiers: England v Moldova; Macedonia v Wales; Northern Ireland v Portugal; Republic of Ireland v Sweden; Scotland v Belgium

8 CRICKET Second ODI: England v Australia (Old Trafford); FORMULA ONE Italian Grand Prix (Monza); RUGBY LEAGUE Final round of Super League

10 FOOTBALL World Cup qualifiers: Austria v Republic of Ireland; Luxembourg v Northern Ireland; Macedonia v Scotland; Ukraine v England; Wales v Serbia.

11 CRICKET Third ODI: England v Australia (Edgbaston)

11-14 RACING St Leger meeting (Doncaster)

13 RUGBY LEAGUE Super League play-offs start

13-15 TENNIS Davis Cup World Group semi-finals and play-offs

14 ATHLETICS Great City Games (Gateshead); CRICKET Fourth ODI: England v Australia (Cardiff)

15 ATHLETICS Great North Run

15-22 CYCLING Tour of Britain

16 CRICKET Fifth ODI: England v Australia (Southampton)

21 CRICKET Clydesdale Bank 40 final (Lord's)

22 FORMULA ONE Singapore Grand Prix (Marina Bay)

22-29 CYCLING World Championships (Florence)

24-27 CRICKET Final round of LV County Championship matches

29 AMERICAN FOOTBALL NFL: Minnesota Vikings v Pittsburgh Steelers (Wembley)

October

5 RUGBY LEAGUE Super League Grand Final (Old Trafford)

6 CYCLING Giro di Lombardia;

FORMULA ONE Korean Grand Prix

(Yeongnam);

RACING Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Longchamp)

7-13 TENNIS Shanghai Masters

11 FOOTBALL World Cup qualifiers: Azerbaijan v Northern Ireland;

England v Montenegro; Germany v Republic of Ireland; Wales v

Macedonia

12 RACING Future Champions Day (Newmarket)

13 FORMLA ONE Japanese Grand Prix (Suzuka)

15 FOOTBALL World Cup qualifiers: Belgium v

Wales; England v Poland; Israel v Northern Ireland; Republic of Ireland v Kazakhstan; Scotland v Croatia

22-27 TENNIS WTA Championships (Istanbul)

24-27 GOLF BMW Masters (Shanghai)

26-30 Nov RUGBY LEAGUE World Cup (England, France, Ireland and Wales)

27 AMERICAN FOOTBALL NFL: Jacksonville Jaguars v San Francisco 49ers (Wembley);

FORMULA ONE Indian Grand Prix (Delhi)

28-3 Nov TENNIS Paris Masters

31-2 Nov CRICKET Western Australia XI v England (Perth)

31-3 Nov GOLF WGC HSBC Champions (Shanghai)

November

1-2 RACING Breeders' Cup (Santa Anita)

2 RUGBY UNION Autumn International: England v Australia (Twickenham)

2-3 TENNIS Fed Cup World Group Final

3 ATHLETICS New York Marathon;

FORMULA ONE Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (Yas Marina)

4-11 TENNIS ATP World Tour finals (London)

6-9 CRICKET Australia A v England (Hobart)

7-10 GOLF Turkish Open (Antalya)

9 RUGBY UNION Autumn International: England v Argentina (Twickenham)

13-16 CRICKET New

South Wales XI v England (Sydney)

14-17 GOLF DP World Tour Championship (Dubai)

15-17 TENNIS Davis Cup final

15/19 FOOTBALL World Cup qualification play-offs, European zone

16 RUGBY UNION Autumn International: England v New Zealand (Twickenham)

17 FORMULA ONE United States Grand Prix (Austin)

21-25 CRICKET First Test: Australia v England (Brisbane)

24 FORMULA ONE Brazilian Grand Prix (Sao Paulo)

29-30 CRICKET Chairman's XI v England (Canberra)

30 RUGBY LEAGUE World Cup final (Old Trafford)

December

4-8 TENNIS Statoil Masters (Royal Albert Hall)

5-9 CRICKET Second Test: Aus v England (Adelaide)

6 FOOTBALL World Cup draw (Salvador)

11-21 FOOTBALL Club World Cup (Morocco)

13-17 CRICKET Third Test: Australia v England (Perth)

26 RACING King George VI Chase (Kempton)

26-30 CRICKET Fourth Test: Australia v England (Melbourne)

All dates correct at time of going to press