Sports 24-Hour Briefing
×Formula 1
Last updated: October 18, 2026, 8:00 PM ET
Mercedes Upgrades
Mercedes has explained why its latest upgrade left the car harder to drive, raising doubts after the Singapore Grand Prix.
Championship Outlook
Title push analysis shows Mercedes could clinch the 2026 world championships on the strength of its return to form.
Coming Up
Mercedes' championship timing depends on the remaining rounds of the 2026 calendar.
Football/Soccer
Last updated: October 19, 2026, 4:40 AM ET
Premier League Results and Table Watch
Arsenal struggled to create chances but still edged past Nottingham Forest 1-0 at the City Ground, with Noni Madueke coming off the bench to fire the winner. Arteta blamed Forest's compact "Christmas tree" shape for the lack of a cutting edge, and the win leaves Forest sinking into the relegation zone. Brighton thrashed Crystal Palace 5-0, with Diego Gomez scoring a stunning strike, and Palace manager Pierre Sage admitted he felt "shame" at the performance. Brighton's Fabian Hürzeler urged supporters to enjoy the moment rather than fixate on the table, while Bournemouth beat 10-man Sunderland 2-0 for their first league win of the season. Man City face an uncertain off-field future, though Enzo Maresca's side continue to deliver on the pitch, and Erling Haaland's limp-off prompted only mild concern from the Spaniard.
Manchester United Crisis
Manchester United's worst start since 1986 deepened with a 1-1 draw at Leeds, leaving them with seven points from seven games. Dominic Calvert-Lewin's second-half equaliser cancelled out an early effort, and Michael Carrick said the situation doesn't look great, while pressure on his position continues to build. Gary Neville warned the club must avoid the bottom half by January, and Carrick insisted the squad is united after Lisandro Martínez's fiery outburst. Mbeumo has been the side's most reliable scorer, according to Sky Sports' ratings, while Carrick backed his team to stay calm as the winless run reached six.
Celtic and Scottish Premiership
Celtic crushed title rivals Hearts 7-1 at Celtic Park, moving four points clear at the top. Hearts were overwhelmed from the outset, and Kris Boyd criticised the visitors' "lack of respect," while O'Neill downplayed the scoreline, saying "four points is nothing."
Champions League and La Liga
Barcelona moved level with a record LaLiga start, with Hansi Flick hailing Lamine Yamal as the best player in the world, while Eric García and Jules Koundé will miss the Champions League clash with PSG through injury. Real Madrid routed Sevilla 4-1, with Kylian Mbappé netting a brilliant double, and José Mourinho dismissed the fuss over Arda Güler's elbow. Milan held off an Atalanta fightback to win 3-2 at San Siro, keeping Amorim unbeaten in Serie A. Northampton became the first Premiership side to win in this season's Champions Cup.
Chelsea, Tottenham and Women's Football
Chelsea hit six past Spurs in the WSL, while Man City stayed perfect after a 3-2 win over a spirited Brighton. Chelsea's Emiliano Martínez suffered a broken jaw in the win at Everton and will be out for weeks. Jordan Henderson, at 36 the Premier League's oldest player, is becoming undroppable at Chelsea. At Tottenham, Roberto De Zerbi banned phones during meals, and Dejan Kulusevski returns to the matchday squad after 526 days out. Sonay Kartal fell short in the Wuhan Open final, losing a deciding set to Maja Chwalinska.
Other Stories
Messi scored twice to lift his MLS tally to 25 in Miami's win at Atlanta, and Gio Reyna scored for Strasbourg in a loss to PSG. Chicago and Portland have entered the race to host 2031 Women's World Cup matches. Infantino apologised at the FIFA Council but his re-election remains uncertain. Gyökeres could leave Arsenal in January.
Coming Up
Barcelona face PSG in the Champions League, with García and Koundé both ruled out. Arsenal face Nottingham Forest's rivals next as they chase City at the top.
NBA Basketball
Last updated: October 19, 2026, 4:40 AM ET
Contract Extensions
The Thunder signed guard Cason Wallace to a five-year, $139M extension, locking up the All-Defensive selection for the long term. Suns center Oso Ighodaro also agreed to a three-year, $29M extension with Phoenix.
Injuries
Kings guard Ben Simmons suffered a torn Achilles and will undergo surgery, ending his season. Top overall pick AJ Dybantsa exited the Wizards' preseason finale with an injury and will have his ankle checked. Warriors star Stephen Curry tweaked his right ankle in practice, but Steve Kerr said he is "fine."
Roster Moves
The Knicks waived Bruce Brown while keeping James Wiseman on the roster ahead of the season opener. The 76ers, short on frontcourt depth, converted 7-foot-6 Tacko Fall to a two-way contract.
Philadelphia Outlook
Without VJ Edgecombe, who sat out Friday's 125-120 loss, Joel Embiid insisted no one will "take a back seat" on the star-laden Sixers.
League Feuds & Entertainment
Kevin Durant fired back at Suns owner Mat Ishbia on social media over how the Phoenix tenure was framed. Singer Steve Lacy delighted a crowd with a viral "LeBron, LeBron, LeBron" version of his hit "Oh Yeah?"
Coming Up
The Knicks open their season with James Wiseman retained on the roster. The 76ers look to bolster their rotation as the regular season approaches.
NFL Football
Last updated: October 19, 2026, 4:40 AM ET
Week 6 Results and Standouts
Aaron Rodgers tied Peyton Manning on the all-time passing touchdown list with 53 scores, throwing two more to lift the Steelers to an overtime win. Chad Ryland kicked six field goals, including a 43-yarder as time expired, to upset the Rams. The Packers won 23-13 over the Cowboys behind third-down conversions and a few defensive takeaways. Caleb Williams completed 30 of 36 passes for 305 yards and a touchdown in his return from injury, and Travis Hunter became the first player since 2002 to record an interception and a touchdown catch in the same game, though Jacksonville still lost at Wembley.
Week 6 Takeaways and Winners
Our reporters weighed the biggest storylines from across the league, with the Bills, Browns, Packers and Cardinals among the clear winners. In fantasy, Malik Nabers, Kenneth Walker III and Trevor Lawrence came up big, while Jerry Jeudy's clutch catch earned him the game ball in Cleveland's win. Mahomes reached 100 career wins with the Chiefs in his 131st start, matching Tom Brady for the fastest to that mark.
Losses, Controversies and Ejections
The Titans recorded their first win of the season by stunning the Colts, with Jeffery Simmons' halftime message credited for the turnaround. Colts fans booed the team and called for GM Chris Ballard to be fired after the loss, prompting coach Steichen to say he didn't blame them. Bills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson was ejected for a spitting incident and expects a fine. The Ravens lost to the Browns after Derrick Henry fumbled in the fourth quarter, the latest costly turnover for Baltimore. Panthers tight end Tommy Tremble apologized for a penalty tied to a taunt directed at Eagles defender DeJean.
Injuries and Roster Moves
Jalen Hurts was placed on injured reserve by the Eagles and is expected to be out indefinitely. Patriots receiver A.J. Brown had a career-high three drops in his return from a high ankle sprain, while Romeo Doubs and Vera Tucker also exited New England's win. Ladd McConkey left the Chargers game with a concussion, and Reed Blankenship suffered one for Houston in London. The 49ers ruled out Nick Bosa for Monday night, and Saints quarterback Tyler Shough has reportedly been playing with two broken bones in his non-throwing hand. Bears cornerback Kyler Gordon was activated from the PUP list, and the Patriots activated A.J. Brown from injured reserve.
Coaching and Front Office
Saints owner Gayle Benson endorsed Kellen Moore and his staff despite a 1-4 start. Giants coach John Harbaugh said he is not ready to name a starting quarterback or running back after a home loss to the Saints. Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh declined to address the reported McDaniel situation, saying his team will address everything as it starts 0-6. John Beake, the Broncos executive who helped secure John Elway and guided back-to-back Super Bowl teams, died at 87.
The NFL confirmed that the Week 7 Steelers-Saints game in Paris will go on as scheduled despite civil unrest in France. Packers-Cowboys will be a Sunday night showdown that revives a rivalry steeped in history. Our analysts have made their Week 6 predictions, including upset picks and touchdown scorers.
Coming Up
The Steelers and Saints play in Paris on Oct. 26 in Week. Packers and Cowboys meet Sunday night in a game that marks Micah Parsons' return to Dallas.
MLB Baseball
Last updated: October 19, 2026, 4:40 AM ET
ALCS
The Rays took a 3-2 series lead with a 3-1 win over the Guardians on Sunday night. Tampa Bay followed up in Cleveland, securing the pivotal Game 5 victory and moving within one win of the World Series. The Rays then evened the series earlier in the sequence, with Junior Caminero, Yandy Diaz and Jonathan Aranda combining for six hits in 14 at-bats after Cleveland's errors.
Guardians
Cleveland now faces elimination at Tropicana Field in Game. With no travel day after a Game 3 rainout, the weary Guardians return to the road, a setting the club says is where "this team thrives."
Coming Up
Game 6 of the ALCS is set for Tampa Bay, where a Rays win would send them to the World Series.
NHL Hockey
Last updated: October 18, 2026, 8:10 PM ET
Panthers Make History
The Florida Panthers became the first team in NHL history to record natural hat tricks in three straight games, with Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Bennett each scoring three goals in the streak. Brady Tkachuk added another natural hat trick, becoming the third player in league history to post back-to-back of them.
Power Rankings
The Carolina Hurricanes returned to the top of ESPN's 1-32 poll, with the latest rankings also highlighting each team's biggest surprise of the 2026-27 season.
Jets Await Hellebuyck
Winnipeg is still awaiting a trade for goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, and his suspension is nearing its end, which could return him to the Jets lineup.
Tonight's Slate
Sunday's action features just two games, Blue Jackets at Wild and Hurricanes at Flames, and ESPN has previewed both matchups with stats and betting information. Saturday's slate was even larger, with 14 games, as covered in ESPN's preview.
Coming Up
Blue Jackets and Wild face off Sunday, with Hurricanes and Flames meeting on the same day.
General Sports
Last updated: October 19, 2026, 4:40 AM ET
College Football Upsets
Miami climbed to No. 1 in the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2002, with BYU moving up to No. 2 after a chaotic week. Miami then survived two Hail Marys from Florida State to win in double overtime, while Auburn stunned top-ranked Georgia after a late fumble doomed the Bulldogs. The Big 12 admitted an error in ending the Notre Dame-BYU game, acknowledging Irish had one second left. Bill Connelly described the Saturday as an upset-filled day unlike any in recent memory, and the top playoff contenders were reassessed in light of five top-seven teams losing. Maryland fired defensive coordinator Ted Monachino after a five-game slide, and Florida State lost running back Ousmane Kromah for the season with an ankle injury.
WNBA Finals
Golden State held off Atlanta 68-64 to take a 1-0 lead in the series, with Gabby Williams delivering late as the Valkyries found a way to win.
NASCAR and Golf
Tyler Reddick won in Phoenix as Kyle Larson failed to finish, tightening the playoff title race. Ruoning Yin sank a four-foot birdie on the 16th to win the LPGA Shanghai by one stroke over Choi.
NFL and Other Sports
The Arizona Cardinals upset the Rams in week six while the Eagles lost. Duke cornerback Kimari Robinson apologized for swatting away a trainer's arm during the UNC game. Dylan Raiola came off the bench to lead Oregon to a 17-14 win over his former team. A member of the Air Force died after a fall before the Navy-UTSA game.
Rugby and Cricket
Northampton edged Cardiff 28-12 for the only English win of the Champions Cup openers, while Toulouse denied Exeter a famous win when Slade missed a last-gasp kick. Pau beat Leicester 41-17 with late tries, and Harlequins won 57-19 against Vannes in the Challenge Cup. A rule change is altering the face of one-day cricket.
Tennis, Golf and Athletics
Sonay Kartal lost the Wuhan Open final to Maja Chwalinska after fading from a strong position. Eugenio Chacarra won the DP World India Championship by two strokes to take the Race to Dubai lead. Rhys McClenaghan failed to reach the pommel horse final at the World Championships, and Emma Finucane vowed to come back fighting for gold after narrowly missing out. Lisowski defended his Northern Ireland Open title with a 4-1 win.
Coming Up
Smith defends his WBC title against Puello, with the undercard and viewing details laid out in the BBC preview.