A region-by-region guide to Africa’s biggest sporting occasions, 2026 – 2027

Africa’s sports calendar has never been busier. Over the next two years, the continent hosts its first-ever Olympic event, its first Cricket World Cup in more than two decades, the first Africa Cup of Nations shared by three countries and Africa’s first Abbott World Marathon Major; alongside the marathons, cycle tours and championships that already draw runners, cyclists and fans from around the world every year.

Below, we have organized the continent’s leading international sports events by region, country and city, so you can find exactly what’s happening where and when before you book. Every event links through to its own event page on Sports in Africa, with venue details, format information and registration or ticketing links where available.

North Africa

North Africa’s sports calendar centres on Morocco and Egypt, both building toward larger roles on the global stage; Morocco as co-host of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, Egypt as the region’s home for continental multi-sport events.

  • TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco 21 December 2025 – 18 January 2026 · Casablanca, Rabat and four other host cities. Africa’s biggest football tournament, played across nine venues using stadiums Morocco upgraded ahead of its 2030 World Cup co-hosting role.
  • Africa Futsal Cup of Nations 12 – 21 October 2026 · Morocco. Confirmed by CAF as part of its 2026 – 27 continental hosting schedule.
  • 14th African Games, Cairo 20 January – 7 February 2027 · Cairo, Egypt. The continent’s largest multi-sport event, bringing together athletes from across Africa’s 54 nations for two weeks of competition.
  • Africa Cup of Nations Under -23, Egypt 2027 · Egypt. Confirmed CAF host, doubling as a qualifying event for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
  • Marrakech International Marathon 31 January 2027 · Marrakech, Morocco. Run under royal patronage since 1987, this flat, fast winter marathon through the Red City’s palm groves and ramparts draws more than 15,000 runners each year.
  • Cairo International Marathon Held annually · Cairo, Egypt. A long-running road race through the Egyptian capital, popular with regional and international runners.
  • Casablanca Marathon Held annually · Casablanca, Morocco. An established city marathon drawing international runners and city-break travellers.
  • Algiers Marathon Held annually · Algiers, Algeria. A growing international and North African road race through Algeria’s capital.

West Africa

West Africa’s marquee moment is Senegal hosting Africa’s first-ever Olympic event, alongside an established running and football calendar in Nigeria, Ghana and Senegal itself.

  • Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games 31 October – 13 November 2026 · Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly, Senegal. Africa’s first-ever Olympic event, bringing together roughly 2,700 young athletes across 25 sports.
  • Access Bank Lagos City Marathon Held annually in February · Lagos, Nigeria. An IAAF/World Athletics Gold Label race and one of Africa’s largest marathons by participation, drawing runners from dozens of African nations each year.
  • Africa Beach Soccer Cup of Nations November 2026 · Senegal. Confirmed by CAF as part of its 2026 – 27 continental hosting schedule.
  • Accra International Marathon Held annually · Accra, Ghana. An established road race popular with international runners and the wider African diaspora.
  • Dakar International Marathon Held annually · Dakar, Senegal. A growing road race drawing international and Francophone African runners.
  • Okpekpe International 10K Road Race Held annually · Edo State, Nigeria. An IAAF/World Athletics-labelled 10K that has become one of West Africa’s most competitive elite road races.
  • WAFU Zone football competitions Dates vary by year · Various West African countries. Regional qualifying and championship football played across the West African Football Union’s member nations.

East Africa

East Africa is entering its biggest sporting cycle yet: Rwanda has become one of the continent’s most active host nations and Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda are preparing for the first three-country AFCON in history.

  • TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations PAMOJA 2027 19 June – 17 July 2027 · Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The first AFCON ever co-hosted by three nations and the first tournament held in East Africa since 1976. Kenya’s new 60,000-seat Talanta Stadium in Nairobi anchors the Kenyan leg.
  • African Men’s Handball Championship 21-31 January 2026 · Kigali, Rwanda. Rwanda’s first time hosting this tournament, doubling as qualification for the 2027 IHF World Men’s Handball Championship.
  • CAVB Zone V Volleyball Club Championship 8 – 16 February 2026 · Nairobi, Kenya. A nine-day championship for the top clubs across East Africa’s 12-federation volleyball zone.
  • Kilimanjaro Marathon 22 March 2026 · Moshi, Tanzania. A full marathon, half marathon and 5K run at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro, popular with international runners combining the race with a safari or climb.
  • Tour du Rwanda 22 February – 1 March 2026 · Rwanda. An 18-team UCI-calendar stage race, run in the same year Rwanda hosted the UCI Road World Championships – the first time that race was held anywhere in Africa.
  • Nairobi City Marathon 7 June 2026 · Nairobi, Kenya. A fast-growing city marathon crossing the Nairobi Expressway, distinct from Kenya’s older Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon.
  • Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon Held annually in October · Nairobi, Kenya. Kenya’s flagship road race through the capital, drawing thousands of local and international runners each year.
  • Africa Men’s Volleyball Club Championship 20 April – 3 May 2026 · Kigali, Rwanda. The first time Rwanda has hosted this championship and only the second time it has been played outside North Africa in its 47-edition history.
  • Lewa Safari Marathon Held annually · Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Kenya. A marathon and half marathon run through an active wildlife conservancy, popular with adventure travellers combining the race with a safari.
  • Kigali International Peace Marathon Held annually · Kigali, Rwanda. An established road race and charity event popular with international runners.
  • Great Ethiopian Run Held annually · Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A 10K road race founded by Olympic champion Haile Gebrselassie and one of the best-attended mass-participation races on the continent.

Southern Africa

Southern Africa remains the continent’s deepest sports tourism market and 2027 alone brings a Cricket World Cup, the 100th Comrades Marathon and Africa’s first Abbott World Marathon Major.

  • ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027 4 October – 21 November 2027 · South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. Cricket’s marquee event returns to Africa for the first time since 2003, with South Africa hosting the majority of matches across eight venues.
  • LIV Golf Steyn City 19 – 22 March 2026 · Johannesburg, South Africa. A four-day event blending elite professional golf with a live music line-up.
  • Sanlam Cape Town Marathon 22 – 23 May 2027 (road marathon on 23 May) · Cape Town, South Africa. Set to become Africa’s first Abbott World Marathon Major, joining Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, New York, Tokyo and Sydney as the eighth race in the world’s most prestigious marathon series.
  • 100th Comrades Marathon 13 June 2027 · Pietermaritzburg to Durban, South Africa. The centenary edition of the world’s oldest and largest ultramarathon, run as a Down Run from Pietermaritzburg to Durban.
  • Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon 31 March – 4 April 2027 · Cape Town, South Africa. Known as “the world’s most beautiful marathon,” featuring a 56km ultra and 21.1km half marathon around the Cape Peninsula, both starting and finishing at the University of Cape Town.
  • Big Five Marathon 19 June 2027 · Entabeni Game Reserve, Limpopo, South Africa. A marathon and half marathon run through an active Big Five game reserve, monitored by rangers and helicopters throughout the race.
  • Cape Town Cycle Tour Held annually in March · Cape Town, South Africa. The world’s largest individually timed cycle race, offering a 109km or 42km route and now part of the UCI Gran Fondo World Series.
  • All Blacks Tour of South Africa August – September 2026 · Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa. New Zealand’s first rugby tour of South Africa in 30 years, including a four-Test series against the Springboks.
  • Ironman 70.3 South Africa Held annually · Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), South Africa. A long-running local Ironman 70.3 event, separate from the Ironman 70.3 World Championship, which is held in Nice, France, in 2026.
  • Lifesaving World Championships 25 November – 13 December 2026 · Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa. Thousands of athletes competing across beach and ocean lifesaving events.
  • Durban July Held annually in July · Durban, South Africa. South Africa’s premier horse racing event and a major fixture on the country’s social and sporting calendar.

Central Africa

Central Africa’s international sports events calendar is still developing compared to the rest of the continent, with football and running events growing in Cameroon, Gabon and neighbouring countries. Specific 2026 – 2027 dates for the region’s leading events had not yet been published at the time of writing; check back as fixtures are confirmed.

Explore more events by region, country, or sport on Sports in Africa, or list your own event to reach international sports travellers planning their next trip.