WEEK AHEAD: The long-anticipated FIFA World Cup arrives in a quiet week, but fear not, it is the calm before the storm.
With only seven days to go until England kick off their World Cup campaign against Iran, the week has never looked so calm. But everything is temporary and awaiting on the horizon is a football jamboree like no other.
The early part of the week won’t be as busy as previous ones with the Grand Slam of Darts (19:00, Sky Sports) and Washington Commanders taking on Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL (01:15, Sky Sports) the only sport of note on our screens.
Tuesday follows similarly with the Grand Slam of Darts at 19:00 (Sky Sports) and a cracker of an international friendly between England Women and Norway Women also at 19:00 on ITV.
Wednesday sees the Grand Slam of Darts on Sky Sports at 19:00 in the slot it will maintain every day for the rest of the week until Sunday, when it begins at 13:00 (Sky Sports), and for the night owls, Australia host England in the first match of their ODI series at 02:45 (BT Sport).
Thursday sees the beginning of the DP World Tour Championship at 05:00 on Sky Sports before the RSM Classic tees off on its first day at 14:30 (Sky Sports). There is another NFL fixture to look forward to; Tennessee Titans v Green Bay Packers gets going at 00:00 on Sky Sports.
The two golf tournaments get the day underway on Friday, the DP World Championship at 05:00 and the RSM Classic at 14:30 before a mighty clash in the Premiership Rugby Cup between Sale Sharks and Harlequins takes us through the evening from 19:45 (BT Sport). We are then treated to a big League One tie between Portsmouth and Derby at 20:00 (Sky Sports) before the second in the ODI series between Australia and England gets underway at 03:00 on (BT Sport)
Saturday is packed with sporting entertainment as the two golf tournaments continue: the DP World Tour at 05:00 and the RSM Classic at 18:00, both on Sky Sports. League One then presents another intriguing tie with Exeter City welcoming Ipswich in a big game for the Tractor Boys (12:00, Sky Sports) before the rugby Autumn Internationals get underway with three exciting matchups: Wales play Georgia at 13:00, Scotland host Argentina at 15:15, and England take a visit from New Zealand at 17:30, all on Amazon Prime. Meanwhile, there are two big games in the WSL, with Manchester City travelling to Everton at 15:00 and Manchester United to Arsenal at 17:30, both on Sky Sports. At 16:00 (BBC), the Rugby League World Cup final gets underway between two TBC sides. Can England make it through?
Sunday is perhaps the most exciting day of the week and for one reason. The two golf tournaments enter their final day, the DP World Tour at 04:30 and the RSM Classic at 18:00 (Sky Sports), before the final race in the Formula One season, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix starts at 13:00 (Sky Sports). Can Lewis Hamilton get his elusive first win of the season?
And then, the moment we have all been patiently waiting for, the start of the FIFA World Cup finally arrives with its opening ceremony and the first match between Qatar and Ecuador kicking off at 16:00 on BBC. Finishing off the week on a high before the World Cup gets into gear through the following week, Cincinnati Bengals face Pittsburgh Steelers for another night session of NFL, starting at 01:10 on Sky Sports.
