BCS National Championship Game (2007 season):
Louisiana State University Tigers defeat The Ohio State University Buckeyes 38–24 in the 2008 BCS National Championship Game, thus becoming the first two-time BCS National Champions, and the first BCS titlists with two losses in a single season.
The New York Giants upset the heavily favored and previously unbeaten New England Patriots 17–14 in Super Bowl XLII, held in Glendale, Arizona at the University of Phoenix Stadium. Quarterback Eli Manning is awarded the Super Bowl MVP.
September 21 – The New England Patriots lost to the Miami Dolphins to end their NFL-record 21-game regular-season winning streak dating back to December, 2006
The Detroit Lions became the first team since the 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers to lose all their regular season games. They lost an NFL record 16 games during the season.
2008 Meteksan Archery World Cup takes place at Santo Domingo, Domican Republic. Leading medal winners are USA, Italy and Russia.
Egypt win the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations 1–0 over Cameroon. It is the sixth title in the competition for the Pharaohs.
Manchester United wins the UEFA Champions League, defeating another English side Chelsea by penalty shootout 6–5, after a draw of 1–1 at the final.
Spain defeated Germany 1–0 in the final of the 2008 UEFA European Football Championships
LDU Quito wins the 2008 Copa Libertadores, defeating Fluminense in the final.
Papua New Guinea win the 2008 Australian Football International Cup defeating New Zealand 7.12.54 to 7.4.46 in the Grand Final. A special 'Peace Team' composed of local Israeli and Palestinian players competed in the tournament.
Hawthorn defeat Geelong 18.7.115 to 11.23.89 in the 2008 AFL Grand Final to win their tenth premiership. The crowd of 100,012 at the MCG is the largest at a VFL/AFL Grand Final since the 1986 VFL Grand Final.
North Ballarat defeat Port Melbourne 18.12.120 to 11.9.75 in the 2008 VFL Grand Final at the Telstra Dome. This is the club's first VFL premiership in its 13th season in the league.
Fresno State University Bulldogs made history by becoming the biggest underdogs to win an NCAA championship by beating their University of Georgia namesakes in the 2008 College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska
For the first time in both World Series and post-season history, a contest is suspended during an official game as Game Five is halted in the sixth inning with a tie score of 2–2 between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. The game resumes two days later and the Phillies clinch their second World Championship with a 4–3 victory, winning the 2008 World Series in five games. Cole Hamels was named the World Series Most Valuable Player.
Japan Series winners Saitama Seibu Lions won the 2008 Asia Series by beating Taiwan Series winners Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions by 1–0 at the final at Tokyo Dome
University of Kansas Jayhawks defeat the Memphis Tigers in the championship game of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, 75–68 in overtime in San Antonio, Texas. The Jayhawks' Mario Chalmers was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.
University of Tennessee Knoxville Lady Vols, led by Most Outstanding Player Candace Parker's hustle, defeated the Leland Stanford Jr. University Cardinal, 64–48 to win their second consecutive NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament in Tampa, Florida, and their eighth overall.
Boston Celtics win their seventeenth NBA Championship by defeating the Los Angeles Lakers in six games in the 2008 NBA Finals. Paul Pierce was named Finals MVP.
Euroleague won by CSKA Moscow of Russia by defeating Maccabi Tel Aviv 91–77 in the final
The Detroit Shock would win their 3rd championship in franchise history after sweeping the league-best San Antonio Silver Stars in the 2008 WNBA Finals. It was the first sweep in the finals in a best-of-5 series.
The Melbourne Tigers defeat the Sydney Kings in five games in the NBL Grand Final series to win their fourth championship.
April – World Indoor Singles and Mixed Pairs Championship held at Bowls Stadium, Swansea
February 23 – Wladimir Klitschko defeats WBO heavyweight champion Sultan Ibragimov at Madison Square Garden in New York City, to unify the IBF and WBO Heavyweight titles. The Klitschko-Ibragimov fight was the first heavyweight unification bout since Holyfield-Lewis in 1999.
March 8 – David Haye achieves a TKO of Enzo Maccarinelli in the second round in a unification fight for the WBC, WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles.
April 19 – Joe Calzaghe, fighting for the first time in the USA, wins a 12-round split decision over Bernard Hopkins for the latter's world light heavyweight title
June 28 – Manny Pacquiao defeats David Díaz via 9th-round knockout to take the WBC lightweight crown, his 4th world title in 4 divisions.
October 18 – Bernard Hopkins beats then-undefeated Kelly Pavlik via unanimous decision. Throughout the fight, Hopkins, although 17 years older than Pavlik, managed to outwork and outhustle Pavlik throughout the fight.
November 8 – Joe Calzaghe remains unbeaten after 46 fights with a 12-round unanimous decision over Roy Jones, Jr. at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
December 6 – Manny Pacquiao defeats Oscar De La Hoya after eight rounds in a fight billed as "The Dream Match" in Las Vegas, when De La Hoya couldn't answer the bell for the ninth round. It was officially a technical knockout.
November 23 – The Calgary Stampeders win the 96th Grey Cup game, defeating the Montreal Alouettes 22–14 at Olympic Stadium in Montreal.
Grand Tours:
Carlos Sastre wins the 2008 Tour de France.
Alberto Contador wins the 2008 Giro d'Italia.
Alberto Contador wins the 2008 Vuelta a España.
Mikhail Mamistov won the 16th FAI European Aerobatic Championships in Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
Ferenc Tóth won the 9th FAI European Glider Aerobatic Championships in Radom.
Rajasthan Royals win the inaugural Indian Premier League.
2008 U/19 Cricket World Cup was held in Malaysia from February 17, 2008 to March 2, 2008.
FINA Diving World Cup concludes with China taking 7 gold and 4 silver medals
March – 2008 World Figure Skating Championships held at Göteborg
December – 2008 Men's World Floorball Championships
The winners of the 30th FAI World Gliding Championships in Lüsse are Michael Sommer (Open Class), György Gulyas (15m Class) and Olivier Darroze (18m Class).
Laurent Couture (World Class), Michael Buchthal (Standard Class) and Matthias Sturm (Club Class) won the gold medals in the 30th FAI World Gliding Championships in Rieti, Italy.
The Masters – Trevor Immelman wins his first major.
Tiger Woods wins the 2008 U.S. Open Golf Championship over Rocco Mediate following an eighteen-hole playoff which they tie at even par. This forces a sudden death playoff on the seventh hole and Woods makes a par to Mediate's bogey.
United States defeats Europe to win the 2008 Ryder Cup at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky
Handball
2008 European Men's Handball Championship: Denmark
2008 European Women's Handball Championship: Norway
Steeplechases
Cheltenham Gold Cup – Denman
Grand National – Comply or Die
Flat races
Australia – Melbourne Cup won by Viewed
Canadian Triple Crown:
- Queen's Plate – Not Bourbon
- Prince of Wales Stakes – Harlem Rocker
- Breeders' Stakes – Marlang
Dubai – Dubai World Cup won by Curlin
France – Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe won by Zarkava
Ireland – Irish Derby Stakes won by Frozen Fire
Japan – Japan Cup won by Screen Hero
English Triple Crown Races:
- 2,000 Guineas Stakes – Henrythenavigator
- Epsom Derby – New Approach
- St. Leger Stakes – Conduit
United States Triple Crown Races:
- Kentucky Derby – Big Brown
- Preakness Stakes – Big Brown
- Belmont Stakes – Da' Tara
Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships:
Day 1:
- Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint – Ventura
- Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf – Maram
- Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies – Stardom Bound
- Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf – Forever Together
- Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic – Zenyatta
Day 2:
- Breeders' Cup Marathon – Muhannak
- Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint – Desert Code
- Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile – Albertus Maximus
- Breeders' Cup Mile – Goldikova
- Breeders' Cup Juvenile – Midshipman
- Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf – Donativum
- Breeders' Cup Sprint – Midnight Lute
- Breeders' Cup Turf – Conduit
- Breeders' Cup Classic – Raven's Pass
Detroit Red Wings win the Stanley Cup defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins 4 games to 2.
The Red Wings' Henrik Zetterberg wins the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Zetterberg and his Wings and Sweden teammates Niklas Kronwall and Mikael Samuelsson join the Triple Gold Club, made up of individuals who have won the Stanley Cup and gold medals at the Olympics and World Championships.
IIHF World Championships: Russia wins the gold medal by defeating Canada in overtime in the final
May 26 – Syracuse University wins the 2008 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship
August 7 – Federation of International Lacrosse, the new unified governing body for the sport, holds its first meeting. The body was formed with the merger of the former governing bodies for the men's and women's versions, respectively the International Lacrosse Federation and International Federation of Women's Lacrosse Associations.
The following is a list of major noteworthy MMA events by month.
January
1/19 – UFC 80: Rapid Fire
1/23 – UFC Fight Night: Swick vs Burkman
1/25 – ShoXC 4
February
2/1 – Strikeforce: Young Guns II
2/2 – UFC 81: Breaking Point
2/13 – WEC 32: Condit vs. Prater
2/16 – EliteXC: Street Certified
2/23 – Strikeforce: At The Dome
2/29 – IFL: Las Vegas (Start of 2008 IFL season)
March
3/1 – UFC 82: Pride of a Champion
3/5 – World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 1 (Sengoku Raiden Championship's first event)
3/15 – DREAM.1 (DREAM's first event)
3/21 – ShoXC 5
3/26 – WEC 33: Marshall vs. Stann
3/29 – Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Le
April
4/2 – UFC Fight Night: Florian vs Lauzon
4/4 – IFL: New Blood, New Battles 2
4/5 – ShoXC 6
4/11 YAMMA Pit Fighting 1 (YAMMA Pit Fighting's first and only event)
4/19 – UFC 83: Serra vs. St-Pierre 2
4/29 – DREAM.2
May
5/11 – DREAM.3
5/16 – IFL: Connecticut (Last IFL event; 2008 Season never completely finished)
5/18 – World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 2
5/24 – UFC 84: Ill Will
5/31 – EliteXC: Primetime
June
6/1 – WEC 34: Faber vs. Pulver
6/7 – UFC 85: Bedlam
6/8 – World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 3
6/14 – EliteXC: Return of the King
6/15 – DREAM.4
6/21 – The Ultimate Fighter: Team Rampage vs Team Forrest Finale
6/27 – Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Thomson
July
7/5 – UFC 86: Jackson vs. Griffin
7/19 – UFC: Silva vs. Irvin
7/19 – Affliction: Banned (Affliction's first event)
7/21 – DREAM.5
7/26 – EliteXC: Unfinished Business
August
8/3 – WEC 35: Condit vs. Miura
8/9 – UFC 87: Seek And Destroy
8/15 – ShoXC 7
8/24 – World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 4
September
9/6 – UFC 88: Breakthrough
9/13 – Strikeforce: Young Guns III
9/17 – UFC Fight Night: Diaz vs Neer
9/20 – Strikeforce: At The Mansion II
9/23 – DREAM.6
9/26 – ShoXC 8
9/28 – World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 5
October
10/3 – Strikeforce: Payback
10/4 – EliteXC: Heat
10/10 – ShoXC 9 (Last EliteXC event)
10/18 – UFC 89: Bisping vs. Leben
10/25 – UFC 90: Silva vs. Côté
November
11/1 – World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 6
11/5 – WEC 36: Faber vs. Brown
11/15 – UFC 91: Couture vs. Lesnar
11/21 – Strikeforce: Destruction
December
12/3 – WEC 37: Torres vs. Tapia
12/10 – UFC: Fight for the Troops
12/13 – The Ultimate Fighter: Team Nogueira vs Team Mir Finale
12/27 – UFC 92: The Ultimate 2008
12/31 – Dynamite!! 2008 (Event featured ten DREAM MMA bouts and eight K-1 kickboxing bouts)
Indy Racing League
February 22 – the bitter feud between the two major open-wheel racing series, the Indy Racing League and Champ Car, ends after 14 years with the two series agreeing to unify for the 2008 IndyCar Series season under the IRL banner
Indianapolis 500 won by Scott Dixon
Danica Patrick won the Indy Japan 300, becoming the first female to win an IndyCar race.
Stock car racing
50th annual Daytona 500 at Daytona Beach, Florida, is won by Ryan Newman
NASCAR – for the third straight season, Jimmie Johnson and the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports wins the Sprint Cup championship, a feat equalled only by Cale Yarborough from 1976 through 1978
August 8 – Games of the XXIX Olympiad open in Beijing
Greg Blondeau won the 10th FAI European Paragliding Championship in Niš, Serbia. Ewa Wisnierska won the gold medal in the female category.
Chile defeats Brazil to win the 2008 Polo World Championship in México
14th Amateur Radio Direction Finding World Championship held at Hwaseong, South Korea
Viktor Korotaev (pilot) and Nikolay Burov (co-pilot) won the 13th World Helicopter Championship in Eisenach.
The Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race – Oxford University beat Cambridge University to gain their third victory in five years.
February 29 at Elland Road, Leeds – 2008 World Club Challenge is won by the Leeds Rhinos who defeat the Melbourne Storm 11–4 before 33,204
April 17 at Sydney – 2008 marks the centenary of rugby league in Australia and an Australian rugby league team of the century is announced
May 9 at the Sydney Cricket Ground – 2008 ANZAC Day Test match is won by Australia 28–12 over New Zealand before 34,571
July 2 at ANZ Stadium, Sydney – 2008 State of Origin is won by Queensland in the third and deciding match of the series against New South Wales before 78,751
August 30 at Wembley Stadium – 2008 Challenge Cup culminates in St. Helens' 28–16 win against Hull in the final before 82,821.
October 4 at Old Trafford, Manchester – Super League XIII culminates in the Leeds Rhinos' 24–16 win against St. Helens in the Grand Final before 68,810
October 5 at ANZ Stadium, Sydney – 2008 NRL season culminates in the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles' record-breaking 40–0 win against the Melbourne Storm in the 2008 NRL Grand Final before 80,388
November 19 at Sydney – 2008 Golden Boot award for best international player is won by Australia's Billy Slater
November 22 at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane – 2008 World Cup tournament culminates in New Zealand's 34–20 win against Australia in the final before 50,599
114th Six Nations Championship series is won by Wales who complete the Grand Slam
2008 World Championship of Ski Mountaineering held at Portes du Soleil, Switzerland
Australian Open
Men's Final: Novak Djokovic defeats Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 4–6, 6–4, 6–3, 7–6(2)
Women's Final: Maria Sharapova defeats Ana Ivanovic 7–5, 6–3
French Open
Men's Final: Rafael Nadal defeats Roger Federer 6–1, 6–3, 6–0
Women's Final: Ana Ivanovic defeats Dinara Safina 6–4, 6–3
Wimbledon Championships
Men's Final: Rafael Nadal defeats Roger Federer 6–4, 6–4, 6–7(5), 6–7(8), 9–7
Ladies' Final: Venus Williams defeats Serena Williams 7–5, 6–4
US Open
Men's Final: Roger Federer defeats Andy Murray 6–2, 7–5, 6–2
Women's Final: Serena Williams defeats Jelena Janković 6–4, 7–5
Rafael Nadal claimed the World No. 1 ranking for the first time, on August 18, replacing Roger Federer
2008 Men's European Water Polo Championship: Montenegro
2008 Women's European Water Polo Championship: Russia
2008 FINA Men's Water Polo World League : Serbia
2008 FINA Women's Water Polo World League : Russia
European Championships held at Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy
