The most powerful psychics and mediums couldn’t have anticipated some of the biggest sports moments of 2025. The Indiana Pacers making a run to the NBA Finals? Shedeur Sanders sliding to the fifth round of the NFL Draft? John Cena turning heel? Few could see it coming. One reason the Luka Doncic trade dominated the discourse for so long was that no one could have predicted it.
As we settle into 2026 and the busy sports calendar ahead—the Winter Olympics, Super Bowl, and NBA All-Star Weekend are all on the horizon—there are plenty of questions for sports fans to consider. Who will win the Super Bowl? Will the Thunder repeat as NBA champs? Where will LeBron end up next season? Which legend—or legends—will return?
It’s time to be bold and peer into the future. Here are 26 Sports Predictions for 2026.
January
College football playoff leaders vote to expand the playoffs to 16 teams starting with the 2026 season.
Roman Reigns and Bianca Belair win their respective Royal Rumble matches.
February
During the Winter Olympics, President Trump proposes that the winner of the United States vs. Denmark women’s curling match gains control of Greenland.
The Seattle Seahawks win the Super Bowl.
March
Barack Obama fills out his March Madness bracket live during a Netflix special sponsored by FanDuel.
Travis Kelce announces his retirement from the NFL.
April
The Rock turns on Roman Reigns at WrestleMania.
The Jets ruin whichever young quarterback they select with the second pick in the NFL Draft.
May
A players strike threatens to wipe out the WNBA season and erase the sport’s recent spike in popularity.
June
With a healthy Victor Wembanyama leading the way, the San Antonio Spurs defeat the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals.
Mark Zuckerberg enters the Octagon during the UFC event at the White House to fight a tech executive not named Elon Musk.
July
After failing to repeat as NBA Champions, the OKC Thunder attempt to deal for Giannis Antetokounmpo. But their refusal to include Chet Holmgren in a trade package, and Giannis’ preference for warm weather derail talks. Instead, the Greek Freak lands in Miami with Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, and all of the Heat’s tradeable draft capital heading to Milwaukee.
LeBron James signs a one-year contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers for the veteran minimum.
ICE raids in and around World Cup sites overshadow Team USA’s run to the round of 16.
August
Serena Williams competes in at least one professional tennis match during the North American summer hardcourt swing. (Bonus prediction: Stephen A. Smith will have a really bad take about it.)
Cristiano Ronaldo transfers from Al-Nassr to LAFC sometime after the World Cup.
Gunther retires another WWE legend at SummerSlam.
September
Floyd Mayweather returns fulltime to boxing with a rematch against Manny Pacquiao.
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner once again combine to win all four tennis majors.
Shohei Ohtani has the first 60-60 season in MLB history: 60 home runs and 60 parlays hit.
October
The Los Angeles Dodgers become the first team to three-peat as World Series champions since the 2000 New York Yankees.
November
USC star JuJu Watkins drops 40 in her return to the court after missing close to twenty months with a torn ACL.
Hal Steinbrenner signs Senior VP and GM Brian Cashman to a five-year contract extension, despite the Yankees’ exit in the wild card round, marking the club’s 17th consecutive season without a World Series title.
Lane Kiffin completes a hat trick of losses against his former teams after LSU falls to Ole Miss, Alabama, and Tennessee.
December
Baseball owners lock out the players when the current CBA expires on December 1.
Lando Norris repeats as Formula 1 World Drivers Champion.