What do WWII battles, ballistic missiles, and the deadly brown tree snake have in common?
The Pan American Games, aka the Pan Am Games, have been around since 1951. It currently features 39 different sports. Stay tuned for the 2027 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru.
Mediterranean nations from Africa, Asia, and Europe, have been coming together to compete in the Mediterranean Games since 1951. The next Mediterranean Games will take place in 2026 in Taranto, Italy.
The Invictus Games is an event where wounded, injured, and sick servicemen and women can compete. Both serving and veteran athletes are welcome. Birmingham, UK, will host the next Invictus Games in 2027.
The Paralympics may be more famous, but deaf athletes have been competing in the Deaflympics since 1924. The next edition of this multi-sport event will be held in Tokyo, Japan, in 2025.
The European Championships is a multi-sport event comprising several sports federations from the continent. The last event was held in Munich, Germany, in 2022, and the next one is yet to be announced.
The African Games, formally known as the Pan African Games or All-Africa Games, has been held every four years since 1965. Expect traditional sports as well as others such as arm wrestling. The next event will be held in Cairo, Egypt, in 2027.
Also known as the Muslim Women's Olympics, this multi-sport event brings together Muslim women of all nationalities. Plans for an upcoming event have not been revealed.
The Asian Games, also called Asiad, is a multi-sport event that dates back to 1951. The next edition will be held in 2026, in Aichi and Nagoya in Japan.
The Maccabiah Games, also informally known as the "Jewish Olympics," is held in Israel every four years. The games are one of the largest sporting events in the world. The next edition will be held in 2025.
The International University Sports Federation (FISU) organizes both summer and winter editions of the World University Games. Student athletes from around the world compete against each other in several sports. The next event will be Rhine-Ruhr 2025 in Germany.
Mature athletes have the chance to compete against each other in the World Masters Games organized by the International Masters Games Association (IMGA). Athletes must be at least 25 or 35 (depending on the sport) to be able to participate. In 2025 the games will be held in New Taipei, Taiwan.
The European Games are governed by the European Olympic Committees (EOC) and bring together athletes of many different sports. In 2027, it will be held in Istanbul, Turkey.
Athletes of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) compete in a variety of sports in the Islamic Solidarity Games. Non-Muslim athletes from member countries are also allowed to compete. The next games will take place in 2025 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The Gay Games is the world's largest LGBTQ+ sporting event. First held in 1982 in San Francisco, California, US, the Gay Games have increased in popularity over the years. Valencia, Spain, will be the host in 2026.
The World Police and Fire Games (WPFG) has been around since 1985. Both active and retired law enforcement and fire service athletes can compete. The WPFG features numerous sports, including police and firefighter-specific ones, such as police action piston and stair race. The next WPFG will be held in Birmingham, Alabama, US, in 2025.
The Lusofonia Games is not just a language-based multi-sport event (in this case, Portuguese), but also includes nations historically linked to Portugal, such as India. After cancellations in 2017 and 2021, there are still no plans for another edition in the future.
Sources: (Topend Sports)
The Arab Games, formerly known as the Pan-Arab Games, have brought the nations of the Arab world together since 1953. So far, 37 sports have been included. The next edition will take place in 2027 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The Military World Games first brought together military sportspeople in 1995. In addition to traditional sports, they also military-specific ones, such as military pentathlon. The next event will be held in 2025 in Bern, Switzerland.
The best athletes of the Commonwealth nations compete at the Commonwealth Games. Its history dates back to 1930 and it has evolved to become one of the best multi-sport events to watch. The next edition will be held in 2026, in Glasgow, Scotland.
The Jeux de la Francophonie combines both sports and artistic events of French-speaking nations. Sports include athletics, judo, basketball, etc. The latest edition took place in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. The next Francophone Games will occur in 2027.
The World Senior Games, also known as the Huntsman World Senior Games, bring a number of senior athletes together. Athletes must be aged at least 50 in order to be eligible to compete. The next competition will be held in October 2024.
The first edition of the World Urban Games was held in Budapest, Hungary, in 2007. It included both competitions and showcases of urban sports, including 3x3 basketball and breakdancing. The date of the next games is yet to be announced.
An international competition of multi-discipline air sports, including ballooning? Yes, please! The first games date back to 1997. The last edition was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and no date for a future edition has been announced.
Since 1995, the X Games has been the home of extreme action sports. There are summer and winter editions where athletes compete in a number of sports, including BMX, skateboarding, snowboarding, and skiing, among others. The next X Games will be held in 2025 in Aspen, Colorado, US.
The ANOC World Beach Games was first held in Qatar in 2019. It includes a number of beach sports including beach volley, beach wrestling, and beach soccer, to name a few. The 2023 event was cancelled and details about a future event have not yet been revealed.
The games of the mind also have a dedicated multi-discipline international event. Sports include chess, bridge, and draughts, among others. A date for an upcoming event hasn't yet been revealed.
The World Games is a great platform for sports that are not part of the Olympic Games. These include sports such as bowling, powerlifting, Muay Thai, and cheerleading. The next edition will take place in 2025 in Chengdu, China.
The European Youth Olympic Festival brings together young European athletes aged 14 to 18 in both summer and winter editions. The next European Youth Olympic Winter Festival will be held in Borjomi-Bakuriani, Georgia, in 2025.
The Central American and Caribbean Games has athletes from 32 countries and five territories competing with each other in a number of sports. The first edition of the games dates back to 1926 and the next one will be held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, in 2026.
Are you missing the Summer Olympics already? Well, the good news is that you don't have to wait another four years to watch a great multi-sport event. In fact, there are quite a few lined up for the next couple of years. Whether you're into summer or winter sports, traditional or new sports; there is a little bit of everything for everyone.
Click through the gallery to find out more about the upcoming multi-sport events.
The best multi-sport events to watch (other than the Olympics)
Ever heard of the World Urban Games?
LIFESTYLE Sporting events
Are you missing the Summer Olympics already? Well, the good news is that you don't have to wait another four years to watch a great multi-sport event. In fact, there are quite a few lined up for the next couple of years. Whether you're into summer or winter sports, traditional or new sports; there is a little bit of everything for everyone.
Click through the gallery to find out more about the upcoming multi-sport events.