Summer 2024 is set to be one of the most exciting summers of all time with many highly anticipated and prolific sporting events occurring in the coming months.
Olympics
The Summer Olympic Games are back and are set to be bigger and better than ever.
From July 26th to Aug. 11th, the best athletes in the world are heading to Paris looking to strike gold for their country.
Four new sports will be making their Olympic debuts – breaking, sport climbing, skateboarding and surfing – as these will be must-watch events from start to finish.
Canada’s Philip Kim (breaking) and Sanoa Dempfle-Olin (surfing) will be amongst the athletes competing in the inaugural Olympic events for their respective sports and were two of 12 Canadian teams and athletes who secured quota spots for Canada after strong performances at the 2023 Pan American Games.
As well, the Canadian men’s basketball team has qualified for the Olympics for the first time in 24 years and are looking to repeat on the podium after last summer’s success at the 2023 FIBA World Cup of Basketball. The men’s team are grouped with Australia and two yet-to-be-determined opponents while Canada’s women’s basketball team faces hosts France, Australia and Nigeria (click here for Canada’s schedule and a complete list of all the groups).
For a list of all Canadian teams and athletes that have qualified for the Olympics, visit the Team Canada Qualification Tracker.
Paralympics
After the Olympics, from Aug. 28th to Sept. 8th, the Summer Paralympic Games will be taking over Paris and festivities will be massive as the top athletes with physical disabilities will be competing for international supremacy in their respective sports and disciplines.
One of Canada’s top Paralympians to watch this summer is Renee Foessel.
Foessel is a discus thrower who has unfinished business after placing fourth at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
Eager to avenge her fourth-place finish, Foessel earned a silver medal at last year’s World Para Athletics Championship – her third podium finish at worlds in that event (bronze in 2015 and 2019) – and her sixth podium finish at major games after earning a trio of medals at the 2015 Parapan Am Games in Toronto.
In team sports, the men’s wheelchair rugby team should be exciting to watch as they nearly beat Australia, the second-ranked team in the world, losing by one try in the gold medal match of the Paralympic qualifying tournament three weeks ago.
The 2024 squad will be looking to continue Canada’s dominant run in the Paralympics and win their fifth medal since the sport debuted at the Atlanta 1996 Games, winning a silver in 1996, 2004 and 2012, and a bronze in 2008.
For a complete list of all Canadian teams and athletes that have qualified for the Paralympics, visit paralympics.ca.
Euro Cup
For soccer enthusiasts, the Euro Cup (apart from the World Cup) is the pinnacle of the soccer calendar.
24 European nations will head to Germany from June 14th to July 14th looking to lift the Henri Delaunay Trophy as European Champions.
Italy, the reigning champions after beating England in the finals three years ago, face tough competition in the group stage, facing Spain, Croatia and Albania with the hopes of advancing to the knockout stage – but it won’t be an easy task.
Whereas France, one of the favourites to win the tournament, should have an easier time in the group stage as the 2022 World Cup Runners-Up will battle Netherlands (likely) for top spot in Group D, but Austria and Poland are looking to challenges Les Blues and advance to the round of 16 themselves.
Georgia is the only team making their first Euro Cup appearance after defeating Greece in penalties in the qualifying playoffs and will be tested, taking on Türkiye and Czechia before a date with Portugal – the 2016 Euro Cup Champions – in the final group stage game.
For more information on the tournament and a list of the top-five group stage matches, click here.
Copa America
The Copa America is back from June 20th to July 14th with a bang, as six CONCACAF nations – including Canada – join the 10 CONMEBOL teams (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela and Uruguay) seeking regional soccer supremacy.
After losing to Jamaica in November’s CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal, the Canadian squad rebounded with a 2-0 win over Trinidad & Tobago in March to qualify for the tournament.
However, the Canadians are in tough, opening their schedule against 2022 World Cup Champion Lionel Messi and Argentina on June 20th, before playing Peru on June 25th and Chile on June 29th.
Tied with Argentina with 15 Copa America titles is Uruguay who are grouped with the United States, Panama and Bolivia, while powerhouse Brazil – nine-time Copa America champion and five-time World Cup winner – face Colombia, Paraguay and Costa Rica. The other group includes Mexico, Ecuador, Venezuela and Jamaica. Competing against these powerhouse nations should be perfect practice for Canada as they co-host the FIFA World Cup in two years’ time and are hoping to make a deep run in their home tournament.
For a complete list of sporting events this summer, head to olympics.com.
