College Football Bowl Championship Series (2005 season):
January 2, Fiesta Bowl – Ohio State 34–20 Notre Dame
January 2, Sugar Bowl – West Virginia 38–35 Georgia
January 3, Orange Bowl – Penn State 26–23 (3 OT) Florida State
January 4, Rose Bowl (National Championship Game) – Texas Longhorns 41–38 USC Trojans
February 5 – Pittsburgh Steelers win Super Bowl XL at Ford Field in Detroit, defeating the Seattle Seahawks 21–10.
August 19 - Barrow High School played the first organized football game in the Arctic against Delta Junction High School.
MVP of Super Bowl XL is Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward.
Reggie White, Troy Aikman, John Madden, Warren Moon, Harry Carson, and Rayfield Wright are elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
January 1 – Australia officially leaves the Oceania Football Confederation and joins the Asian Football Confederation
International competitions
2006 African Cup of Nations – Egypt
2006 FIFA World Cup – Italy
2006 FIFA Club World Cup – Sport Club Internacional
Copa Libertadores 2006 – Sport Club Internacional
UEFA Champions League 2005-06 – FC Barcelona
Domestic competitions
Argentina Primera División – Boca Juniors (Clausura)
Brazil Campeonato Brasileiro – São Paulo FC
England Premiership – Chelsea
France Ligue 1 – Lyon
Germany Bundesliga – Bayern Munich
Italy Serie A – Inter Milan awarded title after initial winners Juventus were stripped of the title due to involvement in the 2006 Serie A match fixing scandal.
Spain La Liga – FC Barcelona
Portugal Liga – FC Porto
March – 2006 Commonwealth Games held in Melbourne
May 12 – Justin Gatlin equals Asafa Powell's 100 m world record time of 9.77 seconds in Doha, Qatar. Gatlin was initially given a time of 9.76, which would have been a new record, but a few days later the time was corrected to 9.77
June 11 – Asafa Powell equals the 100 m world record once again, as he ran the distance in 9.77 seconds at Gateshead, England
August 18 – Asafa Powell runs the 100 m in a record-equalling 9.77 seconds for a third time, this time in Zürich
August – 2006 European Championships in Athletics held in Gothenburg, Sweden
March 20 – Japan wins the first World Baseball Classic, defeating Cuba 10–6 in the championship game.
May 28 – Barry Bonds hits his 715th career home run in a 6–3 home loss to the Colorado Rockies, passing Babe Ruth for second place on the career list and setting a new record for left-handed hitters.
July 11 – American League wins the MLB All-Star Game by a score of 3–2 on Michael Young's game-winning 2-run triple in the 9th inning.
October 14 – Detroit Tigers sweep the Oakland Athletics in the American League Championship Series and advance to their first World Series since 1984.
October 27 – St. Louis Cardinals win the 2006 World Series 4–1 in Game 5. The St. Louis Cardinals (10 wins) advance to 2nd place for most World Series wins after the New York Yankees (27).
Miami Heat defeat the Dallas Mavericks in 6 games in the NBA Finals series for Miami's first-ever NBA World Championship. Finals MVP Dwyane Wade rallied four consecutive 35-point games to come back from a two games to none deficit and win four straight.
University of Florida wins its first ever NCAA title, defeating UCLA 73–57. George Mason, an 11 seed, makes it to the final four
University of Maryland wins its first ever NCAA women's title, defeating Duke 77–75 in overtime.
January 22 – Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant scores 81 points in a win over the Toronto Raptors, becoming only the second player in league history to score at least 80 points in one game. It was the second highest individual point total in NBA history (Second only to Wilt Chamberlain's 100 point performance).
Chinese Basketball Association – Guangdong Southern Tigers defeat Bayi Rockets (4–1) in finals.
National Basketball League (Australia) – Melbourne Tigers defeat the Sydney Kings 3–0 in best-of-five final series
Euroleague – Russian power CSKA Moscow dethrones the two-time defending Euroleague champions Maccabi Tel Aviv (Israel) 73–69 at Sazka Arena in Prague. This is CSKA's fifth title in the competition, but first since 1971. Third place goes to TAU Cerámica, which defeated FC Barcelona 87–82 in an all-Spanish affair.
The Detroit Shock stunned the 2005 WNBA Champion Sacramento Monarchs in 5 games in the 2006 WNBA Finals.
February 19 - Tommy Jones wins the 63rd U.S. Open
March 26 - Walter Ray Williams, Jr. wins the Denny's PBA World Championship
April 9 - Chris Barnes wins the Dexter Tournament of Champions
Tommy Jones is named the Chris Schenkel PBA Player of the Year
October 29 - Doug Kent wins the USBC Masters
January 7 – Carlos Manuel Baldomir upsets Zab Judah by unanimous decision and is crowned world welterweight champion by the WBC.
March 3 – Welshman Joe Calzaghe defeats American Jeff Lacy by landslide unanimous decision for the WBO-IBF super middleweight title unification. Calzaghe's stellar performance propelled him to #9 in Ring Magazine's pound for pound list.
April 1 – Sergei Liakhovich wins the WBO world heavyweight title from Lamon Brewster by unanimous decision.
April 8 – Floyd Mayweather Jr. defeats Zab Judah by unanimous decision to win the IBF welterweight title. A mini-riot ensued as Roger Mayweather, Floyd's uncle and trainer, runs into the ring retaliating to a low blow and rabbit punch by Judah. The fight resumed and Mayweather won by decision.
April 22 – Wladimir Klitschko wins the IBF world heavyweight title from Chris Byrd by TKO in round 7.
June 10 – Bernard Hopkins defeats Antonio Tarver by unanimous to take the light heavyweight world championship.
June 17 – Winky Wright and Jermain Taylor fight ends in a draw for the undisputed middleweight championship of the world in Memphis, Tennessee
13 to July 23 – 36th European Amateur Boxing Championships held in Plovdiv, Bulgaria
August 12 – Oleg Maskaev knocks out Hasim Rahman in the 12th round to win the WBC Heavyweight title.
November 4 Floyd Mayweather Jr. becomes the WBC and linear Welterweight champion after he defeats Carlos Baldomir by unanimous decision.
November 11 Wladimir Klitschko defends his IBF heavyweight title by defeating American contender Calvin Brock winning by a stunning knockout in the seventh round.
November 18 Manny Pacquiao wins by technical knockout in his third and rubber match against Erik Morales
December 9 Jermain Taylor defends his middleweight title as he defeats Kassim Ouma
November 19 – The BC Lions win the 94th Grey Cup game, defeating the Montreal Alouettes 25–14 at Canad Inns Stadium in Winnipeg.
Olympic champions:
Men's – Canada (Brad Gushue, Mark Nichols, Russ Howard, Jamie Korab, Mike Adam)
Women's – Sweden (Anette Norberg, Eva Lund, Cathrine Lindahl, Anna Svärd, Ulrika Bergman)
World champions:
Men's – Scotland (David Murdoch, Ewan MacDonald, Warwick Smith, Euan Byers, Peter Smith)
Women's – Sweden (Anette Norberg, Eva Lund, Cathrine Lindahl, Anna Svärd, Ulrika Bergman)
2006 Tour de France was won by Floyd Landis of the USA, who subsequently failed a drugs test
2006 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships held in Zeddam, Netherlands, and won by Erwin Vervecken (men) and Marianne Vos (women)
2006 Giro d'Italia is won by Ivan Basso.
2006 Vuelta a España is won by Alexander Vinokourov.
World Figure Skating Championships held in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Men's champion: Stéphane Lambiel
Ladies' champion: Kimmie Meissner
Pair skating champions: Pang Qing and Tong Jian
Ice dancing champions: Albena Denkova and Maxim Staviski
Gaelic football
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, Kerry 4–15 Mayo 3-05
National Football League, Kerry 2–11 Galway 0–11
Hurling
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, Kilkenny 1–16 Cork 1–13
World Gliding Championships held at Eskilstuna, Sweden
Open Class Winner: Michael Sommer, Germany; Glider: Alexander Schleicher ASW 22 BLE
Men's professional
Masters Tournament – Phil Mickelson
U.S. Open – Geoff Ogilvy
British Open – Tiger Woods
PGA Championship – Tiger Woods
PGA Tour money leader – Tiger Woods with $9,941,563
Men's amateur
British Amateur – Julien Guerrier
U.S. Amateur – Richie Ramsay
European Amateur – Rory McIlroy
Women's professional
Kraft Nabisco Championship – Karrie Webb
LPGA Championship – Se Ri Pak
U.S. Women's Open – Annika Sörenstam
Women's British Open – Sherri Steinhauer
LPGA Tour money leader – Lorena Ochoa with $2,592,872
Team event
Team Europe wins the Ryder Cup for the third straight time, defeating Team USA 18½–9½.
Handball
2006 European Men's Handball Championship: France
2006 European Women's Handball Championship: Norway
Steeplechases
Cheltenham Gold Cup – War of Attrition
Grand National – Numbersixvalverde
Flat races
Australia – Melbourne Cup won by Delta Blues
Canadian Triple Crown:
- Queen's Plate – Edenwold
- Prince of Wales Stakes – Shillelagh Slew
- Breeders' Stakes – Royal Challenger
Dubai – Dubai World Cup won by Electrocutionist
France – Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe won by Rail Link
Ireland – Irish Derby won by Dylan Thomas
Japan – Japan Cup won by Deep Impact
English Triple Crown:
- 2,000 Guineas Stakes – George Washington
- Epsom Derby – Sir Percy
- St. Leger Stakes – Sixties Icon
United States Triple Crown:
- Kentucky Derby – Barbaro
- Preakness Stakes – Bernardini. Barbaro suffered a breakdown during the race and died from complications of the injury in January 2007.
- Belmont Stakes – Jazil
Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships:
- Breeders' Cup Classic – Invasor
- Breeders' Cup Distaff – Round Pond
- Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf – Ouija Board
- Breeders' Cup Juvenile – Street Sense
- Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies – Dreaming of Anna
- Breeders' Cup Mile – Miesque's Approval
- Breeders' Cup Sprint – Thor's Echo
- Breeders' Cup Turf – Red Rocks
February 17 – Swedish women's ice hockey team defeats the United States in the semi-final round in the 2006 Olympic games. This marks the first time that either the United States or Canada has lost to anyone other than each other.
February 26 – Sweden defeats Finland 3–2 to capture the men's gold medal at the 2006 Olympic games.
April 8 – Wisconsin Badgers defeat the Boston College Eagles for the NCAA National Championship.
Stanley Cup Finals – Carolina Hurricanes defeat the Edmonton Oilers 4 games to 3 to win the Stanley Cup
World Lacrosse Championship – Canada 15–10 USA in London, Ontario, breaking a 28-year US winning streak.
National Lacrosse League – Champion's Cup won by Colorado Mammoth over Buffalo Bandits 16–9 at the HSBC Arena, Buffalo, New York
Major League Lacrosse – Steinfeld Cup won by Philadelphia Barrage over Denver Outlaws 23–12 at The Home Depot Center, Carson, California
The following is a list of major noteworthy MMA events during 2006 in chronological order.
Formula One –
Fernando Alonso clinches the World Driver's Championship.
Renault F1 clinches the Formula One constructors title.
7 Time World Champion Michael Schumacher announces his retirement from the sport after 15 years.
World Rally Championship won by Sébastien Loeb for the Citroën Total World Rally Team.
World Touring Car Championship won by Andy Priaulx
Stock car racing (NASCAR):
Daytona 500 won by Jimmie Johnson in the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet
UAW Ford 500 won by Brian Vickers in the #25 Ditech Chevrolet
Allstate 400 at the Brickyard won by Jimmie Johnson in the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet
2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup Champion – Jimmie Johnson
Indy Racing League –
March 26 – Paul Dana is killed and Ed Carpenter is injured in an accident during the final practice before the Toyota Indy 300. Dana's teammates, Buddy Rice and Danica Patrick, withdraw from the race following the crash.
Indianapolis 500 won by Sam Hornish, Jr..
2006 IRL IndyCar Series champion – Sam Hornish, Jr..
24 hours of Le Mans won by
2006 Australian V8 Supercar champion – Rick Kelly.
13th Amateur Radio Direction Finding World Championship held in Primorsko, Bulgaria.
February 3 at Galpharm Stadium, Huddersfield – 2006 World Club Challenge match is won by the Bradford Bulls 30–10 over the Wests Tigers before 19,207
March 18 at Canberra Stadium, Canberra – record for most points scored in Australian premiership history is broken with 102 scored in the Newcastle Knights' 70–32 win over the Canberra Raiders
May 5 at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane – 2006 ANZAC Day Test is won by Australia 50–12 against New Zealand before 44,191
July 5 at Telstra Dome, Melbourne – 2006 State of Origin is won by Queensland in the third and deciding match against New South Wales 16–14 before 54,833
August 26 at Twickenham Stadium, London – 2006 Challenge Cup tournament culminates in St Helens RLFC's 42–12 win over Huddersfield Giants in the final before 65,187
October 1 at Telstra Stadium, Sydney – 2006 NRL premiership culminates in the Brisbane Broncos' 15–8 win over the Melbourne Storm in the Grand Final before 79,609
October 14 at Old Trafford, Manchester – Super League XI culminates in St Helens RLFC's 26–4 win over Hull in the Grand Final before 72,582
November 25 at Aussie Stadium, Sydney – 2006 Tri-nations tournament culminates in Australia's 16–12 win over New Zealand in the final before 27,325
112th Six Nations Championship series is won by France
Sale Sharks win the Guinness Premiership
London Wasps win the 2005-06 Powergen Cup
Biarritz win the Top 14
Ulster win the Celtic League
Munster win the 2005-06 Heineken Cup
The Crusaders win the Super 14 final in foggy conditions.
The All Blacks win the 2006 Tri Nations Series
The Blue Bulls and the Free State Cheetahs share the Currie Cup in Bloemfontein after the final went into extra time and was drawn 28–28
Four Hills Tournament – Janne Ahonen and Jakub Janda are joint winners, the first time in the tournament's 54-year history that it has been shared
February–March – 2006 World Championship of Ski Mountaineering held in the Province of Cuneo in Italy
European Championships held at Hamar, Norway
Men's all-round: Enrico Fabris (Italy) with 151.523 points
Ladies' all-round: Claudia Pechstein (Germany) with 163.159 points
World Sprint Championships held at Heerenveen, Netherlands
Men: Joey Cheek (USA) with 139.990 points
Ladies: Svetlana Zhurova (Russia) with 153.625 points
World Allround Championships held at Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Men: Shani Davis (USA) with 145.742 points
Ladies: Cindy Klassen (Canada) with 154.580 points
8th World Short Course Championships held in Shanghai
Australia wins the most medals (24) and the most gold medals (12)
28th European LC Championships held in Budapest
Italy and France win the most medals (15); Russia the most gold medals (7)
August 12 – Roland Schoeman breaks the short course world record in the men's 50m freestyle (short course) at Hamburg with a time of 20:98 seconds.
August 28 – at Hobart, Tasmania, Australian swimmer Libby Lenton betters Natalie Coughlin's world record in the women's 100m butterfly (short course) from 56:39 to 55:95
Australian Open
Men's Final: Roger Federer (Switzerland) defeats Marcos Baghdatis (Cyprus)
Women's Final: Amélie Mauresmo (France) defeats Justine Henin-Hardenne (Belgium)
French Open
Men's Final: Rafael Nadal (Spain) defeats Roger Federer (Switzerland)
Women's Final: Justine Henin-Hardenne (Belgium) defeats Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia)
Wimbledon Championships
Men's Final: Roger Federer (Switzerland) defeats Rafael Nadal (Spain)
Women's Final: Amélie Mauresmo (France) defeats Justine Henin-Hardenne (Belgium)
US Open
Men's Final: Roger Federer (Switzerland) defeats Andy Roddick (USA)
Women's Final: Maria Sharapova (Russia) defeats Justine Henin-Hardenne (Belgium)
ITU World Championships held in Lausanne, Switzerland
Men's World League: Brazil
2006 Men's European Volleyball League: Netherlands
2006 FIVB Men's World Championship: Brazil
Women's World Grand Prix: Brazil
2006 FIVB Women's World Championship: Russia
2006 FINA Men's Water Polo World Cup: Serbia
2006 FINA Men's Water Polo World League: Serbia
2006 Men's European Water Polo Championship: Serbia
2006 Women's European Water Polo Championship: Russia
2006 FINA Women's Water Polo World League: USA
2006 World Weightlifting Championships in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
2006 World University Championships
Central American and Caribbean Games held in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia
2006 Lusophony Games held in Macau, People's Republic of China.
2006 Commonwealth Games held in Melbourne, Australia
2006 Asian Games held in Doha, Qatar
2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006.
2006 Gay Games held in Chicago, United States from July 15 to July 22, 2006.
Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year – Tiger Woods, PGA golf
Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year – Lorena Ochoa, LPGA golf
