| Date | Sport | Venue/Event | Status | Winner/s |
|---|
| 1 | Horse racing |  2016 Melbourne Cup | International |  Almandin (Jockey: Kerrin McEvoy) |
| 1–5 | Beach soccer |  2016 Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup | International |  Brazil |
| 4–5 | Horse racing |  2016 Breeders' Cup | International | Classic: Arrogate (Jockey: Mike E. Smith)
See main article for other winners. |
| 4–6 | 1:10 R/C off-road racing |  2016 JMRCA All-Japan 1:10 Electric Off-Road Championship | Domestic | 2WD: Yusuke Suguira ( Kyosho)
4WD: Naoto Matsukura ( Kyosho) |
| 4–9 | Rhythmic Gymnastics |  2016 Pan American Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships | Continental | Sênior: Mexico (5 golds) Brazil (4 golds)
Junior: Brazil (5 golds) Mexico (4 golds) |
| 5 | Association football |  2016 AFC Cup Final | Continental |  Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya |
| 6 | Marathon | 2016 New York City Marathon (WMM #6) | International | Men:  Ghirmay Ghebreslassie
Women:  Mary Jepkosgei Keitany |
| 6–Jan/Feb 2017 | Sailing |  2016-17 Vendée Globe | International | Armel Le Cléac'h |
| 7–12 | Snooker |  2016 Champion of Champions | International |  John Higgins |
| 8–13 | Badminton |  2016 BWF World Junior Championships | International |  China |
| 8–16 | Weightlifting | 2016 Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships | Continental |  Iran |
| 11–30 | Chess | World Chess Championship 2016 | International |  Magnus Carlsen |
| 12 | Formula E |  2016 Marrakesh ePrix | International |  Sébastien Buemi ( DAMS) |
| 12–13 | Tennis | 2016 Fed Cup Final | International |  Czech Republic |
| 12–20 | Darts | 2016 Grand Slam of Darts | International |  Michael van Gerwen |
| 13 | Formula One | 2016 Brazilian Grand Prix | International |  Lewis Hamilton ( Mercedes) |
| 13 | Motorcycle racing | 2016 Valencian Community motorcycle Grand Prix | International | MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo ( Movistar Yamaha MotoGP)
Moto2: Johann Zarco (  Ajo Motorsport)
Moto3:  Brad Binder ( Red Bull KTM Ajo) |
| 13–17 | Weightlifting | 2016 FISU World University Weightlifting Championships | International | China |
| 13–20 | Basketball |  2016 FIBA Asia Under-18 Championship for Women | Continental | China |
| 13–20 | Tennis | 2016 ATP World Tour Finals | International | Singles: Andy Murray
Doubles: Henri Kontinen / John Peers |
| 13–3 December | Association football |  2016 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup | International |  North Korea |
| 14–24 | Amateur boxing |  2016 Women's European Amateur Boxing Championships | Continental |  Russia |
| 17–26 | Amateur boxing | 2016 AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships | International |  Cuba |
| 18–26 | Curling | 2016 European Curling Championships | Continental | Men:  Sweden (Skip: Niklas Edin)
Women: Russia (Skip: Victoria Moiseeva) |
| 18–29 | Snooker | 2016 World Amateur Snooker Championship (Men / Women) | International | Men: Soheil Vahedi
Women:  Wendy Jans |
| 19 | Motorcycle racing |  2016 Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix | International | Peter Hickman ( Bathams/SMT Racing) |
| 19–20 | Triathlon | 2016 ITU Cross Triathlon World Championships | International | Men: Rubén Ruzafa
Women:  Flora Duffy |
| 19–20 | Desert racing | 2016 Baja 1000 | International | Car: Rob MacCachren/ Jason Voss
Bikes: Justin Jones/ David Kamo/ Mark Samuels/ Daymon Stokie/ Colton Udall/ |
| 19–3 December | Association football |  2016 Africa Women Cup of Nations | Continental |  Nigeria |
| 19–17 December | Association football |  /  2016 AFF Championship | Regional | Thailand |
| 20 | Touring car racing | 2016 Guia Race of Macau | International |  Tiago Monteiro ( WestCoast Racing) |
| 20 | GT racing | 2016 FIA GT World Cup | International | Laurens Vanthoor ( Audi Sport Team WRT) |
| 20 | Formula Three | 2016 Macau Grand Prix | International | António Félix da Costa ( Carlin) |
| 22–4 December | Snooker | 2016 UK Championship | International | Mark Selby |
| 24–27 | Golf | 2016 World Cup of Golf | International |  Denmark (Søren Kjeldsen & Thorbjørn Olesen) |
| 24–27 | Aerobic Gymnastics |  2016 Pan American Aerobic Gymnastics Championships | Continental | Brazil and  Argentina (3 golds) |
| 24–3 December | Multi-sport |  2016 Bolivarian Beach Games | Regional | Chile |
| 24–4 December | Field hockey | 2016 Women's Hockey Junior World Cup | International | Argentina |
| 25–27 | Darts | 2016 Players Championship Finals | International | Michael van Gerwen |
| 25–27 | Tennis |  2016 Davis Cup Final | International | Argentina |
| 27 | Canadian football |  104th Grey Cup | Domestic |  Ottawa Redblacks |
| 27 | Formula One | 2016 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix | International | Lewis Hamilton ( Mercedes) |
| 27 | Horse racing | 2016 Japan Cup | International | Kitasan Black (Jockey: Yutaka Take) |
| 27 | Ultramarathon | 2016 IAU 100 km World Championships | International | Men: Hideaki Yamauchi
Women: Kirstin Bull |
| 27–3 December | Squash | 2016 Women's World Team Squash Championships | International |  Egypt |
| 29–11 December | Bowls |  2016 World Outdoor Bowls Championship | International | Australia |
| 30–7 December | Table tennis | 2016 World Junior Table Tennis Championships | International | Japan |
