1842 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.

Events

• William "Bendigo" Thompson contemplates a comeback but no one will challenge Ben Caunt for his English Championship.^[1]

Events

• 6 August — formation of the original Kent County Cricket Club in Canterbury (it will be reformed as the present club in 1859).
• 25, 26 & 27 August — the new Kent CCC plays its inaugural first-class match v. All-England at the White Hart Ground, Bromley

England

• Most runs – Nicholas Felix 406 @ 31.23 (HS 88)
• Most wickets – William Hillyer 127 @ 13.42 (BB 8–?)

England

• Grand National – Gaylad
• 1,000 Guineas Stakes – Firebrand
• 2,000 Guineas Stakes – Meteor
• The Derby – Attila^[2]
• The Oaks – Our Nell
• St. Leger Stakes – Blue Bonnet

The Boat Race

• 11 June — Oxford wins the 6th Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race

Other events

• The first American collegiate rowing club is established at Yale University on the Thames River (Connecticut)