Top US sporting events to watch in February

Sports fans in the United States have plenty to look forward to during the rest of February, with the upcoming scheduled packed with a host of top-class events.

With that in mind, read on as we look at what’s on the agenda, starting with what is widely viewed as the biggest game in the North American sports calendar.

Super Bowl

The 2022 NFL season culminated this weekend, with the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs going head-to-head in the Super Bowl in Glendale, Arizona.

The latest NFL lines rate the Eagles as the marginal favourites to win the title, but the Chiefs should not be underestimated in what will likely be a tight affair.

Global interest in the event is off the scale, as evidenced by the involvement of top soccer stars from Tottenham Hotspur recently taking part in the NFL Teammates Challenge.

The players will no doubt be glued to the Super Bowl this weekend as the best two teams in the NFL battle to claim the top prize in American Football.

Daytona 500

The 2023 NASCAR Cup Series gets underway with the iconic Daytona 500 on February 19 and this year’s race looks guaranteed to be fiercely contested.

The 200-lap event is one of the most prestigious events in the motorsports calendar, and will once again attract a massive crowd to the Daytona International Speedway.

Ryan Blaney heads the betting for this year’s race and will be desperate to go one better than his two previous runner-up finishes (2017 & 2020)

However, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin could be the man to beat as he chases his fourth Daytona 500 victory in the last eight years.

NBA All-Star Game 2023

While the concept of All-Star Games may leave fans in other parts of the world feeling baffled, the NBA’s annual extravaganza is also well worth watching.

The three-day celebration of professional basketball will feature many of the sport’s top stars including LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Luka Doncic.

Nikola Jokic and Zion Williamson complete the starting line-up for the Western Conference, while the Eastern Conference roster is also packed with talent.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Donovan Mitchell and Jayson Tatum will be the Eastern starters in a game that is guaranteed to be hugely entertaining.

Major League Soccer

While the NFL, NBA and MLB dominate the landscape in North America, the NHL’s position as part of the ‘big four’ has increasingly come under threat from MLS in recent years.

With the league expanding to 29 teams this season, there is plenty of anticipation ahead of the first round of matches on February 25.

Los Angeles FC are the favourites to retain the MLS Cup, but plenty of other teams have a genuine chance of being crowned champions at the end of the campaign.

They include Atlanta United, whose recent signing of forward Giorgos Giakoumakis from Scottish Premiership club Celtic could prove to be an inspired move.