The next 12 months will be packed full of major sporting events, including the women’s Euros, the World Darts Championship and the World Athletics Championships
Another year is drawing to a close and it was 12 months full of sporting drama and triumphs.
But it is time to look ahead to 2025, with plenty to enjoy throughout the year. The Darts World Championship wraps up in early January, with Luke Littler the favourite to win the tournament at just 17-years-old.
Liverpool will continue their Premier League title push, with the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) getting under way in Morocco in December. In the women’s game, England will be looking to defend their European title at Euro 2025 in Switzerland.
Meanwhile, the World Athletics Championships will take place in Tokyo’s in September. Here, Mirror Sport picks out 10 of the biggest stars who could come to define the next 12 months in sport.
Ellie Kildunne
The England back was named Women’s 15s Player of the Year at the World Rugby Awards in November. Kildunne, 25, helped England win the 2024 Six Nations Grand Slam, in which she was the top try scorer, and will be targeting World Cup success on home soil next year.
Luke Littler
Darts prodigy Littler burst onto the scene at the World Championship last December, reaching the final at the age of 16. Littler has won 10 senior Professional Darts Corporation events since turning 17 – including Premier League, Grand Slam and World Series titles – and is now the biggest name in the sport.
Keely Hodgkinson
The Olympic 800m champion was crowned the British Queen of the track in Paris and won all nine of her races in the event in 2024. The 22-year-old will be back in 2025 with her sights set on breaking the 800m world record that has stood since 1983 and claiming World Championship glory in Tokyo.
Lauren Hemp
The talented Manchester City forward is currently recovery from knee surgery and England boss Sarina Wiegman will want her back on the field as soon as possible ahead of Euro 2025. Hemp’s direct running, pace and goal threat make her possibly the only forward guaranteed a place in Wiegman’s starting XI when fit.
Hamzah Sheeraz
Unbeaten middleweight Sheeraz, from Ilford, has shown huge promise rising through the ranks, with 17 knockout wins in 21 fights. The 25-year-old has the chance to go to the next level in challenging for his maiden world title against WBC middleweight king Carlos Adames in February.
Tyler Dibling
The 18-year-old winger has come from the same Southampton Academy that produced Gareth Bale and Theo Walcott. Blessed with silky ball-carrying skills, Dibling has already been capped by England at Under-21 level and attracted the attention of the biggest clubs in the land, including Manchester United.
Archie Vaughan
The son of England’s 2005 Ashes-winning captain Michael, spinner Vaughan played for England’s Under-19s last summer before making his Somerset debut. Vaughan highlighted his potential in September by returning match figures of 11 for 140 as Somerset beat county champions Surrey at Taunton.
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso
Having chosen to play for England instead of Wales, the Cardiff-born Exeter winger has hit the Test ground running with five tries in eight appearances. The 21-year-old has electric pace and raw strength and is expected to muscle his way into the British and Irish Lions squad for the summer tour of Australia.
Caroline Dubois
The younger sister of IBF heavyweight world champion Daniel, Dubois has made her own headlines in the boxing ring. The 23-year-old, unbeaten in 10 fights, has held the interim WBC women’s lightweight world title since August and is capable of unifying the division over the next few years.
Ben Doak
The 19-year-old Scotland winger came of age on the international scene by tormenting Croatia’s Manchester City defender Josko Gvardiol at Hampden Park last month. Liverpool talent Doak has shone on loan at Middlesbrough this season with six assists for the Sky Bet Championship club in November.
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