Sport round-up of 2025

As another dramatic sporting year draws to a close, we look back at some of the highlights of 2025

Rugby

England hosted the Women’s Rugby World Cup and were crowned world champions in September, with the Red Roses defeating Canada 33–13 in front of a world-record crowd of 81,885 at Twickenham.

The men’s Six Nations took place from January to March, with England recording narrow one-point victories at Twickenham against eventual champions France (26–25) and Scotland (16–15). The British and Irish Lions enjoyed a successful tour of Australia, securing their first series win there since 2013. Andy Farrell’s side clinched a 2–1 victory, just missing out on a historic whitewash.

Golf

It was a historic year for Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, who finally won the Masters at Augusta on his 16th attempt to complete a career Grand Slam. The public last month voted him BBC Sports Personality of the Year. World number one Scottie Scheffler captured both the PGA Championship and The Open, while fellow American J.J. Spaun claimed the US Open.

Team USA did not have it all their own way, however, as Team Europe produced a stunning start at the 45th Ryder Cup in New York. Luke Donald’s side silenced a hostile crowd and held on for a dramatic 15–13 victory.

Football

The pinnacle of the footballing calendar came in July with the Women’s Euro in Switzerland, when the Lionesses dramatically defended their title. Sarina Wiegman’s England fought back from 2–0 down in the quarter-final with just nine minutes to go, eventually beating Sweden 3–2 on penalties.

The semi-final against Italy was even more dramatic, with a 96th-minute equaliser sending the game into extra time. England then had a penalty saved in the final minute, but Chloe Kelly smashed home the rebound to send them through to a showdown with Spain. 

With the score in the final locked at 1–1 after extra time, the nation once again endured a nail-biting penalty shootout. Goalkeeper Hannah Hampton saved two penalties and, once more, Kelly stepped up to fire England to glory, becoming the first English team to win a major tournament not on home soil.

Domestically, Chelsea’s dominance continued as they won their sixth successive Women’s Super League title in April, followed by FA Cup success in May with a 3–0 victory over Manchester United. Chelsea’s men were not to be overshadowed, winning the controversial Club World Cup in July and collecting a reported £85 million in prize money.

Liverpool were crowned Premier League champions in April, finally equalling Manchester United’s record of 20 league titles. In the FA Cup final, few gave Crystal Palace much chance against Manchester City, but in a competition famed for shocks, the Eagles delivered. A solitary Eberechi Eze goal secured the first major trophy in the club’s 119-year history.

Athletics

September brought the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, with 67 athletes from Britain and Northern Ireland dreaming of global glory. While there were no gold medals for the first time since 2003, nine days of competition delivered a series of inspirational performances.

Amy Hunt, competing in her first major final, won an unexpected silver medal in the 200 metres. Jake Wightman also claimed silver in the 1,500 metres after a long road back from injury. In the women’s 800 metres, Georgia Hunter-Bell took silver, finishing just ahead of Keeley Hodgkinson in bronze position. Katrina Johnson-Thompson won her fourth global heptathlon medal in extraordinary circumstances, sharing world bronze with American Taliyah Brooks. Roll on Beijing 2027.

Tennis

In another thrilling year, the men’s game was dominated by the rivalry between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. Sinner defended his Australian Open title in January, while American Madison Keys claimed her first Grand Slam tournament win.

Alcaraz retained his French Open crown in June, with Coco Gauff securing her maiden major title. At Wimbledon, Sinner won his first title at SW19, while Iga Świątek claimed the women’s crown with a commanding 6–0, 6–0 victory. In September, Alcaraz captured his second US Open, and Aryna Sabalenka defended her women’s title. Italy’s men rounded off the year by winning a third consecutive Davis Cup in November.

Boxing

The year’s standout bouts included the long-awaited grudge match between Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn in April at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Eubank winning on points in a fight-of-the-year contender. Benn claimed a less dramatic rematch victory in November, setting up the possibility of a trilogy in 2026.

Ipswich-born Fabio Wardley captured the WBO heavyweight title by stopping Joseph Parker, earning a potential shot at unbeaten champion Oleksandr Usyk. Katie Taylor retained her undisputed super-featherweight titles against Amanda Serrano on a historic all-women card at Madison Square Garden. The year ended with Anthony Joshua defeating a YouTuber (see The Great Debate).

Snooker

Shaun ‘The Magician’ Murphy made a blistering start to the year, winning his second Masters title in January with victory over Kyren Wilson. In May, China’s Zhao Xintong stunned the sport by winning the World Championship, completing an extraordinary comeback after returning from a 30-month ban in 2024. In December, Mark ‘the Jester from Leicester’ Selby claimed his third UK Championship, defeating Judd Trump 10–8 in the final.

Cricket

The England men’s team travelled to Australia in an attempt to reclaim the Ashes, which they have not held for over a decade. Despite arriving with optimism, Ben Stokes’s side were unable to loosen Australia’s grip on the urn, losing the first three Tests in the best-of-five series. In October, the England Women’s team reached the semi-finals of the World Cup (a 50-over format contest), but were beaten by South Africa. Host nation India went on to lift the trophy.

Darts

The rivalry between Luke Littler and Luke Humphries continued to flourish. Littler became the youngest-ever world champion in January at just 17. Humphries responded by winning his first Premier League title in May, defeating Littler in the final. In July, Littler completed a remarkable career Grand Slam by winning the World Matchplay at 18. Northern Ireland celebrated historic success in June, as Daryl Gurney and Josh Rock secured the province’s first World Cup of Darts title.

Across the Pond

The Philadelphia Eagles won their second Super Bowl in February, denying the Kansas City Chiefs a third consecutive title. In June, the Oklahoma City Thunder claimed their first NBA championship with a dramatic 4–3 series victory over the Indiana Pacers. The Los Angeles Dodgers sealed their seventh baseball World Series title in November, beating the Toronto Blue Jays in the deciding seventh game.

Winter Olympics: 6-22 February 

Men’s T20 cricket World Cup: 

7 February-8 March

Cheltenham Festival: 10–13 March

Men’s FIFA World Cup: 11 June-19 July

Women’s T20 cricket World Cup: 

12 June-1 July

Rugby League World Cup: 

15 October-15 November

The Great Debate: Does boxing need social media influencers? 

Former double world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua’s fight last month, which left YouTuber Jake Paul with a broken jaw, has caused mixed opinions in the sporting world. Is this growing trend of mismatches damaging to the sport of boxing or simply great entertainment?

YES, LET THEM FIGHT

• The significant media coverage of these events, helped by social media, has created high pay-per-view revenue, which generates more money for the sport. Paul and Joshua are said to have split a £130 million purse.

• New audiences have been tapped into, such as the Gen X demographic. Without these influencers, and the enormity of social media, boxing may have passed them by. 

• These intriguing contests offer a chance for amateur boxers/influencers, retired boxers and MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) fighters to earn a living and test themselves against either younger or more experienced athletes.

NO, IT’S A MISMATCH

• The danger of serious injury is heightened if you’re not a seasoned fighter with experience in taking punches. Consider weight alone: Jake Paul’s natural weight is 200 pounds; his original scheduled opponent was Gevonte Davis at 135 pounds. Joshua weighed 245 pounds.

• Staged pantomime drama, fake trash talk and low skill levels damage the sport. Mike Tyson, renowned as one of the best of all time, was 58 years old when he fought a 27-year-old Jake Paul in 2024; many found it an unsavoury watch. 

• These types of circus acts distract attention and opportunity from boxers who have fought for years to become professionals. What will the long-term effect be on younger fighters when social media likes trump sporting ability?