2006 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.
Alpine skiing Alpine skiing World Cup Men’s overall season champion: Benjamin Raich (Austria) Women’s overall season champion: Janica Kostelić (Croatia) American football Super Bowl XL – the Pittsburgh Steelers (AFC) won 21–10 over the Seattle Seahawks (NFC) Location: Ford Field Attendance: 68,206 MVP: Hines Ward, WR (Pittsburgh) Rose Bowl (2005 season): The Texas Longhorns won 41–38 over the Southern California Trojans to win the BCS National Championship March 14 - former San Diego Chargers quarterback Drew Brees signs a 6-year, $60 million deal with the New Orleans Saints after the Miami Dolphins were suggested by medical staff to not sign Brees due to a career-threatening shoulder injury he suffered at the end of the 2005 season. After Brees had immediate success and broke several records in New Orleans, this signing is believed by many as the greatest free agency signing in NFL history, tied with the Denver Broncos’ signing of Peyton Manning in 2012. August 19 - Barrow High SchoolBarrow High School played the first organized football game in the Arctic against Delta Junction High School.Playing in Barrow is all kinds of cool to Delta 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.
Association football
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
Athletics
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, Swedeno
Baseball
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).
Basketball
Miami Heat defeated 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.
Beach Soccer November 12 - Brazil wins the 2nd edition of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup on home soil.
Bowling 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
Boxing 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
Canadian football November 19 – The BC Lions win the 94th Grey Cup game, defeating the Montreal Alouettes 25–14 at Canad Inns Stadium in Winnipeg.
Cricket
Curling 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)
Cycling 2006 Tour de France was won by Floyd Landis of the US, 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.
Figure skating 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
Floorball Men's World Floorball Championships Champion: Sweden Women's under-19 World Floorball Championships Champion: Sweden European Cup Men's champion: Warberg IC Women's champion: IKSU innebandy
Gaelic Athletic Association 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
Gliding World Gliding Championships held at Eskilstuna, Sweden Open Class Winner: Michael Sommer, Germany; Glider: Alexander Schleicher ASW 22 BLE
Golf 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
Horse racing 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 The 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
Ice hockey 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
Lacrosse 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
Mixed martial arts