| Of course, the big sporting event of 2010 is the | | | | stadiums will host matches between the 32 |
| World Cup football in South Africa, and thousands of | | | | competing nations, all bidding to succeed Italy for the |
| people will already have booked their tickets to be in | | | | right to call themselves world champions. |
| the country any time from June 11 to July 11 this | | | | Just as the football enters its frenzied final phase, the |
| year, or, if they're particularly lucky, for the whole | | | | Tour de France once again hits the roads, this year |
| month. | | | | starting in Rotterdam before heading to Belgium and, |
| But what other sporting events are likely to bring in | | | | after three weeks, ending with the customary dash |
| the holidaymakers this year? Unusually, the UEFA | | | | along the Champs Elysees in Paris, where glory |
| Champions League final will be played on a Saturday | | | | awaits one lucky (and tired) rider, on Sunday July 25. |
| this year, May 22 being the date to remember, and it | | | | Back on the courts, the US Open tennis dominates |
| will take place at the Bernabeu Stadium, home of | | | | early September, regularly drawing 750,000-plus fans |
| Real Madrid, with the added bonus of course, of the | | | | to New York's Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. |
| host city being one of the most visited and | | | | As if 2010 wasn't a big enough year already, two |
| best-equipped in Europe. | | | | massive spectacles round off the year. First, the |
| The following day, Sunday May 23, is the day | | | | Commonwealth Games head to New Delhi, |
| motorsport fans head for the most famous date in | | | | representing the largest sporting event the city will |
| the Formula 1 calendar, the Monaco Grand Prix, and | | | | have ever held. |
| many sports fans may combine this with a visit to | | | | The dates for your diary are October 3 to 14. Then, |
| the French Open tennis tournament, which starts just | | | | ending on a high, it's off Down Under for the latest |
| a day later and runs through to Sunday June 6. Will | | | | episode in the ongoing war which is The Ashes, |
| Andy Murray earn that historic first Grand Slam win | | | | which begins on November 25, and will straddle the |
| on the famous courts of Roland Garros? One thing is | | | | festive celebrations before the little urn symbolically |
| for sure, many Britons will be in Paris to witness his | | | | passes to the victors on January 7 2011. |
| progress. | | | | For great worldwide holiday ideas tied in to any of |
| Then there's barely time to pause for breath before | | | | these events, visit The Co-operative Travel soon. |
| what many consider the big event of 2010, the | | | | Demand is sure to be high, so the best advice is to |
| football World Cup, taking place in South Africa | | | | book early, and then, whatever your sport of choice, |
| between Friday June 11 and Sunday July 11. Ten | | | | sit back and enjoy all the build-up. |