PARIS, Dec 20 — Next year promises trips around the Moon, footballing spectacles and a battle for control of the US Congress.
Here are five big events to watch out for in 2026.
Climate: Will the world act?
The world is already experiencing record heat — and things are likely to get hotter in 2026.
Last year was the warmest on record, but the UN says there is an 80 per cent chance that at least one year will be even hotter by 2029.
How will nations react? COP30 in Brazil recently showed that multilateralism in climate action is not dead, despite the US boycott and geopolitical conflicts.
“2026 must be the year in which international climate diplomacy reinvents itself,” said Rebecca Thissen, from Climate Action Network.
“COPs are not an end in themselves but a high point in an international political agenda that desperately needs to get on the same page,” she added.
A close eye will be kept on how many countries respond to Colombia’s invitation to the first international conference on phasing out fossil fuels in April.
Aleksandar Rankovic, director of The Common Initiative think tank, was disappointed by COP30’s outcome and wondered if the “Gen Z-led rebellions that have emerged worldwide will start fighting for climate as well” in 2026.
Biggest football World Cup
The biggest World Cup in history will see 48 countries competing in the United States, Canada and Mexico, under the gaze of President Donald Trump.
The most-watched sports event in the world will unfold over nearly six weeks, from June 11 to July 19, with the US providing 11 of the 16 venues.
Trump’s tensions with the co-hosts over tariffs and immigration could make for a politically charged competition.
On the pitch, a richly talented French squad led by Kylian Mbappe will be determined to make up for their defeat to Lionel Messi’s Argentina in the 2022 final in Qatar, but Spain also have high hopes.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who will be 41 when the tournament kicks off, has said his sixth World Cup will be his last, and he would dearly like to crown his career with a first global title for Portugal.
Cape Verde, Uzbekistan and the tiny island nation of Curacao are among the countries appearing for the first time.
Fans could face eye-watering costs for the most popular games due to FIFA’s use of dynamic ticket pricing.
Gaza, Israel, Netanyahu’s future
US pressure led to a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that came into force on October 10, after two years of war.
The truce is proving highly fragile, and Trump’s peace plan for the Gaza Strip leaves many points unresolved, such as future stages of the Israeli army’s withdrawal, reconstruction of the Palestinian territory and its future governance.
By formally endorsing Trump’s plan, the UN Security Council laid the groundwork for the deployment of an international force in Gaza that, fundamentally, neither Israel nor Hamas wants.
The Palestinian Islamist movement refuses to disarm under the conditions set by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is threatening to resume fighting if the Gaza Strip cannot be demilitarised through diplomacy.
Now 76, Netanyahu intends to run again in the elections due to be held no later than November 2026.
His multi-party coalition, which now holds just 60 of 120 seats in parliament, remains fragile.
A broad majority of Israelis want to see Netanyahu held accountable for the failures that led to Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack that sparked the war in Gaza.
A relative majority also oppose him receiving the presidential pardon he requested at the end of November in a bid to rid himself of his long-running corruption trials.
Netanyahu might therefore be tempted to pursue the military option against Hamas in Gaza or Hezbollah in Lebanon to keep his far-right allies on board, and secure the total victory he has promised Israelis.
Control of US Congress
As voters brace for the 2026 US midterm elections, the stakes could hardly be higher — for Trump, Congress and the nation.
Trump isn’t on the ballot, but a strong Republican showing would validate his authority beyond the White House.
But if his favoured candidates fail to perform, it could expose cracks in his movement and complicate any succession plan.
Republican control of Congress, meanwhile, is hanging by a thread.
Razor-thin majorities in the House of Representatives and Senate hinge on defending constituencies with vulnerable incumbents in battlegrounds like Michigan, North Carolina and Ohio.
With no checkbox marked “Trump” on the ballot, the president is having to pull out all the stops to make sure his supporters turn out en masse.
Democrats see and opportunity, especially as the party of the incumbent typically loses seats in midterms.
Forecasts suggest Republicans could struggle to hold the House, and Democrats are also targeting four Senate seats needed to take control.
While full Republican control would let Trump cement his legacy, Democratic control in either chamber would slow his agenda and likely entangle his administration in investigations.
Astronauts around the Moon
Politicians and enthusiasts dream of the day when people will walk on the Moon again.
Although it’s unlikely to happen next year, Nasa is planning a crewed mission to fly around the Earth’s satellite — the much-delayed Artemis II is scheduled for lift-off by April at the latest.
It would be a huge step towards Americans once again setting foot on the lunar surface, a goal announced by Trump in his first term.
China aims to land on the Moon by 2030 and is also making progress.
Its Chang’e 7 mission is expected to be launched in 2026 for an exploration of the Moon’s south pole, and testing of its crewed spacecraft Mengzhou is also set to go ahead next year.
India, which landed a robot on the Moon in 2023, is another country with emerging space exploration ambitions, planning to send an astronaut into orbit in 2027. — AFP
From climate crunch to World Cup drama: Five big things to watch in 2026
