Sporting Events 2026 - Top 6 Display Ideas
2026 is due to be packed full of sporting events. This will result in increased business, particularly for pubs and bars.
If you're in the hospitality industry, ensure you're aware of when games will be held during peak business hours, and find creative ways to attract customers to pubs, restaurants, bars or cafes to enjoy your sports offerings.
Retailers can also use these events to attract new customers with special promotions and sports-themed product ranges.
Key sporting events in 2026:
January:
3rd PDC Darts World Championship Final
12th-1st Feb Australian Open (tennis)
29th-1st Feb PDC World Darts Masters
February:
5th-14th Mar Six Nations (Rugby Union)
5th Premier League Darts Opening Night
6th-22nd Winter Olympics
7th-8th Mar ICC Men’s T20 World Cup
8th Super Bowl
March:
6th-8th UK Open Darts
6th-15th Winter Paralympics
8th F1 2026 season begins
April:
6th-12th The Masters (Golf)
11th Grand National
12th NBA Season Ends
18th-4th May World Snooker Championships
May:
14th-17th PGA Championship (Golf)
18th-7th Jun French Open
20th UEFA Europa League Final
24th Premier League final day
28th Premier League Darts Finals Night
30th UEFA Champions League Final
June:
3rd-19th NBA Finals
11th-19th Jul FIFA World Cup
12th-5th Jul Cricket Women’s T20 World Cup
18th-21st U.S. Open Golf
29th-12th Jul Wimbledon Tennis
July:
4th-26th Tour de France (Cycling)
5th British Grand Prix
16th-19th The Open Championship (Golf)
18th-26th World Matchplay Darts
23rd-2nd Aug Commonwealth Games
August:
10th–16th European Athletics Championships
22nd Premier League begins
22nd-13th Sep Vuelta a España (Cycling)
30th-13th Sep US Open (Tennis)
September:
7th-13th Solheim Cup
25th-27th Laver Cup (Tennis)
28th-4th Oct Darts Grand Prix
November:
7th-14th WTA Finals (Tennis)
14th-22nd Grand Slam of Darts
15th-22nd ATP Finals (Tennis)
24th-29th Davis Cup Finals (Tennis)
December:
TBA PDC World Darts Championship
Our top 6 displays for 2026 sporting events:
1. Pavement signs
A crucial part of maximising your sales is tapping into sports fans’ excitement. You need to make them aware that your business is screening these events and /or running special offers to celebrate.
A great place to start is advertising at the entrance to your business.
A pavement sign allows you to get creative with your graphics, ensuring your promotions get noticed and you stand out.
Don’t forget, potential passing trade may become your regulars with the right POS displays.
Make sure any outdoor signs are placed in well-lit areas for maximum effect on passersby.
2. Tabletop signs
Once customers are inside, you need to let them know about the details of your promotions. If you run a cafe or restaurant, then your tables are the best area to display further signage.
Menu holders and table talkers offer ample opportunity to display your sports-themed menu items or special discounted offers.
Table talkers are great, as their multi-faced design means you can display up to six different promotions at once. Use them to list match times, happy hour times, new menu items and more.
Additionally, why not display offers or game information on tabletop chalkboards on your bar? This not only gives customers the information they want to know while they’re waiting to order, but can even influence the decisions they make when buying.
3. Chalkboard and wooden displays
Chalkboard displays are a great way to promote special offers and display information around sporting events.
Chalkboards are particularly useful as they're so easy to update, meaning you can change the times and dates of individual screenings on a daily basis. Wooden displays have a rustic and inviting aesthetic that works really well in pubs and restaurants.
4. Snap frames
Snap frames offer you the most cost-effective, low-maintenance way to display your special sports offers. There’s no need to take the whole frame off your wall to swap over your posters - simply snap it open using the spring lock mechanism!
Our snap frames come in sizes ranging from A0 to A5 and are available in a wide range of different colours.
Wall mounted signs are perfect for use in venues which are short on space. It will only take seconds to swap over your posters so you can have up-to-date displays as the tournament progresses.
Use snap frames to display details of games you will be screening, tournament wallcharts, match scores and any promotional messages you wish.
5. Dump bins
Dump bins are one of the most important visual merchandising display tools when you are trying to increase impulse purchases.
They should be placed near entrances, checkouts, aisle ends, and any other high-footfall areas of your store. Fill the bins with your discounted or promotional products and pair them with punchy messaging using showcard frames.
Sports events present massive opportunities for increasing impulse purchases, as customers shop for decorations, flags, party food, football shirts and more.
6. Shelf signs
If you want to highlight key products on your shelf that are included in your sports-themed promotions, shelf signs offer the perfect solution.
We have shelf talkers, data strips and wobblers, that are designed to grab the attention of passing customers and highlight the prices and promotions of the products on the shelf above.
We also have a range of slatwall shoe shelves that are ideal for displaying football boots, which come with a built-in ticket strip.
If you enjoyed this article, why not check out our seasonal events POS guide?
