| Date | Sport | Venue/Event | Status | Winner/s |
| 1 | Ice hockey |  2016 NHL Winter Classic | Domestic | .svg.png) Montreal Canadiens |
| 1–10 | Cross-country skiing | .svg.png) / / 2016 Tour de Ski | International | Men:  Martin Johnsrud Sundby
Women: Therese Johaug |
| 17 December 2015–3 | Darts |  2016 PDC World Darts Championship | International |  Gary Anderson |
| 3–9 | Tennis | .svg.png) 2016 Hopman Cup | International | Australia (Nick Kyrgios / Daria Gavrilova) |
| 3–12 | Association football |  2016 Granatkin Memorial | International |  Slovenia |
| 3–16 | Rallying |  / 2016 Dakar Rally | International | Bikes: Toby Price
Quads: Marcos Patronelli
Cars:  Stéphane Peterhansel
Trucks:  Gerard de Rooy |
| 26 December 2015–5 | Ice hockey |  2016 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships | International | Finland |
| 29 December 2015–6 | Ski jumping | / 2015–16 Four Hills Tournament | International | Peter Prevc |
| 7–14 | Squash | Tournament of Champions 2016 (PSA WS #4)
Women's Tournament of Champions 2016 | International | Men:  Mohamed El Shorbagy
Women: Nour El Sherbini |
| 8–15 | Ice hockey | 2016 IIHF World Women's U18 Championship | International | United States |
| 8–24 | Bowls | 2016 World Indoor Bowls Championship | International | Men: Nick Brett
Women: Ellen Falkner
Pairs: Stewart Anderson / Darren Burnett |
| 9–10 | Speed skating |  2016 European Speed Skating Championships | Continental | Men: Sven Kramer
Women:  Martina Sáblíková |
| 10–16 | Ice hockey |  2016 IIHF World Women's U18 Championship – Division I | International |  Japan was promoted to the Top Division
 Denmark was relegated to Division I Qualification |
| 10–17 | Snooker | 2016 Masters | International | Ronnie O'Sullivan |
| 10–22 | Water polo |  2016 Women's European Water Polo Championship | Continental | Hungary |
| 10–23 | Water polo | 2016 Men's European Water Polo Championship | Continental | Serbia |
| 11 | American football | 2016 College Football Playoff National Championship | Domestic |  Alabama Crimson Tide |
| 12–30 | Association football |  2016 AFC U-23 Championship | Continental | Japan |
| 13–23 | Association football |  2016 OFC U-17 Women's Championship | Continental |  New Zealand |
| 14–17 | Ski flying | FIS Ski Flying World Championships 2016 | International | Individual: Peter Prevc
Team: Norway |
| 15–24 | Ice hockey |  2016 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships – Division III | International | Mexico was promoted to Division II – Group B |
| 15–28 | Handball |  2016 Asian Men's Handball Championship | Continental | Qatar |
| 15–31 | Handball |  2016 European Men's Handball Championship | Continental | Germany |
| 16 | Rowing | 2016 European Rowing Indoor Championships | Continental | Poland |
| 16–7 February | Association football |  2016 African Nations Championship | Continental |  DR Congo |
| 17–23 | Ice hockey | 2016 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships Division II – Group B | International |  Romania was promoted to Division II – Group A
 China was relegated to Division III |
| 17–23 | Association football | 2016 CIS Cup | International | Russia |
| 18–31 | Tennis | 2016 Australian Open (Grand Slam #1) | International | Men: Novak Djokovic
Women: Angelique Kerber |
| 21–30 | Handball | 2016 African Men's Handball Championship | Continental | Egypt |
| 22–24 | Speed skating | 2016 European Short Track Speed Skating Championships | Continental | Men: Semen Elistratov
Women:  Elise Christie |
| 22–20 November | Rallying |  /// 2016 World Rally Championship season | International | WRC #1: Sébastien Ogier / Julien Ingrassia
WRC #2: Esapekka Lappi / Janne Ferm
WRC #3: Simone Tempestini / Giovanni Bernacchini |
| 25–31 | Figure skating |  2016 European Figure Skating Championships | Continental | Men:  Javier Fernández
Ladies: Evgenia Medvedeva
Pairs: Tatiana Volosozhar / Maxim Trankov
Ice Dance: Gabriella Papadakis / Guillaume Cizeron |
| 26–30 | Track cycling | 2016 Asian Cycling Championships | Continental |  South Korea |
| 26–2 February | Biathlon | 2016 IBU Youth/Junior World Championships | International | Norway |
| 26–23 April | Association football | 2016 OFC Champions League | Continental | Auckland City FC |
| 27–26 November | Association football | 2016 AFC Champions League | Continental | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors |
| 29–31 | Luge | 2016 FIL World Luge Championships | International | Men's Singles: Felix Loch
Men's Sprint: Felix Loch
Women's Singles: Natalie Geisenberger
Women's Sprint: Martina Kocher
Doubles: Tobias Wendl / Tobias Arlt
Doubles Sprint: Tobias Wendl / Tobias Arlt |
| 29–31 | Speed skating |  2016 World Junior Short Track Speed Skating Championships | International | Men: Ren Ziwei
Women: Qu Chunyu
Medal tallies: China |
| 30–31 | Cyclo-cross | .svg.png) 2016 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships | International | Men: Wout Van Aert ( Vastgoedservice-Golden Palace)
Women: Thalita de Jong ( Rabo–Liv Women Cycling Team) |
| 30–31 | Darts | 2016 Masters | International | Michael van Gerwen |
| 30–31 | Rugby sevens | 2016 Wellington Sevens (WRSS #3) | International | New Zealand |
| 31 | American football | 2016 Pro Bowl | Domestic | Team Irvin
Offensive MVP:  Russell Wilson ( Seattle Seahawks)
Defensive MVP:  Michael Bennett ( Seattle Seahawks) |
| 31 | Ice hockey | 2016 NHL All-Star Game | Domestic | Team Pacific
MVP:  John Scott ( St. John's IceCaps) |