It only seems like five minutes ago that we were faced with the bittersweet sight of live sports returning, only to be welcomed by empty stadiums and arenas. Fast forward less than a year though, and there isn’t a better sight than seeing our favourite sporting events packed to the rafters with spectators.
Whether you’re there enjoying the action in the flesh, or watching from the comfort of your own settee, the rest of 2022 is set to be a sporting blockbuster. So here are our top picks for the best ways to catch sport on Freeview for the rest of the year.
Match of the Day
We recently spoke about the lack of live football available on Freeview. But if we’re talking about the best way to catch the highlights of the most entertaining league in the world - then Gary Lineker and co. are the ones you need. Despite first airing in 1964, Match of the Day continues to find new ways to grow and innovate. And with this season’s Premier League looking like it’s going down to the wire at both ends of the table - there’s no way you’ll want to miss the finale.
From adding sister shows such as MOTD2 and MOTDx, to constantly keeping their panel relevant and forward-thinking - Match of the Day remains every bit the cultural institution it has been for the last seven decades.
Consistency is key with MOTD, with weekly instalments every Saturday night and Sunday morning becoming a staple for Premier League fans’ schedule’s.
Women’s Super League
As women’s football continues to grow exponentially, so does TV coverage. And the WSL is the place to be for the most exciting action from the women’s game. Trailblazers such as Lucy Bronze and Vivianne Miedema are setting new standards in the Women’s Premier League week in, week out - making the league simply unmissable.
Arsenal and Chelsea are currently neck and neck at the top of the table, so it’s safe to say that the climax to the season is set to be a must-see. And as well as the weekly highlights show, there’s a healthy dose of live games on the BBC. So you’re never too far from the action!
Those of you who are keen to see the action unfold, you can watch the Women’s Football Show every Sunday night from 10:30.
ITV Racing
The Saturday afternoon slot on ITV has been synonymous with horse racing since the late 60’s and this long-lasting tradition is showing no signs of slowing down. The crème de la crème of racing are out in full show every weekend - everyone from Ed Chamberlain to Olympic Equestrian, Alice Plunkett has their say during the action.
With big races at Aintree and Windsor on the horizon, now is as good a time for seasoned watchers as it is for new fans to tune into the sport. Even if you’re not partial to a cheeky flutter, there’s more than enough excitement to keep you glued to the races.
The schedule is ever-changing and dependent on whenever the live races are. But we advise you to keep your eyes peeled for when the races are kicking off so you don’t miss a second of the atmosphere.
All Elite Wrestling
You might think this is a curveball but AEW captures all the nostalgia from professional wrestling’s heyday back in the 80’s and 90’s. The likes of Hulk Hogan, Rowdy Roddy Piper, and Stone Cold Steve Austin may have hung up their boots, but the new generation are more than ready to take the mantle.
That doesn’t mean you won’t see familiar blasts from the past though such as Sting and Arn Anderson - both of whom are on hand to pass their pearls of wisdom on to the next crop of superstars. Even if pro wrestling isn’t necessarily your thing, you’ll definitely be drawn to the razzmatazz and sheer ridiculousness.
Want to know when you can get your weekly dose of the chaos? Head over to ITV on Friday nights for your slice of the madness.
High stakes international football
Qatar 2022 may be shrouded in controversy but if we’re speaking strictly about on the field matters - then there’s a real cause for excitement. A winter World Cup will be a shock to the system for fans - but football is football - and there’s no way England won’t get behind Gareth and boys in their quest to finally bring football home.
Elsewhere, Scotland’s World Cup hopes have been put on hold as their play-off game against Ukraine has rightly been postponed. And as for Wales, Gareth Bale and co. have a crunch tie against Austria before they can think about the Play-off Final. This all sets up for a potentially massive encounter between Wales and Scotland for a place in Qatar. So whether England are joined by Wales or Scotland come November - we’re set for another enthralling international tournament.
We already saw the benefits of a home tournament for the men’s team last summer, and England’s Lionesses will be hoping to replicate the feeling this summer with the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 on home soil. With the likes of Leah Williamson and Beth Mead hellbent on glory - don’t bet against them going all the way. The best thing is, both tournaments will be exclusively shown on the BBC and ITV. We can’t wait!
England fans will have the Women’s Euros to look forward to first which kick off on 6th July, before the Men’s World Cup gets under way on 21st November
Have we missed any off our list that you think we should have included? Let us know. As always you can reach us via email, Twitter or Facebook.