Sport in 2016: we predict the big winners

This content was originally posted in 7DAYS UAE website at: Sport in 2016: we predict the big winners We take look at the major sporting events in 2016 and try to predict the big winners. Have your say via Twitter @7DAYSSPORT Gunners glory Sorry Leicester, but Mesut Ozil and his Arsenal team-mates will be smiling at the end of the Premier League season after a title win. Champions League: Paris Saint-Germain Barcelona may be the hot favourites to retain their European crown, but with Zlatan Ibrahimovic leading from the front, the French side are the dark horses to win the Champions League. USA golf revival 2015 was a great year for US golfing hot-shot Jordan Spieth so expect the same again in 2016. With Spieth leading the charge Team USA may be too strong for Team Europe at the Ryder Cup. FIFA reforms, finally Next month will see the election to decide the next FIFA president. The biggest shock won’t be the winner though, it will be the fact that the election will go ahead as planned. FIFA needs a new leader and Prince Ali bin Al Hussein could be that man. T20 shock? England may have had a terrible World Cup last year, but they could be the surprise package at the 2016 ICC World Twenty20 in India in March and April. Home advantage at Euro 2016 Spain are the defending champions and Germany are the favourites, but France could be the team to fear at Euro 2016. The French won Euro 1984 and the 1998 World Cup on home soil, so why not this year? In keeper Hugo Lloris and midfielder Paul Pogba they have two world-class players who will make a huge difference. The rematch While Floyd Mayweather is enjoying his ‘retirement’, Manny Pacquiao will return to the ring on April 9 to face Tim Bradley. That will give the two fighters just enough time to schedule in ‘Round Two’ in the Autumn months. If they do fight again, don’t expect a different result. Floyd will remain unbeaten.   Bolt’s golden year in Rio He’s the best sprinter of all time so it will only be fitting that Usain Bolt bows out from athletics with another gold medal haul at the Olympic Games in Rio. Bolt has not announced any plans to retire but if he can achieve the ‘triple triple’, then surely it’s time to hang up the spikes. He’s already got a double triple (golds in the 100m, 200m and 4×100 in both Beijing and London) and will be aiming for the same again this summer. Expect some electrics from the lightning Bolt in Brazil. 2016 sport: dates for your diary Super Bowl 50 When: February 7 Where: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, California ICC World Twenty20 When: March 8 to April 3 Where: India State of Origin When and where: Game 1, June 1 in Sydney; Game 2 on June 22 in Brisbane; Game 3 on July 13 in Sydney Copa America Centenario When: June 3-26 Where: United States European Football Championships When: June 10 to July 10 Where: France Rio 2016 Olympic Games When: August 5-21 Where: Rio de Janeiro Ryder Cup When: September 30 to October 2 Where: Hazeltine National Golf Club, Chaska, Minnesota, USA UAE SPORTING EVENTS   Want to know what’s going on in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in 2016? Check out our events calendar here Read the original story at: Sport in 2016: we predict the big winners