How to add a calendar to Google Calendar

Google Calendar can show a calendar that somebody else maintains, and keep it up to date on its own. You add it once and new events arrive automatically. This is different from importing a file, which copies events in as a one-off snapshot that never changes again.

Option 1: one click from Sync2Cal

If the calendar you want is on Sync2Cal, this is the fastest route and it handles the whole connection for you.

1. 1Find the calendar you want. You can search for a team, a league, or a show, or start from a hub like NFL, the FIFA World Cup 2026 or NHL.
2. 2Open the calendar page and press Subscribe.
3. 3Choose Google Calendar and approve the connection.
4. 4The events appear in a dedicated calendar in your Google account, and Sync2Cal keeps it current when fixtures move.

Option 2: add any calendar by URL

Use this when you have a subscription link from anywhere, including a school, a club or a work system. The link usually ends in .ics or starts with webcal://.

1. 1Open Google Calendar on a computer. This cannot be done from the mobile app.
2. 2In the left sidebar, find Other calendars and click the plus sign.
3. 3Choose From URL.
4. 4Paste the link and click Add calendar. If the link starts with webcal://, change that to https:// first.
5. 5Google fetches the calendar and it appears under Other calendars.

How often does it update?

Google decides its own refresh interval for calendars added by URL, and in practice it can be slow, sometimes up to 24 hours. Google does not let you force a refresh.

This is the main reason the one-click option above is better where it is available. Sync2Cal writes directly into your Google account instead of waiting for Google to poll a URL, so changes show up quickly. There is more detail in how Google Calendar sync works.

If the events do not show up

Check that the calendar is ticked in the left sidebar, since a newly added calendar can be switched off. If it is ticked and still empty, see events not showing in Google Calendar.

Adding to an iPhone or iPad instead? See how to add a calendar to Apple Calendar. For Outlook, see how Outlook sync works.