January Sports Calendar 2026: A Week-by-Week Guide to One of the Busiest Months in Global Sport
January has traditionally been seen as a warm-up month in the global sporting calendar. In 2026, that perception no longer holds. From Grand Slams and continental championships to national leagues and ranking-defining international tours, the first month of the year sets the competitive tone across multiple Olympic and professional sports. For Indian athletes in particular, January 2026 represents a convergence of opportunity at home and abroad.
Here is a detailed, week-by-week breakdown of the January 2026 sports calendar, highlighting what unfolds each week and why it matters.
Week 1: January 1–4 | A Packed Domestic and International Opening
The year begins at full throttle. On the domestic front, the Santosh Trophy Final Round gets underway in Assam (Jan 1–20), marking one of Indian football’s most storied competitions. With state teams battling for prestige rather than contracts, the tournament remains a vital pathway for emerging domestic talent.
In parallel, the Men’s Hockey India League begins (Jan 3–26) in Bhubaneswar. With international stars once again sharing the turf with Indian regulars.
Combat sports take centre stage in Delhi as the Senior National Boxing Championships (Jan 4–10) begin. These championships double as selection trials for the Asian Boxing Championships later in the month, making every bout consequential. Basketball also commands attention with the 75th Senior National Basketball Championship in Chennai (Jan 4–11), a key event for national selectors assessing talent depth ahead of Asia-level commitments.
Internationally, racquet sports kick off strongly. WTT Youth Contenders run simultaneously in San Francisco and Vadodara (Jan 2–5), underlining India’s growing role as a regular host on the global table tennis pathway.
- Jan 1-10: Indian Women League Phase 1 – India, Football
- Jan 1–20: Santosh Trophy (Final Round) – Assam, India, Football
- Jan 1-10: Hockey India League – Ranchi, India, Hockey
- Jan 2–5: WTT Youth Contender – San Francisco, USA, Table Tennis
- Jan 2–5: WTT Youth Contender – Vadodara, India, Table Tennis
- Jan 3–26: Hockey India League (Men) – Bhubaneswar, India, Hockey
- Jan 4–10: Senior National Boxing Championships – Delhi, India, Boxing
- Jan 4–11: 75th Senior National Basketball Championship – Chennai, India, Basketball
Week 2: January 5–11 | Racquet Sports Dominate the Narrative
The second week of January belongs firmly to racquet sports. Tennis players fan out across the Asia-Pacific with events in Bengaluru, Brisbane, Canberra and Nonthaburi beginning on January 5.
Badminton opens its elite season with the Petronas Malaysia Open (Super 1000) from January 6 to 11. As the highest-tier event of the BWF World Tour, performances here often set the pecking order for the rest of the year. Simultaneously, the Yonex Estonian International offers ranking opportunities for players outside the top tier. Table tennis shifts into high gear with WTT Champions Doha (Jan 7–11), one of the most exclusive events on the calendar, followed by a WTT Feeder in Vadodara, offering lower-ranked players a chance to climb the ladder.
Shooting enters a crucial phase with the start of the Asian Shooting Championships in Doha (Jan 11–22). For many Indian shooters, this championship serves as an early benchmark in the post-Paris Olympic cycle.
- Jan 5–11: Bengaluru Open – Bengaluru, India, Tennis
- Jan 5–11: Canberra Tennis International – Canberra, Australia, Tennis
- Jan 5–11: Nonthaburi Challenger – Nonthaburi, Thailand, Tennis
- Jan 5–11: Brisbane International – Brisbane, Australia, Tennis
- Jan 6–11: Petronas Malaysia Open – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Badminton
- Jan 7–11: WTT Champions – Doha, Qatar, Table Tennis
- Jan 7–11: WTT Feeder – Vadodara, India, Table Tennis
- Jan 8–11: WTT Youth Contender – Linz, Austria, Table Tennis
- Jan 8–11: Yonex Estonian International – Tallinn, Estonia, Badminton
- Jan 9–Feb 5: Women’s Premier League (WPL) – Mumbai & Vadodara, India, Cricket
- Jan 10: World Cross Country Championships – Tallahassee, USA, Athletics
Week 3: January 12–18 | Flagship Events and Home Advantage
This is one of the most consequential weeks of the month, particularly for Indian sport. In tennis, the first wave of tournaments concludes while the Adelaide International and Nonthaburi Challenger II begin, acting as the final preparatory stops before the Australian Open.
At home, New Delhi hosts the Yonex-Sunrise India Open (Super 750) from January 13 to 18. As one of the most prestigious badminton events on Indian soil, the India Open plays a vital role in shaping rankings ahead of the European leg of the tour. The upgraded venue and increased prize pool further underline India’s importance on the BWF circuit.
Table tennis remains centred in West Asia with the WTT Star Contender Doha (Jan 13–18), alongside Youth Contenders in Bahrain and Doha, reinforcing the Middle East’s emergence as a global hosting hub. In squash, North America comes alive. Squash in the Land (Cleveland) and the Motor City Open (Detroit) run concurrently, while Indian players also turn their focus inward with the start of the HCL India Squash Tour in Ahmedabad (Jan 23 onwards).
Endurance sport takes the spotlight on January 18 with the Tata Mumbai Marathon, Asia’s premier mass-participation road race. On the same day, the world’s best distance runners compete at the World Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, a demanding test early in the season.
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Tennis reaches its annual crescendo as the Australian Open begins on January 18, drawing global attention for the next fortnight.
- Jan 11–22: Asian Shooting Championships – Doha, Qatar, Shooting
- Jan 12–18: Adelaide International – Adelaide, Australia, Tennis
- Jan 12–18: Nonthaburi Challenger II – Nonthaburi, Thailand, Tennis
- Jan 13–17: DR21 Motor City Open – Detroit, USA, Squash
- Jan 13–18: WTT Star Contender – Doha, Qatar, Table Tennis
- Jan 13–18: Yonex-Sunrise India Open – New Delhi, India, Badminton
- Jan 13–18: Squash in the Land – Cleveland, USA, Squash
- Jan 14–17: WTT Youth Contender – Manama, Bahrain, Table Tennis
- Jan 15–18: Victor Swedish Open – Uppsala, Sweden, Badminton
- Jan 15–29: Asian Men’s Handball Championship – Sabah Al-Salem, Kuwait, Handball
- Jan 15–Feb 1: Pro Wrestling League – Noida, India, Wrestling
- Jan 16–18: Nîmes Archery Tournament – Nîmes, France, Archery
- Jan 18: Tata Mumbai Marathon – Mumbai, India, Athletics
- Jan 18–Feb 2: Australian Open – Melbourne, Australia, Tennis
Week 4: January 19–25 | Continental Championships and League Action
The fourth week sees competitions deepen rather than taper off. Badminton shifts east to Southeast Asia with the Indonesia Masters (Super 500) (Jan 20–25), while the Thailand Masters begins its run at the tail end of the week.
Table tennis spreads across venues with a WTT Contender in Muscat and another Youth Contender in Doha, maintaining relentless ranking pressure. Cycling makes a major statement in India with the Pune Grand Challenge (Jan 19–24), one of the country’s most ambitious multi-day road races. Its inclusion on the UCI calendar reflects India’s growing ambition in endurance cycling.
Cricket remains a constant presence as the Women’s Premier League (WPL) continues across Mumbai and Vadodara. With the league running until Feb, January forms its foundational phase, where team combinations and momentum begin to take shape.
Football also takes a structural turn as Phase 1 of the Indian Women’s League begins on January 26 in Kolkata, adding to the expanding ecosystem of women’s professional sport in India.
- Jan 19–22: WTT Youth Contender – Doha, Qatar, Table Tennis
- Jan 19–24: WTT Contender – Muscat, Oman, Table Tennis
- Jan 19–24: Pune Grand Challenge – Pune, India, Cycling
- Jan 19–25: Phan Thiết Challenger – Phan Thiết, Vietnam, Tennis
- Jan 20–25: Daihatsu Indonesia Masters – Jakarta, Indonesia, Badminton
- Jan 22–29: Sprott Tour of Champions – New York City, USA, Squash
- Jan 23–25: WTT Youth Star Contender – Doha, Qatar, Table Tennis
- Jan 23–31: The HCL India Squash Tour – Ahmedabad, India, Squash
Week 5: January 26–31 | January Closes with Breadth, Not Silence
The final days of January ensure the month ends as strongly as it began.
Badminton’s Thailand Masters continues, while table tennis features WTT Feeder events in Doha and Lille, offering critical opportunities for players seeking entry into higher-tier tournaments. Squash reaches its showpiece moment with the Sprott Tour of Champions in New York (Jan 22–29), one of the most iconic venues in the sport, alongside the Squash on Fire Open in Washington DC.
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Cycling returns to the track with the Track Asia Cup in Chennai (Jan 29–31), a key Olympic-qualification event where Asian nations battle for ranking points. Combat sports take an international turn as the Asian Boxing Championships begin in Ulaanbaatar, while the Pro Wrestling League continues its return run in Noida, blending elite sport with commercial entertainment.
- Jan 26–1 Feb: Bahrain MOI Tennis Challenger – Manama, Bahrain, Tennis
- Jan 26–1 Feb: Phan Thiết Challenger II – Phan Thiết, Vietnam, Tennis
- Jan 27–1 Feb: Thailand Masters – Patumwan, Thailand, Badminton
- Jan 27–31: WTT Feeder – Doha, Qatar, Table Tennis
- Jan 27–31: WTT Feeder – Lille, France, Table Tennis
- Jan 28–Feb 1: Squash on Fire Open – Washington DC, USA, Squash
- Jan 29–31: Track Asia Cup – Chennai, India, Cycling
- Jan 29–Feb 9: Asian Boxing Championships – Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, Boxing
January 2026 is no longer a soft opening act. It is a statement month dense, decisive, and increasingly global. For Indian sport, it reflects a maturing ecosystem where athletes are no longer waiting for the season to begin; they are expected to perform from day one.
From ranking points to selection trials, league momentum to continental credibility, what happens in January often shapes the rest of the year. And in 2026, that truth has never been clearer.
