The most important sporting events in 2020

2019 was a great year from many points of view - but a rather ordinary one from a sports point of view. Of course, we can't expect each year to have a football world cup. While it had its share of major events, 2019 pales in front of this year when it comes to sports especially because of the 2020 Summer Olympics that will start in Tokyo this July. Athletes from more than 200 countries will gather in Japan this summer to show their worth in a fair, peaceful way. And punters from all corners of the globe will keep one eye on the TV screen and another on the Betway app to heighten their excitement about the competition even more. But the Summer Olympics will not be the only major competition in 2020. There are many other - more or less regular - events that will surely glue many sports fans to the TV screens this year.

Super Bowl (February 2)

American football - as its name shows - is a typically American sport: flashy, aggressive, and fast. This is probably why it has many fans all over the world. Each year, the best teams in the National Football League face off in a massive final match known as the Super Bowl. The game is covered by all major sports television channels around the world - it is more than just an American football match, though, but a major entertainment event, too. This year, the halftime show will be headlined by singers Jennifer Lopez and Shakira.

Deontay Wilder vs Tyson Fury II (February 22)

Heavyweight boxing has a huge fan base all over the world. And these fans are in for a treat: Deontay Wilder, the WBC heavyweight titleholder will face Tyson Fury, former unified WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, IBO, The Ring, and lineal champion who retired undefeated. The two fighters met once before in the ring, in 2018, but their match ended in a controversial split draw. The rematch is scheduled for February 22 - the match will be held in the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Paradise, Nevada. It will be broadcast on pay-per-view in the US.

Cricket Twenty20 World Cup

The Cricket Twenty20 World Cup will this year be hosted by Australia. Teams from around the world will gather one of the seven cricket grounds in cities ranging from Adelaide to Sydney (provided the air clears up enough from the smoke to permit sporting at all). The upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup is taking advantage of the media attention to raise awareness about climate change, the main cause behind Australia's devastating bushfires. And the men's championship will most likely do the same.

UEFA Euro 2020 (June 12 - July 12)

Europe has the strongest football teams in the world - this is a well-known fact. And the UEFA European Football Championship pits the best of the best against each other year after year. This year, we find teams like Italy, England, Germany, Croatia, Turkey, and many others - all strong football nations - among the qualified teams, which warrants several great matches with high-quality football. The matches of the UEFA European Championship are broadcast by all major sports TV channels around the world.

Tokyo Paralympics, August 25 - September 6

The Paralympics - also known as the Special Olympics - is an event that takes place after each edition of the Summer Olympics featuring athletes with various disabilities. Over 4000 athletes - including one from Ghana - are expected to compete in more than 500 events, in sports ranging from archery and athletics to wheelchair basketball and swimming. This year, two new sports will be added to the roster - badminton and taekwondo - to replace 7-a-side football and sailing.