See also: 1895 in sports, other events of 1896, 1897 in sports and the list of 'years in sports'.

Boat race

• Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race - Oxford

Cricket

• The Ashes - England win 3 test series 2-1
• County Cricket Championship - Yorkshire

Ice skating

• First World Figure Skating Championships (open to men only) held in St. Petersburg

General sporting events

• 1896 Summer Olympics, the first modern Olympic Games, takes place in Athens, Greece
  • 14 nations compete in the Games, most from Greece, Germany and France.
  • April 6 - American James Connolly wins the triple jump, becoming the first Olympic champion in over 1,500 years.
  • Winners receive a silver medal and a crown of olive branches.
  • Greece wins the most medals (46), and the United States wins the most gold medals (11).

Births

Deaths