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  2. Major sporting events

Major sporting events

Last Updated
Tuesday, 20/12/2022
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Thousands of Australians travel every year to attend major sporting events. Read this page to learn about:

  • Commonwealth Games
  • Cricket world cup
  • Football (soccer) world cup
  • Olympics
  • Rugby world cup

Commonwealth Games

The Commonwealth Games occurs every 4 years. The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) controls both the Commonwealth Games and the Commonwealth Youth Games.

Participants are from 71 nations and territories of the Commonwealth. This covers about 1/3 of the world's population.

The destination changes for each event. The next events are:

  • Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games

While the audience is smaller than Olympic Games, tourists flock to each host city before, during and after the events. This increases risks to travellers.

Before you go, read the travel advisory for your destination. See our advice for the United Kingdom. Also read our general advice on how to stay safe and avoid danger.

  • Learn more about the Commonwealth Games (CGF).

Football (soccer) world cup

The FIFA World Cup is the pivotal tournament for international football (soccer). Managed by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the FIFA World Cup is the second largest sporting event globally.

The tournament is every 4 years. A different nation hosts it each time. The qualifying phase is the 3 years prior.

The next events are FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 and FIFA World Cup 2026 held in USA, Mexico and Canada.

  • Learn more about the FIFA Women's World Cup.

Cricket world cup

The Cricket World Cup (International Cricket Council) is the world's top cricket tournament. It's the finale of a global qualification process over several years, that narrows to just 10 teams.

It takes place in a different destination every 4 years. The next one is India 2023.

Before you go, read the travel advisory for India. Subscribe for updates. Also see our advice on staying safe and avoiding danger.

  • Learn more about the Cricket World Cup

Rugby world cup

The Rugby World Cup (RWC) is the key rugby union tournament globally. It's the 3rd largest sporting event in the world. The top 20 teams from nations around the world participate.

It runs for seven weeks, every 4 years. A different country hosts it each time.

Events are at venues across the host nation. This means it's not just one city that is flooded with international tourists, it's many.

The next Rugby World cup is France 2023.

Before you go, read our travel advisory for France. Also see our general advice on staying safe and avoiding danger.

  • Learn more about the Rugby World Cup (RWC).

Olympics

Each Olympic Games occurs every 4 years. A different country hosts the event every time.

More than more than 200 countries participate in over 400 events across the Summer and Winter Games, Paralympic Games and Youth Olympic Games. 

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) publishes details for each:

  • Paris 2024 Summer Games
  • Paris 2024 Summer Paralympic Games
  • Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games
  • Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympic Games
  • Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games

Tens of thousands of people from around the world travel to the host city to watch, and join the festivities. With the large number of visitors, the risk of things going wrong increases.

Before you go, read the travel advisory for your destination. Read our general advice on how to stay safe and avoid danger.

Read more

  • See our general advice for taking care of your health.
  • See our general advice about staying safe and avoiding danger.
  • Read our travel advisory for your destination.

Related content

Hajj

Explore this page for information about staying safe and secure during the Hajj pilgrimage in Makkah (Mecca).

View details
Ramadan

Ramadan is the most important month on the Islamic calendar. Explore this page to learn local laws and customs during Ramadan and Eid-ul-Fitr, after Ramadan.

View details
Major religious events
View details

Main navigation

  • The basics
    • Planning to travel during COVID-19: step by step
    • Destinations
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Emergency consular assistance

The Australian Government provides 24-hour consular emergency assistance.

+61 2 6261 3305 from overseas

1300 555 135 from within Australia

For how we can help you overseas see the Consular Services Charter.

Enquiries and feedback

For non-urgent enquiries, or to provide feedback on consular services that you've recently received, contact us online.

For information on notarial services, email legalisations.australia@dfat.gov.au

For information about Australian visas, contact the Department of Home Affairs.

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For more information go to about us.

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Main navigation

  • HomeHome
  • Before you go
    • The basics
      • Planning to travel during COVID-19: step by step
      • Destinations
      • Passport services
      • Visas
      • Insurance
      • Schengen
      • Travel advice explained
    • Who you are
      • Children
      • Dual nationals
      • LGBTI++
      • Mature
      • School leavers
      • Women
    • Activities
      • Adoption
      • Adventure
      • Backpacking
      • Business
      • Living and working overseas
      • Marriage
      • Studying
      • Surrogacy
      • Volunteering
    • Major events
      • Cultural events
      • Religious events
      • Sporting events
    • Health
      • Mental health
      • Disability
      • Infectious diseases
      • Medical assistance overseas
      • Medical tourism
      • Medication
      • Pregnancy
      • Reciprocal health
      • Vaccinations
      • Death
    • Staying safe
      • Armed conflict
      • Assault
      • Cyber security
      • Demonstrations
      • Earthquakes and tsunamis
      • Kidnapping
      • Natural disasters
      • Partying safely
      • Piracy
      • Scams
      • Severe weather
      • Sexual assault
      • Terrorism
      • Theft and robbery
    • Laws
      • Carrying or using drugs
      • Child sex offences
      • Female genital mutilation
      • Forced marriage
    • Getting around
      • Air travel
      • Boat travel
      • Cruising
      • Public transport
      • Road safety
  • Destinations
    • View all destinations
    • AfricaBrowse destinations in Africa.
    • AmericasBrowse all destinations in the Americas.
    • AsiaBrowse all destinations in Asia.
    • EuropeBrowse all destinations in Europe.
    • Middle EastBrowse all destinations in the Middle East.
    • PacificBrowse all destinations in the Pacific.
  • While you're away
    • When things go wrong
      • Arrested or jailed
      • Lost property
      • Medical assistance
      • Money problems
      • Someone is missing
      • Someone died
    • Crime overseas
      • Assaulted
      • Kidnapped
      • Robbed or mugged
      • Scammed
      • Sexually assaulted
    • Crisis or emergency
      • Demonstration
      • Armed conflict
      • Earthquake
      • Severe weather
      • Terrorist situation
      • Volcanic eruption
      • Bushfire
      • Nuclear incident
    • Australia's biosecurity and border controls
  • Urgent helpLinks to help
  • Our servicesLinks to services
    • Consular Services Charter
      • Arabic
      • Chinese Simplified
      • Chinese Traditional
      • Indonesian
      • Thai
      • Vietnamese
    • Travel advice explained
    • Subscription
    • Crises
    • Passport services
    • Notarial services
      • Documents
      • Documents in Australia
      • Documents overseas
      • Certificate of No Impediment
      • Notarial forms
    • Voting overseas
    • Communities
      • العربية (Arabic)
      • Bahasa Indonesia
      • 中文 简体 (Chinese Simplified)
      • 中文繁體 (Chinese Traditional)
      • 日本語 (Japanese)
      • ภาษาไทย (Thai)
      • Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
      • Filipino community
      • Indian community
    • Resources
      • Consular State of Play
      • CHOICE travel insurance guide
      • Fact sheet: Travel Smart
      • Fact sheet: Missing overseas
      • Fact sheet: Arrested or jailed overseas
      • Fact sheet: Sexual assault overseas
      • Fact sheet: Death overseas
      • Consular Privacy Collection Statement