San Diego sports fan? Check out these 12 events (and dozens more) in 2026

The best part about living in San Diego is, well, that we get to live here.

But all too often, those of us in America’s Finest City stay close to home. Life’s easier when you don’t have to fight traffic, find parking or purchase tickets.

That ends today.

Here’s a look at 12 sporting events — one each month, all year long — that will help you become not only a better sports fan in 2026 but a more well-rounded San Diegan, too. The following list of local events is by no means comprehensive given that some teams have yet to announce their schedules and, of course, times and dates are subject to change. But consider it a good start.

So let’s get moving. The first one is Friday!

January: Take in the latest Holiday Bowl in history 

This year’s Holiday Bowl will technically be played next year, part of a scheduling quirk that moves San Diego’s annual bowl game to Friday, Jan. 2. The past two Holiday Bowls were marked by opt-outs — USC star Caleb Williams missed in 2024, and Washington State left its quarterback and coach at home in 2025 — but this year’s matchup at Snapdragon Stadium should be a good one. Both No. 21 Arizona (9-3) and SMU (8-4) boast star quarterbacks and pass-happy offensive schemes that fit perfectly with the Holiday Bowl’s reputation as America’s Most Exciting Bowl Game. Just make sure you know the difference between “Pony Up” and “Bear Down” before you go.

Mark your calendars: 

Jan. 11: USATF National Marathon Race Walk Championships in Santee

Jan. 16-18: San Diego Rodeo at Petco Park

Jan. 17: Monster Energy AMA Supercross at Snapdragon Stadium

February: Follow the leader at the Farmers Insurance Open

This year’s Farmers Insurance Open wraps on Feb. 1, giving San Diego’s golf fans a chance to take in world-class competition at Torrey Pines Golf Course. The Open returns to a more traditional Thursday-through-Sunday format after being held Wednesday through Saturday in past years. The vibe is coastal cool: even if you don’t know who won in 2025 (Harris English) or 2024 (Matthieu Pavon), you’ll never forget the sweeping views and good-time crowds at Torrey Pines. But bring a quarter-zip: It gets windy (and foggy) out there.

Mark your calendars:

Feb. 1: Final day of the San Diego Open at the Barnes Tennis Center

Feb. 3: San Diego FC vs. Pumas UNAM in Concacaf Champions Cup first-round play at Snapdragon Stadium

Feb. 22: Harlem Globetrotters at Pechanga Arena

Feb. 26: FIBA Men’s World Cup Qualifying game: USA men’s basketball national team vs. Dominican Republic at Frontwave Arena in Oceanside

Feb. 27: “No Boxing, No Life” fight card at SeaWorld’s Nautilus Arena

Feb. 28: UC San Diego men’s basketball “Senior Night” vs. Cal Poly at LionTree Arena

March: Step into the Madness at Viejas Arena

The NCAA Tournament returns to Viejas Arena March 20 and 22 for the first two rounds of regional play. And while San Diego State won’t be there — NCAA rules prohibit teams from playing on their home courts in the tournament – there’s bound to be men’s basketball blue-bloods in the building. The nation’s top-ranked team, Arizona, is a good bet to stay in the West if it continues to win; if not, perennial powerhouses like Gonzaga or UCLA could post up in San Diego for the Friday-Sunday series. Buy your tickets now, but be warned: Watching a full day of NCAA Tournament games in person is intense, exhausting — and exhilarating.

Mark your calendars:

March 1: FIBA Men’s World Cup Qualifying game: USA national basketball team vs. Mexico at Frontwave Arena in Oceanside

March 13-14: National Women’s Soccer League’s opening weekend; San Diego Wave’s schedule/opponent TBA

March 21-22: Savannah Bananas Baseball at Petco Park

March 23: San Diego Strike Force season opener vs. Northern Arizona Wranglers at Frontwave Arena in Oceanside

March 24-25: UC San Diego baseball vs. Oregon at Triton Field

March 26: San Diego Padres’ 2026 season opener vs. Detroit Tigers at Petco Park

March 27-29: San Diego Crew Classic on Mission Bay

March 28: Ironman 70.3 Triathlon in Oceanside

April: Guide the Gulls into the playoffs at Pechanga Arena 

The San Diego Gulls last made the American Hockey League playoffs in 2021. They haven’t advanced past the first round since 2019. But hockey hope springs eternal, and there’s reason to believe that San Diego’s struggles won’t last forever. The club wraps the 2025-26 regular season on April 18 with a home game against the Coachella Valley Firebirds, and there could be a playoff spot at stake. This year’s Gulls have enough Anaheim Ducks prospects that they could make a push. And if not? Well, Gulls games are always a good time. The club finished eighth in the 32-team AHL in attendance last season.

Mark your calendars: 

April 2: Final day of San Diego Lions Baseball Tournament, various sites

April 12: 40th annual Carlsbad 5000 race, Carlsbad

April 17: San Diego Seals Fan Appreciation Night vs. Las Vegas Desert Dogs at Pechanga Arena

April 23-26: Lakeside Rodeo, Lakeside

April 30: San Diego Mojo regular-season finale vs. Grand Rapids Rise at Viejas Arena

May: Put some heat on the Whitecaps 

The last time the Vancouver Whitecaps visited San Diego, they scored two goals in the first 11 minutes and ended San Diego FC’s season in the Major League Soccer Western Conference final. Well, Vancouver is back in town on May 23, and SDFC will be eager to pay back its rival. Wear your tennis shoes, bring cough drops and prepare to stand, chant and sing in SDFC’s final match before its two-month World Cup break.

Mark your calendars: 

May 7-15: Etchells World Championship Regatta at San Diego Yacht Club

May 22-27: NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Championship at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa, Carlsbad

May 29-June 3: NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championship at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa, Carlsbad

May 29-31: Beach Soccer Championships (BeSoCha) in Oceanside

May 31: Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon and Half-Marathon, finishing at Balboa Park

June: Witness San Diego racing history in Coronado

San Diego will host its first-ever NASCAR Cup Series race as part of a three-day celebration of racing and the military at Naval Station Coronado. The June 21 Anduril 250 is named in honor of the 250th anniversary of the United States and the Navy. The Cup Series race caps a weekend that includes the June 19 Craftsman Truck Series race and June 20 Xfinity Series race. El Cajon native Jimmie Johnson, one of the greatest drivers in the history of NASCAR, will attempt to qualify for all three races.

Mark your calendars: 

June 13-20: United States Police & Fire Championships, 28 venues throughout San Diego County

June 16: USA Surfing Junior Championships, Oceanside

June 26-28: San Diego Padres vs. Los Angeles Dodgers at Petco Park

July: Watch California’s best 

The California State Summer Games return to San Diego in July. From July 17-20, more than 10,000 kids age 18 and under will participate in 29 sports competitions spread throughout San Diego County. (We’re talking everything from archery and artistic swimming to basketball, skateboarding, squash, track and field and wrestling.) The Games begin July 17 with an opening ceremony and Athlete Parade at Pechanga Arena.

Mark your calendars: 

July 1: San Diego State moves to the Pac-12 Conference

July 11-12, 18-19: OMBAC Over-the-Line World Championships at Fiesta Island

July 17: Opening day of horse racing at Del Mar

July 26: Solana Beach Triathlon and 5K in Solana Beach

August: Get some sun in Oceanside

The 49th annual World Bodysurfing Championships will be held Aug. 15-16 at the Oceanside Pier. As many as 400 bodysurfers will compete for awards in numerous age divisions, with men’s and women’s grand champions crowned at the end of the second day. Bodysurfing begins at 6:30 a.m. both days.

Mark your calendars: 

Aug. 16: CVC San Diego Triathlon in Chula Vista

Aug. 30: Pacific Classic at Del Mar

September: Party like it’s 1998 at Petco Park  

It’ll be 1998 all over again on Sept. 4-6, when the New York Yankees visit Petco Park for an interleague series. New York is 21-10 all-time against the Padres, but it’s the Yankees’ first four wins that sting the most. Derek Jeter, Scott Brosius and Co. swept the Padres from the 1998 World Series, four games to none. The Padres haven’t reached the World Series since.

Mark your calendars: 

Sept. 5: USD football opener vs. UC Davis at Torero Stadium

Sept. 11-20: World Surf League competition at Lower Trestles

Sept. 19: San Diego State vs. Oregon State football at Snapdragon Stadium

Sept. 27: San Diego Padres’ regular-season finale vs. Arizona Diamondbacks at Petco Park

October: Cross the border

October’s Binational Race might be the only half-marathon that starts in one country and finishes in a different one. The event starts at Las Americas in San Ysidro, takes runners through the San Ysidro-El Chaparral International Checkpoint and ends at Playas de Tijuana in Mexico. Race organizers say the Binational Race is “part of a regional movement promoting cultural, social, academic, sports, political, and family exchanges between San Diego and Tijuana.” Want to run? Be sure to bring your passport, global entry or sentry card.

Mark your calendars: 

Oct. 22-25: USA Ultimate Frisbee Championships at Surf Cup Sports Park in Del Mar

Oct. 31-Nov. 8: USA Pickleball National Championships at Barnes Tennis Center

November: Stuff yourself with college hoops

The Rady Children’s Invitational has brought its fair share of basketball blue-bloods to San Diego, but UCLA is special. The Bruins of the (ugh) Big Ten Conference highlight the 2026 Rady’s field at Jenny Craig Pavilion, one that also includes Georgetown, Texas and Saint Mary’s. The two-day event starts with two games on Nov. 26 — Thanksgiving — and wraps the next day with championship and third-place games.

Mark your calendars: 

Nov. 7: San Diego FC’s regular-season finale vs. Sporting Kansas City at Snapdragon Stadium

Dates TBA: CIF San Diego Section football championships, various sites

December: See Santa run at the Santa Run

One of San Diego’s enduring holiday traditions, the 14th annual San Diego Santa Run will take place Dec. 12 on Garnet Avenue in Pacific Beach. Runners can choose between a traditional 5K, a 1-mile kids run or the very P.B. “dog mile,” a 1-mile race you can run alongside your pooch. The event takes place just before the annual Pacific Beach Christmas Parade. Participants in the 5K receive a “Sunny Santa” suit, sunglasses and a drink ticket, while other racers get Santa hats, shirts and sunglasses.

Mark your calendars: 

Dec. 19: San Diego Holiday Half-Marathon and 5K, starting in Rancho Penasquitos

Date TBA: Alex Spanos All-Star Classic at Mira Mesa High School

Dates TBA: Torrey Pines Holiday Classic basketball tournament, various locations throughout San Diego County