Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports

The COVID-19 pandemic brought big changes to sports all over the world. It was the biggest shift since World War II. Many sports events had to be cancelled or put off because of the pandemic.

One very famous event, the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, had to be moved to 2021 instead. Only a few places, like Hong Kong, Turkmenistan, Belarus, and Nicaragua, kept having sports matches as normal during this time.

International multi-sport events

Summer Olympics

The 2020 Summer Olympics and Paralympics were supposed to happen in Tokyo in July and August. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, many qualifying events were canceled or delayed. On March 24, 2020, it was decided that the Olympics would be rescheduled to 2021. This was the first time the modern Olympics were postponed.

The Olympics started on July 23, 2021, but with many changes. No fans from outside Japan were allowed to attend, and most events happened without any spectators at all. Safety plans were made, like suggesting that athletes get vaccinated, though it wasn’t required.

Winter Olympics

The 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, happened as planned in February 2022. However, some qualifying events for sports like curling changed because of the pandemic. The games also took place without fans from other countries, though some local people were allowed to watch.

World Games

The World Games planned for July 2021 in Birmingham, Alabama were moved to July 2022 because of the delay of the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Arctic Winter Games

The 2020 Arctic Winter Games were canceled. The games scheduled for 2022 were also moved to 2023.

SEA Games/ASEAN Para Games

The 2020 ASEAN Para Games in the Philippines were canceled. The 2021 SEA Games in Hanoi were delayed, as were the 2021 ASEAN Para Games, which were moved to Surakarta in 2022.

Summer World University Games

The 2021 Summer World University Games in Chengdu, China were delayed until 2023.

Winter University

The 2021 Winter Universiade in Lucerne, Switzerland, was first moved from January to December but was later canceled completely.

World Masters Games

The 2021 World Masters Games in Japan, originally set for May 2021, were delayed many times and finally moved to 2026.

X Games

The X Games in Chongli in 2020 were delayed, and the X Games in Minneapolis that same year were canceled.

National multi-sport governing-body competitions

Canada

In Canada, the university sports group called U Sports stopped some big events in March 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Later, they canceled all fall and winter events for the 2020–21 school year. Other university groups in Canada also paused their sports until spring 2021.

Ireland

In Ireland, the pandemic changed sports a lot. All major Gaelic games—like football, hurling, camogie, and ladies' football—paused from March 2020. Leagues such as the National Hurling League and National Football League also stopped and didn’t start again until late March.

Philippines

In the Philippines, two big school sports events, NCAA Season 95 and UAAP Season 82, were stopped. NCAA Season 95 ended in March 2020, and UAAP Season 82 was canceled in April 2020. The Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation also canceled its 2020 season in May.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, the group that runs university sports, called British Universities and Colleges Sport, said that many events from mid-March to early April would not happen. Some events were completely canceled, while others were delayed without a clear date to start again.

United States

In the United States, the first college basketball game without any fans happened on March 6, 2020, when a player tested positive for COVID-19. Soon after, the main college sports group, the NCAA, said that big tournaments like the "March Madness" basketball event would happen without most fans. But just days later, they canceled all remaining tournaments for that school year, which was a big surprise.

Many other college sports groups also canceled their seasons. Some schools had to move games to different places because of rules about contact sports. The pandemic caused some schools to stop certain sports teams, though a few of these decisions were later changed after people raised money to keep the teams active.

Alpine skiing

The 2019–20 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup ended two weeks early because some races in Sweden, Slovenia, and Italy in March were canceled. One race in February was moved from China to Austria.

The 2020–21 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup moved some races in January from Wengen to Kitzbühel and Flachau.

Archery

The first three stages of the 2020 Archery World Cup were postponed. Other events like the Pan American Archery Championships in Monterrey, Mexico, and the European Para-Archery Championships in Olbia, Italy, were also delayed. Later, on 15 July, the 2020 Archery World Cup was cancelled.

Association football

Main article: Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on association football

The COVID-19 pandemic made big changes in soccer. Many games and tournaments were delayed or canceled. The big games in Tokyo, called the Summer Olympics, were moved to the next year. Only a few places, like Hong Kong, Turkmenistan, Belarus, and Nicaragua, kept playing their soccer matches as normal.

Athletics

The COVID-19 pandemic caused many big running events to be delayed or canceled. For example, the 2020 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, were moved from March 2020 to March 2021. The World Athletics Half Marathon Championships in Gdynia, Poland, were also moved to later in 2020.

Many famous marathons, like the Boston Marathon and the New York City Marathon, were canceled. Some races, such as the London Marathon, were held only for top athletes. Other marathons, like the Tokyo Marathon, were changed so only elite runners could compete. These changes happened because of safety concerns during the pandemic.

Australian rules football

The COVID-19 pandemic made big changes to Australian rules football. In 2020, the season stopped after the first round and then started again with fewer fans. Games were shorter and sometimes played in new places because of health rules. Awards and events were shown on TV instead of happening in person.

Many smaller leagues stopped their seasons completely. Some players did not get paid for a while. The big final game was held a month later and in a different city. The next year also had changes because of more virus cases. By 2022, most games returned to normal because many people were vaccinated.

Badminton

All badminton tournaments stopped because of the coronavirus. Tournaments like the Swiss Open, India Open, Orléans Masters, Malaysia Open, and Singapore Open paused. The 2020 Thomas & Uber Cup moved from August 2020 to October 2021.

Because of the pauses, world rankings for badminton did not change from March 2020 until February 2021.

Baseball

Main article: Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on baseball

The COVID-19 pandemic changed baseball a lot. Many games were delayed or canceled. Teams had to change their schedules. Some places kept playing, but most stopped for a while to keep everyone safe.

Basketball

Main article: Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on basketball

The COVID-19 pandemic changed basketball a lot. Many games and tournaments stopped or were delayed. Players had to follow new safety rules, like wearing masks and keeping space between each other. Some places kept playing, but most had to stop for a time.

Biathlon

The 2019–20 Biathlon World Cup ended earlier than planned. The last race in Norway and the final day in Finland were cancelled.

Before the races in Finland and Norway, the races in Nové Město, Czech Republic, happened with no spectators. The 2020–21 Biathlon World Cup changed some locations to make travel simpler. The 2020–21 IBU Junior Cup and some events of the 2020–21 IBU Cup were also cancelled.

Bodybuilding

The COVID-19 pandemic caused many bodybuilding events to be delayed or canceled to keep people safe. For example, the governor of Ohio reduced the size of the 2020 Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus, Ohio. The event continued with some competitions, but no fans were allowed except for parents and guardians of young participants. Similar events in Africa, Australia, and South America were also delayed.

In March 2020, leaders of major bodybuilding groups in the United States announced that many competitions planned for the spring would be postponed or canceled until later in the year or even the next season.

Bowls

The 2020 World Outdoor Bowls Championship was planned to happen on the Gold Coast in May and June 2020. It was moved to 2021, but then it was cancelled in March 2021.

Castells

When activities for children stopped in Catalonia because of health concerns, the group that oversees castells (a special kind of human tower) told everyone to stop all practices and shows. Soon after, when Spain had rules to stay at home, all castells stopped in Catalonia. A big test for castells that was supposed to happen in Tarragona in October 2020 was moved to 2022 and announced on 15 July 2020.

Another big celebration for castells that happens once every ten years and was set for January to February 2021 was also moved. If it happens in 2022 as planned, it will be the first time since 1791 that it does not happen in a year ending in 1.

Chess

The 44th Chess Olympiad was planned to take place in Moscow, Russia, in August 2020, but it had to be moved to the summer of 2021.

The FIDE Candidates Tournament 2020 in Yekaterinburg, Russia, stopped early on 26 March. This was because Russia said it would stop air travel with other countries the next day.

Combat sports

Main article: Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on combat sports

The COVID-19 pandemic changed combat sports a lot. Many fights and events were delayed or cancelled for safety reasons. This made athletes wait longer to compete, and fans missed seeing their favorite matches. Some places kept having events, but most had to stop until it was safer.

Cricket

Main article: Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cricket

The COVID-19 pandemic changed cricket a lot, like many other sports. Many matches were delayed or cancelled to keep people safe and stop the virus from spreading. Some places, like Hong Kong, Turkmenistan, Belarus, and Nicaragua, kept playing cricket, but most of the world had to pause their games.

Cross-country skiing

2019–20 FIS Cross-Country World Cup

The 2020 Holmenkollen Ski Festival in Oslo, Norway, part of the 2019–20 FIS Cross-Country World Cup, happened on 7–8 March without any spectators in the stadium area of the Holmenkollen National Arena.

The last two events of the World Cup season, the 2020 Sprint Tour (14–17 March, in Quebec City, Canada and Minneapolis, United States) and the 2020 World Cup Finals (20–21 March, in Canmore, Canada), were cancelled on 12 and 13 March.

2020–21 FIS Cross-Country World Cup

The Swedish Ski Association decided not to send a full team of skiers and staff for the first round of the 2020–21 FIS Cross-Country World Cup in Rukatunturi, Finland, from 27 to 29 November.

The second round of the World Cup, planned for Lillehammer, Norway, from 4 to 6 December, was postponed on 12 November because of COVID-19 prevention rules, with a new date to be announced later.

On 1 December, the Norwegian Ski Federation (NSF) said they would not send any skiers to the World Cup events in Davos, Switzerland, and Dresden, Germany, in December, and maybe not to the Tour de Ski, which was set to start on 1 January 2021. Espen Bjervig, manager of the NSF's cross-country section, explained that the decision was made because of the risks of travel and the difficulty of keeping distance during the events.

On 2 December, the Swedish Ski Association and the Finnish Ski Association also decided not to send skiers to the events in Davos and Dresden. International Ski Federation (FIS) marketing director Jürg Capol said it was important for all countries to support each other, but understood that each nation had to make its own choices.

On 4 December, the FIS cancelled the World Cup races in Beijing, China, because of travel restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic, including a required 14-day quarantine for visitors to China. The races were meant to be held from 19 to 21 March and would have been a practice for the upcoming 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. The FIS said they would look for a new place to host the races.

On 9 December, the NSF said they would not send any skiers to the 2021 Tour de Ski.

2021 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships

The 2021 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, scheduled from 22 February to 7 March in Oberstdorf, Germany, were planned to go ahead as scheduled. The organizers set a limit of two thousand spectators around the cross-country trails.

Curling

The curling season usually ends in May. But because of the pandemic, it ended early in March. Many big curling events were cancelled, like the 2020 World Women’s, Men’s, and Mixed Doubles Curling Championships. For the next season, more events were postponed or cancelled because of travel rules and safety concerns.

Some events were moved to a special location in Calgary to keep everyone safe. Even with these plans, a few games had to be delayed because of health checks. Other countries also had to change their plans for their curling events during this time.

Cycling

Road cycling

2020

The 2020 UAE Tour stopped early because two support staff members got sick. Of the nineteen big races planned up to May, only two happened on time. Many others were delayed or cancelled, including the 2020 Giro d'Italia and some of the most important races.

In March, the UCI asked all races to stop until April, and this was extended several times. The famous Tour de France, planned for June, was moved to August and September because of health rules. A virtual race was held where cyclists raced from home.

The first real race after the stop was on July 15, and the first big race was Strade Bianche in August.

2021

For the 2021 racing season, several races in Australia and other places were cancelled because of travel rules. Some races in Canada and China were also cancelled or moved to later dates.

2022

In 2022, races in Australia were cancelled again because of local health rules. A smaller event replaced the big Australian race.

2023

After a stage in the Giro d'Italia, a rider named Remco Evenepoel got sick and had to leave the race.

2024

Rider Sepp Kuss could not join the Tour de France because he felt sick, and some other riders also left because they were unwell. The race added extra health rules for safety.

BMX

Some race days in the 2020 UCI BMX Racing World Cup were cancelled, and the 2020 UCI BMX World Championships in Houston, United States, were postponed.

Other

The big Cape Epic endurance race in March was cancelled.

Darts

The Professional Darts Corporation changed many events because of rules about big groups of people. Some tournaments, like the 2020 European Darts Grand Prix, 2020 European Darts Open, and 2020 German Darts Grand Prix, were delayed and then cancelled. The 2020 Premier League Darts moved many games to new dates and places.

Some events, like the 2020 World Matchplay, were held in new places without any fans. Other tournaments, such as the 2020 Champions League of Darts, were cancelled. The 2021 PDC World Darts Championship started with a few fans but later closed to fans because of new rules.

Disc golf

Main article: Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on disc golf

The COVID-19 pandemic changed disc golf, like many other sports. Many tournaments were delayed or canceled. Players had to find new ways to stay active and safe. Some places kept playing, but most had to pause and reschedule events.

Esports

Main article: Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the video game industry § Esports

The COVID-19 pandemic changed how esports events worked. Many events that usually had people gather were cancelled or delayed. Some competitions happened with no people watching, using streaming so fans could watch from home.

Because regular sports stopped, esports got more attention. Some thought games that are easy to follow, like sports video games, might become very popular.

Professional athletes also joined esports. Some esports groups invited famous athletes to play special tournaments. For example, FaZe Clan held a charity event where famous players and athletes played together. Sports teams used video games to connect with fans. The Phoenix Suns, a basketball team, streamed NBA 2K20 games with players they would have played against. The NFL replaced its 2021 Pro Bowl with a virtual game using Madden NFL 21, where players and celebrities controlled the teams.

Broadcasters showed esports to fill airtime. They showed tournaments using sports video games and even aired esports events on TV. The IndyCar Series and NASCAR worked with a sim racing platform called iRacing for online races with real drivers. These events had big TV audiences, showing many people watched esports during the pandemic.

Fencing

When the COVID-19 pandemic began, the Fédération Internationale d'Escrime (FIE) gave health rules for fencing competitions. They asked everyone to fill out a health questionnaire. Many big fencing events were delayed because they were part of the qualifications for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Later, the Olympic Games were moved to 2021, and all international fencing competitions were stopped. Some younger fencing championships still happened in 2021, but the main senior world championship was skipped that year. The FIE also offered money to help with costs during this time. Different countries made their own rules, like Federazione Italiana Scherma, which stopped competitions until late summer.

Field hockey

Many field hockey leagues in Europe stopped or ended early. This included leagues in Spain, England, Germany, and the Netherlands.

The 2019–20 Euro Hockey League Final 8 and 2020 Euro Hockey League Women seasons stopped on 12 March. The 2020 Men's EuroHockey Club Trophy I, 2020 Men's EuroHockey Club Trophy II, 2020 Boys' EuroHockey Youth Championships, and 2020 Girls' EuroHockey Youth Championships were cancelled.

In Asia, the 2020 Men's Hockey Junior Asia Cup, 2020 Women's Asian Champions Trophy, and 2020 Women's Hockey Junior Asia Cup were delayed. The 2020 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup was delayed to 24 September. But on 2 May, the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup was cancelled.

Figure skating

The 2019–20 figure skating season had many events cancelled or postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2020 World Junior Championships in Tallinn, Estonia, were the last big event before everything stopped. The 2020 World Championships in Montreal, Canada, were first delayed and then fully cancelled.

In the 2020–21 season, many events like the 2020–21 ISU Junior Grand Prix and 2020–21 ISU Challenger Series were cancelled or changed. The 2020–21 Grand Prix of Figure Skating had to be adjusted due to travel limits, and its final event was cancelled. The 2021 World Championships happened with special rules to keep everyone safe.

For the 2021–22 season, the 2021–22 ISU Junior Grand Prix mostly happened but with some changes. Some countries couldn’t attend because of travel rules. The 2021 Cup of China was cancelled because there weren’t enough flights to China, and the 2021–22 Grand Prix Final and Junior Grand Prix Final was also cancelled because of new pandemic rules in Japan. The 2022 Four Continents Championships had to move from China to Tallinn, Estonia, because of concerns about holding the 2022 Winter Olympics safely.

Futsal

On March 9, 2020, FIFA and AFC said that the 2020 AFC Futsal Championship in Ashgabat would be played later, from August 5–16.

Gaelic football

Further information: Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Gaelic games

On 17 March, the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) said that the first game of the 2020 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship—which was meant to happen at Gaelic Park in The Bronx on 3 May—would not happen as planned. The game was delayed because of the pandemic.

Golf

Many big golf tournaments were delayed or canceled because of the pandemic, including the major championships. The Masters Tournament was postponed from its usual April date. The 2020 PGA Championship and the 2020 Open Championship were also moved or canceled. The 2020 U.S. Open and other events were rescheduled.

The 2020 Players Championship started without fans and was later canceled. Tournaments in Europe and other places were also delayed or canceled. Later, some tournaments started again without fans and then slowly allowed small numbers of spectators back.

Special events like charity matches were held to support good causes. Golf courses changed rules to keep players safe, like not using ball washers or rakes.

Greyhound racing

The 2020 English Greyhound Derby was delayed until October 31 because of the pandemic. For a time, races in the United Kingdom and Ireland were held without any fans, but then they stopped until June.

Gridiron football

Main article: Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on gridiron football

The COVID-19 pandemic changed gridiron football a lot. Many games were delayed or canceled. Players had to follow special rules to stay safe, like wearing masks and keeping distance. Some games were played without fans to help stop the spread of the virus.

Gymnastics

Artistic

Many big gymnastics competitions around the world stopped or were pushed back because of the pandemic. Some events, like the Baku World Cup, stopped even after some parts had already happened. Other events, such as those in Stuttgart, Birmingham, and Tokyo, were moved to 2021.

Big European gymnastics events for women and men that were set to happen in Paris and Baku were canceled and then planned for later in the year in Mersin, Turkey. These were meant to be Olympic qualifying events, but because of the pandemic, they were changed so teams didn’t feel pressured to attend if they weren’t ready. The Pacific Rim Championships in New Zealand were also pushed back and later canceled.

Handball

The matches for the 2020 European Women's Handball Championship qualification in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, were cancelled.

The 2021 World Men's Handball Championship happened as planned but with no fans in the stands. Some teams left before it started, and a few more left while it was happening.

Horse racing

Horse racing was less affected by the COVID-19 pandemic than most other sports. In many places, horse racing events still happened, but with fewer people allowed to watch.

In the early days of the pandemic, many horse racing events in places like Hong Kong, France, Japan, and the United States continued, but with rules on how many fans could attend. Some places, like Macau and South Korea, had to stop their races for a short time. In the United States, important races like the Kentucky Derby were moved to later dates, and some races were canceled.

Some countries, such as Hong Kong, Japan, and parts of Australia and the United States, kept their races going without big changes. Others had to pause and then restart their racing seasons later in the year.

Hurling

Further information: Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Gaelic games

The COVID-19 pandemic made big changes to hurling, a sport in Ireland. Many games were stopped or moved to later dates to help keep people safe. This was one way the pandemic changed sports around the world.

Ice hockey

Main article: Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on ice hockey

The COVID-19 pandemic changed ice hockey schedules worldwide. Many games and tournaments were delayed or canceled. Players and teams followed special rules to stay safe and healthy.

Lacrosse

The National Lacrosse League stopped the 2020 season on 12 March and planned to start again in December 2021 for the 2022 NLL season.

The 2020 college lacrosse season ended because the NCAA cancelled all spring sports championships.

Major League Lacrosse delayed the start of its 2020 season until 30 May, then changed it to a shorter season from 16 to 26 July. Players and coaches stayed apart during this time. The Boston Cannons won the championship on 26 July.

The Premier Lacrosse League delayed its 2020 season and created a special event called the PLL Championship Series from 25 July to 9 August in Utah at Zions Bank Stadium. There were no fans, and teams played a series of games to decide the champion. On 9 August, the Whipsnakes Lacrosse Club won the 2020 PLL season, beating the Chaos Lacrosse Club.

Motorsport

Main article: Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on motorsport

The COVID-19 pandemic made big changes to motorsport all over the world. Many races and events were delayed or cancelled. This was one of the biggest changes since World War II, and it affected teams and fans everywhere. Only a few places, like Hong Kong, Turkmenistan, Belarus, and Nicaragua, kept their races going normally.

Netball

In the United Kingdom, the 2020 Netball Superleague season stopped in March and did not continue in May 2020. The 2021 season happened but without any fans.

The 2020 Edition of the Constellation Cup played between Australia and New Zealand was cancelled to keep players safe.

Poker

Most casinos and gaming places around the world closed by March 18, 2026. Many live poker tournaments were postponed, canceled, or moved to an online platform. Even the 2020 Irish Poker Open was played online.

The 2020 World Series of Poker was delayed until later. Because of these closures, many people played online poker more often. Both professional players and casual gamers turned to online poker since there were fewer live events and entertainment options. Some online poker sites had more traffic than before.

Real Tennis

The 2020 Real Tennis World Championship was planned to happen at Prested Hall in Feering, Essex, United Kingdom. Because of rules about indoor gatherings and travel during the pandemic, the championship was moved to October 2020, then to May 2021, and finally to September 2022. Some other big tournaments, like the 2020 French Open and the Champions Trophy, were cancelled completely.

Rodeo

The 2020 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo was canceled because a person there had the virus. The same year, the Calgary Stampede was also canceled.

The Professional Bull Riders held some events with no audience. They changed their plans many times and held events in different places, like South Point Arena in Las Vegas and the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Later, they canceled some big events and moved the World Finals to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

After this, they started a new league and moved the World Finals to Dickies Arena in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Rowing

Four Olympic qualification regattas were cancelled. This included the final event that was supposed to happen in Lucerne, Switzerland, in May. All three events of the 2020 World Rowing Cup were also cancelled.

The Boat Race 2020, which was planned for London on March 29, was cancelled. The Boat Race 2021 took place behind closed doors on April 4 in Ely, Cambridgeshire.

Rugby league

Main article: Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rugby league

The National Rugby League in Australia and New Zealand began with games with no fans. Then, the season stopped on March 23, 2020. It started again in May with games played without fans, becoming the most-watched regular game since 2014.

In the northern hemisphere, Super League and the Rugby Football League's Championship and League 1 also stopped until April. Later, Super League was set to restart in August, but the Championship and League 1 were cancelled. The 2020 Kangaroo tour of England, planned for October and November, was cancelled on June 1.

In June 2020, the NRL allowed small numbers of fans. The 2020 State of Origin series moved to November and had more fans each game. The last game was at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium with almost all seats filled.

The 2021 Rugby League World Cup was planned for England in October 2021, but it moved to 2022 because Australia and New Zealand decided not to take part.

Rugby union

Europe

In February and March 2020, the 2020 Six Nations Championship paused some games because of health concerns. Matches against Italy were delayed, and games with the Scotland women's team stopped when a player tested positive. By mid-March, the whole competition paused until later in the year. The Pro14 European rugby competition also stopped until August.

North America

On March 12, Major League Rugby paused its season for 30 days. But by March 18, the league decided to end the season early.

Oceania

In the 2020 Super Rugby season, some games of the Japanese team Sunwolves were moved to Australia. Australia said that from March 12, all matches there would have no fans, but would keep playing. However, New Zealand said anyone coming from outside the Pacific Islands must stay home for 14 days. This caused the league to pause after the weekend's games.

New Zealand Rugby, Rugby Australia, and South African Rugby Union created new tournaments for their local teams: Super Rugby Aotearoa, Super Rugby AU, and Super Rugby Unlocked. The Sunwolves could not join Super Rugby AU because of rules, and the team stopped playing on June 1, 2020.

At first, Super Rugby Aotearoa had no rules about fans, since New Zealand had very few health cases. But when cases rose again in August, some games had no fans, and one game was called off and counted as a tie.

These changes led to more adjustments after the health crisis. Super Rugby Aotearoa and Super Rugby AU returned in 2021. After their seasons, Super Rugby Trans-Tasman was played between teams from Australia and New Zealand. South African Rugby Union left Super Rugby, and its teams joined the United Rugby Championship. In 2022, Super Rugby AU and Aotearoa were replaced by Super Rugby Pacific, which added the Fijian Drua and Moana Pasifik teams.

Sailing

The COVID-19 pandemic changed many sailing events. Two races in the 2019–20 America's Cup World Series, set for Sardinia, Italy, and Portsmouth, UK, were cancelled. The final race in Auckland, New Zealand, happened as planned.

The 2020 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race was cancelled because of a COVID outbreak in Sydney just before it was supposed to start. This was the first time the race had been cancelled since it began in 1945. The SailGP championship started in Sydney but was delayed and will take place over 2021–22.

Shinty

On May 11, the Camanachd Association agreed with the Gaelic Athletic Association to cancel the 2020 Shinty-Hurling International Series between Ireland and Scotland. This event, which was set for October, did not happen because of the pandemic.

Shooting

The 2020 ISSF World Cup, planned to start on March 15 in New Delhi, had to be postponed. The Olympic Test Event in Tokyo, set for April 2020, was canceled. The 2020 European Shotgun Championships was also canceled.

Short track speed skating

The 2020 World Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Seoul, South Korea, planned for March 13–15, were canceled. The International Skating Union tried to reschedule it for the start of the 2020–21 season but couldn’t find a date that worked.

The world cup for the 2020–21 season, which was supposed to happen in November and December in Canada, South Korea, and China, and in February in Germany, was also canceled.

Snooker

The 2020 Gibraltar Open and its qualifying rounds took place from 11 to 15 March. At first, only 100 people could watch each session, but later there were no spectators at all. Many players decided not to play, and some early matches had no referees because there weren’t enough.

Several other big snooker events were moved to later dates or cancelled. The 2020 Tour Championship, which was supposed to be from 17 to 22 March, was moved to 20 to 26 June. The 2020 China Open, planned for 30 March to 5 April, was postponed without a new date. The 2020 World Snooker Championship, set for 18 April to 4 May, was moved to 31 July. The 2020 World Women's Snooker Championship, scheduled for 22 to 27 June, was first postponed and then cancelled completely.

Speed skating

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the first four world cup races for the 2020–21 season were cancelled. These races were set to happen in Poland, Norway, the United States and Canada. The schedule was shortened to just two races. All events, including the European Championships and the World Championships, took place at one rink in the Netherlands. The World Championships were meant to be a test event for the Olympics in Beijing.

Squash

The 2020 European Squash Individual Championships were planned to take place in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, from 29 April to 2 May. But they were canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Surfing

The 2020 World Surf League started later than planned. The first event, the Corona Open Gold Coast, was canceled. Two other events, the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach and Margaret River Pro, were delayed. By July 17, most events in Hawaii became special non-championship events called the WSL Countdown, starting in Lemoore, California. The December 2020 events in Hawaii, the Maui Pro and Pipe Masters, started a new season for 2020–21.

The 2020 ISA World Surfing Games, planned for May 9 to 17 in El Salvador, were moved to May 8 to 16, 2021.

Swimming

The COVID-19 pandemic changed many swimming events. In North America, the National Collegiate Athletic Association canceled some big swimming and diving competitions in March 2020.

Internationally, the 2020 International Swimming League happened without any spectators in Budapest, Hungary. Athletes and staff stayed in a nearby hotel. The Summer Olympics in Tokyo, with swimming events, were moved from 2020 to 2021.

Table tennis

The 2020 World Team Table Tennis Championships was planned for March in Busan, South Korea, but it was moved to September or October. The 2020 ITTF-ATTU Asian Cup was set for February in Hainan, China, and it was delayed too.

Some events on the 2020 ITTF World Tour, like the China Open and the Japan Open, were cancelled or postponed. Four Olympic qualifying events for April were also postponed.

Ten-pin bowling

When the pandemic started, the PBA World Series of Bowling was about to happen at the South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa in Enterprise, Nevada. The Professional Bowlers Association moved the WSOB World Championship earlier to 15 March 2020 and did not allow spectators. The Animal Pattern Championships were moved to Centreville, Virginia in October, and the USA vs. The World match was canceled. The USBC Masters and the PBA-PWBA Mixed Doubles competition were also canceled.

The PBA League event was moved from Portland, Maine to Centreville and rescheduled. The PBA Playoffs were also moved to October, with broadcasts later in the year. Three exhibition events were added: PBA Strike Derby, PBA Summer Clash, and King of the Lanes, all held in Jupiter, Florida. Fans were allowed at these events, making them the first with spectators since March 2020.

Tennis

The COVID-19 pandemic caused big changes in tennis. In March 2020, the 2020 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California was postponed and later cancelled. The Miami Open was also cancelled. Tennis organizations like the ATP and WTA stopped events for several months.

Many big tournaments were moved or cancelled. The 2020 French Open was pushed to later in the year, and Wimbledon was cancelled for the first time since World War II. The 2020 US Open was allowed to happen but without any fans watching.

New, smaller tournaments were created to keep players active, like the Ultimate Tennis Showdown in Nice, France.

In 2021, tournaments continued with new rules. The Australian Open had fewer fans and players had to stay in their homes for two weeks before playing. Some tournaments in Asia were cancelled again because of travel rules.

Triathlon

The World Triathlon Executive Board decided to pause all activities until June 30. This included many important races such as WTS Yokohama and events in Africa, the Americas, Asia, Oceania, and Europe. It also included the Yokohama Paratriathlon Series and Paratriathlon World Cup. These decisions were made during a meeting over the phone.

Ultimate

On March 24, the World Flying Disc Federation decided to cancel or delay all world championships for the next six months because of the fast spread of the coronavirus. This included big events like the World Ultimate and Guts Championships, the World Junior Ultimate Championships, and the World Masters Ultimate Championships. In North America, USA Ultimate stopped all club and college tournaments. They also paused the start of the 2020 season for the semi-professional league called the AUDL.

Underwater Hockey

The 2020 Underwater Hockey World Championships, planned for Gold Coast, Australia, was cancelled and moved to 2021. The 2022 World Championships in Ankara, Turkey, was a special event for teams who could travel, but the winners were not called world champions.

In the UK, the national championship was cancelled in 2020 and 2021. The last tournament before the pandemic was in February 2020. In August 2021, a restart tournament was held. Regular competitions started again in Autumn 2021. During this time, 41 clubs closed.

Volleyball

The coronavirus made big changes for volleyball. On March 12, the National Collegiate Athletic Association cancelled the Spring 2020 men's volleyball championships. Then, on March 13, the International Volleyball Federation decided to delay the Nations League for both men and women until after the 2020 Summer Olympics. Later, on May 8, they announced that the Nations League competitions were cancelled.

Water polo

The COVID-19 pandemic caused many water polo events to be delayed or canceled. The 2020 Women's Water Polo Olympic Qualification Tournament in Trieste, Italy, was moved to May 2020 and then to January 2021. Several other international water polo tournaments were also postponed, including the 2020 Men's Water Polo Olympic Qualification Tournament in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

In Asia, the 2020 Asian Water Polo Championship in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, was canceled because of travel restrictions. Rankings from the 2018 Asian Games were used to decide Olympic qualifiers.

In Europe, matches in the 2019–20 LEN Champions League and other tournaments were postponed. In North America, the USA Water Polo organization delayed or canceled several events, including the ODP Girls National Water Polo Championship and exhibition matches between the United States and Spain.

In Oceania, Water Polo Australia ended the 2020 Australian National Water Polo League early and canceled the WPA National Championships in Adelaide.

Impact on administration of sports events

When the COVID-19 pandemic began, most sports events stopped for about two months starting in mid-March 2020. Only a few events, like some football leagues, horse racing, table tennis in Russia, and cornhole in the U.S., continued. The 2020 NFL draft and 2020 WNBA draft also took place.

When sports started again, fans were usually not allowed to watch games live. Some races let people who lived near the track watch from their homes. Players had to follow strict health rules, like frequent testing, and could only enter certain parts of the stadium. Reporters watched games from places set up for keeping distance, using tools like Zoom or Microsoft Teams.

Later, as more people got vaccinated, some rules changed. For example, NASCAR team members no longer had to wear masks in many cases. Teams from Canada sometimes travelled differently to avoid extra testing when playing in the United States.

Some sports changed their rules too. The NBA added a play-in tournament to decide the last teams in the playoffs. Baseball changed several rules for a while, like using seven-inning games instead of nine for doubleheaders and starting extra innings with a runner on second base. FIFA also allowed teams to use five substitutes instead of three in soccer games.

Impact on sports venue workers

The COVID-19 pandemic caused big problems for workers at sports venues because these places were closed. Teams wanted to start playing games again, but they needed to help the workers first.

The Miami Heat basketball team helped their stadium workers by paying them right away. The team's owner, Micky Arison, also promised to donate $1 million to help the people in the Miami community.