2018 has officially arrived, which means we enter a brand new year where we can marvel at the incredible moments that the world of sports will bring to its adoring fans. As we enter the next year, let’s take a look at just a few of the important dates that mark the most interesting stories in sports.

February 4th - Super Bowl LII

This year’s NFL bracket is set to offer some interesting storylines, as there doesn’t appear to be two clear-cut favorites to meet in the United States’ biggest sporting spectacle.

In the AFC, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots will look to add a sixth ring to their collection as the number one seed, while the Pittsburgh Steelers appear to be the most likely threat to their conference throne. The Buffalo Bills will enter play as the 6th seeded team in the AFC, making an appearance in the postseason for the first time in the 21st century.

In the NFC, all four division winners are represented by teams that didn’t participate in last season’s playoffs. The only NFC team representing last year’s playoff crop are the reigning conference champion Atlanta Falcons, who enter as the 6th seed and are looking to avenge last year’s Super Bowl collapse. The second-seeded Minnesota Vikings will attempt to be the first team to play a Super Bowl in their home stadium. With the top-seeded Philadelphia Eagles missing star quarterback Carson Wentz, this conference is anyone’s to win.

February 9th-25th - 2018 Winter Olympics

Pyeongchang in South Korea is set to host this year’s world spectacle this winter as each participating country watches and roots for their respective athletes with pride and the hopes that they gain bragging rights with a big win against opposing nations. The Olympic Games are always a great event that brings people together from all over the world. This year's big story features the decision from the National Hockey League to prevent its players from participating on the world stage. It will be interesting to see how the countries adapt and which players will take the ice when the games begin.

March 29th - MLB Opening Day

This season, Major League Baseball will open up its season with the earliest Opening Day in its history on March 29th in order to accommodate the new collective bargaining agreement that provides players with three additional days of rest over the course of the season. All 30 teams will play on the first day of the season for the first time since 1968.

In the games to watch out for, the reigning champion Houston Astros will battle its division rival, the Texas Rangers and the National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers with play at home against their long-time rival, the San Francisco Giants. In addition, the New York Yankees will open their season in Canada against the Toronto Blue Jays, where fans will get their first look at the powerful lineup featuring Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez, and the newly acquired Giancarlo Stanton, who hit a combined 144 home runs last season.

April 14th - NBA Playoffs Begin

Will the Golden State Warriors win back-to-back championships? Will they face the Cleveland Cavaliers in the finals once again? Can LeBron James add a fourth ring to his resume? All of these questions will start to gather answers when the playoffs begin in the NBA.

In the Western Conference, the Warriors continue to be the favorite, led by the monster quintet of Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson. The only true threat to their throne appears to be the Houston Rockets, who acquired Chris Paul in the offseason and are playing great basketball as they keep up with Golden State in the standings.

In the Eastern Conference, the Cleveland Cavaliers continue to be a strong team as they continue to get healthier. With LeBron leading the way, they’ll always be considered a favorite to win the conference. However, with the Boston Celtics leading the conference as it currently stands, led by former Cavalier Kyrie Irving, the Eastern Conference could play host to an interesting and competitive third round if the Celtics and Cavs were to face-off.

June 14-15 - 2018 FIFA World Cup

The World’s most popular sport is steadily approaching its biggest stage once again. Russia will be hosting the famous 32-team soccer tournament as worldwide star athletes search for eternal glory. While Italy, Chile and the United States will surprisingly not be participating after failing to qualify, the tournament is still full of fun storylines. Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal and Lionel Messi of Argentina will attempt to cement their legacies with a tournament victory, while Germany looks to repeat as reigning champs. Brazil will look to avenge an ugly exit in 2014 after they were blown-out in the semifinal 7-1 and fell to fourth place as the host team.