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Just how incredible is it that the INDYCAR season will feature a race in the nation’s capital? The Freedom 250 around the streets of Washington, D.C., is set for Aug. 23 on FOX. Most of the grounds will be free admission. With such a historic event being announced, we decided to break down some of the coolest and most iconic sporting events and venues to date. Let’s take a look: WNBA Stars vs Team USA at Radio City Music Hall, 2004 Dubbed as “The Game at Radio City”, the WNBA hosted an exhibition game between the U.S. Olympic team and a group of WNBA stars. Some of the biggest names in the history of the sport, like Lisa Leslie, Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird took the court in one of the most iconic entertainment venues ever. The game was set up as a way to excite fans for the upcoming Summer Olympic Games in Athens. Team USA defeated the WNBA stars, 74–58, and would go on to win the gold medal as well. NHL Winter Classic (Hockey at Wrigley, Fenway, Big House), 2008-Present The NHL Winter Classic is staged in large outdoor stadiums originally built for baseball or football, including Wrigley Field, Fenway Park, and Michigan Stadium. A full-size ice rink is constructed on top of the field surface, creating an incredible scene. Whether it’s Wrigley Field’s ivy-covered walls, Fenway Park’s Green Monster, or Michigan Stadium’s massive bowl, the venue becomes part of the story. These stadiums typically hold between 35,000 and 100,000 spectators, far exceeding standard NHL arena capacity. Northwestern vs Illinois at Wrigley Field, 2010 In 2010, Northwestern’s football team took on Illinois in what was the first football game to be played at Wrigley Field in 40 years. The iconic baseball venue provided a picturesque backdrop for two of the oldest programs in the Big Ten. The Wildcats would also later return to Wrigley, playing four games there between 2024 and 2025 due to ongoing construction at their home stadium. Carrier Classic, 2011-12, 2022 The Carrier Classic was a series of college basketball games played on the deck of a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier beginning in 2011. Set against an open sky and the ocean, the image of a basketball court in the middle of the ocean is one that’s hard to beat. Every camera angle feels like a movie shot, especially at sunset when the horizon glows behind the baskets. And it helps that powerhouse teams like Michigan State, North Carolina, Syracuse, and Gonzaga have all participated in some electric games in this series. Battle at Bristol, 2016 In 2016, Bristol Motor Speedway was converted to a football stadium for a college football game between Virginia Tech and Tennessee. The game saw 156,990 people, making it the largest college football venue in history. Peyton Manning and Bruce Smith were the alumni representatives for each school at the coin toss, further adding to the spectacle. Field of Dreams Game, 2021-22, 2026 The 1989 baseball movie Field of Dreams is arguably one of the best sports films of all-time. It revolves around an Iowa farmer who builds a baseball field on his cornfield. Major League Baseball decided to pay homage to it by creating the “Field of Dreams” game in 2021 between the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox, constructing a field in Dyersville, Iowa. It is one of the most jaw-dropping images in sports, as players are often photographed while walking through the cornfields. In 2022, the Chicago Cubs took on the Cincinnati Reds and will feature the Minnestoa Twins and Philadelphia Phillies this season. Clash at Coliseum, 2022-24 Racing inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum turns NASCAR into a stadium spectacle. The historic venue, once home to the Olympics and still the house for the USC football team, becomes a tight, high-banked short track packed into an iconic bowl. Fans tower over the action from all sides, creating a sense of intensity and closeness rarely seen in motorsports. Joey Logano won in 2022, Martin Truex Jr. in 2023, and Denny Hamlin in 2024. Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, 2023-Present People often view Vegas as the city that never sleeps, known for opulence, luxurious hotels and casinos, and excess. What else could you add to the world-famous Las Vegas strip? Well, Formula 1 decided to build a racetrack around it, constructing a 6.2-kilometer course for the world’s fastest drivers and cars. Imagine being at the Bellagio Hotel, looking out the window, and seeing cars drive 200-plus miles per hour on the streets! The first edition took place in 2023, with Max Verstappen getting the victory. NASCAR’s Grant Park 165, 2023-25 Few motorsports events can match the spectacle of NASCAR racing through the heart of a major American city. The Chicago street race transforms downtown streets into a temporary speedway, wrapping stock cars around Lake Michigan, Grant Park, and the skyline itself. Instead of grandstands and infields, fans get skyscrapers, waterfront views, and iconic landmarks framing every lap. It feels less like a traditional race and more like a citywide festival, where Chicago’s energy collides with NASCAR in one of the sport’s most visually striking settings. Shane van Gisbergen won the event in 2023 and 2025, while Alex Bowman took it in 2024. Nebraska Women’s Volleyball at Memorial Stadium, 2023 Dubbed as “Volleyball Day in Nebraska”, the University of Nebraska hosted a two-match event featuring four schools at Memorial Stadium, the home of the Cornhuskers’ football program. The second match, featuring the women’s volleyball team against Omaha saw a whopping 92,003 people in attendance, widely considered one of the highest attendances on record for a women’s sporting event. The sea of red all over the stadium was one of the most incredible sights you’ll see in sports. UFC 306 at The Sphere, 2024 There aren’t many venues that are cooler in the country than the Sphere in Paradise, Nevada. Built in 2023, it features 580,000 square feet of LED displays and measures 366 feet tall and 516 feet wide. A year after its construction, the UFC decided to host one of its biggest events there. Headlined by “Suga” Sean O’Malley taking on Merab Dvalishvili for the Bantamweight Championship, UFC 306 was also a celebration of Mexico’s Independence Day, and dubbed “Noche UCF.” Throughout the night, incredible visuals representing Mexican culture were featured on the Sphere’s massive screen. MLB Speedway Classic, 2025 The 2025 MLB Speedway Classic brought baseball into the roaring world of motorsports, transforming a racetrack into a diamond. The Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves played a game at Bristol Motor Speedway with over 91,000 fans present, setting the attendance record for a MLB regular-season game. The venue combined features of a traditional ballpark, such as dugouts and backstops, with the scale and layout of a speedway. Grand Prix of Arlington, 2026 INDYCAR is headed to Arlington, Texas, this year, bringing two “American institutions together.” From March 13-15, INDYCAR will unveil a brand-new stop right outside AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys. This will be the first-ever Grand Prix of Arlington and the third stop on the INDYCAR calendar, after the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg and the Good Ranchers 250 at Phoenix Raceway. Freedom 250, 2026 For more information on INDYCAR’s newest event, check out the links below:​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Superstars will be in abundance at the 2026 World Baseball Classic, especially on the United States and Japan rosters, but that’s not the case for other countries. Houston Astros stars Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa and New York Mets star Francisco Lindor aren’t cleared to compete in the esteemed baseball tournament for their respective countries. Here’s what’s going on: Insurance at the heart of the issue Altuve (Venezuela), Correa (Puerto Rico) and Lindor (Puerto Rico) are among the players who can’t participate in the World Baseball Classic due to not being granted the proper insurance to play; an insurance policy is in place that financially protects MLB teams if a player gets hurt in the tournament. “Due to the criteria for WBC insurance coverage, Jose Altuve was looking forward to participating in the WBC and representing Venezuela, but unfortunately is not eligible to do so,” the MLBPA said in a statement. “Jose is obviously disappointed in this result, but he is looking forward to getting to spring training and preparing himself for a successful season.” Altuve, who suffered a thumb injury in the 2023 WBC and missed the beginning of the 2023 MLB regular season due to the injury, underwent foot surgery in November; Correa has missed extensive time due to back, rib, finger and foot injuries, among other issues throughout his MLB career; Lindor underwent elbow surgery in October. “Due to the cleanup procedure that Francisco Lindor had on his right elbow earlier this offseason, he will not be participating for team Puerto Rico in the 2026 World Baseball Classic,” the MLBPA said in a statement. “Francisco is obviously disappointed that he will be unable to participate. However, because of WBC insurance constraints, he is ineligible to play in WBC games. “He will participate fully in all spring training activities.” Puerto Rico is in trouble Additionally, Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Jose Berrios and Cincinnati Reds reliever Emilio Pagan, who would each play for Puerto Rico, haven’t been cleared. The country is considering withdrawing from the 2026 World Baseball Classic, Dr. Jose Quiles, the President of the Puerto Rico Baseball Federation, said. “We are considering not participating in this edition [of the WBC]. It’s a discussion we’ve already had,” Quiles said. “If we are not playing under equal conditions, we will not participate. It’s a decision that is almost, almost, made. We are issuing a warning. We’ll see what happens in the coming days, and we will make a final decision.” Precedent In the 2023 World Baseball Classic, reliever Edwin Diaz — who signed a five-year, $102 million contract with the Mets just four months earlier — suffered a torn right patellar tendon in a celebration pile after a Puerto Rico victory. Diaz subsequently missed the entire 2023 MLB season. Prior to the 2023 WBC, Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw wasn’t able to secure the needed insurance coverage to play due to concerns about his back.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports