As the nights draw in and the weather turns colder, there are plenty of opportunities for operators to boost trade this autumn.
Below The Morning Advertiser (The MA) has rounded up some key dates to put in the diary.
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September 2026
Tuesday 1 – Back to school
Saturday 5 – Betfair Sprint Cup Day at Haydock Park Racecourse
Saturday 5 – Women’s World Super Lightweight Championship Boxing Katie Taylor v Flora Pili
Sunday 6 – F1 Italian Grand Prix
Monday 7 to Sunday 13 – Snooker English Open
Tuesday 8 - PubAid Community Pub Hero Awards 2026
Thursday 17 to Sunday 27 – Cask Ale Week
Saturday 19 to Sunday 4 October – Oktoberfest
Saturday 19 – Cesarewitch Trial Day at Newmarket racecourse
Saturday 19 – British & Commonwealth Cruiserweight Championships John Hedges v Pat Brown
Wednesday 23 – First day of autumn
Wednesday 23 - The Great British Pub Awards (GBPA)
Friday 25 - Gallagher Rugby Premiership Harlequins v Bath (7.45pm kick-off)
Friday 25 – Gallagher Rugby Premiership Northampton Saints v Newcastle Red Bulls (7.45pm kick-off)
Saturday 26 – UEFA Nations League England v Spain (7.45pm kick-off)
Saturday 26 – Gallagher Rugby Premiership Exeter Chiefs v Gloucester Rugby (3.05pm kick-off)
Saturday 26 – Gallagher Rugby Premiership Sale Sharks v Bristol Bears (5.30pm kick-off)
Sunday 27 – Gallagher Rugby Premiership Leicester Tigers v Saracens, (3pm kick-off)
Tuesday 29 – UEFA Nations League Czechia v England (7.45pm kick-off)
October 2026
Thursday 1 to Saturday 31 – Black History Month
Friday 2 – Gallagher Rugby Premiership Bath v Exeter Chiefs (7.45pm kick-off)
Saturday 3 – Sun Chariot Day at Newmarket racecourse
Saturday 3 – Gallagher Rugby Premiership Bristol Bears v Northampton Saints (3.05pm kick-off)
Saturday 3 – Gallagher Rugby Premiership Gloucester Rugby v Harlequins (5.30pm kick-off)
Saturday 3 – Gallagher Rugby Premiership Newcastle Red Bulls v Leicester Tigers (7.45pm kick-off)
Saturday 3 – IBF World Light Heavyweight Title Ben Whittaker v Conor Wallace
Sunday 4 – Gallagher Rugby Premiership Saracens v Sale Sharks (3pm kick-off)
Sunday 4 – NFL London Games Indianapolis Colts v Washington Commanders (2.30pm kick-off)
Friday 2 to Sunday 4 – F1 Malaysian Grand Prix
Saturday 3 – UEFA Nations League Croatia v England (5pm kick-off)
Monday 5 to Sunday 11 – National Curry Week
Tuesday 6 – UEFA Nations League England v Czechia (7.45pm kick-off)
Friday 9 – Gallagher Rugby Premiership Leicester Tigers v Gloucester (7.45pm kick-off)
Friday 9 to Saturday 10 – Dubai Future Champions Festival at Newmarket racecourse
Friday 9 to Sunday 11 – F1 Singapore Grand Prix
Saturday 10 – World Mental Health Day
Saturday 10 – Gallagher Rugby Premiership Northampton Saints v Bath, (3.05pm kick-off)
Saturday 10 – Gallagher Rugby Premiership Saracens v Bristol Bears, (5.30pm kick-off)
Sunday 11 – Gallagher Rugby Premiership Exeter Chiefs v Newcastle Red Bulls (3pm kick-off)
Sunday 11 – NFL London Games Philadelphia Eagles v Jacksonville Jaguars (2.30pm kick-off)
Sunday 11 – Gallagher Rugby Premiership Sale Sharks v Harlequins (3pm kick-off)
Wednesday 14 2026 - British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) Annual Dinner
Saturday 17 – QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot racecourse
Saturday 17 – WBO Heavyweight Championship Daniel Dubois v Fabio Wardley
Sunday 18 – NFL London Games Houston Texans v Jacksonville Jaguars (2.30pm kick-off)
Sunday 18 to Sunday 25 October – Snooker Northern Ireland Open
Friday 23 to Sunday 25 – F1 United States Grand Prix
Friday 23 – Gallagher Rugby Premiership Gloucester v Bath (7.45pm kick-off)
Friday 23 – Gallagher Rugby Premiership Newcastle Red Bulls v Sale Sharks (7.45pm kick-off)
Saturday 24 – Gallagher Rugby Premiership Leicester Tigers v Northampton Saints (3.05pm kick-off)
Saturday 24 – WBC Super-Lightweight World Championship Dalton Smith v Alberto Puello
Saturday 24 – Gallagher Rugby Premiership Bristol Bears v Exeter Chiefs (5.30pm kick-off)
Sunday 25 – Gallagher Rugby Premiership Harlequins v Saracens (3pm kick-off)
Sunday 25 – British Summer Time ends
Saturday 31 – Gallagher Rugby Premiership Exeter Chiefs v Harlequins, (3pm kick-off)
Saturday 31 – Gallagher Rugby Premiership Saracens v Newcastle Red Bull (3pm kick-off)
Saturday 31 – Gallagher Rugby Premiership Bath v Sale Sharks (3.05pm kick-off)
Saturday 31 – Gallagher Rugby Premiership Northampton Saints v Gloucester (5.30pm kick-off)
Saturday 31 – Halloween
November 2026
Friday 30 October to Sunday 1 November – F1 Mexican Grand Prix
Thursday 5 – Bonfire Night
Friday 6 - Rugby Autumn Internationals Ireland v Argentina (8:10pm kick-off)
Saturday 7 - Rugby Autumn Internationals Italy v South Africa (11:40am kick-off), Scotland v New Zealand (2:10pm), Wales v Japan (4:40pm), France v Fiji (8:10pm)
Sunday 8 - Rugby Autumn Internationals England v Australia (3:10pm kick-off)
Monday 9 to Sunday 15 – Snooker Champion of Champions
Friday 6 to Sunday 8 – F1 São Paulo Grand Prix
Sunday 8 – Remembrance Sunday
Wednesday 11 – Armistice Day
Thursday 12 – UEFA Nations League England v Croatia (7.45pm kick-off)
Friday 13 to Sunday 15 – November Meeting at Cheltenham racecourse
Friday 13 – Rugby Autumn Internationals France v South Africa (8.10pm kick-off)
Saturday 14 – Rugby Autumn Internationals Wales v New Zealand 2.10pm – Nations Championship
Saturday 14 – Rugby Autumn Internationals England v Japan, (4.40pm kick-off)
Saturday 14 – Rugby Autumn Internationals Ireland v Fiji (8.10pm kick-off)
Saturday 14 – Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham racecourse
Sunday 15 – Rugby Autumn Internationals Scotland v Australia (3.10pm kick-off)
Sunday 15 – UEFA Nations League Spain v England (7.45pm kick-off)
Mid-November onwards – Christmas party season
Thursday 19 to Saturday 21 – F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix
Friday 20 November – Tyson Fury v Anthony Joshua (TBC)
Saturday 21 – Rugby Autumn Internationals England v New Zealand (2.10pm kick-off)
Saturday 21 – Rugby Autumn Internationals Scotland v Japan (2.10pm kick-off)
Saturday 21 – Rugby Autumn Internationals Ireland v South Africa (4.40pm kick-off)
Saturday 21 – Rugby Autumn Internationals Wales v Australia (8.10pm kick-off)
Friday 27 to Sunday 29- Ladbrokes Darts Players Championship Finals
Friday 27 – Rugby Autumn Internationals Nations Championship Finals TBC (4.40pm and 8.10pm kick-off)
Friday 27 to Sunday 6 December - World Darts Federation (WDF) Lakeside World Championships
Saturday 28 to Sunday 6 December – Snooker UK Championship
Saturday 28 – Small Business Saturday
Saturday 28 – Rugby Autumn Internationals Nations Championship Finals TBC (1.10pm and 4.40pm kick-off)
Sunday 29 – Rugby Autumn Internationals Nations Championship Finals TBC (1.10pm and 4.40pm kick-off)
Friday 27 to Sunday 29 – F1 Qatar Grand Prix
Monday 30 – St Andrew’s Day
