Sports 24-Hour Briefing
×Formula 1
Last updated: October 20, 2026, 5:20 PM ET
Formula 1
The FIA expects the races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi to go ahead as scheduled, according to president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
Coming Up
The Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix remain on the calendar, with the FIA confident both will run as planned.
Football/Soccer
Last updated: October 21, 2026, 6:50 PM ET
Champions League
Liverpool came from two goals down skysports.com to beat Villarreal 4-3 at Anfield, with 18-year-old Rio Ngumoha producing the finest game espn.com of his Liverpool career. Manchester City thrashed AEK Athens 5-1 skysports.com, with Phil Foden scoring a hat trick espn.com while Erling Haaland was rested. PSG beat Barcelona 4-2 skysports.com, handing Hansi Flick's side their first defeat of the season, though Ousmane Dembélé's injury problems overshadowed the win espn.com. Barcelona have reported PSG to UEFA espn.com over the "overly aggressive" tifo. The competition also set a new goals record bbc.co.uk on Tuesday.
Premier League & Manchester United
Manchester United manager Michael Carrick demands more clean sheets bbc.co.uk as he looks to turn the season around, and Lisandro Martínez and Marcus Rashford missed training espn.com ahead of the trip to Como. United are reportedly targeting two left-backs skysports.com in a planned overhaul. Wolves were held 1-1 skysports.com by Portsmouth, with Terry Devlin scoring a late equaliser. Football's independent regulator chair has said it will have "absolute power" espn.com to force a Manchester City sale, while Sven Botman's challenge bbc.co.uk on Nicolas Jackson drew criticism, which referees' chief Howard Webb has defended.
Europe & Transfers
Como, led by Cesc Fàbregas, prepare for a historic tie against Manchester United, a match Fàbregas calls a "dream come true" espn.com. Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany is doubtful espn.com for the Arsenal game with a viral infection. Real Madrid's José Mourinho insisted that no player is untouchable espn.com, and Premier League clubs are eyeing Trent Alexander-Arnold espn.com. Cristiano Ronaldo was fined and suspended for 30 days espn.com by Portugal after a walkout, and he missed a penalty espn.com on his first appearance back for Al Nassr. Turkey's football federation has banned 147 officials bbc.co.uk for breaching betting rules.
Other Football
Celtic thrashed Hearts 7-1 bbc.co.uk, and the SPFL has invited bids bbc.co.uk for its new Scottish Premiership TV rights. The USWNT U17 side set a World Cup record espn.com with a 17-0 win over Samoa. Gianni Infantino is courting Asian football bodies espn.com in his FIFA re-election bid, and UEFA has demanded answers espn.com from FIFA over its World Cup plans. Teemu Pukki has announced his retirement bbc.co.uk at.
Coming Up
The USMNT close out 2026 espn.com against Jamaica in Fort Lauderdale. The NFL's historic Paris game skysports.com between the Saints and Steelers is set to go ahead as planned.
NBA Basketball
Last updated: October 21, 2026, 6:50 PM ET
Opening Night Results
The 76ers rallied past espn.com the defending champion Knicks in LeBron James's NBA-record 24th season debut, spoiling New York's championship celebration. Philadelphia took down espn.com the Knicks in the season opener, and Joel Embiid shined with three blocks. Mike Brown admitted he wouldn't have felt good about a Knicks win given the way they played. New York raised its title banner espn.com before tip-off, adding a surprise Cup banner.
Comebacks and Standout Debuts
The Pistons rallied from 22 points down espn.com to beat the Celtics, the largest comeback in NBA history on the first day of a season. Paul George scored 38 points espn.com in his Celtics debut, the most by a Boston player in his first game, though it came in a loss. In the Thunder's season opener, the team showed it has Chet Holmgren's back after a scuffle early in the second quarter.
Injuries and Roster Moves
Brandin Podziemski was a surprise scratch espn.com for the Warriors with back soreness. Stephen Curry is expected to play espn.com despite an ankle issue. The Hornets will be without Kon Knueppel and Coby White for their opener. AJ Dybantsa's Wizards debut has been delayed espn.com by an ankle injury. Ben Simmons suffered a torn Achilles espn.com and will undergo surgery, ending his season with the Kings.
Contracts and Transactions
The Hornets and Brandon Miller agreed to a five-year, $209 million espn.com rookie extension. Jaden McDaniels signed a one-year, $40 million espn.com extension with the Timberwolves. Cason Wallace agreed to a five-year, $139 million espn.com extension with the Thunder. The Lakers waived Dalton Knecht espn.com, the 2024 first-round pick. The Bucks waived Kevin Porter Jr. espn.com before the season opener.
Season Outlook and League News
Commissioner Adam Silver said there is "no rules issue" espn.com with LeBron's helicopter commute. The NBA will make its largest investment ever espn.com in European basketball through a new league. Oddsmakers list the Spurs and Thunder espn.com as the championship favorites entering the season. Our experts made their picks espn.com for the East, West and title, and offered bold predictions espn.com for fantasy hoops. Jayson Tatum and the Celtics face a new-look roster as the season begins.
Coming Up
The Warriors and Lakers meet Wednesday night espn.com in the season opener, with Curry expected to play. The NBA season preview espn.com breaks down all 30 teams ahead of the full season.
NFL Football
Last updated: October 21, 2026, 6:50 PM ET
Quarterback Injuries & Medical Scrutiny
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts espn.com is expected to miss the rest of the season after doctors discovered blood clots in his lungs. The NFLPA espn.com has called for a full investigation into how the team handled his medical care, while reports espn.com indicate the league will not punish Philadelphia over the process. ESPN's medical breakdown explains what the diagnosis means espn.com for the quarterback Receivers Hit Hard
Commanders wideout Terry McLaurin espn.com suffered a torn patellar tendon that will end his season, a blow after he was carted off espn.com during Monday night's loss. The Rams lost Davante Adams espn.com to a ruptured hamstring for six to ten weeks, and 49ers receiver Mike Evans espn.com exited Monday's game with Achilles soreness. Pittsburgh responded by bringing back veteran Marquez Valdes-Scantling espn.com amid its own receiver injury problems.
Roster Moves & Coaching Changes
The Colts fired general manager Chris Ballard espn.com on Monday, prompting questions about whether a broader overhaul is coming in Indianapolis. The Giants released running back Najee Harris espn.com days after he managed just two yards as a starter, and the Titans abruptly cut defensive tackle Jordan Elliott espn.com over an undisclosed facility incident. Miami also released kicker Riley Patterson espn.com after kickoff issues, and the Rams signed Brandon McManus espn.com as their third kicker in three weeks. Cowboys ownership, meanwhile, has backed Brian Schottenheimer espn.com despite Dallas's 2-4 start.
Struggling Contenders & Power Rankings
The Rams have fallen well short espn.com of expectations at 2-4, while ESPN's latest Power Rankings espn.com lay out where every team stands heading into Week. Giants coach John Harbaugh faces a quarterback decision between Jameis Winston and J.J. McCarthy espn.com. Commanders coach Dan Quinn said he addressed espn.com a fourth-down throwaway with quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Week 7 Previews & Fantasy
ESPN's Week 7 preview espn.com weighs the Colts' coaching decisions and whether Philadelphia could trade stars. Packers running back Josh Jacobs espn.com is set to return to practice Wednesday and might play Sunday. For fantasy managers, Eric Karabell highlights the top free agent pickups espn.com for Week, and ESPN's early betting analysis flags three games espn.com with immediate value.
League Business & Entertainment
The NFL will boost security espn.com for the Steelers-Saints game in Paris following recent riots in the city. U2 will headline the first Thanksgiving Eve halftime show espn.com, joining a lineup that includes Beyonce. Elsewhere, a feature on the painstaking process of installing NFL fields espn.com in stadiums not built for them offers a look at the work behind game-day surfaces. Weekly trolling after Week 6 was led by the Panthers, whose jab at Philadelphia espn.com drew attention across the league.
Coming Up
Jacobs is expected to practice espn.com Wednesday and could play Sunday. The Steelers and Saints meet in Paris espn.com with heightened security in place. U2 performs at the Thanksgiving Eve halftime show espn.com later in the season.
MLB Baseball
Last updated: October 21, 2026, 6:50 PM ET
World Series Matchup
The Brewers and Rays are set for the Fall Classic espn.com, a showdown guaranteed to crown a first-time champion. Both franchises are chasing their first title, and the preview espn.com lays out how each club can win it all.
American League Championship
Tampa Bay closed out Cleveland espn.com in Game 6 to punch its ticket to Milwaukee. Junior Caminero's unlikely blast espn.com and a 38.7-second home run trot punctuated the pennant-clinching win. Freddy Peralta earned ALCS MVP honors espn.com after his fastball carried the Rays into the Series. The Guardians, meanwhile, came up short espn.com, extending their championship drought to 78 years.
Team Profiles
The small-market Rays have built a winning culture espn.com that has made them kings of the American League. The Brewers, once considered long shots, now carry significant sportsbook liability espn.com heading into the Series.
Fan Concerns
Some Brewers fans who cashed in on a 2015 promotion were upset espn.com with the seating they received for the Series, prompting the club to try to make amends.
Front Office and Free Agency
Aaron Boone will return as Yankees manager espn.com for a 10th season in 2027, according to a source. The qualifying offer for this year's free agents rose 5.1% espn.com to $23.15 million. The Athletics also hired Taylor Smith espn.com as president of baseball operations, adding a former Red Sox and Rays executive to their front office.
International Market
Japanese slugger Teruaki Sato, is seeking an MLB move espn.com through the posting system after a strong showing with his national team.
Coming Up
The Brewers and Rays open the World Series espn.com as the first-time champion will be crowned.
NHL Hockey
Last updated: October 21, 2026, 6:50 PM ET
Kings and Standings
The Los Angeles Kings finally broke through, ending their status as the NHL's only winless team, but the win came with a cost as Byfield was lost to an upper-body injury. The Rangers, meanwhile, kept rolling espn.com, beating the Ducks 5-2 on Monday night to improve to 6-0-0 at home. League leaders in points, goals and goals-against average are laid out in the latest stat rankings espn.com.
Trades and Roster Moves
Trade speculation is heating up around Winnipeg, where several teams espn.com remain interested in goalie Connor Hellebuyck. In Detroit, Dylan Larkin's trade list has grown espn.com to 10 teams after his request went public last June. Brady Tkachuk, traded from Ottawa to Florida in June, says he will donate espn.com the Senators jerseys that fans threw in protest.
Player Health and Milestones
Penguins forward Ben Kindel was hospitalized in Salt Lake City espn.com after a medical emergency on a flight and was being evaluated when reports came in. On a happier note, Cole Knuble, son of Mike, made his NHL debut espn.com with the Flyers, the team he grew up rooting for. In goal, 24-year-old Dylan Garand has stepped into the spotlight espn.com with injuries to Igor Shesterkin, though questions remain about how long the run will last.
Tuesday Slate
Twenty-two teams take the ice Tuesday, with the Bruins and Stars espn.com headlining the card. The Kings face the Capitals cbssports.com in Washington, where they could extend the winless drought. For fantasy managers, a look at which hot defensive starts espn.com are likely to cool off offers useful trade guidance.
Coming Up
The Kings play in Washington cbssports.com Tuesday night, and the Bruins and Stars espn.com meet later in the evening's 22-team slate.
General Sports
Last updated: October 21, 2026, 6:50 PM ET
NBA
LeBron James scored 14 points on his debut for the Philadelphia 76ers as they beat the Knicks on opening night. The Celtics extended espn.com their form in a separate test of contenders, while the WNBA Finals took center stage as the Dream evened the series espn.com with a 30-point, 16-rebound performance from Angel Reese espn.com.
WNBA Finals
Reese's redemption effort espn.com included 30 points and 16 rebounds, while Allisha Gray added 18 points as Atlanta beat the Valkyries at Ballhalla. The Valkyries lost espn.com for the first time at home this postseason. Several breakout stars have also finally gained espn.com recognition on the biggest stage, and Gabby Williams arrived espn.com for Game 2 showing her 49ers fandom.
College Football
Ohio State plans espn.com to play without the injured Julian Sayin for the rest of the postseason, with coach Ryan Day declining to give a timeline. Auburn dismissed espn.com linebacker Xavier Atkins, who plans to enter the transfer portal. BYU's win over Notre Dame lifted espn.com the Cougars to No. 2, and the CFP bubble picture espn.com remains wide open at midseason. Notre Dame rose espn.com to the top of the odds boards after a chaotic Week, and the bowl projections shifted espn.com sharply. The Big 12 commissioner said espn.com the league would find a new event if the CFP ends conference title games. Jeremiah Smith leads espn.com the midseason awards conversation.
Rugby
Scotland will face the All Blacks in New Zealand for the first time in 27 years. Wales boss Steve Tandy named bbc.co.uk uncapped Dragons backs Aneurin Owen and Che Hope in his squad, and Tandy defended his tough selection calls. Taulupe Faletau remains bbc.co.uk a World Cup contender in Tandy's view. Aicha Sutcliffe makes bbc.co.uk her first Scotland start against Australia. England's Brad O'Neill rejected bbc.co.uk claims that his side were underprepared for the World Cup. Saracens owner Dominic Silvester backed bbc.co.uk CEO Ed Coetzee amid chaos claims.
Cricket
Temba Bavuma's 179 drags South Africa bbc.co.uk back into their Test series against Australia.
Tennis & Snooker
Iga Swiatek ends bbc.co.uk her season early after failing to qualify for the WTA Finals, calling it her most demanding year. Mark Allen lost bbc.co.uk to Jordan Brown on his return and is considering bbc.co.uk retirement. Ronnie O'Sullivan faces a battle bbc.co.uk to stay in the world's top.
Motorsport & Other
Kimi Antonelli nears espn.com F1 history as he approaches becoming the youngest world champion. Nearly $1 million in trading cards was stolen espn.com from a FedEx truck in California. The Florida Bar suspended espn.com an employee over comments made to a Miami football player. South Carolina topped espn.com the AP women's preseason poll, while Florida sits at No. 1 espn.com in the men's preseason Top.
Coming Up
The WNBA Finals continue espn.com with the series now tied. Champions League action kicks off espn.com with Dortmund in action on Tuesday.