78 79The Sporting Year Ahead

2016: year of euro dreamsJANUARY

DARTS 1-3: William Hill World Championship2-10: BDO World Champs

CRICKET 2-6: South Africa v Eng-land, 2nd Test, Cape Town14-18: SA v Eng, 3rd Test, Johannesburg22-26: SA v Eng, 4th Test, Centurion

FOOTBALL 5-6: Capital One Cup semi-final 1st legs — Stoke v Liverpool, Everton v Man City.8-10: FA Cup 3rd round.26-27: Capital One Cup semi-final 2nd legs — Liverpool v Stoke, Man City v Everton

30-Feb 1: FA Cup 4th round

SNOOKER 10-17: The Masters

GOLF 15-17: Europe v Asia,

EurAsia Cup, Malaysia

RUGBY UNION 15-17: European Champions Cup, matchday five

15-17: European Challenge Cup,

matchday five 21-23: European Challenge Cup, matchday six 23-24: European Champions Cup, matchday six

TENNIS 18-31: Australian Open

FORMULA ONE 3: Bahrain GP 17: Chinese GPFOOTBALL 5-6: Champions League, quarter-finals — 1st legs 7: Europa League, quarter-finals — 1st legs12-13: Champions League, quarter-finals — 2nd legs 14: Europa League, quarter-finals — 2nd legs 23-24: FA Cup semi- finals, Wembley26-27: Champions League, semi-finals — 1st legs 28: Europa League, semi-finals — 1st legsGOLF 7-10: The Masters, AugustaRUGBY UNION 7-10: European Challenge Cup, quarter-finals 8-10: European Champions Cup, quarter-finals

22-24: European Challenge Cup, semi-finals 23-24: European Champions Cup, semi-finals

hORSE RACING 9: The Grand National 30: 2,000 Guineas

SNOOKER 16-May 2: World Championship

AThLETICS 24: London Marathon

ApRIL

FEBRUARYCRICKET 3: SA v Eng, 1st ODI, Bloemfontein 6: SA v Eng, 2nd ODI, Port Elizabeth 9: SA v Eng, 3rd ODI, Centurion 12: SA v Eng, 4th ODI, Johannesburg 14: SA v Eng, 5th ODI, Cape Town 19: SA v Eng, 1st T20, Cape Town 21: SA v Eng, 2nd T20, Johannesburg

RUGBY LEAGUE 4: Super League season starts 19-21: World Club series

RUGBY UNION5-Mar 20: Women’s Six NationsMen’s Six Nations6: Fra v Ita, Sco v Eng 7: Ire v Wal 13: Fra v Ire, Wal v Sco 14: Ita v Eng 26: Wal v Fra 27: Ita v Sco, Eng v Ire

AMERICAN FOOTBALL7: Superbowl 50, San Francisco, California

FOOTBALL16-17 & 23-24: Champions League, Round of 16 — 1st legs 18: Europa League, Round of 32 — 1st legs 20-21: FA Cup 5th round 25: Europa League, Round of 32 — 2nd legs 28: Capital One Cup final, Wembley

AThLETICS27-28: British Indoor Championships and World Indoor Trials

hORSE RACING 1: 1,000 Guineas

FORMULA ONE 1: Russian GP 15: Spanish GP 29: Monaco GPFOOTBALL 3-4: Champions League, semi-finals — 2nd legs 5: Europa League, semi-finals — 2nd legs7-8: Final Football League weekend15: Final Premier League weekend18: Europa League Final, Basle 21: FA Cup final, Wembley 28: Champions League final, Milan 28-30: Football League play-off finals, Wembley

RUGBY UNION 13: European Challenge Cup final, Lyon 14: European Champions Cup final, Lyon 28: Premiership final, Twickenham 28: Pro12 final, Murrayfield 29: Eng v Wal, friendly, Twickenham

CRICKET 19-23: Eng v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Headingley 27-31: Eng v SL, 2nd Test, Durham

TENNIS 22-Jun 5:

French Open

MAY

MARChCYCLING 2-6: World Track Championships, LondonTENNIS 4-6: GB v Japan, Davis Cup, 1st roundFOOTBALL 8-9 & 15-16: Champions League, Round of 16 — 2nd legs 10: Europa League, Round of 16 — 1st legs 12-13: FA Cup quarter-finals 17: Europa League, Round of 16 — 2nd legs 26: Ger v Eng, friendlyCRICKET 8-Apr 3: World T20, India 8: Sco v Afg; 9: Ire v Oma; 11: Ban v Ire; 12: Sco v HK; 13: Hol v Ire; 16: WI v Eng; 18: SA v Eng;

23: Eng v Qualifier; 26: Eng v SL. 15-Apr 3: Women’s World T20, IndiaRUGBY UNION Men’s Six Nations12: Ire v Ita, Eng v Wal 13: Sco v Fra 19: Wal v Ita, Ire v Sco, Fra v Eng

hORSE RACING 15-18: Cheltenham FestivalAThLETICS 17-20: World Indoor Champs, PortlandFORMULA ONE 20: Australian GP

hORSE RACING 4: The Derby, Epsom 14-18: Royal Ascot

TENNIS 4-5: French Open finals 13-19: Queen’s27-Jul 10: Wimbledon

CRICKET 9-13: Eng v SL, 3rd Test,

Lord’s

21: Eng v SL, 1st ODI, Trent Bridge 24: Eng v SL, 2nd ODI, Edgbaston 26: Eng v SL, 3rd ODI, Bristol 29: Eng v SL, 4th ODI, The Oval

RUGBY UNION 11: Aus v Eng, NZ v Wal, SA v Ireland 18: Aus v Eng, NZ v Wal,

SA v Ireland, Jap v Sco 25: Aus v Eng,

NZ v Wal, SA v Ireland, Jap v Sco

FORMULA ONE 12: Canadian GP 19: European GP, Azerbaijan

GOLF 16-19: US Open, Pennsylvania

JUNE

Irish hero: Jonny Sexton

BALLON d’OR

AWARDSMonday 11,

Zurich

Triple threat: (L-R) Barcelona’s Suarez, Neymar and Messi

Perfect fit: Jordan Spieth at the 2015 Masters

Main man: Sri Lanka’s

Angelo Mathews

The Sporting Year Ahead

JULY

FORMULA ONE 2: Malaysian GP 9: Japanese GP 23: USA GP 30: Mexican GP

AMERICAN FOOTBALL 2: Jacksonville Jaguars v Indianapolis Colts, Wembley 23: St. Louis Rams v TBC, Twickenham 30: Cincinnati Bengals v Washington Redskins, Wembley

FOOTBALL World Cup qualifiers 6: Rep Ire v Geo, Aus v Wal 8: Eng v Malta, Sco v Lit, N Ire v San Mar 9: Wal v Geo, Mol v Rep Ire 11: Svk v Sco, Ger v N Ire, Slv v Eng

RUGBY LEAGUE 8: Grand Final

CYCLING 9: Road World Championships, Doha

OCTOBERAUGUSTCRICKET 3-7: Eng v Pak, 3rd Test, Edgbaston 11-15: Eng v Pak, 4th Test, The Oval 15: First Women’s T20 Super League begins 20: T20 Blast finals day, Edgbaston 24: Eng v Pak, 1st ODI, Southampton 27: Eng v Pak, 2nd ODI, Lord’s 30: Eng v Pak, 3rd ODI, Trent Bridge

FOOTBALL 6: Football League season starts 9: UEFA Super Cup 13: Premier League season starts

16-17 & 23-24: Champions League play-off rounds

RUGBY LEAGUE 27: Challenge Cup final, Wembley

FORMULA ONE 28: Belgian GP

TENNIS 29-Sep 11: US Open

FORMULA ONE 13: Brazilian GP 27: Abu Dhabi GPRUGBY UNION 5: Wal v Aus, NZ v Ire 12: Eng v SA, Wal v Arg, Sco v Aus, Ire v Can 19: Eng v Fij, Ire v NZ, Sco v Arg 26: Eng v Arg, Wal v SA,

Ire v Aus, Sco v GeoFOOTBALL World Cup qualifiers 11: N Ire v Aze, Eng v Sco 12: Aus v Rep Ire, Wal v SerTENNIS 14-20: ATP World Tour finals 25-27: Davis Cup final

NOvEMBERSEpTEMBERCRICKET 1: Eng v Pak, 4th ODI, Headingley 4: Eng v Pak, 5th ODI, Cardiff 7: Eng v Pak, 1st T20, Old Trafford 17: Royal London One Day Cup final, Lord’s 20-23: County Championship final week

RUGBY UNION 2: Premiership season begins

FOOTBALL World Cup qualifiers 4: Svk v Eng, Malta v Sco, Cze v N Ire 5: Wal v Mol, Ser v Rep Ire 13-14: Champions League Group Stage begins

FORMULA ONE 4: Italian GP 18: Singapore GP

hORSE RACING 10: St Leger Stakes

TENNIS 10-11: US Open singles finals

16-18: Davis Cup semi-

finals and play-offs

GOLF

Sep 30-Oct 2: Ryder Cup,

Minnesota

RUGBY UNION 3: Eng v AusFOOTBALL 6-7: Final round of Champions League Group Stage 8-18: Club World CupDARTS 17-Jan 3 2017: PDC World ChampionshiphORSE RACING 26: King George VI Chase, Kempton

DECEMBER

FORMULA ONE 3: Austrian GP 10: British GP 24: Hungarian GP 31: German GP

AThLETICS 6-10: European Championships, Amsterdam 15: Diamond League meeting, Monaco 22-24: London Anniversary Games, Olympic Stadium

GOLF 14-17: The Open,

Royal Troon 28-31: USPGA Championship, New Jersey

CRICKET 2: Eng v SL, 5th ODI, Cardiff 5: Eng v SL, T20, Southampton14-18: Eng v Pakistan, 1st Test, Lord’s 22-26: Eng v Pak,

2nd Test, Old Trafford

TENNIS 9-10: Wimbledon singles finals 15-17:

Davis Cup World

Group, quarter-finals

hORSE RACING 26-30: Goodwood Festival

TOUR DE FRANCE

Saturday 2 to Sunday 24

Return journey: Chris Froome will bid to retain the yellow jersey

ReuTeRS

All dates subject to change

In bloom:

Justin Rose

Title defence: Novak Djokovic

Crunch time: Kansas v Detroit at Wembley PA

‘The Power’: Phil Taylor

Golden girl: Jessica Ennis-Hill at London 2012 MARK LARGe

Daily Mail, Friday, January 1, 2016 Daily Mail, Friday, January 1, 2016

EURO 2016 June 10 — July 10

Round of 16Sat, June 25 Sun, June 26 Mon, June 27

Quarter-finalsThu, June 30

Fri, July 1 Sat, July 2 Sun, July 3

Semi-finals Wednesday, July 6

Stade de Lumieres, Lyon

Thursday, July 7Stade Velodrome,

Marseille

TICKETS: YOu can apply for tickets on the ueFA Portal but applications close on January 18. Applicants must be fan club members of the FA and a passport number is needed. Applicants will be notified by the end of February.

v RussiaSaturday, June 11

v WalesThursday, June 16

v SlovakiaMonday, June 20

EnglandENGLAND gROuP BFIXTuReS

N IRELAND gROuP CFIXTuReS

v PolandSunday, June 12

v UkraineThursday, June 16

v GermanyTuesday, June 21

WalesWALES gROuP BFIXTuReS

v SlovakiaSaturday, June 11

v EnglandThursday, June 16

v RussiaMonday, June 20

FinalSunday, July 10Stade de France

IrelandREp IRELAND gROuP eFIXTuReS

v SwedenMonday, June 13

v BelgiumSaturday, June 18

v ItalyWednesday, June 22

GROUp STAGE

KNOCK-OUT STAGES

Group AFrance

RomaniaAlbania

Switzerland

Group DSpain

Czech RepTurkeyCroatia

Group BENGlANd

RussiaWAlES

Slovakia

Group EBelgium

ItalyREP IRElANd

Sweden

Group CGermanyUkrainePoland

N IRElANd

Group FPortugalAustriaIcelandHungary

OpENING CEREMONY Friday, August 5

CLOSING CEREMONY Sunday, August 21

BEST OF BRITISh12-13: Heptathlon (Jessica ennis-Hill)

13 & 20: 10,000m & 5,000m (Mo Farah)

13: Long jump (Greg Rutherford)

KEY DATES 14: Men’s 100m final

6-13: Swimming finals 19-20: Football finals

RIO OLYMpICS auguST 5 - 21

pARALYMpICS SePTeMBeR 7 - 18

Ceremony venue: the Maracana Stadium

Welsh dragon: Gareth Bale will be in action at Euro 2016

GeTTY IMAGeS