2008 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.
American football Super Bowl XLII – the New York Giants (NFC) won 17–14 over the heavily favored New England Patriots (AFC) Location: University of Phoenix Stadium Attendance: 71,101 MVP: Eli Manning, QB (New York) BCS National Championship Game at Sugar Bowl (2007 season): The Louisiana State Tigers won 38–24 over the Ohio State Buckeyes to win the BCS National Championship, thus becoming the first two-time BCS National Champions, and the first BCS titlists with two losses in a single season. September 7 – In the New England Patriots' season opener, quarterback Tom Brady suffers a torn ACL that ruled him out for the season, a year after he led the Patriots to a 16–0 record (the first undefeated team since the NFL's 16-game expansion in 1978) and a Super Bowl XLII appearance. 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, which coincidentally, was also against the Dolphins. December 28 – The Miami Dolphins finish 11-5 and become the first team in NFL history to win their division after winning only one game the year before, and it also marked the last non-Patriot division title in the AFC East until the 2020 NFL season. 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. The Lions would be joined by the Cleveland Browns 9 years later as the second team to go winless since the NFL expanded to a 16-game schedule in 1978.
Archery 2008 Meteksan Archery World Cup takes place at Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Leading medal winners are USA, Italy and Russia.
Association football
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.
Australian rules football 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.
Baseball
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
Basketball
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.
Bowls April – World Indoor Singles and Mixed Pairs Championship held at Bowls Stadium, Swansea
Boxing 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 US, 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.
Canadian football November 23 – The Calgary Stampeders win the 96th Grey Cup game, defeating the Montreal Alouettes 22–14 at Olympic Stadium in Montreal.
Cycling
Road Cycling 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.
Track Cycling
2008 UCI Track Cycling World Championships Men's EventsWinner Sprint Keirin 1 km time trial Points race Individual pursuit Scratch Team sprint Grégory BaugéKévin SireauArnaud Tournant Team pursuit Edward ClancyGeraint ThomasPaul ManningBradley Wiggins Madison Mark CavendishBradley Wiggins Omnium Women's EventsWinner Sprint Keirin 500 m time trial Points race Individual pursuit Scratch Team sprint Victoria PendletonShanaze Reade
Competition aerobatics Mikhail Mamistov won the 16th FAI European Aerobatic Championships in Hradec Králové, Czech RepublicFAI Sporting Calendar: Aerobatic Competitions – accessed February 17, 2008 Ferenc Tóth won the 9th FAI European Glider Aerobatic Championships in Radom.FAI: European Glider Aerobatic Championships 2008 – accessed 2008-08-21
Cricket 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.
Curling
Diving FINA Diving World Cup concludes with China taking 7 gold and 4 silver medals
Figure skating March – 2008 World Figure Skating Championships held at Göteborg
Floorball Men's World Floorball Championships Champion: Women's under-19 World Floorball Championships Champion: EuroFloorball Cup 2007–08 Men's champion: AIK IBF Women's champion: UHC Dietlikon EuroFloorball Cup 2008 Men's champion: AIK IBF Women's champion: IKSU innebandy
Gliding 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).30th World Gliding Championships 2008 in Lüsse – accessed August 21, 2008 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.FAI Sporting Calendar: Gliding Competitions – accessed 2008-02-17 SoaringSpot: results of the 30th FAI World Gliding Championships in Rieti, Italy – accessed July 21, 2008
Golf
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
Horse racing 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 The 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
Ice hockey 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 A first season of Kontinental Hockey League was held, replaced from Russian Superleague on September 2.
Lacrosse March 16 – Budapest Blax Lacrosse team is founded. 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.
Mixed martial arts 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 ()
March