NFR, UFC, and Raiders Lead December Sports in Las Vegas

^{Tyler Wade in action during the 2024 National Finals Rodeo, one of December’s biggest annual sports events in Las Vegas. (Photo: Clay Guardipee / NFR Experience)}

LAS VEGAS — The December Las Vegas sports calendar is packed as usual, but one event towers over everything else: the National Finals Rodeo. The NFR returns for its annual 10-day run and brings almost 200,000 people to Las Vegas.

NFR is a mainstay of the local sports scene and is celebrating its 40th year in Las Vegas in 2025. The rodeo sells out nearly every event and draws enough visitors that casinos fully embrace by filling their entertainment calendars with country artists.

Local teams will also bring fans to Allegiant Stadium and T-Mobile Arena throughout the month. Allegiant Stadium will also host the Las Vegas Bowl for the fifth time in December. Combat sports return with one last major card to wrap up the year, and the NBA Cup in-season tournament will also crown its champion in Las Vegas in the middle of the month.

NFR Rides Into Las Vegas

December kicks off with NFR arriving from Dec. 3-14 at the Thomas and Mack Center, determining world champions for a different discipline each night. The annual championship has been in Las Vegas since 1985, aside from a brief break during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The rodeo features the top 15 money earners in each of the seven main events: bareback riding, bull riding, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, tie-down roping, team roping, and barrel racing.

Fans can take in the nightly affiliated events and even meet their favorite competitors. Visitors during NFR will see plenty of cowboy hats around the casinos.

Visit NFR’s website for up-to-date information on the event, signings, and music performances.

Football Season Is Winding Down

Pro and college football are approaching the finish line, with three football events happening at Allegiant Stadium this month. 

The Raiders have only a few home games left, with two taking place in December. The Raiders will clash against the Denver Broncos on December 7, and then the New York Giants on December 28.

UNLV is headed into bowl season with no home games remaining. The Las Vegas Bowl is set for Dec. 31, featuring a team from the Big Ten or SEC against a team from the current (or former) Pac-12. Early projections include Arizona State, Nebraska, and Minnesota.

Vegas Golden Knights Home Games

The Golden Knights continue their push for yet another Stanley Cup with a slate of home games, mostly against Western Conference opponents. Hockey fans can even start celebrating early on New Year's Eve with a noon game against the Nashville Predators.

• Dec. 2 vs. Chicago Blackhawks
• Dec. 17 vs. New Jersey Devils
• Dec. 23 vs. San Jose Sharks
• Dec. 27 vs. Colorado Avalanche
• Dec. 29 vs. Minnesota Wild
• Dec. 31 vs. Nashville Predators

The team starts the new year on the road before returning to Vegas on Jan. 8 for the first of seven home games in January.

NBA Cup Finals Tip Off and UFC Returns at T-Mobile Arena

T-Mobile Arena hosts the NBA Cup and another UFC card in December. UFC held two small cards at the Apex in November and returns to T-Mobile Arena on Dec. 6 with their final major card of the year. The 14-fight lineup is headlined by Merab Dvalishvili vs. Petr Yan 2, beginning at 3 p.m. and running into the evening.

UFC continues to offer strong value for ticketholders with so many fights on one night. Fans who would rather watch from a casino will have plenty of options, including Fontainebleau and Sahara on the Strip.

One week later, the NBA Cup will take over the same arena for the semifinals and championship. Both semifinal games are played on Dec. 13, and the winners advance to the Dec. 16 final.

Fans looking for the best ticket value may want to attend the semifinals. The ticket price for two games is often less than the cost of a single ticket for the final, and weekend scheduling also makes the semifinals more convenient than a Tuesday-night championship.