Deadly winter storms, tension over immigration in Minnesota, and nationwide protests have defined the preliminary month of 2026. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all of the recent news, here are five things to look forward to in the rest of the year.
First off are the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. 93 countries will be featured in 16 sports from February 4th to the 22nd. Expect to see figure skating, snowboarding, and bobsledding—nothing cures seasonal depression quite like watching a quad of Swiss bobsledders zoom down a ramp at 90 miles per hour, right? Also keep an eye out for ski mountaineering, or “skimo”, a brand-new Olympic sport that combines uphill mountain climbing and downhill skiing. The games are available on NBC, USA Network, and CNBC along with Peacock.
Secondly, the quadrennial FIFA World Cup will be taking place in the USA, Canada, and Mexico from June 11th to July 19th. The tournament is set to host 48 teams and 104 matches. The teams will be divided into 12 groups of four, and the top two teams from each group will progress to the secondary round along with the eight best third-place teams. Eight games will be played by each team in order to get to the final. The games will be available on FOX and FIFA+.
Third, “Avengers: Doomsday” is set to be released on December 18th. Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, the fifth installment of the Avengers series will feature fan-favorite actors from Robert Downey Jr. to Channing Tatum to Sir Ian McKellen. The story will follow the conjoinment of members of the Avengers and the Fantastic Four in order to prevent Doctor Doom from destroying all realities. No matter how terrible this film is, it’s all but certain to break a billion dollars at the box office.
Fourth, GTA VI is set to (finally) be released on November 19th. The video game follows Jason and Lucia, a drug running couple in the Leonida Keys. The game was originally slated to be released in Fall 2025, but has now been delayed so much that it is now an online meme. Expect to dish out around $70-$80 for the game which, according to analysts, is a “good deal.”
Finally, the USA’s 250th anniversary will take place on July 4th. President Trump claims that the celebration will be “the most spectacular birthday party the world has ever seen.” Although many specific details have yet to be revealed, one that has particularly seized the attention of the public (for obvious reasons) is the UFC fight that will be held on the South Lawn of the White House on June 14th. The fight will double as a celebration for President Trump’s birthday; in fact, the fight may only be a celebration for President Trump’s birthday.
