By Can Erozden, Selcuk Bugra Gokalp and Emre Asikci
ANKARA (AA) – The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports diminished in 2022, but the world of sports experienced a busy year, including international sanctions due to the Russia-Ukraine war and notable deaths and retirements as well as Argentina's FIFA World Cup triumph.
On Feb. 24, Russia launched a war on Ukraine, which was met with international outrage, with the European Union, US and UK among others imposing tough financial sanctions on Moscow.
Russian sports clubs and teams were also barred from international tournaments and competitions.
English football club Chelsea, which was owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich for 19 years, was sold to a consortium led by US businessman Todd Boehly. The £4.25 billion ($5.2 billion) takeover was approved two months after Abramovich decided to sell the club in March.
On May 28, Real Madrid defeated Liverpool 1-0 to win the 2022 UEFA Champions League title at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis.
Meanwhile, there were two famous deaths in sports: Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell and former Serbian defender Sinisa Mihajlovic.
An 11-time NBA champion, Russell died on July 31. He was 88.
On Dec. 16, Mihajlovic, a former Serbia head coach and Lazio and Inter Milan defender, died of leukemia at age 53.
In September, Swiss tennis legend Roger Federer, a 20-time Grand Slam champion, bade farewell to the game at the Laver Cup. Prior to his retirement, Federer, 41, was in a rehabilitation process after a knee injury.
On Oct. 17, France and Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema won the 2022 men’s Ballon d’Or, a prestigious individual award in football. He won the Champions League with Real Madrid in the spring this year.
Towards the end of the year, a Messi-led Argentina won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
They beat 2018 champions France on penalties on Dec. 18 to win the ultimate title for the first time since 1986.
Croatia brought home another World Cup bronze after beating Morocco 2-1 in the third-place playoff.
The Moroccan national football team also left their mark on Qatar 2022. The African nation finished the World Cup in fourth spot, an inspirational run in the tournament.
JANUARY
Jan. 1:
- Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp misses the Reds' Premier League match against Chelsea after returning with a suspected positive COVID-19 test result.
Jan. 2:
- Argentine football superstar Lionel Messi tests positive for the coronavirus.
Jan. 3:
- Chelsea's Brazilian defender Thiago Silva extends his contract with the Blues for another season.
Jan. 4:
- Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic announces that he will compete at the Australian Open after being granted a medical exemption from COVID-19 vaccination.
- A giant mural of Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher is unveiled in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Jan. 5:
- FIFA confirms the three finalists for the 2021 Puskas Award, the honor to be given for the best goal of the last year.
Erik Lamela, Patrik Schick and Mehdi Taremi are the final nominees for the honor.
- Besiktas win the 2021 Turkish Super Cup by beating Fraport TAV Antalyaspor on penalties.
Jan. 6:
- Novak Djokovic may not defend his title in 2022 as the Serbian top seed's visa is canceled by Australia for failing to meet the COVID-19 entry requirements.
-The Dallas Mavericks retires their German legend Dirk Nowitzki's jersey in a ceremony.
Jan. 7:
- In their first transfer under Saudi ownership, Newcastle United sign English defender Kieran Trippier from Spanish club Atletico Madrid.
- Arsenal wear an all-white kit in their FA Cup clash against Nottingham Forest to raise awareness against knife crime in London.
- Several tennis players around the world including Nick Kyrgios, John Isner and Marin Cilic show their support for Novak Djokovic and criticize his treatment by Australian authorities.
Jan. 8:
- The Turkish Airlines EuroLeague announces that they will postpone three round 20 games due to positive COVID-19 cases, including Bitci Baskonia Vitoria Gasteiz vs. Anadolu Efes, Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade vs. Real Madrid and AS Monaco and UNICS Kazan.
Jan. 10:
- Novak Djokovic wins a court battle against the Australian government which had canceled his visa ahead of the 2022 Australian Open.
- Galatasaray terminate the contract of manager Fatih Terim.
Jan. 10:
- Turkish footballer Ahmet Calik dies in a road accident at the age of 27.
Jan. 11:
- Domenec Torrent is named the new manager of Galatasaray, replacing Fatih Terim.
Jan. 12:
- Novak Djokovic pushes back against what he called “misinformation” about his travels last December, before his run-in with Australian authorities over his vaccination status.
Jan. 13:
- Inter Milan win the 2021 Italian Super Cup, beating Juventus 2-1 at Milan's San Siro Stadium.
- Novak Djokovic is included in the Australian Open official draw, although it is still uncertain whether the government will cancel his visa for a second time.
Jan. 14:
- In the latest twist in the row over Novak Djokovic's COVID-19 status, Australian authorities revoke the Serbian tennis superstar's visa for a second time.
Jan. 16:
- Novak Djokovic loses his chance to play at the Australian Open as the Australian court dismissed his appeal against the deportation order.
Jan. 22:
- Mohammad Al-Awadi from Kuwait refuses to play against an Israeli opponent in the Dubai Tennis Championships semifinals.
Jan. 30:
- Rafael Nadal beats Daniil Medvedev in the 2022 Australian Open final, becoming the first male tennis player to win 21 Grand Slam titles.
Jan. 31:
- Manchester United striker Mason Greenwood is arrested after allegations emerged that he raped and sexually assaulted a woman believed to be his girlfriend.
FEBRUARY
Feb. 2:
- Mason Greenwood is released on bail following his arrest on suspicion of raping, assaulting and threatening to kill a woman.
- The 2022 Winter Olympic Games kick off with mixed doubles curling competitions two days prior to the opening ceremony.
Feb. 4:
- The 2022 Winter Olympics get underway with the opening ceremony held in the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic and a US-led diplomatic boycott.
Feb. 5:
- Manchester United’s David De Gea is named Premier League Player of the Month for January, becoming the first goalkeeper to win the award in over half a decade.
Feb. 6:
- Cameroon seal a sensational comeback against Burkina Faso to win the match for third place at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.
Feb. 7:
- Senegal win their first Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title after beating Egypt 4-2 on penalties in the final.
- Ajax Amsterdam football director Marc Overmars leaves his position over a series of inappropriate messages sent to his female co-workers at the club.
Feb. 9:
- Germany reach the top of the 2022 Winter Olympics medal count with the multiple medals they won.
Feb. 12:
- Chelsea beat Palmeiras 2-1 in extra time to bring home the FIFA Club World Cup.
Feb. 14:
- The Los Angeles Rams defeat the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI for the National Football League (NFL) title.
- Team USA speed skater Erin Jackson becomes the first Black woman to win the individual gold medal at the Winter Olympics with a time of 37.04.
Feb. 17:
- The Canadian women's national ice hockey team clinches the Beijing 2022 Winter Games title.
Feb. 18:
- The Disciplinary Tribunal of the Athletics Integrity Unit (AUI) ban Nigerian sprinter Blessing Okagbare for 10 years due to multiple breaches of anti-doping rules.
- Canada defeat the US 8-5 to claim a bronze medal in men's curling at the Beijing Olympics.
- Thomas Krol from the Netherlands becomes an Olympic champion in men's 1,000-meter speedskating at Beijing 2022.
Feb. 20:
- Finland win their first ice hockey Olympic gold after beating the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) 2-1 in Beijing 2022.
Feb. 24:
- FIFA condemns Russia's military intervention in Ukraine, calling all parties to restore peace via talks.
- European football’s governing body UEFA condemns Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine.
- Ukraine suspends its top-division football league after a declaration of martial law due to Russia's military intervention.
Feb. 25:
- Manchester United terminate their sponsorship deal with Russian airline Aeroflot in the wake of Moscow’s military intervention in Ukraine.
- The 2022 Russian Grand Prix is canceled after Moscow’s military intervention in Ukraine.
- UEFA moves the Champions League final from St. Petersburg to Paris in the wake of Russia's military intervention in Ukraine.
Feb. 26:
- Chelsea's Russian owner Roman Abramovich hands the club's "stewardship and care" to its charitable foundation following Russia's attack on Ukraine.
Feb. 27:
- FIFA orders Russia to play their upcoming matches without their flag or anthem after its military intervention in Ukraine.
- Reigning champions France call for Russia to be expelled from the 2022 FIFA World Cup for its intervention in Ukraine.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin is suspended as honorary president of the International Judo Federation (IJF) following Moscow’s military intervention in Ukraine.
Feb. 28:
- Spartak Moscow reluctantly exit the 2021-22 UEFA Europa League after FIFA and UEFA suspended Russian clubs and national teams from international football events due to the Russia-Ukraine war.
- UEFA cancels its partnership with Russian gas company Gazprom in protest against the Russian war on Ukraine.
- Top regulatory authorities governing global and European football suspend Russian clubs and national teams from international games amid the Russia-Ukraine war.
- Russian basketball clubs are suspended from EuroLeague contests due to the war between Ukraine and Russia.
- The International Olympic Committee urges that Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials not be allowed or invited to participate in international competitions.
- The German football club Schalke 04 ends its partnership with Russian natural gas company Gazprom prematurely following Russia's war on Ukraine.
- Liverpool defeat Chelsea to clinch the Carabao Cup on penalties after the game finished 0-0 after extra time.
- England to boycott all matches against Russia over Ukraine intervention.
MARCH
March 1:
- Russia and Belarus are suspended by World Rugby.
- Due to the nearly week-old Russia-Ukraine war, Russian and Belarusian skaters are banned from all international championships.
- Adidas is suspending its partnership with the Russian Football Union because of the Russia-Ukraine war
- Russian basketball teams are barred from FIBA competitions
March 2:
- Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich sells English club Chelsea after Russia's war on Ukraine
- EA Sports removes all Russian clubs and its national team from its platforms to show support for Ukraine.
March 3:
- Russian and Belarusian Paralympic athletes are barred from competing in the upcoming Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games due to the war between Russia and Ukraine.
- Formula One cancels its contract with the Russian Grand Prix amid the Russia-Ukraine war.
- Belarusian national football teams and clubs competing in European competitions play their home matches at neutral grounds following Russia's war on Ukraine.
- Ukrainian biathlete Yevhen Malyshev is killed in a battle near Kharkiv city
March 4:
- Russian driver Nikita Mazepin's contract is terminated due to his country's ongoing war in Ukraine.
- Dutch football legend Clarence Seedorf converts to Islam.
- Cyclist Pavel Sivakov switches from Russian to French nationality after being granted permission by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) amid Russia's war on Ukraine.
March 5:
- Kenyan athlete Eliud Kipchoge wins the 2022 Tokyo Marathon.
March 7:
- Novak Djokovic offers help to retired Ukrainian player Sergiy Stakhovsky, who has returned to his country to fight against Russia.
- The international gymnastics body launches a disciplinary investigation into a Russian athlete for wearing a pro-war symbol at a competition in Qatar.
March 8:
- FIFA allows foreign players and coaches at Russian clubs to unilaterally suspend their employment contracts until the end of the 2021-22 season to facilitate their departure from Russia.
- German tennis player Alexander Zverev is given an eight-week suspension sentence and put on probation for one year for his violent outburst at the Mexican Open
- Russian clubs CSKA Moscow, Zenit and UNICS Kazan are suspended from the ongoing season of the EuroLeague, the continent’s premier basketball tournament.
- UEFA fines France's Olympique Marseille over a "provocative and offensive" banner that fans displayed during a recent match against an Azerbaijani team from the Karabakh region.
- The English Premier League donates £1 million ($1.3 million) to Ukraine for the war against Russia.
- Principal associations in tennis and the four Grand Slams each donate $100,000 to a humanitarian aid campaign for people in Ukraine.
- Ferrari donates €1 million ($1.1 million) to support Ukrainians in need.
- Russia’s governing football body appeals to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) after the country was excluded from FIFA and UEFA competitions because of Moscow’s war against Ukraine.
March 9:
- British tennis player Andy Murray donates all prize money he earns through the rest of the year to UNICEF to help children in Ukraine.
- March 10:
- Chelsea is given a special license to continue football-related activities by the British government after authorities sanctioned the club's Russian owner Roman Abramovich.
- Novak Djokovic misses the US tournaments Indian Wells and Miami Open as vaccine rules prevent him from entering the country.
March 11:
- The German Football Association revokes former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's honorary membership status for his close links with Russian state-owned companies.
March 12:
- Ronaldo becomes an all-time top scorer with a hat-trick against Tottenham.
March 13:
- The Beijing 2022 Paralympic Games, which started on March 4, end with a closing ceremony at Beijing National Stadium.
March 14:
- American football star Tom Brady ends retirement, set for NFL return.
March 15:
- Karim Benzema becomes the all-time top French star after netting twice in Real Madrid's 3-0 win over RCD Mallorca.
- Danish player Christian Eriksen returns to the national team for the first time after he suffered a cardiac arrest during a UEFA EURO 2020 match in June.
- The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) denies a request by the Russian governing football body not to uphold UEFA suspensions as that country was excluded from competitions because of Moscow’s war against Ukraine.
March 16:
- Spanish football team Barcelona is sponsored by music streaming service Spotify as the parties signed a partnership deal.
- Russian footballer Artem Dzyuba rejects a call-up to the national team due to family circumstances.
March 17:
- The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) confirms that Ukrainian players are now allowed to move to other clubs outside the country, even if the registration period is closed.
- The 2022 Formula 1 season starts with the season opener Bahrain Grand Prix over three months after the end of the 2021 season.
March 18:
- A Premier League clash between Everton and Newcastle United is interrupted by a protestor.
- FIFA’s ban on Russian football teams is upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) until further notice.
March 19:
- Roger Federer's foundation donates $500,000 to establish access to continued schooling for Ukrainian children amid Russia’s war on Ukraine.
- FIFA sends medical kits to the Ukrainian football body and allocates $1 million to the FIFA Foundation for war victims in the country.
March 20:
- Ferrari's Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc wins the season-opening Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix.
March 21:
- Jamal Crawford, who won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award three times, announces his retirement from basketball, ending a career that lasted 22 years.
March 22:
- Russian chess grandmaster Sergey Karjakin receives a six-month ban from taking part in competitions for expressing his support for Russia's war on Ukraine.
March 23:
- The Court of Arbitration for Sport strips Kazakh Olympic weightlifting champion Nijat Rahimov of the gold medal he won in the Rio 2016 Games and bans him from competing for eight years due to doping.
- The EuroLeague says that Russian teams are officially out of both the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and 7DAYS EuroCup in response to Moscow's war on Ukraine.
- France's Narbonne Volley wins their maiden CEV Volleyball Challenge Cup 2022 Men’s title by defeating Turkish team Halkbank Ankara 21-19 in a golden set.
- World no 1. Ashleigh Barty ends her tennis career at age 25.
- UEFA receives declarations of interest from the UK/Republic of Ireland, Russia and Türkiye to host the 18th edition of the European Championship.
March 24:
- Japan and Saudi Arabia qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
March 25:
- Portugal advance to the 2022 FIFA World Cup European Qualifiers playoff final after beating Türkiye 3-1.
- Two-time World Cup winners Uruguay, and Ecuador seal their places at the 2022 World Cup.
March 27:
- Kenyan runners Rodgers Kwemoi and Hellen Obiri win the 17th Istanbul Half Marathon, an annual road run that this year featured hundreds racing through the Turkish metropolis.
March 28:
- Canada book their place at the 2022 World Cup tournament for the first time in 36 years.
March 29:
- The International Biathlon Union (IBU) suspends Russia and Belarus with immediate effect over the war in Ukraine.
- Latvia, Finland and the Greek Cypriot administration are named FIBA EuroBasket 2025 hosts
- A Bruno Fernandes double gives Portugal a 2-0 win against North Macedonia in the European Qualifiers playoff final to send them to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
March 30:
- Senegal seal their place in the 2022 World Cup after eliminating Egypt on penalties in the African qualifiers.
- Tunisia and Morocco go through to the 2022 World Cup
March 31:
- Gianni Infantino confirms his candidacy in the next FIFA presidential election in 2023.
APRIL
April 6:
- The Football Union of Russia (FUR) withdraws its appeal against FIFA’s decision to suspend the Russian team from the 2022 World Cup European qualifier playoffs over the war on Ukraine.
- Karim Benzema scores a back-to-back hat-trick in this season's Champions League campaign as Real Madrid beat Chelsea 3-1 in a quarterfinals first leg clash.
April 7:
- The UEFA Executive Committee approves new club licensing and financial sustainability regulations.
April 8:
- A goal duel in the first leg of the UEFA Conference League quarterfinals between Feyenoord and Slavia Prague ends 3-3.
April 10:
- Hungary's Sopron Basket wins the FIBA EuroLeague Women title by beating Türkiye’s Fenerbahce 60-55 in the final.
April 11:
- Police in Liverpool confirm that they have launched an investigation after Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo appeared to slap a mobile phone out of a young fan’s hand.
April 13:
- Villareal qualify for the UEFA Champions League semifinals with a 2-1 aggregate score against Bayern Munich.
- Real Madrid advanced to the UEFA Champions League semifinal with a 5-4 aggregate win against Chelsea.
April 14:
- Liverpool draw 3-3 with Benfica in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals and reach the semifinals with a 6-4 aggregate win.
- Freddy Rincon, former captain of Colombia’s national football team, dies after a car crash.
- US track and field athlete Allyson Felix announces her plans to retire after the conclusion of the 2022 season.
- Ukraine's delayed World Cup playoff semifinal match against Scotland is set for June 1.
April 15:
- Eintracht Frankfurt advance to the UEFA Europa League semifinal with a 4-3 aggregate win over Barcelona.
Apirl 17:
- New Zealand cyclist Patrick Bevin claims the crown in the 57th Presidential Cycling Tour of Türkiye after the Istanbul leg of the tour was called off due to unsafe weather conditions.
April 18:
- The Boston Marathon kicks off for the first time in April since before the COVID-19 pandemic began.
April 19:
- Cristiano Ronaldo announces the death of his baby son during childbirth after his long-term partner Georgina Rodriguez gave birth to twins.
April 20:
- Russian and Belarusian players are not allowed to participate in this year's Wimbledon due to Moscow's "unjustified" war in Ukraine.
April 22:
- Russian Olympic champion Evgeny Rylov has been barred from international competitions for nine months after he attended a pro-war rally in March.
April 24:
- British boxer Tyson Fury beats his compatriot Dillian Whyte with a technical knockout to retain his WBC heavyweight title in London.
April 25:
- Red Bull Racing's Dutch driver Max Verstappen is named the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year for winning the 2021 Formula 1 World Championship, his first title.
April 28:
- Liverpool earn a 2-0 home win over Villarreal in the UEFA Champions League semifinal first leg.
- Barcelona temporarily move to a football stadium in Montjuic to spend the 2023-24 season there as their majestic venue Camp Nou was confirmed to be renovated.
April 29:
- Anadolu Efes head to the EuroLeague Final Four for the third consecutive season, beating AX Armani Exchange Milan 75-70 in Game 4 of the playoff matchup.
- Former Wimbledon Tennis champion Boris Becker is jailed for two years and six months after breaking the terms of his 2017 bankruptcy agreement.
April 30:
- Real Madrid beat Espanyol 4-0 to win the Spanish La Liga title in week 34.
- Trabzonspor win the Turkish Super Lig title after a 2-2 draw with Antalyaspor in a week 35 game, the club’s 1st league title since 1984.
- Zenit Saint Petersburg win the Russian Premier League title.
MAY
May 2:
- Russian football clubs are banned from next season's UEFA competitions, including the Champions League.
- The Russian national team are also disqualified from the UEFA Women's EURO 2022 and are replaced by Portugal.
May 3:
- Fulham forward Aleksandar Mitrovic scores 43 goals in a single season to break the all-time goal-scoring record in the English Championship division.
- Liverpool advance to the UEFA Champions League final with a 5-2 aggregate win over Villarreal.
- German forward Thomas Muller signs a new deal with Bayern Munich until 2024.
May 4:
- Real Madrid make it to the Champions League final with a 6-5 aggregate victory against Manchester City.
- Argentine football legend Diego Armando Maradona's 'Hand of God' jersey sells for a record $9.28 million at an auction in London.
May 5:
- In the Mutua Madrid Open, Tunisian tennis player Ons Jabeur becomes the first Arab national to play a WTA (Women's Tennis Association) 1000 final.
- Rangers beat Germany's RB Leipzig 3-1 to face Eintracht Frankfurt in the UEFA Europa League final.
- Roma reach the UEFA Europa Conference League's first-ever final, where the Italian team will play against Dutch side Feyenoord.
May 6:
- The 19th Asian Games in China are postponed over coronavirus concerns.
- Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta extends his contract until 2025.
May 7:
- Todd Boehly's group reaches an agreement to purchase English football giants Chelsea in a record £4.25 billion ($5.24 billion) deal, the club confirms.
- Porto are crowned the champions of the Portuguese league after a 1-0 win against Benfica.
- Ons Jabeur becomes the first Arab winner of a WTA 1000 title after her victory in the Madrid Open. Jabeur defeats American Jessica Pegula 7-5, 0-6 and 6-2 in the women's singles final.
May 8:
- Red Bull Racing's Dutch driver Max Verstappen wins the inaugural Miami Grand Prix in Formula 1.
May 9:
- Former NBA player Adreian Payne dies after he was fatally shot in Orlando. He was 31. Payne played for the Atlanta Hawks, Minnesota Timberwolves and Orlando Magic in the NBA.
May 10:
- UEFA announces that it will expand the Champions League to 36 clubs from 32, approving a new format from the 2024-25 season.
- Manchester City reach an agreement in principle with German club Borussia Dortmund for the transfer of Erling Haaland, the English club says.
- The German city of Munich will host the 2024 European football championship's (EURO 2024) opening match, and the tournament will conclude with the final game in Berlin, UEFA says.
May 11:
- Ajax win the Dutch Eredivisie title for the 36th time.
- Celtic secure the Scottish Premiership title for the 10th time in 11 seasons.
- Inter Milan clinch the Italian Cup with a 4-2 victory over Juventus in the final, their first Italian Cup since 2011.
May 12:
- The Denver Nuggets' Serbian star Nikola Jokic is named the 2021-22 Most Valuable Player in the NBA.
- Real Madrid's French forward Karim Benzema equals with Raul as the club's second all-time top scorer. Benzema tallies 323 goals for Real Madrid since 2009.
- Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) superstar Lionel Messi bags $130 million to be the world's highest paid athlete in 2022 so far, according to the Forbes list.
May 13:
- Manchester City reveal the statue of their Argentine legend Sergio Aguero to celebrate the club's historic 2012 English Premier League championship that they waited for for at least four decades.
Man City beat Queens Park Rangers 3-2 on the final day of the 2011-12 Premier League season as Aguero scores a crucial winning goal in injury time that brought the Premier League title to the Manchester club.
May 14:
- China withdraws as the 2023 football Asian Cup host due to the coronavirus pandemic.
- Liverpool win the 2022 English FA Cup, beating Chelsea 6-5 on penalties.
- Serbian tennis superstar Novak Djokovic secures his 1,000th match win in his career.
May 17:
- Russian gymnast Ivan Kuliak is given a one-year ban for wearing a pro-war symbol in the 2022 World Cup.
May 18:
- Eintracht Frankfurt win the UEFA Europa League trophy after beating Rangers 5-4 on penalties in Seville, Spain.
- Barcelona's Nikola Mirotic is named the 2021-22 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague MVP (Most Valuable Player) in the regular season.
May 19:
- FIFA appoints three female referees for the first time to officiate a men's World Cup.
Stephanie Frappart from France, Salima Mukansanga of Rwanda and Yoshimi Yamashita from Japan were named to officiate the men’s edition in the 2022 winter.
May 20:
- FIBA removes the Russian national basketball team from the 2022 European basketball championship (EuroBasket). Montenegro replace them in Group A.
- Olympic champion boxer Busenaz Surmeneli of Türkiye wins a gold medal in the 2022 IBA Women's World Boxing Championships, beating her Canadian opponent Charlie Cavanagh in the final of 63-66 kilogram category, or welterweight.
- Turkish female boxer Sennur Demir wins a gold medal in the 2022 IBA Women's World Boxing Championships. Competing in the heavyweight division, Demir defeats her Moroccan opponent Khaija Mardi in +81 kg gold medal bout.
May 21:
- Manchester City's Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne is named the 2021-22 Premier League Player of the Season.
- Barcelona beat Olympiacos 84-74 in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague third-place game.
- Anadolu Efes win the 2022 EuroLeague title by beating Real Madrid 58-57 in the final.
- Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) star Kylian Mbappe extends his contract with the club until 2025.
- Olympique Lyon win the UEFA Women's Champions League for a record eighth time after beating reigning champions Barcelona 3-1 in the final.
May 22:
- Manchester City win the 2022 English Premier League.
- AC Milan secure their first Italian Serie A title after 11 years.
- VakifBank Istanbul win the 2022 CEV Women's Champions League Volley over a 3-1 win against Italian club Carraro Imoco Conegliano.
- The 2022 French Open, one of the four tennis majors, starts in Paris.
May 23:
- German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer signs a new contract with Bayern Munich, extending his stay at the German club until 2024.
May 24:
- The Premier League Board approves the proposed Todd Boehly/Clearlake Consortium-led takeover of the Chelsea football club.
May 25:
- Roma beat Feyenoord 1-0 to win the inaugural Europa Conference League title.
- The English Premier League names Jurgen Klopp the manager of the season.
- Swedish forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic is said to be out of action for seven or eight months after knee surgery.
May 26:
- Canadian football body cancels a friendly against Iran in June.
May 28:
- Real Madrid defeat Liverpool 1-0 to win the 2022 UEFA Champions League title.
May 29:
- Australian cyclist Jai Hindley wins the Giro d'Italia, one of the cycling majors.
- Nottingham Forest are promoted to the English Premier League after 23 years.
May 30:
- A consortium led by US businessman Todd Boehly completes its Chelsea takeover, the English Premier League club confirms.
May 31:
- In Formula 1, Mexican driver Sergio Perez signs a two-year contract extension with Red Bull Racing.
- Rafael Nadal beats Novak Djokovic to reach the 2022 French Open semifinals in men's singles.
The Spanish star seals an impressive 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 win over the World No.1 from Serbia.
JUNE
June 1:
- Argentina win the 2022 CONMEBOL-UEFA Cup of Champions (Finalissima) by beating Italy 3-0 in the final.
- Real Madrid's Welsh star Gareth Bale confirms his departure from the Spanish football powerhouse in the summer as a free agent.
- RedBird Capital Partners, a US investment firm, completes the purchase of AC Milan, the Italian club confirms.
- Manchester United's French midfielder Paul Pogba will depart the English Premier League club as a free agent at the end of June, the club says.
June 2:
- Tennis top seed Iga Swiatek reaches the French Open women's singles final.
- Coco Gauff beats Martina Trevisan to face tennis top seed Swiatek in the French Open final.
- Forbes says basketball superstar LeBron James has officially become a billionaire as the 37-year-old NBA player, who had total earnings of $121.2 million in 2021, sees his net worth hit $1 billion.
June 3:
- Rafael Nadal moves to the French Open men's singles final after Alexander Zverev is forced to quit the game due to an ankle injury.
- Casper Ruud beats Marin Cilic to take on Rafael Nadal in the French Open final.
June 4:
- Iga Swiatek wins the 2022 French Open in women's singles.
The Polish player beats her US opponent Coco Gauff with sets of 6-1, 6-3 in the final at Court Philippe-Chatrier to be crowned the champion in Paris once again.
- Argentine football player Carlos Tevez retires from the game.
- The Hungarian national football team shock England 1-0 in a UEFA Nations League match, which is in an historic win.
June 5:
- Rafael Nadal wins the 2022 French Open, sealing his 22nd Grand Slam title.
The fifth-seed Nadal beats world No. 8 Casper Ruud from Norway 6-3, 6-3, 6-0 in the final held at Court Philippe-Chatrier.
- The Welsh national football team reserve their place in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, ending a 64-year hiatus.
Gareth Bale-led Wales eliminate Ukraine 1-0 in the playoff held in Cardiff to be in Qatar 2022.
- Real Madrid basketball team's longtime head coach Pablo Laso suffers a heart attack to undergo "a catheterisation procedure" in a Madrid hospital.
- A Los Angeles Lakers jersey worn by Kobe Bryant during his rookie season is sold for $2.735 million at an auction.
June 7:
- Real Madrid head coach Pablo Laso is discharged from the hospital.
- NFL team Denver Broncos and the Walton-Penner family reach a purchase-sale agreement. The Walton-Penner group's winning bid is $4.65 billion.
June 8:
- Croatian midfielder Luka Modric extends his contract with Real Madrid until 2023.
June 9:
- Paris’ police chief apologizes over the use of tear gas before the Champions League final in May.
- Liverpool's Egyptian star Mohamed Salah wins the 2022 Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) Player of the Year award.
- Seven-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton becomes an honorary citizen of Brazil, recognizing his affinity for the country.
- Wimbledon confirms that this year's total prize money would be a record £40.3 million (over $50 million), with the men's and women's singles title winners to get £2 million.
June 11:
- Real Madrid signs a contract with Aurelien Tchouameni from Monaco on a six-year deal.
June 13:
- English champions Manchester City sign Norwegian football star Erling Haaland from Germany's Borussia Dortmund.
- Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini confirms his move to US top-tier league MLS (Major League Soccer) club Los Angeles FC, leaving Italian Serie A side Juventus.
- Fenerbahce Beko win the ING Turkish Basketball Super League.
- Australia qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
- Turkish swimmer Sumeyye Boyaci wins a gold medal in the Women's 50m Backstroke S5 Final at the 2022 Madeira World Para Swimming Championships.
June 14:
- Hong Kong advance to the AFC Asian Cup for the first time in 55 years.
- Organizers of the 2022 US Open confirm that Russian and Belarusian players will be allowed to participate in the tournament under a neutral flag.
- Liverpool sign Darwin Nunez from Benfica.
- The Costa Rican national football team earn the last ticket to the 2022 FIFA World Cup after defeating New Zealand 1-0 in the intercontinental playoffs.
- Germany beat Italy 5-2 in Game 4 of League A Group 3 in the UEFA Nations League.
June 15:
- The Spanish La Liga files a complaint with UEFA against French club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and England's Manchester City, claiming that they continuously violate financial fair play rules.
June 16:
- The Golden State Warriors defeat the Boston Celtics 103-90 in Game 6 to be the 2022 NBA Champions.
Warriors superstar Stephen Curry is named the 2022 NBA Finals Most Valuable Player.
- The Australian Grand Prix is confirmed to stay in the Formula 1 calendar until 2035.
June 17:
- FIFA reveals the host cities for the 2026 World Cup, with 11 venues picked from the US.
FIFA chooses 16 cities to host the 2026 World Cup.
Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, the San Francisco Bay Area and Seattle are in the US, Guadalajara, Mexico City, and Monterrey in Mexico and Toronto and Vancouver in Canada.
- A Russian tennis player in women's doubles, Natela Dzalamidze, dodges the 2022 Wimbledon ban by changing her citizenship to Georgian to play in the major tournament.
June 18:
- Naomi Osaka says she will not participate in Wimbledon due to an Achilles tendon injury.
June 20:
- Ex-Manchester United winger Ryan Giggs, who has been charged with assaulting two women, resigns as the Wales head coach after the Welsh national team reach the 2022 FIFA World Cup earlier in June.
- The WNBA team Phoenix Mercury call on the US government to bring their player Brittney Griner home from Russia as the 31-year-old remains in custody for drug-related charges.
June 21:
- Former Cameroonian footballer Samuel Eto'o will avoid imprisonment after admitting to tax fraud of €3.8 million ($4 million) in Spain during his career with Barcelona between 2004 and 2009.
June 22:
- Senegalese football star Sadio Mane moves to Bayern Munich after six seasons with Liverpool.
- Todd Boehly is named the new Chelsea chairman, the English Premier League club announces.
- FIFA extends a window allowing foreign coaches and players to suspend deals with their clubs in Russia and Ukraine through June 30, 2023.
June 23:
- NATO confirms that it will provide security support to Qatar during the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
- US sportswear firm Nike says that it has decided to permanently leave the Russian market amid Moscow's war on Ukraine.
- The Orlando Magic select 19-year-old Paolo Banchero with No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft at Barclays Center in New York.
June 24:
- Roger Federer, a Wimbledon frequenter, will be absent in the 2022 championships.
The Swiss veteran is in a rehabilitation process after a knee injury.
- Former Everton, Manchester United and England forward Wayne Rooney steps down as Derby County manager, with the club already relegated to England's third-tier football division.
- The International Olympic Committee (IOC) says the International Boxing Association (IBA) will not run events for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
- American Katie Ledecky becomes the first swimmer to win five straight world titles in the same event, the Budapest 2022 World Aquatics Championships.
June 26:
- The Colorado Avalanche beat the Tampa Bay Lightning to win the NHL Stanley Cup for the third time in franchise history and the first time in more than two decades.
June 27:
- Welsh football star Gareth Bale joins Los Angeles FC.
- The 2022 Wimbledon, another Grand Slam tennis tournament, starts in the UK.
June 28:
- Gerald Darmanin, France's minister of the interior, offers an apology to the many fans who were denied entry to the Stade de France during the Champions League final match held in May.
- World no. 1 in women's tennis Iga Swiatek extends her winning run to 36 matches after beating her Croatian opponent Jana Fett in the 2022 Wimbledon.
- Serena Williams, a US tennis veteran, exits the 2022 Wimbledon after losing in the 1st round.
France's Harmony Tan wins against 40-year-old Williams with sets of 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 (10-7) in a first-round match.
June 29:
- Belgium's Romelu Lukaku returns to Inter Milan on loan from Chelsea.
June 30:
- FIFA restores the membership of the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) after it was suspended for more than a year “due to undue third-party interference.”
JULY
July 1:
- Egyptian star Mohamed Salah renews his Liverpool contract for a long term.
- Tottenham Hotspur sign Brazilian forward Richarlison from Everton.
- The 2022 Tour de France starts in Copenhagen as Belgium's Yves Lampaert wins in the opening stage of the tour.
July 2:
- World No. 1 Iga Swiatek of Poland is eliminated from the 2022 Wimbledon's third round after a shocking defeat against France's Alize Cornet.
Ranked 37th in singles, Cornet, 32, beat Swiatek with sets of 6-4 and 6-2 at London's No. 1 Court.
July 3:
- Ferrari's Spanish driver Carlos Sainz wins the 2022 British Grand Prix, his first-ever victory in Formula One.
- The British Grand Prix in Formula One sees a horror crash as Alfa Romeo driver Guanyu Zhou's car tumbles before hitting a fence.
Zhou is confirmed to be "conscious" and then is released from a medical center.
- The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is postponed to 2024 due to adverse weather conditions in Ivory Coast. The tournament will be held in January-February of 2024.
July 4:
- Arsenal sign Brazilian forward Gabriel Jesus from Manchester City on a long-term contract.
- Real Madrid basketball team officially parts ways with their head coach Pablo Laso for medical reasons.
July 5:
- Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) sack head coach Mauricio Pochettino after 18 months in charge.
PSG name Christophe Galtier for the vacant position on the same day.
July 6:
- The Minnesota Timberwolves acquire French center Rudy Gobert from the Utah Jazz.
- England beat Austria 1-0 as the UEFA Women's EURO 2022 kicks off in Manchester, UK.
July 7:
- American basketball star Brittney Griner pleads guilty to drug charges in a Russian court.
- Rafael Nadal pulls out of a Wimbledon semifinal due to an abdominal tear.
July 8:
- Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter and France football legend Michel Platini are acquitted by the Swiss Federal Criminal Court in a FIFA fraud trial.
They have been charged by prosecutors with defrauding FIFA in connection with a payment of $2 million Platini received in 2011.
- Former Arsenal and England midfielder Jack Wilshere retires from football.
- Juventus sign Argentine football star Angel Di Maria on free transfer.
July 9:
- Elena Rybakina defeats Ons Jabeur to win her first Wimbledon women's singles title.
Rybakina comes from set down to win 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 to be the first Kazakh player to win a Grand Slam in singles.
July 10:
- Novak Djokovic wins his 7th Wimbledon title in men's singles after beating Nick Kyrgios with sets of 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 at Center Court.
July 11:
- French midfielder Paul Pogba returns to Juventus after leaving Manchester United.
July 13:
- Raheem Sterling leaves Manchester City after seven seasons to join Chelsea.
July 15:
- The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) dismisses appeals filed by Russia's football federation and four Russian football teams against FIFA and UEFA's decision to ban them from all events amid the war in Ukraine.
- Manchester United confirm the signing of Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen on a three-year deal.
July 16:
- Letesenbet Gidey of Ethiopia clinches gold in the women's 10,000 meter race in the World Athletics Championships.
Gidey defeats Hellen Obiri and Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi in a world-leading time of 30:09.94.
July 18:
- Barcelona sign Polish star Robert Lewandowski.
- AC Milan extend Zlatan Ibrahimovic's contract for another year.
July 19:
- Japan’s two-time Olympic men's figure skating champion Yuzuru Hanyu announces his sudden retirement from competition.
- The Asian Games are postponed to the fall of 2023 due to a coronavirus outbreak.
July 20:
- Italian side Roma bolster their offense by snapping up Argentina forward Paulo Dybala on a free transfer.
July 22:
- Bayern Munich's Senegalese star Sadio Mane claims the 2022 African Player of the Year award for a second time.
- US athlete Sydney McLaughlin wins a gold medal, marking a new world record, in the women's 400m hurdles in the 2022 World Athletics Championships (Oregon22).
The 23-year-old wins the competition with 50.68 seconds, breaking her own previous world record of 51.41 seconds.
July 24:
- Jonas Vingegaard of the Jumbo-Visma team wins the 2022 Tour de France.
- Sweden's Armand Duplantis breaks his own world record with a jump of 6.21 meters (20.37 feet) to win gold in the men's pole vault at the World Athletics Championships.
July 27:
- Borussia Dortmund forward Sebastien Haller is sidelined several months after testicular tumor surgery.
He will then undergo chemotherapeutic treatment.
- The Philadelphia 76ers re-sign their All-Star guard James Harden.
- Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez's decade-plus in Europe ends as the 35-year-old makes his way to his boyhood club Nacional in Uruguay.
July 28:
- Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel announces that he will retire from Formula 1 at the end of this season.
July 30:
- Liverpool beat Manchester City 3-1 to win the 2022 Community Shield.
- Bayern Munich win the 2022 German Super Cup over a 5-3 win against RB Leipzig.
July 31:
- Eleven-time NBA champion Bill Russell, a Boston Celtics legend, dies at the age of 88.
- The English national football team win the women's EURO 2022, beating Germany 2-1 in extra time.
- Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) win the 2022 French Super Cup after hammering Nantes 4-0 in Tel Aviv, Israel.
AUGUST
Aug. 2:
- Slava Medvedenko, a former Los Angeles Lakers player from Ukraine, puts his NBA championship rings up for auction with the goal of donating the entire amount to relief efforts in his home country.
- Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Chile apply to jointly host the 2030 FIFA World Cup, the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) announces.
Aug. 4:
- US President Joe Biden sharply denounces a Russian court's decision to sentence WNBA star Brittney Griner to nine years in prison.
- Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta renews his deal with the club until 2024.
- Cuneyt Cakir, a well-known football referee in Europe, ends his longtime career.
The 45-year-old officiated matches in the 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cup tournaments and refereed the 2015 UEFA Champions League final.
Aug. 6:
- A pre-season friendly football match between Juventus and Atletico Madrid in Israel is cancelled amid Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip.
Aug. 9:
- Serena Williams, a 23-time grand slam singles champion, hints at retirement from the sport after this year's US Open tennis tournament.
- British coach Toni Minichiello is banned for life from training athletes due to sexually inappropriate behavior, emotional abuse and bullying, UK Athletics (UKA) announces.
Aug. 10:
- Real Madrid beat Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0 to win the 2022 UEFA Super Cup.
Aug. 11:
- NBA legend Bill Russell's No. 6 jersey confirmed to be retired league-wide.
Aug. 12:
- Barcelona sell 24.5% of Barca Studios to the company Orpheus Media for €100 million (over $102.5 million).
- Undefeated British boxer Tyson Fury retires from the sport at the age of 34.
- 2022 Ballon d'Or nominees are unveiled; Lionel Messi is absent for the first time.
Aug. 15:
- Dutch professional cyclist Tom Dumoulin, who won the 2017 Giro d'Italia, ends his career at the age of 31.
- A football fan from the UK is given a suspended sentence and fined for a racist Facebook post against English football players who missed penalty kicks during the UEFA EURO 2020 final against Italy.
Hugh Laidlaw, 50, is ordered to pay nearly £2,000 for the offensive message against 3 Black England players after final match
Aug. 16:
- FIFA suspends the Indian football federation over "influence from third parties."
Aug. 17:
- Japan arrests a Tokyo Olympics official on bribery charges.
Haruyuki Takahashi, 78, is suspected of receiving bribes of around 51 million yen ($380,000) from major business suit retailer Aoki Holdings, one of the sponsors of last year’s summer games.
- Colombian rider Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas is disqualified from the 2022 Tour de France after testing positive twice for a prohibited substance, tramadol.
Aug. 20:
- Longtime Leicester City forward Jamie Vardy extends his contract with the English Premier League club for two seasons.
The former England forward won the 2016 Premier League, a historic title for Leicester City.
- Chelsea ban a season ticket holder at Stamford Bridge forever for "racist abuse" against Tottenham Hotspur's South Korean forward Son Heung-min.
- World heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk retains his title in a split decision rematch against Anthony Joshua.
Following 12 rounds in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah, Ukrainian boxer Usyk, 35, beats Joshua, 32, from Britain 113-115, 115-113 and 116-112.
Aug. 21:
- Roma's Dutch midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum breaks his leg during training.
Aug. 22:
- Alexander Zverev withdraws from the 2022 US Open due to an ankle injury.
- After leaving Real Madrid, Brazilian midfielder Casemiro joins Manchester United.
Aug. 23:
- The Ukrainian Premier League restarts after six months in only stadiums where bomb shelters are located because of Russia's military intervention in that country.
Aug. 25:
- Real Madrid's French forward Karim Benzema is named UEFA Men’s Player of the Year.
- Unvaccinated against COVID-19, Serbia's Novak Djokovic says he will be unable to join the 2022 US Open.
Aug. 27:
- Liverpool equals the biggest win record in the English Premier League with a 9-0 win against Bournemouth.
Aug. 28:
- Roma sign Italian forward Andrea Belotti.
Aug. 30:
- Brazilian winger Antony moves to Manchester United from Ajax.
SEPTEMBER
Sept. 11:
- Spanish tennis sensation Carlos Alcaraz wins the 2022 US Open men's singles title and claims his maiden Grand Slam title and world No. 1 ranking.
Sept. 11:
- Top-seeded Iga Swiatek wins the 2022 US Open women's singles tennis title by beating fifth-seeded Ons Jabeur from Tunisia.
Sept. 11:
- Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl team's Belgian cyclist Remco Evenepoel wins the 2022 Vuelta a Espana, his first Grand Tour win.
Sept. 12:
- Turkish wrestler Burhan Akbudak beats Uzbekistan’s Jalgasbay Berdimuratov 3-1(7-6) in men's Greco-Roman 82 kg at the 2022 World Wrestling Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, scoring his first-ever gold in the tournament.
Sept. 13:
- Turkish wrestler Riza Kayaalp wins a gold medal by beating Iran's Amin Mirzazadeh in men's Greco-Roman 130 kg at the 2022 World Wrestling Championships in Belgrade, Serbia.
Sept. 14:
- Turkish wrestler Yasemin Adar retains her world championship at the 2022 World Championships.
Sept. 15:
- Swiss legend Roger Federer, a 20-time Grand Slam champion, announces that he is retiring from professional tennis.
Sept. 18:
- Spain become the EuroBasket 2022 champions after beating France 88-76 in the final.
Sept. 20:
- UEFA confirms that Russia has been banned from participating in the 2024 European Football Championship.
Sept 24:
- Roger Federer bids farewell with a doubles loss for Team Europe in the Laver Cup.
OCTOBER
Oct. 1:
- The USA are crowned the 2022 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup champions after beating China 83-61 in the final.
Oct. 9:
- Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen wins the Japanese Grand Prix to secure the 2022 Formula One title.
Oct. 9:
- Türkiye win the 2022 Amputee Football World Cup, beating reigning champions Angola 4-1 in the final in Istanbul.
Oct. 10:
- Manchester United's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo becomes the first player in football history to score 700 club goals in his 20-year-career.
Oct. 15:
- Serbia beat Brazil to win the 2022 FIVB Women's World Champions and defend their title.
Oct. 17:
- France and Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema wins the 2022 men’s Ballon d’Or, while Barcelona star Alexia Putellas clinches the women’s prize.
Oct. 22:
- Turkish female boxer Buse Naz Cakiroglu wins a European gold medal in 50 kg.
Oct. 30:
- Flamengo win the Copa Libertadores by beating Athletico Paranaense 1-0 in the final.
Oct. 31:
- Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen goes down in history by registering the most wins in a Formula 1 season with his victory in the Mexican Grand Prix.
NOVEMBER
Nov. 9:
- Polish football star Robert Lewandowski is awarded the European Golden Shoe, winning the award in back-to-back years.
Nov. 13:
- A phenomenal England beat Pakistan in a low-scoring final of the Twenty20 Cricket World Cup at Melbourne Cricket Ground to clinch the title for the second time.
Nov. 20:
- Ecuador beat hosts Qatar 2-0 in the opening game of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Nov. 20:
- France star Karim Benzema will not play in the 2022 FIFA World Cup because of a thigh injury, the French football body confirms.
Nov. 21:
- Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo becomes the first person to reach 500 million followers on Instagram.
Nov. 22:
- Argentina make a nightmare start to their FIFA World Cup Group campaign after a shocking 2-1 loss to underdogs Saudi Arabia.
Nov. 22:
- Manchester United confirm that they have parted ways with Cristiano Ronaldo by mutual consent.
Nov. 24:
- Ronaldo becomes the first player to score in five FIFA World Cups.
Nov. 26:
- France become the first team to qualify for the round of 16 after beating Denmark 2-1 in their World Cup Group D match.
Nov. 29:
- Senegal qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 after beating Ecuador 2-1 in a Group A match.
DECEMBER
Dec. 1:
- Morocco top Group F after a 2-1 win against Canada in the FIFA World Cup.
- French referee Stephanie Frappart becomes the first woman to officiate a FIFA World Cup men's match.
Dec. 2:
- Former world champions Germany are eliminated from the group stage of the 2022 FIFA World Cup despite beating Costa Rica 4-2.
Dec. 3:
- Uruguay is eliminated from the World Cup although they managed to beat Ghana 2-0 in a Group H match.
Dec. 6:
- Morocco qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals after beating Spain 3-0 on penalties.
Dec. 6:
- Legendary tennis coach Nick Bollettieri dies at the age of 91.
Dec. 9:
- Croatia beat Brazil 4-2 on penalties to qualify for the 2022 World Cup semifinals.
Dec. 10:
- Morocco beat Portugal 1-0 and become the first African nation to reach the FIFA World Cup semifinals in Qatar 2022.
Dec. 11:
- France edge England 2-1 to reach the World Cup semifinals.
Dec. 13:
- Argentina claim a 3-0 win over Croatia to advance to the 2022 FIFA World Cup final.
Dec. 14:
- Reigning world champions France beat Morocco 2-0 to face Argentina in the 2022 FIFA World Cup final.
Dec. 16:
- Sinisa Mihajlovic, a former Serbia head coach and Lazio and Inter Milan defender, dies of leukemia at the age of 53.
Dec. 17:
- Morocco’s dream run in the 2022 FIFA World Cup ends in defeat as Croatia holds on for a 2-1 win in the third-place playoff.
Dec. 18:
- Argentina defeats France on penalties in a thrilling final to win the 2022 FIFA World Cup.