Sports 24-Hour Briefing
×Formula 1
Last updated: October 17, 2026, 4:20 PM ET
Bortoleto and the Junior Class
Gabriel Bortoleto autosport.com has watched Kimi Antonelli and Isack Hadjar celebrate their first wins, a rise that is setting the pace for the next generation of drivers.
Verstappen's Red Bull Deal
Max Verstappen autosport.com was weighing a possible exit from Red Bull when a major car upgrade influenced his decision to sign a new deal.
Football/Soccer
Last updated: October 17, 2026, 10:40 PM ET
Premier League
Manchester City cruised past espn.com the side in a dominant display, with Erling Haaland netting a brace, though Enzo Maresca played down espn.com fears over the striker after he limped off. Aston Villa won at Newcastle bbc.co.uk, with Johan Manzambi scoring the winner, and Chelsea beat Everton 2-0 skysports.com as Pedro Neto scored both second-half goals. Liverpool returned to winning ways bbc.co.uk at Brentford, with Florian Wirtz instrumental, while Andoni Iraola questioned the VAR decision espn.com that overturned a Liverpool penalty. West Ham were unstoppable bbc.co.uk in the weekend's action.
Manchester United
Michael Carrick dismissed questions espn.com about his own future as head coach, and insisted the squad is ready to move on espn.com from Lisandro Martínez's fiery outburst. Carrick also opened the door skysports.com to January transfer activity.
La Liga & Europe
Barcelona equalled the best espn.com start to a LaLiga season in history, with Lamine Yamal claiming a brace in a 5-2 win over Betis, and Hansi Flick hailed him espn.com as the best player in the world. Raphinha is fit to return espn.com for the trip to Betis. Bayern Munich moved top espn.com of the Bundesliga after a 6-1 win over RB Leipzig, with a Díaz hat trick, ahead of their Champions League meeting with Arsenal. Paris Saint-Germain came back espn.com to beat Strasbourg 3-1, with Gio Reyna scoring espn.com for the hosts in defeat. Inter Milan face a blow espn.com as captain Lautaro Martínez is likely to miss seven matches.
Championship & Lower Leagues
Wrexham eased pressure skysports.com on Phil Parkinson with a 4-1 win over Preston, and Parkinson credited bbc.co.uk the players for blocking out outside noise. West Brom came back skysports.com from two early goals to beat Blackburn 3-2. Stoke won 1-0 at Derby skysports.com, while Birmingham beat QPR 3-0 skysports.com with a Liam Millar double. Portsmouth beat Norwich skysports.com 1-0 from the penalty spot, and Sheffield United edged out skysports.com Bristol City 1-0. Swansea fell to West Ham bbc.co.uk, and Vitor Matos urged his squad skysports.com to use the defeat as fuel.
Scotland
Hearts face Celtic bbc.co.uk at Parkhead in a test of their credentials. Kilmarnock beat Motherwell skysports.com 3-2 with a Greg Kiltie double, Aberdeen beat St Mirren skysports.com 3-1, and Falkirk claimed an Edinburgh double skysports.com by beating Hibs.
Women's Football
Arsenal were booed skysports.com off after a 1-1 draw with Birmingham, adding pressure on Renee Slegers, and Olivia Smith's strike salvaged a point espn.com. Spirit claimed a playoff spot espn.com as Gotham missed out on the NWSL Shield. Zambia players will miss several espn.com NWSL games due to Ebola travel restrictions.
Other Headlines
Chelsea goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez was taken to hospital bbc.co.uk for precautionary tests. Real Madrid demanded espn.com that LaLiga chief Javier Tebas resign. Gianni Infantino apologized espn.com at a FIFA Council meeting, though his reelection remains uncertain.
Coming Up
Lionel Messi travels to Spain espn.com two days before Inter Miami's MLS game against Atlanta United, and Enzo Maresca hopes to see espn.com inflatable bananas at the Etihad. Bayern face Arsenal espn.com in the Champions League.
NBA Basketball
Last updated: October 17, 2026, 10:40 PM ET
Knicks Roster Moves
The Knicks are waiving Bruce Brown espn.com 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 espn.com 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 espn.com 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 espn.com with an ankle injury, and the Wizards will have it checked out.
76ers
Joel Embiid insisted espn.com 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 espn.com in front of a sellout Philadelphia crowd during his home debut. Philadelphia also converted espn.com 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 espn.com with a sprained knee and will be reevaluated at that point.
Thunder Eligibility Challenge
A Spanish club is challenging espn.com the NBA eligibility of Thunder rookie Aday Mara.
Warriors Ties
Jimmy Butler says he feels he let the Warriors down espn.com 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 espn.com, the five-time All-Star who spent his entire NBA career with the St. Louis Hawks. Steve Lacy delighted a concert crowd espn.com with a viral "LeBron, LeBron, LeBron" version of his hit "Oh Yeah?" And ESPN's Brian Windhorst shared intel espn.com on Karl-Anthony Towns' next contract, expansion plans, and why rival teams are watching Orlando.
Coming Up
The Knicks open their season espn.com with Wiseman on the roster, and the 76ers prepare for their opener espn.com after the preseason finale.
NFL Football
Last updated: October 17, 2026, 10:40 PM ET
Injuries & Roster Moves
The Eagles have placed Jalen Hurts espn.com on injured reserve, though a separate report indicates the team is not planning to espn.com do so, as the quarterback remains out indefinitely with a blood clot. Philadelphia's backfield is also thin, with Saquon Barkley ruled out for Sunday's game against the Panthers, while Eagles' beat-up backfield espn.com also loses Shipley, and WR Smith is likely to return.
The Steelers placed receiver Roman Wilson on injured reserve espn.com, while DK Metcalf came off the injury report. In New England, A.J. Brown was activated from injured reserve espn.com ahead of Sunday's game against the Jets. Bears nickel corner Kyler Gordon was activated off the PUP list espn.com, and Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt is out against the 49ers espn.com with a groin injury.
Quarterbacks
The Ravens have ruled out Lamar Jackson espn.com for a second straight week, with Huntley set to start against the Browns. Seattle is sticking with Sam Darnold espn.com despite seven interceptions in four games, and Caleb Williams is expected to play espn.com in Week. Aaron Rodgers is quizzing Steelers espn.com pass catchers as he prepares them for games.
Week 6 Previews & Picks
Our analysts make their predictions espn.com for upsets and touchdown scorers, while a full guide to every Week 6 game espn.com covers matchups and picks. For bettors, experts break down the odds espn.com and player props for Sunday's slate.
Fantasy Football
Owners weighing a change at quarterback can consider six replacements espn.com, while last-minute pickups espn.com such as Winston and Tucker are offered as options for lineups affected by injuries or bye weeks. Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh and OC Mike McDaniel explained why Omarion Hampton's snap count espn.com is decreasing.
League & Off-Field
Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper was removed from the exempt list espn.com, though he could still face league discipline. Packers running back Josh Jacobs is eligible to return next week espn.com amid an ongoing investigation. Titans CEO Burke Nihill apologized to fans espn.com and said the organization believes coach Robert Saleh and the GM can turn the team around. Jacksonville is unlikely to play espn.com three international home games in 2027, and Jaguars fans took over a London pub espn.com during game week.
Coming Up
The 49ers ruled Nick Bosa out espn.com for Monday Night Football, with Evans and Juszczyk still hopeful for a return.
MLB Baseball
Last updated: October 17, 2026, 4:40 AM ET
ALCS
Rain forced Game 4 of the American League Championship Series between the Rays and Guardians espn.com to be postponed to Saturday, pushing the off-day to Sunday, now Game. Cleveland took Game 3 by a 3-2 margin, with Petey Halpin's go-ahead, two-run homer espn.com providing the decisive blow. Tampa Bay struck out 13 times in that loss, and Junior Caminero, who accounted for four of those strikeouts, vowed adjustments espn.com before the next game. José Ramírez has been a driving force for Cleveland, and his confidence espn.com has fueled the Guardians' October run. Cleveland will open with Shawn Armstrong as an opener, while Tampa Bay counters with Nick Martinez espn.com in Game.
NLCS and World Series
Milwaukee swept the Dodgers espn.com to reach the World Series, ending Los Angeles' bid for a three-peat. The Brewers celebrated their first Fall Classic appearance since 1982 espn.com after dethroning the defending champions. Los Angeles' postseason ended abruptly espn.com with the sweep, and the club now faces questions about its future.
Phillies Front Office
Phillies president Dave Dombrowski has put shortstop Trea Turner on notice espn.com, telling him to improve at the position or find a new one. Meanwhile, new manager Don Mattingly says he is ready to make his mark espn.com on the club, admitting the team "really wasn't my team" before he took the job.
Coming Up
Game 4 of the ALCS is now set for Saturday espn.com, with Sunday serving as an off-day before Game.
NHL Hockey
Last updated: October 17, 2026, 4:20 PM ET
Trades & Roster Moves
The Maple Leafs acquired Aatu Räty espn.com after he cleared waivers, sending Jacob Quillan and Brandon Buhr to Vancouver in the deal. Arizona State's hockey program is in turmoil as head coach Greg Powers has departed espn.com amid a probe into a player's collapse, and Hakstol has been brought in to replace him.
Game Results & Standouts
Brady Tkachuk recorded back-to-back natural hat tricks espn.com, becoming just the third player in NHL history to do so and lifting Florida past Vancouver. Patrick Kane set a record espn.com for assists by a U.S.-born player with his 895th career helper, which came on Connor Bedard's opening goal.
Power Rankings & Previews
The Hurricanes return to the top espn.com of the latest 1-32 poll, which also highlights each team's biggest surprise of the 2026-27 season. A full 14-game Saturday slate is previewed with storylines and betting information espn.com, while Friday's marquee pairings of Penguins-Avs and Bruins-Ducks are covered in a separate preview espn.com.
Fantasy Hockey
Managing a fantasy roster is simpler than many managers expect, as outlined in a weekly lineup guide espn.com for drafted teams.
Coming Up
Saturday's 14-game slate is set to begin, with the full preview and betting lines espn.com laid out ahead of puck drop. Penguins-Avs and Bruins-Ducks face off Friday espn.com.
General Sports
Last updated: October 17, 2026, 10:40 PM ET
WNBA Finals
Golden State held court espn.com to take a 1-0 lead over the Atlanta Dream, winning 68-64 in Game. Gabby Williams led the way espn.com with 26 points and late free throws to hold off the Dream.
College Football
Auburn stunned espn.com No. 1 Georgia after a costly Stockton fumble, with QB Byrum Brown's running game driving the upset. Ohio State survived espn.com Indiana after a fourth-down misstep by Nick Marsh, while Indiana ended espn.com its long run of moral victories. Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said the Longhorns will evaluate everything espn.com after the loss to Florida, which will start Tramell Jones Jr. at quarterback to snap a two-game slide espn.com. Ohio State will be without Julian Sayin for several weeks espn.com with a shoulder injury. Coastal Carolina's throwback look topped espn.com the Week 7 uniform rankings, and Connelly's breakdown espn.com highlights Notre Dame's test at BYU. ESPN has reached a handshake agreement espn.com to broadcast a 24-team College Football Playoff, though some observers question whether expansion espn.com is the right move.
Boxing
Daniel Dubois retained bbc.co.uk his WBO heavyweight title with a second-round stoppage of Fabio Wardley, their second meeting in five months.
Rugby Union
Munster beat bbc.co.uk Racing 92 33-25 in their Champions Cup opener, while Connacht stunned bbc.co.uk Saracens with a seven-try win. Leinster cruised bbc.co.uk past Clermont 48-23, Glasgow picked up bbc.co.uk a bonus-point win at Sale, and Ulster secured bbc.co.uk a bonus point against Zebre. Montpellier beat bbc.co.uk Bath 32-14, and Stormers beat bbc.co.uk Bristol 49-12. Scarlets thrashed bbc.co.uk Newcastle 47-14, though fly-half Sam Costelow was injured, a worry for Wales. Ospreys opened bbc.co.uk their Challenge Cup campaign with a bonus-point win in Georgia. Tributes were paid to Hyron Andrews before Champions Cup matches bbc.co.uk.
Rugby League
England crushed bbc.co.uk Wales 70-6 in the Women's Rugby League World Cup opener, but Brian McDermott says England's men must fix errors bbc.co.uk after the Tonga loss.
Women's Rugby & Cycling
Australia sent bbc.co.uk Scotland to an eighth straight defeat with an eight-try win, while Canada ended bbc.co.uk England's 41-match unbeaten run in Toronto. Britain's Anna Morris completed bbc.co.uk a hat-trick of golds at the Track Cycling World Championships.
Tennis & Golf
Sonay Kartal beat bbc.co.uk Jelena Ostapenko to reach the Wuhan Open final. Alexander Zverev said he had overachieved bbc.co.uk by reaching the Shanghai Masters semi-finals. Eugenio Chacarra extended bbc.co.uk his lead at the DP World India Championship as Rory McIlroy faded before play was halted. Billy Loughnane became the youngest champion jockey bbc.co.uk since 1923.
Gymnastics & Soccer
The U.S. women's gymnastics team lost Rivera to an ankle injury ahead of the world championships espn.com. Four clubs reached bbc.co.uk the FA Cup first round for the first time.
Coming Up
Dubois and Wardley's heavyweight rematch bbc.co.uk takes place Saturday. The WNBA Finals continue espn.com with the Valkyries and Dream battling for the title.