1988 Spitak earthquake — December 1988 earthquake in Armenian SSR, USSR

Athletics at the 1988 Summer Olympics — Track and field athletics events during the 1988 Summer Olympics

Basketball at the 1988 Summer Olympics — international basketball tournament

1988 AFC Asian Cup — international football competition

1988 Summer Olympics medal table — distribution of medals at the 1988 Summer Olympics

Fencing at the 1988 Summer Olympics

1988 African Cup of Nations — football tournament

1988 Formula One World Championship — sports season

1988 Summer Olympics — Games of the XXIV Olympiad, in Seoul, South Korea

Eurovision Song Contest 1988 — 33rd edition of the Eurovision Song Contest

1988–89 UEFA Cup — 18th season of Europe's secondary club football tournament organised by UEFA