Sport in 2014 - Preview the Year Ahead

There is a lot to look forward to in 2014, from the World Cup, to Winter Olympics, Commonwealth Games, the Tour de France in Yorkshire, England Tests and Andy Murray returning to Wimbledon. 2014 is set to be a bumper packed year for the sports fan and we can't wait!

Football - The World Cup - Starts June 12th

This is the biggest one in any given year, only the Olympics comes close to the World Cup for the crown of the biggest sporting event in the world. Not to mention that this year it is being held in the spiritual home of football, Brazil.  

The 2014 World Cup is also unique in that it will take place in more cities than any previous tournament, with 12 cities hosting matches. From north to south, there will be games in Manaus, Fortaleza, Natal, Recife, Salvador, Cuiaba, Brasilia, Belo Horizonte, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paolo, Curitiba and Porto Alegre.

Twelve cities, 12 stadiums and some very distinct and different landscapes in the surrounding areas; the Brazilian World Cup will highlight the beauty and diversity of this very unique country.

Manaus in the northwest is likely where humidity will be highest, and the temperatures there could be around the mid-30s Celsius.

European nations, on the other hand, might prefer Porto Alegre, where the average June temperature is around 19 degrees.

Considering that Brazil is one of the most football mad nations on Earth, it is surprising that this will only be the second time it has hosted the tournament. The atmosphere is set to be electric and could well be one of the best tournament yet, assuming the stadiums are finished on time that is!



Tennis - Wimbledon - June 23rd

After Andy Murray's triumph last year the levels of expectation will be sky high as he attempts to defend his title. Wimbledon will throw up a series of questions, such as - will Murray's competition come back stronger? Can Rodger Federer regain his winning touch? Is there a British woman who can make an impact in this tournament.

Ticket's have already sold out and the famous Wimbledon queueing policy for the remaining batch should be more over-subscribed than usual.

As always for two weeks at the end of June Britain will be tennis mad!

Athletics - Commonwealth Games - July 23rd

After the feel good factor of the 2012 Olympics in London, demand for tickets for the Glasgow Commonwealth game has gone through the roof, with 2.3m requests for 1m tickets. The chance to see Olympic athletics stars like Usain Bolt, Mo Farah and Greg Rutherford is heavily anticipated by the British public. The Commonwealth games has also drawn public interest across all sports, not just the main attractions like athletics.

The games could also have a political angle linked to Scotland's independence vote and the fact the home nations compete separately in the Commonwealth games could prove poignant. However, Alex Salmond has denied that the games will be about playing politics.

Rugby Union - Six Nations - February 1st

The strongly contested Autumn internationals provided Rugby fans with an idea of how competitive this Six Nations is likely to be. The shocks and great games wet the appetite of fans and with many games already

sold out the atmosphere is set to electric. Reigning champions Wales appear to be slight favourites, but the performances in the Autumn internationals suggest that it is open to almost anyone.

Cycling - Tour de France - July 5th

This year you can experience the worlds most famous bike race without even setting foot in France. The Grand Départ in Yorkshire is a fantastic chance to see all the worlds best cyclists, as the three stages here take in Leeds to Harrogate. Brit Chris Froome is again favourite for the green jersey after his triumphant victory last year.

Cricket - England Tests - June 12th

After England's December Ashes humiliation down under, it will be interesting to see how they react and if they can bounce back straight away. A 90's England team could be expected to continue into a spiral of defeat and self pity, but this team is made of sterner stuff. England need to prove they are among the worlds best in these tests, so Sri Lanka and the fearsome Indian's should provide perfect opportunity to test their mettle.

There are still plenty of tickets available, with only the Oval already sold out. A perfect opportunity to hopefully see a resurgent England.

Golf - The Ryder Cup & The Open - September 23rd / July 17th

One of sports iconic events, the Ryder Cup takes place at Gleneagles from the 23rd September. The sold out event is always gripping and this year should be no different. Europe appear to be slight favourites with the bookies, but the quality of Golfers on show means that anything could happen. 

The event is already sold out, however there are still tickets for the practice days which could be your chance to meet the players, who are often chatty and relaxed before the main event later in the week.

The US team will hope Tiger Woods is in good form if they are to wrestle the trophy from Europe. Woods himself will hope that he is at the peak of his powers, when he competes in The Open at Royal Liverpool, a venue where he hasn't won since 2006.