Top 10 Most Notable Sports Events of 2022 Worldwide and Locally

The World Athletics Championships is an event organized by World Athletics, held every two years. The championship started in 1976 after the International Olympic Committee decided to remove the men's 50 km walk event from the Montreal 1976 Olympics, even though it had been part of every Olympic Games since 1932. In response, the IAAF established its own World Championship event, held one and a half months after the Olympics. The 1976 and 1980 events were not considered official World Championships as they lacked some standard events, but results were still recognized by the IAAF.

The first official World Athletics Championship took place in 1983, introducing full athletics events. Since then, the championships have been held every four years, transitioning to a biennial format starting in 1991. After a delay due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the 2022 event will take place in July in Eugene, Oregon, USA, a city famous for being the home of Nike. The opening ceremony, expected to be attended by U.S. President Joe Biden, will take place on July 15 at Hayward Field. The event will span 10 days.

The most recent 2019 World Championships in Doha saw the U.S. lead with 14 gold medals, followed by Kenya and Jamaica with 5 and 3 golds, respectively.

The Chess Olympiad is a biennial team chess competition where teams from around the world compete. Organized by FIDE, the Chess Olympiad's name stems from historical significance and implies no connection to the actual Olympic Games. The attempt to include chess as an Olympic sport during the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris failed due to a division between amateur and professional players.

Since 1950, the Olympiad has been held every two years. Chess gained recognition as a sport by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in June 1999, and FIDE became an official international sports federation. As a member of the IOC, FIDE strictly adheres to its regulations, including doping tests, which sparked debates within the chess community. The future of chess as an official Olympic sport remains uncertain, which is why the Chess Olympiad remains distinct from the Olympics.

2022 marks the return of the Chess Olympiad after a four-year hiatus. Although chess is not an Olympic sport, it has its own version of the Olympic Games, known as the Chess Olympiad. The last edition in 2018 saw Vietnam's impressive performance, finishing in the top 10, including 7th place in the men's category. The 2022 Chess Olympiad will begin on July 26 in Khanty-Mansi, primarily held in Moscow, Russia. The competition will feature both men's and women's events, with five players on each team. The closing ceremony is scheduled for August 8 in Moscow.

The 2022 Asian Games, also known as Asiad 2022, is a multi-sport event held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China. Hangzhou is the third city in China to host the Asian Games, following Beijing in 1990 and Guangzhou in 2010.

Originally scheduled from September 10 to 25, 2022, the event was postponed on May 6, 2022, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 44 venues will be used for the Games, including 30 existing locations in the city, 10 under construction, and 4 still in the planning stage. A high-speed railway line connecting Hangzhou and Huzhou is being built to facilitate transportation during the Games. The official emblem, "Surging Tides," was unveiled on August 6, 2018, and symbolizes a hand fan, the running track, the Qiantang River, and radio waves. The emblem reflects China's socialist achievements and emphasizes unity and progress within the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), following the Winter Olympics.

For the first time, athletes from Oceania will participate, and their events will serve as qualifiers for the 2024 Summer Olympics. A total of 482 medal sets will be awarded across 40 sports, with athletics having the most events, followed by swimming, shooting, and weightlifting. In the 2018 edition held in Jakarta and Palembang, Vietnam won 5 gold, 15 silver, and 19 bronze medals, finishing 16th in the overall medal standings.

The 2022 FIFA World Cup, also known as the World Cup, will be the 22nd edition of the global football championship, hosted in Qatar. A total of 32 national teams, including the host nation Qatar, will compete in the final tournament. This will be the second World Cup held in Asia, after the 2002 edition in Japan and South Korea, and the first to be held in the Middle East and the Arab world. Additionally, it will be the last World Cup with 32 teams, as the number will increase to 48 in 2026.

Initially scheduled for the traditional summer months of June and July, the tournament was moved to winter due to Qatar’s scorching summer heat, which often exceeds 40°C. On March 20, 2018, FIFA officially announced that the event would be held in November and December for the first time in World Cup history, to ensure the health and safety of both players and fans.

The tournament will begin on November 20, with the final match on December 18, 2022, coinciding with Qatar's National Day. The competition will last for 29 days, shorter than the usual 32-day format. France, the defending champions, won their second World Cup title in 2018.

The ASEAN Football Championship, also known as the AFF Cup, is a biennial men's football tournament organized by the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF), featuring national teams from Southeast Asia. The competition is typically held every even year, except in 2007 when it was postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, Suzuki withdrew its naming rights, and Mitsubishi Electric, another Japanese corporation, took over, leading to the tournament being named the AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup.

So far, four teams have won the tournament: Thailand (6 titles), Singapore (4 titles), Vietnam (2 titles), and Malaysia (1 title). Australia became a full member of the AFF in 2013 but has never participated in the competition, mainly due to its dominance over Southeast Asian teams, which would disrupt the balance of the competition. In the most recent edition in 2020, Thailand triumphed in the final, defeating Indonesia 6–2 on aggregate over two legs. The 2022 AFF Cup will be the 14th edition, although the final of the 13th edition between Thailand and Indonesia, delayed due to the pandemic, is set for January 1, 2022. Thailand leads Indonesia 4-0 from the first leg, with a strong chance of claiming their sixth title.

If Thailand secures the win, they will defend their title later in 2022, though the tournament dates are yet to be confirmed. Following some controversial refereeing decisions during the 2020 AFF Cup semifinals, the use of VAR is expected in the 2022 edition. Vietnam will aim to reclaim the championship under head coach Park Hang-seo.

The Asian Games, also known as the Asian Games, is a multi-sport event held every four years, featuring athletes from across Asia. The Games, governed by the Olympic Council of Asia, were first held in New Delhi, India, and have continued until the 1978 edition. The event is recognized by the International Olympic Committee and is considered the second largest multi-sport event in the world after the Summer Olympics. A total of 46 countries have participated in the Games, including Israel, which was excluded after winning a silver medal at the 1974 edition in Iran. The most recent Games were held in Jakarta and Palembang.

Since 2010, the host cities for the Asian Games also host the Asian Para Games, a parallel event for athletes with disabilities. The Asian Para Games follow the Asian Games, although the two events are sometimes held separately. The 2022 Asian Games will feature 40 sports, with esports and breaking being included for the first time, totaling 61 disciplines and 482 events. As of now, 44 out of 55 venues have been completed.

In addition to Hangzhou, other host cities will include Ningbo, Wenzhou, Shaoxing, Jinhua, and Huzhou. The Athletes’ Village, which can accommodate 10,400 athletes and officials, will be located in Hangzhou, while the media village for 3,300 journalists and the technical officials' village for 3,800 people will be spread across various cities. According to the organizers, 45 National Olympic Committees and territories from Asia, along with 5 from Oceania, will compete in this prestigious event.

The National Sports Festival is Vietnam's largest sporting event. Held every four years, the most recent edition took place in November 2018. In 2018, the event's name was changed from the National Gymnastics and Sports Festival to simply the National Sports Festival. After the 8th edition in Hanoi, the next festival will occur in 2022. According to the latest update from the General Department of Sports, the 9th National Sports Festival is scheduled to take place from December 9th to December 21st, 2022, with the opening and closing ceremonies in Quang Ninh. The Department emphasized the importance of early communication efforts to raise awareness, promote the event, and foster a sense of responsibility in the host provinces, which will help ensure the festival's success across the country.

The plan for the 9th National Sports Festival, approved by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, highlights the need for host cities to optimize existing facilities and resources, many of which were used for the SEA Games 31. The overarching goal is to ensure the event is held efficiently, practically, cost-effectively, and safely, while adapting to the ongoing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Social resources will also be actively mobilized to support the event. In addition to Quang Ninh, other provinces such as Hanoi, Hai Phong, Hai Duong, Bac Ninh, Bac Giang, Hoa Binh, Vinh Phuc, Ninh Binh, Nam Dinh, and Thanh Hoa will host competitions during the festival.

Currently, all participating units across the country are awaiting the approval of the official regulations for the 9th National Sports Festival in 2022. Once finalized, delegations will be formed, and preliminary lists will be submitted to the organizing committee. The regulations have already been presented to the Ministry's leadership for final approval.

The 2022 Winter Olympics, commonly known as the 2022 Winter Games, is an international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing and surrounding towns in Hebei Province, China, starting on February 20, 2022. Three cities initially bid for the Games: Beijing, Almaty in Kazakhstan, and Oslo in Norway. However, Oslo withdrew from the bidding process in October 2014. Ultimately, Beijing won the bid in July 2015, a decision announced by the International Olympic Committee during its 128th session on July 31, 2015.

Upon Beijing's selection, many analysts questioned the city's suitability for hosting a winter event, given that it is not a mountainous region and lacks sufficient snowfall, two critical conditions for winter sports. Beijing planned to host certain events in Yanqing and Zhangjiakou, located on the outskirts of the city, though these areas still have limited natural snow. Artificial snowmaking was likely, following the precedent set during the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics in Russia. The 2022 Winter Olympics were also held under very different circumstances than the 2008 Beijing Olympics, with no festive atmosphere, under strict government and organizational oversight, and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Foreign visitors and fans were not allowed, and most events were held without spectators. Athletes, journalists, and organizers—around 3,000 people—were essentially isolated from the public for the entire duration of the Games. All activities took place within a closed-loop system.

Participants were required to undergo daily COVID-19 testing, and all movements were carefully monitored according to safety protocols. Organizers reported that nearly 2 million tests were conducted starting from January 25, and over 400 positive cases were detected among attendees. The 2022 Winter Olympics were also marked by a diplomatic boycott from several Western countries in protest of human rights violations in China. The Chinese authorities were concerned that some athletes might use the platform to express opposition to human rights abuses. However, the event proceeded without any major incidents, largely due to strict control measures imposed by the government.

The 2022 Formula 1 Racing Season marks the 73rd edition of this premier motorsport event. It is the highest level of open-wheel racing, governed by the International Automobile Federation. This season features 22 races held around the globe, with a schedule designed to conclude earlier than in previous years to avoid overlap with the FIFA World Cup. Significant technical changes were introduced, originally planned for 2021 but delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Max Verstappen, the Red Bull Racing driver, enters as the reigning world champion, after his dramatic win at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, securing his first world title and ending Lewis Hamilton’s winning streak since 2017. Despite controversy surrounding the final race, the moment marked a historic shift in the sport. This season brings new race directors, fresh teammate pairings, and adaptations to the newly designed cars, in line with revised technical regulations. As the season unfolds, fierce battles are expected between Verstappen and Hamilton, while rising stars like Lando Norris and Pierre Gasly are proving their potential. Previous champions such as Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel are also determined to prove they can still compete for the title. The 2022 Formula 1 season will feature 10 teams, 20 drivers, and 22 races across 36 weekends.

Over 10 nations are represented by the 20 drivers, with numerous others participating in team roles. While most teams remain unchanged from the previous season, several drivers have switched teams, and newcomers have entered the grid. Just before the season’s first practice session in Bahrain, the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict led to last-minute changes in the Haas team lineup. Meanwhile, other drivers have also made moves before the start of the season.

The Southeast Asian Games, also known as the SEA Games, is a multi-sport event held every two years, positioned between the Olympic Games and the Asian Games. It involves athletes from 11 Southeast Asian nations, with sports governed by the Southeast Asian Sports Federation under the supervision of the International Olympic Committee and the Asian Olympic Council. The first SEA Games was held in Bangkok in 1959, following the establishment of the Southeast Asian Peninsular Games Federation in 1958.

After a year-long delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Vietnam hosted the SEA Games for the second time in May 2022. The opening ceremony took place on May 12 at the My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi, with over 10,000 participants competing for 526 medal sets. 12 northern provinces co-hosted 40 events, most of which were included in the Olympic program.

At the 2019 SEA Games, Vietnam surprisingly surpassed Thailand to claim second place overall, behind the host country, the Philippines. The only time Vietnam topped the medal table was in 2003 when it hosted the Games. The success of the 2019 SEA Games was a significant achievement for Vietnam’s sports sector, which has made remarkable progress. It is hoped that in future editions, the Vietnamese team will continue to earn prestigious medals and bring pride to the nation.