At a Glance
- Winter Olympics Feb.\u202f6-22 in Milan & Cortina d’Ampezzo
- Artemis II moon launch Feb-Apr with 4 astronauts
- FIFA World Cup June-11-July-19 across US, Canada, Mexico
Why it matters: 2026 packs historic sports, spaceflight, national celebration, and key political shifts.
The year 2026 will be a historic one, with the world’s biggest sporting events, a NASA moon mission, America’s 250th birthday celebrations, and a pivotal midterm election cycle. From the slopes of Italy to the moon’s orbit, the calendar is full of milestones that will shape national pride and political direction.
Winter Olympics & Paralympics
The 2026 Winter Olympics will run Feb.\u202f6-22 in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, with an opening ceremony hosted by Savannah Guthrie and Terry Gannon at San Siro. Team USA favorites include Jessie Diggins, Noah Elliot, Alex Hall, and Chloe Kim. The Games will broadcast on NBC and stream on Peacock, and the closing ceremony follows on Feb.\u202f22.
- para Alpine skiing
- para biathlon
- para cross\u2011country skiing
- para ice hockey
- para snowboard
- wheelchair curling
Artemis II launch
NASA’s Artemis II is slated to launch between Feb. and Apr., carrying 4 astronauts on a ~10-day lunar fly-by to test the Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft. The flight will bring astronauts to the closest point humans have reached in over 50\u202fyears. A successful mission will pave the way for Artemis III, which aims to land near the moon’s south pole by 2028, per President Trump’s executive order.
- launch window: Feb-Apr
- crew: 4 astronauts
- duration: ~10 days
- first crewed Artemis flight
- tests SLS and Orion
- sets stage for Artemis III
FIFA World Cup 2026
The 23rd FIFA World Cup kicks off June 11 at Estadio Azteca and ends July 19 at MetLife Stadium, featuring 48 teams and 104 matches across 16 host cities in the US, Canada, and Mexico. Defending champions Argentina, Brazil, England, Germany, France, Spain, Uruguay, and the US return, while Cape Verde, Cura çao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan make their debuts. Prize money rewards $33 million to second place, $29 million to third, and $27 million to fourth.
- Toronto, Canada
- Vancouver, Canada
- Guadalajara, Mexico
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Monterrey, Mexico
- Atlanta, USA
- Boston, USA
- Dallas, USA
- Houston, USA
- Kansas City, USA
- Los Angeles, USA
- Miami, USA
- New York\u2011New Jersey, USA
- Philadelphia, USA
- San Francisco Bay Area, USA
- Seattle, USA
America 250 & Midterm Elections
July 4 marks America’s 250th birthday, commemorated with a Rose Parade float, Freedom 250 events, a Washington Monument candle, the Great American State Fair (June 25-July 10) , an Independence Day celebration with a military fly-over, Trump’s address, fireworks, and a planned triumphal arch. Trump also announced the Patriot Games, a four-day high-school athlete competition, a Memorial Day parade, and a UFC event at the White House on Flag Day June 14.
President Trump said:
> “Frankly, you’ll never see anything like it, and you’ll never see anything like it again,”
in a video address on Dec. 18.
The 2026 midterm elections will see Republicans defending a narrow House majority, with Democrats needing just three seats to gain control, while the Senate majority is easier for the GOP. Key governor races include Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, and Wisconsin, and mayoral contests in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., could shift local power.
- House seats: Republicans defend narrow majority
- Senate seats: Democrats need 4 more
- Governor races: Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin
- Mayoral races: Los Angeles, Washington, D.C.
- Legislative races: statewide control shifts
Key Takeaways
- 2026 hosts Winter Olympics, Artemis II, World Cup, America 250 celebrations, and midterm elections.
- Major sports events span Italy, the US, Canada, and Mexico.
- Political landscape will shift with key House, Senate, and governor races.
The calendar of 2026 promises historic achievements, from Olympic glory to lunar exploration, and a nation poised for change.
