MADRID, 24 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Christmas holidays are already here and some lucky ones can even take vacations to enjoy them. What does not stop is sports activity and here we leave you a small guide on the competitions and events that will be held during these last days of 2022 and the beginning of 2023.
1. Soccer. After the ‘winter’ World Cup in Qatar, football will return these Christmas days with the resumption of the leagues. In England, as usual, the traditional ‘Boxing Day’ of the Premier will be held on the 26th with seven games, while the Spanish LaLiga Santander will wait until the 29th for its return and with games until December 31. In 2023, the first week there will be the Copa del Rey and the domestic championship. In addition, the little ones will also be the center of attention with the LaLiga Promises Santander International Tournament, for Under-12 teams, on December 27, 28 and 29 in Maspalomas (Gran Canaria).
2. Christmas Day. The NBA, a league that perfectly handles the question of marketing and the situation of some of its best games on specific dates, takes advantage of the 25th to place a succulent Christmas menu. After a break to celebrate Christmas Eve, there will be five games, and with the national presence of Santi Aldama from the Canary Islands in the Golden State Warriors-Memphis Grizzlies and the Spanish-Congolese Serge Ibaka in the Boston Celtics-Milwaukee Bucks.
3. Euroleague and Endesa League. The best continental basketball does not take a holiday at Christmas either and its top club competition will also have a day before the end of the year, on December 29 and 30. Cazoo Baskonia and Real Madrid will face each other at the Buesa Arena, Barça will visit Red Star and Valencia Basket will face Armani Milano.
In addition, it will happen that the Euroleague matchday will coincide with the Endesa League matchday at the end of the year and that it will take place from the 27th to the 30th, although it will be on January 2nd when it will hold its first Clásico at the WiZink Center.
4. The Four Springboards. Who hasn’t woken up after a New Year’s Eve party and found daring skiers jumping off a huge springboard? The Four Trampolines tournament, framed within the Ski Jumping World Cup, is probably one of the most followed events at Christmas. Oberstdorf, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Innsbruck, and Bischofshofen look for their king in this edition that takes place from December 29 to January 6 and leaves beautiful and spectacular images. There will also be World Cup events for other snow sports.
5. Nadal Cup. Swimming also has a special date this Christmas in Barcelona. This is this Christmas Cup, a classic event that will celebrate its 112th edition on December 25 where competitors challenge the cold and the temperature of the waters of the Port of Barcelona during a 200-meter course.
6. Saint Sylvester. Surely for many, the one that closes the year through the streets of Madrid before going to dinner and drinking the grapes is the most symbolic at the national level of these days. The capital will be filled with thousands of ‘runners’ who want to say goodbye to 2022 by running and playing sports first with the popular version and then with the international one.
7.NFL. American football does not stop either and these Christmas days take the opportunity to conclude its Regular Phase and design the final path to the Super Bowl on February 12, 2023 at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale (Arizona).
8. Tennis. The sport of the racket is also back in action before the end of the year and will do so with a newly created team tournament, the United Cup, of a mixed nature and which will be held in Australia from December 29, where Spain will compete with Rafa Nadal and Paula Badosa. With the entry of 2023, the ATP and WTA tournaments will begin.
9. The Dakar Rally. The considered ‘raid’ toughest in the world will also focus the sporting activity these days with a new edition in the desert of Saudi Arabia that will take place between December 31 and January 15.
10. Sail. Sailing lovers also have a very traditional date at this time, the demanding and tough Sydney-Hobart regatta, which begins on December 26.
11. Handball. In Spain, the men’s team will begin preparing for the World Championship in early 2023 and will hold its traditional International Tournament (TIE) from January 5 to 7 in Benidorm and with Romania, Bahrain and Argentina as rivals.