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 18, 2026, 8:10 PM ET
Manchester United Crisis
Michael Carrick admitted Manchester United's situation doesn't look great after the side's worst start since 1986, with seven games producing seven points. A 1-1 draw at Leeds left the club winless, and pressure is mounting on Carrick's future. Carrick dismissed questions about his position as not important, while Gary Neville warned the club must avoid the bottom half by January. Carrick also faced questions over Lisandro Martínez's fiery outburst, which he insisted the squad has moved past.
Arsenal and Nottingham Forest
Noni Madueke's late strike gave toothless Arsenal a 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest, with the Gunners managing just one shot on target. The result pushed Forest into the relegation zone, and BBC pundits debated who missed the chance to settle the game. Separately, Viktor Gyökeres reportedly wants to leave Arsenal amid a lack of minutes.
Celtic and Hearts
Celtic thrashed title rivals Hearts 7-1 at Celtic Park, moving four points clear at the top. Kris Boyd criticised Hearts' lack of respect, while the BBC reported reactions that questioned Hearts' junior-level defending. Rangers missed the chance to go top after a 2-2 draw at Dundee.
Premier League Results
Brighton thrashed Crystal Palace 5-0, with Diego Gómez's stunning strike standing out. Bournemouth beat 10-man Sunderland 2-0 for their first league win of the season, while Sunderland's Nordi Mukiele admitted the club may have become arrogant. Haaland's brace helped Manchester City win, though Enzo Maresca played down fears over the striker's fitness. Aston Villa beat Newcastle, with Johan Manzambi's winner highlighting their resurgence. Liverpool returned to winning ways, with Florian Wirtz instrumental in the victory. Andoni Iraola questioned the VAR decision that overturned a Liverpool penalty.
Chelsea and Women's Super League
Emiliano Martínez broke his jaw in Chelsea's win at Everton and expects to return in a few weeks. Jordan Henderson, the league's oldest player, has become undroppable for Chelsea. In the WSL, Chelsea hit six against Spurs, Manchester City kept a perfect record intact, and Fran Kirby said she was stressed by Brighton's abrupt exit of Darren Vidosic.
La Liga and Europe
Barcelona matched LaLiga's best ever start after Lamine Yamal's brace in a 5-2 win over Betis, with Hansi Flick calling him the best in the world. Bayern Munich thrashed RB Leipzig 6-1, with Díaz's hat-trick sending them top of the Bundesliga. Strasbourg lost 3-1 to PSG despite Gio Reyna scoring for the USMNT midfielder.
MLS and Other Competitions
Lionel Messi scored twice to take his season tally to 25 goals in Miami's win at Atlanta United. Chicago and Portland have entered the race to host 2031 Women's World Cup matches. Spurs' Dejan Kulusevski returns to the matchday squad after 526 days out.
Coming Up
Bayern face Arsenal in the Champions League following their Bundesliga win. Carrick's Manchester United host the next fixture as the pressure on him continues.
NBA Basketball
Last updated: October 17, 2026, 10:40 PM ET
Knicks Roster Moves
The Knicks are waiving Bruce Brown while keeping James Wiseman on the roster ahead of the season opener, a decision that gives New York added frontcourt depth.
Lakers Ownership Dispute
Five of the Buss siblings filed a challenge against Jeanie Buss's petition to remove them as trustees, escalating a family legal fight over control of the Lakers.
Suns Ownership
Kevin Durant fired back at Suns owner Mat Ishbia on social media after Ishbia framed Phoenix's tenure in a way Durant rejected publicly.
Wizards Injury Update
First overall pick AJ Dybantsa exited the preseason finale with an ankle injury, and the Wizards will have it checked out.
76ers
Joel Embiid insisted that no one on the star-laden roster will take a back seat, even as VJ Edgecombe sat out Friday night's 125-120 loss to the Celtics. LeBron James delivered a monster slam in front of a sellout Philadelphia crowd during his home debut. Philadelphia also converted 7-foot-6 center Tacko Fall to a two-way contract to bolster its injury-hit frontcourt.
Nuggets Injury
Julian Strawther will miss six weeks with a sprained knee and will be reevaluated at that point.
Thunder Eligibility Challenge
A Spanish club is challenging the NBA eligibility of Thunder rookie Aday Mara.
Warriors Ties
Jimmy Butler says he feels he let the Warriors down and is working toward a return to Golden State, which views his return as its best option.
League Notes
Hall of Famer and Kentucky legend Cliff Hagan died at 94, the five-time All-Star who spent his entire NBA career with the St. Louis Hawks. Steve Lacy delighted a concert crowd with a viral "LeBron, LeBron, LeBron" version of his hit "Oh Yeah?" And ESPN's Brian Windhorst shared intel on Karl-Anthony Towns' next contract, expansion plans, and why rival teams are watching Orlando.
Coming Up
The Knicks open their season with Wiseman on the roster, and the 76ers prepare for their opener after the preseason finale.
NFL Football
Last updated: October 18, 2026, 8:10 PM ET
Injuries & Roster Moves
Texans starting safety Reed Blankenship suffered a concussion during Houston's loss to the Jaguars in London. The Eagles, meanwhile, placed Jalen Hurts on injured reserve, and he is expected to be out indefinitely. Bears nickel corner Kyler Gordon was activated off the PUP list, though his history of setbacks since signing a $40M deal remains a concern. Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown returned from injured reserve in time for Sunday's game against the Jets.
Week 6 Inactives & Fantasy
Caleb Williams is cleared to play in Week, while Hurts and Jackson have been ruled out. Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt will miss the game against San Francisco with a groin injury. The 49ers ruled out Nick Bosa for Monday night, though Evans and Juszczyk remain possible returns. For fantasy managers, Matt Bowen highlighted Winston and Tucker as strong last-minute pickups, and Adam Rank suggested six quarterback replacements for managers considering a drop.
Coaching & Front Office
Saints owner Gayle Benson endorsed Kellen Moore and the coaching staff despite New Orleans starting 1-4. Saints quarterback Tyler Shough has reportedly been playing with two broken bones in his non-throwing hand. The league also lost John Beake, the former Broncos general manager instrumental in the trade for John Elway, who died at 87.
Rookies & Development
Steelers wide receiver Roman Wilson landed on injured reserve, while DK Metcalf came off the injury report. Aaron Rodgers is putting his young receivers through pop quizzes to prepare them for games. In New England, the 2026 draft class is already making an impact, with two rookies assuming starting roles.
Fan Culture & Features
Jaguars supporters took over a London pub during game week, a sign of the team's growing international following. ESPN also ranked the top rookie Super Bowl performances, from Timmy Smith to Malcolm Butler, and ESPN's panel of analysts offered Week 6 predictions covering upsets and touchdown scorers.
Coming Up
The Patriots face the Jets on Sunday with A.J. Brown expected to be available. The 49ers host the Commanders in Week, and San Francisco will wait on Bosa for at least another week.
MLB Baseball
Last updated: October 18, 2026, 4:40 AM ET
ALCS
The Rays evened the American League Championship Series at 2-2 with a 7-3 win over the Guardians, as Junior Caminero, Yandy Diaz and Jonathan Aranda combined to go 6-for-14. Cleveland's defense cost it dearly, with Chase DeLauter's miscue in right field opening the door for Tampa Bay in the pivotal inning. Rain then postponed Game 4 late Friday night, with the series resuming Saturday and Sunday becoming an off-day before Game.
World Series
The Brewers clinched their first World Series berth since 1982 after dethroning the Dodgers, a celebration the club framed as "44 years of heartbreak, 44 years of believing." In Los Angeles, the Dodgers' bid for a three-peat ended with a sweep, and the franchise now faces questions about what comes next after the team said, "We just fell short."
Phillies
Dave Dombrowski put Trea Turner on notice, telling the shortstop he must improve his play or risk losing the position.
Coming Up
Game 4 of the ALCS resumes Saturday, with Game 5 following Sunday's off-day.
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 18, 2026, 8:10 PM ET
Golf
Eugenio Chacarra wins in India by two strokes at the DP World India Championship, moving to the top of the Race to Dubai.
Rugby Union
Harlequins shrugged off their poor Premiership form with a 57-19 Challenge Cup win over Vannes. In the Champions Cup, Munster held on to beat Racing 92 33-25 in a tribute game to Foley, while Pau claimed a bonus-point 41-17 win over Leicester with late tries. Bath fell 32-14 at home to Montpellier, who scored 22 second-half points without reply. Scarlets thrashed Newcastle 47-14, though fly-half Sam Costelow's injury is a concern for Wales coach Steve Tandy.
College Football
Saturday produced a run of upsets. Auburn stunned No. 1 Georgia after Stockton's fumble, ending a 195-game streak, with quarterback Byrum Brown's running game driving the win. Miami survived two Hail Mary attempts to beat Florida State in double overtime. BYU stunned No. 2 Notre Dame 28-24, and the Big 12 admitted officials wrongly ended that game with a second still on the clock. Oregon rallied past its former team after Dylan Raiola returned from the bench, while Ohio State survived Indiana on a fourth-down misstep and Indiana ended its 22-game losing run to the Buckeyes. Texas coach Steve Sarkisian will evaluate everything after the Longhorns lost to Florida, and Ohio State QB Julian Sayin will miss several weeks with a shoulder injury. Coastal Carolina's throwback uniforms topped the week's looks, and Auburn coach Jon Sumrall celebrated the upset in a cowboy hat. Playoff implications are being weighed after a week that saw five top-seven teams lose.
Boxing
Daniel Dubois retained his WBO title with a second-round TKO of Fabio Wardley, beating him for the second time in five months. The result has raised questions about what comes next in the heavyweight division.
Basketball
The Valkyries edged the Dream 68-64 in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals, with Gabby Williams coming up clutch. The Valkyries' edge gives them a 1-0 series lead.
Other Sport
Britain's Sonay Kartal missed out on the biggest title of her career, fading in the Wuhan Open final. Rhys McClenaghan, the Olympic champion, failed to reach the pommel horse final at the Worlds. Emma Finucane says she will "come back fighting" for gold after narrowly missing out. New Zealand's women were pushed by Fiji at the Rugby League World Cup. The U.S. women's gymnastics team lost Rivera to an ankle injury ahead of the worlds.
Safety Incidents
A member of the Air Force died from injuries sustained in a fall before the Navy-UTSA game, after falling during a pregame rappel in the Alamodome rafters.
South Africa v Australia
Rain disrupted day one of the second Test in Gqeberha, with South Africa on 20-2 at the close.
Coming Up
Texas will evaluate its season after the Florida loss, and Ohio State will be without Julian Sayin for several weeks.