Leeds United are playing away at Preston, the Rhinos play at home for the Wetherby Whaler Festive Challenge and Leeds Knights are on the ice with Solway Sharks on Boxing Day.
The day has become a pretty big one for Leeds' sports scene.
But if can't you can get a seat at the heart of the action, there's no need to be disheartened: there's plenty of sports bars across the city where you'll be able to catch every single game.
And for those that don't support the home teams, grab a seat - there's room for you too: whether it’s a welcomed excuse to get out the house and escape and meet your mates or a way of bonding with the in-laws over the universal language of sports.
After all, those days where Christmas melts into New Year’s Day pass in no time at all- and quite honestly, it’s easy to loose track of the days in between with all that turkey trimmings and mulled wine to get stuck into.
Keep reading to find out where you can catch a game over the festive period.
The Box
Infirmary Street, Leeds city centre and Otley Road, Headingley | Open from 12pm
Image: The Box Bar
The Box have locations in the city centre and Headingley, so you’re never far from a cold pint of Budweiser or a bottle of wine. You can grab 2-for-1 cocktails, a 20% student discount and a pornstar martinis, served by the stein here too but if that's not enough, there's bottomless brunch and seemingly unlimited burger and pizza options to soak it all up.
Roxy Lanes is the perfect spot for groups large and small to gather for the footie games. Whether you're a football fan or just going along for the atmosphere, expect screens everywhere covering every inch of the action, before heading downstairs and playing a game of your own, including bowling, ice-free curling, ice hockey, pool and shuffleboard.
The Tap Room is the Beck & Call’s dedicated sports room. Complete with pool table, darts and huge TV screens for all the live games, the popular watering hole have stated they will be showing all the world cup games. Plus every Friday and Saturday at Happy Hour, you can get £3 Fosters, £4 Virtuous and a £15 Bottle of Fizz.
Call Lane, Leeds city centre | Open from 12pm on weekends or 5pm during the week
Image: Brooklyn
Book yourself a seat at the table at Brooklyn and make the most of the private hire options for your chosen team. Grab a bagel from Bad Boy Bagel and a pint of just about anything and enjoy the footy how it was intended: surrounded by like-minded fans on a huge HD screen.
You might recognise Skyrack from your Otley Run days, but the pub does far more than just fancy dress. Pull up a chair at the bar or find a seat around the pub in between the Leeds United memorabilia and watch the beautiful game in all its glory. Same goes for the rest of the Greene King pubs in Leeds, all games will be shown.
Headingley Stadium, Headingley | Kick off at 11:30am
Image: Leeds Rhinos
The Wetherby Whaler Festive Challenge is back for another year and you can watch Leeds Rhinos take on Wetherby Trinity live from Headingley stadium on Boxing Day. The annual fixture is highly anticipated each year, and you can bet that the best place to watch the match unfold is live from the suburbs.
You can bet that the popular New Briggate bar will be back with packed out tables for the matches over the holidays as one of the best known sports bars in the city.. The policy was be walk-in only throughout the World Cup for England games, but you can book for any other games in advance, so make sure you book your seat in advance.
The Original Oak in Headingley is a favourite for all ages, but if you’re a student looking for some sports action, you’ll feel quite at home at this Otley Run stop. The pub always has a game on and you can bet that there will be plenty of space for you to join the crowd.
Wellington Street, Leeds city centre | Open from 11am
Image: Rebound Social
Rebound Social is the home of all things football, and there's even a bottomless brunch option too. Pull up a seat and tuck into pizzas and pints aplenty with your chosen company, we imagine that the place will be packed with like-minded fans over the holidays.
Another Otley Run favourite that's taking on the additional crowds for the rugby. Expect loud speakers, the occasional fancy dress customer and loads to do besides watching the matches. There's pool tables, giant food challenges and a great beer garden- not to mention a full menu that includes student discounted pints. If you're still at University, we bet we'll find you here for the matches.
The Greene King pub boast that they will be showing every world cup game live over the next six weeks, as well as their usual footy slots on Sky Sports and BT Sport. Located on 31 Boar Lane, The Griffin has all the pints you need to get yourself through the intense games, as well as some proper pub grub on offer too.
Woodhouse Lane, Leeds city centre | Open from 12pm
You can bet your bottom dollar that Walkabout will be saying G’day to the world cup and serving up a feast whilst the matches play out. The Australian-themed sports bar boast space indoors and outdoors, as well as in their dedicated live sports areas, but booking is recommended to make sure you get a spot at the table before kickoff. Expect massive HD screens, a roaring atmosphere as well as the option to buy Brewdog by the keg.
The countdown is really on now to one of the biggest sporting events of the year - the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup will land in Leeds in just a few weeks’ time.
The upcoming cricket tournament has already shattered all previous ticket sales records, ahead of what promises to be the biggest Women’s T20 World Cup ever staged.
With just two weeks to go to the opening match between England and Sri Lanka, ticket sales have already surpassed 155,000.
And anticipation is growing for the sporting event of the summer, a 24-day spectacle played across seven iconic venues in England and Wales.
Headingley will play its part in this record-breaking tournament this summer, hosting several major games.
The action kicks off here in Leeds on Wednesday 17 June, with a double-header featuring Australia v Bangladesh and India v Netherlands.
Headingley will also host one of the tournament’s marquee fixtures - England v Scotland on Saturday 20 June.
So if you’re planning to go down for all the action, or just want to know what’s in store, here’s the essential info you need for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
Leeds dates for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup
The T20 trophy on a tour of Leeds
Headingley will welcome eight teams across five fixtures in June, including England, Scotland, Australia, Pakistan, West Indies, Bangladesh, and India, plus tournament newcomers Netherlands.
Wednesday 17 June - Australia v Bangladesh, Headingley - 10.30am
Wednesday 17 June - India v Netherlands, Headingley - 2.30pm
Thursday 18 June - West Indies v Scotland, Headingley - 6.30pm
Saturday 20 June - England v Scotland, Headingley - 6.30pm
Tuesday 23 June - Australia v Pakistan, Headingley - 6.30pm
Tickets for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup
This year’s ticket sales have surpassed the total fan attendance of 136,549 recorded across the entirety of the 2020 edition in Australia, highlighting the extraordinary momentum behind women’s cricket and the growing global demand for the women’s game.
Adult tickets start from just £15 in Headingley, you can grab tickets for games HERE.
What else is on?
Spirit Week has been driving up the excitement even further, with the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup trophy currently on a tour around the UK - including a great day out here in Leeds.
And when it’s England v Scotland here in Headingley, there’ll be all sorts of activations and activities across town to get everyone in the spirit of the World Cup.
The ICC and UNICEF will also be delivering Cricket 4 Good clinics in local communities, with cricketing stars giving young cricketers tips and skills training.
What the ICC have said
Headingley will host a number of T20 Women's World Cup fixtures
ICC General Manager - Events and Corporate Communications, Gaurav Saxena said: “The 2026 edition becoming the highest-selling ICC Women’s T20 World Cup ever is another milestone for the women’s game.
“It not only highlights the incredible momentum behind women’s cricket but also reflects the strong cultural pull of an ICC pinnacle event, appeal for which is not limited to only the sports fans.
“This edition of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup is set to be our biggest tournament till date and is expected to smash attendance and viewership records in the UK and around the world. This milestone is a hugely exciting moment for everyone involved and has been almost a year in the making.
“The response from fans is a testament to the bold, creative and well-executed marketing efforts of both the ICC and the ECB in the run-up to the tournament, more of which are to follow over the next four weeks.
“We look forward to welcoming fans from across the globe to England and Wales for what promises to be the biggest and most exciting edition of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.”
ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 Tournament Director, Beth Barrett-Wild said: “Surpassing 155,000 ticket sales is an incredible milestone and a powerful signal of the momentum behind the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026. To have exceeded the previous record set in Australia, before a ball has been bowled, shows just how much excitement there is for this tournament and for women’s cricket globally.
“We’ve always believed this tournament has the potential to be the biggest women’s cricket event in history, and the response from fans has been extraordinary. It reflects the growing profile of the women’s game, the strength of the teams and players on show, and the appetite for world-class sporting events across England and Wales as we build towards an unforgettable summer in 2026.”
Vision to host the Olympics in the North of England takes huge step forward
Daisy Jackson
The government has taken a serious step forward in its vision to bring an Olympic and Paralympic Games bid to the north of England.
A strategic assessment has officially been commissioned to see if the first northern Olympics could be viable in the 2040s.
The assessment will test the impact that hosting could have on the North’s regeneration and growth.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has said that our corner of the country produces some of the UK’s finest sporting talent, but that the region itself has been overlooked for hosting a global event of this size.
She said that the government is now ‘starting the firing gun on a long overdue vote of confidence in the North’.
An initial strategic assessment has been commissioned from UK Sport to see whether the UK could host an Olympic and Paralympic Games up north.
Manchester is already home to world-class cycling facility, the National Cycling Centre. Credit: Unsplash, Dylan Nolte
It will assess key factors such as potential cost, socioeconomic benefit and any bid’s chance of success.
Lisa Nandy said: “London 2012 showed what the Olympics can do for our country. It inspired a generation through sport, attracted huge investment and showed the best of Britain to the world.
“But while the North of England has driven so much sporting excellence, no matter the talent we produce, the sporting moments we create, and the world-class events we attract – for too long we have been told the Olympics is simply too big and too important to be hosted in the North.
“Not any more. It’s time the Olympics came North and we showed what we can offer to the world. I couldn’t be more pleased to announce that we’re starting the firing gun on a long overdue vote of confidence in the North.”
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, said: “Britain’s sporting prowess is recognised and respected around the world. It’s something we are determined to capitalise on to breathe life into our communities and build a stronger and more secure economy.
“That’s why we’re throwing our full support behind bringing the Games back home which will boost our Northern Growth Corridor. It’s also why we’re backing stadium regeneration plans, like at Elland Road, to deliver new homes, business opportunities and public spaces in Leeds and beyond.”
Chair of The Great North, North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said: “From our great cities and towns to our coastlines and countryside, the North has the venues, the passion and the sporting pride to deliver a world-class Olympic and Paralympic Games that showcases the very best of Great Britain to the world.
“A Great North Olympics would be a global showcase, leaving a legacy of prosperity, unity and renewal. It’s an opportunity not to be missed, delivering transformational investment in transport, regeneration and public spaces across the North of England.
“This could become the most people-powered Games ever hosted: inspiring millions of people into sport, volunteering and community action.”
The news comes ahead of a major sporting summer for the UK, which includes events like the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, and the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes Grands Départs.
The Government is already backing bids to host the World Athletics and Para-Athletics Championships in 2029, as well as the 2035 FIFA Women’s World Cup, as part of its commitment to driving a decade of change in women’s sport.
Sophie Smith -
21st December 2023 
