Last updated: August 23, 2026, 2:46 PM ET
Premier League Opening Weekend
The Premier League season kicked off with a bang as Arsenal more than looked the part of reigning champions, strolling past Coventry 3-0 to open their title defense in emphatic fashion. The champions showed no signs of complacency, dominating from start to finish and sending an early message to the rest of the league that they remain the team to beat.
Manchester United endured a nightmare start to their campaign, suffering a humbling 2-0 defeat to newly promoted Hull City. Michael Carrick insisted it was not the time to panic despite watching his former club fall apart, while the loss has raised serious questions about United's mentality and fight. The defeat has been ranked among the most shocking opening-game losses in Premier League history, with pundits questioning whether this is a bump in the road or a warning sign of a difficult campaign to come.
The Manchester United coach has hit back at criticism of his players following the opening day defeat by insisting it is "ridiculous" to claim they lacked passion, but the analysis suggests otherwise, with the team lacking guts and fight when it mattered most. The BBC Sport breakdown of what went wrong paints a grim picture, with United making an awful start to their campaign at the newly-promoted side.
Viral Manchester United fan Frank Ilett could have been days away from completing his haircut challenge, but the haircut challenge continues after the loss, adding a quirky subplot to an otherwise disastrous weekend for United faithful.
Title Contenders and Early Surprises
Nottingham Forest made a statement with a 1-0 victory over Liverpool in their Premier League opener, with the player ratings showing one player shining while another struggled in a tense encounter. Forest's win has set the tone for what could be a surprising season for the club, who also made headlines in the transfer market.
The club have submitted a £70m bid for Brentford striker Igor Thiago, according to Transfer Talk, as they look to build on their impressive start. Meanwhile, Leeds United will hope a winning start to the Premier League means they can aim to thrive rather than just survive this time around, with exciting new signings and growing belief under their manager's turnaround.
Tottenham's new head coach Roberto De Zerbi discovered that cash is no cure for a losing mentality as they crashed to a heavy defeat at Brentford, according to chief football writer Phil McNulty. The result exposed deep-seated issues at the club that money alone cannot fix.
Brighton ran riot against 10-man Aston Villa, going FOUR up after half an hour in a stunning display of attacking football. Villa were reduced to 10 men early and simply had no answer to the Seagulls' relentless pressure.
West Ham "let down" their fans, according to Nuno Espirito Santo, as they lost 2-1 to Charlton in their first Championship home match this season, a result that has already heaped pressure on the manager.
Transfer News and Rumours
The transfer window is heating up with several major stories breaking. Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal have opened negotiations with Arsenal over a move for forward Gabriel Martinelli, while Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez is open to an Arsenal transfer according to Sunday's gossip column, with the Gunners also confident on completing a Omar Marmoush deal.
Arsenal pair Mikel Arteta and Edu are in "frequent contact" with Julian Alvarez, according to Sunday's newspaper reports, as the champions look to strengthen their squad further despite their perfect start.
Manchester City have agreed a record-breaking deal with Lille to sign midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi in a move worth up to £86m (€100m). The maths whizz turned teenage star is considered one of the most highly rated young talents in European football, and City have moved decisively to secure his signature.
City coach Enzo Maresca said the club need to find a "new Rodri" following the departure of their midfield linchpin, confirming a busy transfer window lies ahead for the champions. The Savinho £75m move from Manchester City to Tottenham raises questions about the Abu Dhabi-owned multi-club model and whether it represents a sporting success.
Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti has brushed off reported interest from Arsenal in winger Kenan Yildiz, saying no amount of money could prize him away from the Turin club this summer. Celtic continue their pursuit of Serie A midfielder Gineitis as Rangers prepare for a big name departure, according to the latest gossip.
Manchester United midfielder Jacob Devaney has joined Hibs on a season-long loan, with the Edinburgh club holding an option to make the move permanent. The teenager will look to gain valuable first-team experience north of the border.
European Football
Inter Milan launched their Serie A title defence with a commanding 4-1 opening-day win against newly promoted Monza at San Siro, with Stones making his debut in the victory as Spence and Jones watched on from the stands.
Bayern Munich laid down a marker for the new season as they beat Klassiker rivals Borussia Dortmund 2-1 to win the German Supercup at Signal Iduna Park, with Michael Olise leading the charge for the Bavarians.
Real Madrid's reappointed manager José Mourinho got his second spell off to a winning start, thanks to new signing Carlos Espí's 90th-minute goal to snatch a 2-1 victory at Espanyol. The dramatic late winner sparked wild celebrations and justified the board's decision to bring back the Portuguese tactician.
Mourinho has defended Real Madrid's Brazil winger Vinícius Júnior, saying the star is "bullied" after he clashed with Espanyol players and the crowd during the LaLiga win. The Portuguese coach also urged the Brazilian to maintain great emotional control when facing such situations in the future.
Atlético Madrid chief executive Miguel Ángel Gil Marín claimed that star forward Julián Álvarez has been poorly advised in seeking to push through a move to Barcelona this summer, adding another layer of drama to the ongoing transfer saga. Barcelona want a No. 9 striker but have been unable to land their first-choice target of Julián Álvarez, leaving them scrambling for alternatives according to the stats.
Scottish Football and Lower Leagues
Dundee enjoyed another memorable trip across the road as they secured a deserved 2-0 derby victory away to Dundee United to move joint-top of the fledgling Scottish Premiership table. The derby win continues the redemption arc for head coach Steven Pressley, who says he is "immensely proud" of his players.
The Scottish football podcast covered the Dundee derby, the Scotland manager, Scots playing in Italy, and Edinburgh Fringe in their latest episode, offering comprehensive coverage of the Scottish game.
Isaac Price inspired West Bromwich Albion to a 3-1 comeback win against promotion favourites Burnley in the Sky Bet Championship, with a Price double proving decisive in the turnaround.
It's been a rocky start to the season for Morton with seven straight defeats, while the fans' group running the Championship club are dealing with a shortfall in funding that threatens the club's future. The situation is dire, but the manager insists "it's not doom and gloom just yet."
Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson said he had spoken with co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac about further strengthening the squad ahead of Saturday's draw with Watford. The towering new Kop stand at the Racecourse dominates the Wrexham skyline, a tangible reminder of the scale of ambition at the club, while the Wrexham boss eyes more signings before the deadline.
Individual Performances and Awards
Harry Kane has been voted 2026 German footballer of the year, becoming the first Englishman to win the award. The Bayern Munich forward's remarkable achievement was confirmed after his stunning 61-goal season, with Vincent Kompany winning the coach's accolade in the same voting.
Messi's 14th goal of the season wasn't enough to prevent Inter Miami from slumping to their fourth loss in their last five games, courtesy of Toronto FC, on Saturday. The Argentine superstar continues to deliver individually, but the team's form is a growing concern.
Inter Miami's Lionel Messi and Ian Fray have been fined undisclosed amounts for making contact in the head and neck area of opponents in separate incidents during second-half stoppage time in a 2-2 draw against the Union.
Everton striker Thierno Barry is emerging as a frontman the club can finally count on after finding the back of the net in their 2-0 win over Crystal Palace, according to analysis of his development.
Trent Alexander-Arnold says he still receives abuse from Liverpool fans online after leaving Anfield for Real Madrid 14 months ago, revealing the ongoing toll of his high-profile departure.
Liverpool are preparing to begin a season without Mohamed Salah for the first time in a decade, and the analysis shows they haven't replaced him yet, with Isak and Gakpo needing to step up to fill the void.
Other Sports
The Cincinnati Open will host its first all-American women's final in 56 years after Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula won their respective semi-finals, setting up a historic showdown.
Rory McIlroy pulled himself back into contention at the BMW Championship with a five-under 65 on day three in St Louis, as Wyndham Clark retained the lead after a topsy-turvy round.
Lisa Ashton and Fallon Sherrock shared the spoils at Events 17-18 of the PDC Women's Series on Saturday, as the duo scooped a title each to reinforce their positions of second and third in the rankings.
Ben Stokes starred again with bat and ball as Durham boosted their County Championship promotion hopes with a crushing 338-run win at Derbyshire with a day to spare, a dominant display that has sent shockwaves through the competition.
Australia responded to their shock opening loss to Bangladesh in Darwin with a thumping innings victory inside two days in Mackay to tie the two-Test series at 1-1, a remarkable turnaround in fortunes.
Eddie Hearn has said that "no-one can pull out" of the long-awaited heavyweight clash between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, despite the former's "shouting and screaming" according to promoter Hearn.
Malaysian side Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) have made a habit of breaking records, and now they've topped a global one that stood for 32 years with their 109th straight win, an unprecedented achievement in world football.
St Helens called on six different try-scorers to beat Castleford 36-12 and keep their play-off hopes alive, despite finishing the match at the Brewdog Stadium with only 10 men.
Other News
Gianni Infantino defied a request by one of his FIFA vice presidents to stay away from an under-14 soccer event in the Caribbean, according to reports of a growing rift within football's governing body.
Erling Haaland shared his latest viral social media post, showing him cutting his long hair in favour of a buzz cut for the new season. The new trim sparked reactions from Zlatan, Grealish and Gallagher, while the Sky Sports coverage noted the fresh look ahead of the Premier League curtain raiser.
The European soccer live updates covered more matches this Sunday with Man City, Liverpool, Barcelona and more in action, while the European soccer recap highlighted Madrid nabbing a late winner over Espanyol.
The Dutch GP saw Antonelli lead Norris ahead of crucial pit stops, with live updates and video from the race at Zandvoort available on Sky Sports F1.
We have a busy day's racing on Sunday with action from Brighton, Worcester and Deauville, with Diamond Necklace headlining at Deauville live on Sky Sports Racing.
Newcastle and Liverpool united in tribute to their legendary player on the opening weekend of the Premier League season, a touching moment that honoured a true icon of the game.
Sevilla's number nine jersey has been adorned by internationals from Spain, France, Argentina, Mexico and the Netherlands over the past decade, but now it is an uncapped Scotsman wearing the shirt, with the question being whether this "all-round striker" is ready to lead Scotland's attack.
Rather than playing safe in selecting his Man City side for the first time in the Premier League, Enzo Maresca made a bold choice in midfield against Bournemouth, and the Guehi gamble ultimately paid off. The player ratings for Man City v Bournemouth showed Gvardiol rescuing a result for Maresca in a match that was far closer than the champions would have liked.