It’s been a big year for NSW, with a lot of wonderful moments lighting up our year, and an unthinkable tragedy casting a cloud over the final few weeks. With 2026 approaching, it’s time to look ahead – and after taking stock, we’re happy to confirm that there’s a lot to look forward to in 2026.
To help you map out your year, our team of writers (including Time Out Australia’s Travel and News Editor Melissa Woodley) have rounded up our top 10 new openings and events to bookmark for the year ahead.
Sydney Fish Market, opening January 19
Almost a decade ago, the NSW government announced plans to relocate the Sydney Fish Market – the largest in the Southern Hemisphere – to a sparkly new waterfront site just around the corner. The $836-million upgrade project was given the green light back in 2020 and will officially open on January 19, 2026. The world-class market is expected to attract 6 million visitors annually, featuring 40 fresh dining and drinking options and a 50-metre public wharf that will support a new ferry route connecting the market to Barangaroo.
Tropfest, February 22
Lights, camera, action! After a six-year break, the world’s largest short film festival is returning to Sydney. The Aussie-born summer fest has celebrated homegrown talent for more than three decades and is returning to its roots, challenging filmmakers to create a brand-new short film of seven minutes or less. The finalists will be screened at a free live event on February 22, so grab a picnic blanket and enjoy a night of creativity under the stars.
SailGP Sydney 2026, February 28 and March 1
Sailing enthusiasts, assemble. The world's fastest sailing competition – SailGP – is coming back to Sydney for 2026, and is introducing a cinematic new time slot with twilight racing taking the spotlight for 2026. Races on 28 February and 1 March will take place between 5:30-7pm – book a spot on a chase boat for a high-speed spectator experience, or head to Shark Island to catch the race from a luxe, Champagne-fuelled setting.
AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026, March 1-21
If you prefer to watch your sporting action on dry land, this one’s for you. From March 1 to 21, Australia will host the Asia Pacific’s top football teams – including the Matildas – for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026. Matches will be staged across major stadiums in Perth, the Gold Coast and Sydney, where you can cheer on the Tillies as they face off against 2022 champions China, past runners-up South Korea and Japan, and newly qualified teams from India, the Philippines and Vietnam. If the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 is anything to go by – the single biggest female sporting event in the world – we expect the Asian Cup to be a knockout.
The Phantom of the Opera, March 27 - May 3
Among the spectacular outdoor events staged for Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour, The Phantom of the Opera is perhaps the most ambitious and extravagant. Its 2022 premiere was record-breaking, making it the highest-grossing production in the event's decade-long history. Four years later, the tragic tale of the beautiful young singer returns for an exclusive 40th anniversary season from March 2026, directed by Australia’s master of musical theatre, Simon Phillips. With the Sydney Opera House as a backdrop, an enormous floating stage, an exceptional live orchestra, audacious costumes and nightly fireworks, it’s set to be one of the biggest Aussie productions of the year.
Northern Beaches Coast Walk – Newport to Bilgola section, opening early 2026
Once complete, the Northern Beaches Coast Walk will stretch for 36 stunning coastal kilometres from Manly all the way to Palm Beach, showcasing some of the city’s most spectacular headlands and coastal vantage points. The Manly to Newport section opened in 2024–2025, but a new extension of the trail – from Newport to Bilgola – is set to open in early 2026, another magical coastal walk to add to your hit list.
The Lion King, April 18 until July
2025 was a huge year for live shows in Australia – but now, the world’s number one musical is heading back Down Under, with an all-new Australian staging of Disney’s The Lion King set to premiere in Sydney from April 2026. Approaching 30 landmark years on Broadway, The Lion King has been seen by more than 112 million people worldwide and continues to ascend as one of the most popular stage musicals in the world. It’s been more than a decade since The Lion King’s last Aussie tour, and an exciting chance for loyal fans to reconnect and to spark a new wave of excitement in the next generation.
Western Sydney International Airport, opening late 2026
After years of scheming, building, hoop-jumping and route-mapping, Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport is almost ready for take-off. Sydney’s second major airport has been in the works since 2014 and is set to become the city’s largest, eventually handling over 80 million passengers annually (a similar size to London’s Heathrow). With the architecturally striking terminal revealed, the airfield, landside and terminal major construction works now complete and the flight paths announced, it’s all on track to open in late 2026.
Powerhouse Parramatta, opening late 2026
When the $915 million Powerhouse Parramatta opens in late 2026, it’ll mark the largest NSW Government investment in cultural architecture since the Sydney Opera House was built more than 50 years ago. Located on the riverside, it’ll also become the first major cultural institution to be established in Western Sydney. The museum is slated to welcome 2 million visitors through its doors in the first year, offering 18,000sqm of exhibition and public space, including a breathtaking rooftop garden.
Serengeti Resort, opening late 2026
Want to see rhinos, giraffes and zebras in the wild but can’t quite make it to Africa? Your safari dreams are closer than you think! In the second half of 2026, Australia’s largest African-style savannah resort is set to open at Taronga Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo. Spanning 55 hectares, the Serengeti Resort will feature a sleek events space, a café-restaurant and a sparkling infinity-edge pool, all positioned to offer prime views of the roaming animals. Visitors can even wake up in the wild at one of three unique accommodations, ranging from a billabong campsite to all-inclusive luxury lodges.
Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, straight to your inbox.