Football/Soccer 24 Hours

Last updated: September 8, 2026, 10:19 PM ET

Champions League Opening Night

The UEFA Champions League returned Tuesday with a bang, and no fixture carried more narrative weight than Real Madrid's win over Inter. Jose Mourinho deployed Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield, but the Portuguese boss was quick to clarify that it is not his best position, insisting the Englishman belongs at full-back. Mourinho's second spell in Madrid is a redemption arc 13 years in the making, and he begins his European campaign against the club he led to the 2010 title — a potentially special return to glory. This clash carries extra weight as Mourinho looks to deliver in Europe once again. Elsewhere, Porto boss Francesco Farioli takes charge in the competition for the first time, hoping to stun Manchester City in his debut.

Aston Villa's attacking worries evaporated in a thrilling 3-2 victory over Club Brugge. Captain John McGinn made history as Unai Emery's side ended their scoring drought with a superb attacking display. Villa had failed to score in their opening three Premier League games, but Emery knew his newly rebuilt forward line needed time, and the Brugge breakthrough highlighted the attacking potential despite those earlier blank sheets. Villa's league phase opener was among a full slate of Tuesday matches, with live updates covering all of Europe's top clashes. ESPN's Power Rankings place PSG on top is a good early indicator of the field.

Napoli face a crisis ahead of Wednesday's clash with Arsenal, with both midfield options unavailable. Arsenal's travel was also complicated, as the UK's air traffic control disruption delayed their flight to Italy significantly. Napoli received some good news, however, as Scott McTominay's heart procedure was declared a complete success with the Scotland midfielder expected back this month. All this arrives as Riccardo Calafiori returns to Italy as arguably the best left-back in the league.

The league phase opener also saw West Ham edge Bolton 3-2 in a Carabao Cup thriller, while several Premier League teams are in action Wednesday on Sky. Manchester United's £1bn rebuild faces its toughest test, with Michael Carrick having transformed the side since January to clinch the Champions League spot. Pochettino urged caution with USMNT young stars Cavan Sullivan, saying being careful is key amid the buzz. A group representing Europe's major leagues has filed an expanded complaint against FIFA, accusing the governing body of "abusive conduct" over the international calendar for women's competitions — a legal action extended to include the women's game.

Ballon d'Or Shortlists

Harry Kane's remarkable 73-goal season has put him among the leading nominees for the Ballon d'Or, with the 30-man shortlist revealed Tuesday. Kane, Lamine Yamal, and Kylian Mbappé lead the star-studded list, while Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice are the other England representatives named, though Cristiano Ronaldo was notably omitted. Kane said he's "extremely proud" of his stunning scoring campaign and hopes his best season earns him the historic award. The women's shortlist includes England stars Alessia Russo and Alex Greenwood among its 30 nominees. Sadio Mane and Achraf Hakimi are also nominated, raising the question: when will an African claim the prize for the first time since George Weah in 1995? The voting process has undergone significant change over the years, and here's how the winner is decided. The new-look shortlists also include a host city change for the ceremony, with full lists available.

US Open Tennis

Aryna Sabalenka survived a fierce battle with Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova, winning in three sets to keep her three-peat bid alive at the US Open. Coco Gauff also advanced, beating American teenager Iva Jovic in an all-American showdown. On the men's side, Alex Michelsen was a set and a break up on Frances Tiafoe in a tense all-American clash.

Club News

Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister is "very sad" not to have been offered a new contract, revealing he had options to leave it being hard. The Argentine adds he is very sad about his situation, confirming he had summer exit options. Real Madrid are monitoring Declan Rice but Arsenal are set for contract talks to ward off the interest. Meanwhile, a Manchester United fan group has called for a unified protest against the "season ticket ban fiasco" ahead of Sunday's derby.

The club also has injury concerns: Rangers captain Lawrence Shankland faces up to four months out after a hamstring tear and may need surgery. Celtic, meanwhile, could welcome back Kasper Hogh and Kieran Tierney for Wednesday's Premiership match at St Johnstone. Livingston pull the trigger as former boss Martindale returns, all in the podcast.

Newcastle sporting director Ross Wilson insisted the summer was "never chaotic" as they were prepared for months for Eddie Howe's departure. He states they were prepared for a number of months ahead of time. Joe Worrall is out to make a point against Burnley after deadline move. Leicester City's problems run deeper than just the manager and players, says Conor Coady, and there are no quick fixes with Russell Martin under pressure after a poor League One start — Coady's assessment. Wycombe have sacked Michael Duff and assistant Alex Morris just five games into the League One season.

Soccer News

The European leagues' complaint extends to FIFA's management of the women's game, and now Belgium has said it cannot support Gianni Infantino for the next term, citing transparency and governance and the Folarin Balogun red-card ban U-turn. Joe Root rejects the idea Pakistan "disrespectful" to England, calling the "no fight" narrative disrespectful to both sides ahead of the third Test. England also expect Courtney Lawes and Joe Marchant to shine for Sale regarding future selection.

EFL Cup

Two articles cover the same event from different angles, with Sky's live coverage and West Ham's 3-2 thriller over Bolton, with the Championship action continuing live on Sky.

Soccer Analysis and Global

Aston Villa's 3-2 win over Club Brugge was accompanied by praise for their new attacking approach, while another piece looks at the wider league' European landscape. In ESPN, Arsenal is the team to beat in England after beating Chelsea, and Inter are the team to beat in Serie A after their winning displays, as the title race takes shape. There are lessons from the WSL's opening weekend, where Arsenal were too familiar - Man United underwhelmed, and other takeaways. Transfer: Which women's transfers we wish we'd seen? Marcotti issues a piece on why top Premier League clubs sign wingers who don't cross. Pochettino says he hasn't spoken with Balogun about his aborted U.S. move, but will offer support in the coming days.

At Al Nassr, Cristiano Ronaldo was mocked after the club's first defeat of the season, with Al Ittihad taunting him. Al Hilal's 47-game unbeaten streak also ended with a 2-0 loss to Neom. Kylian Mbappé defended his own work rate, saying he is denying the criticism is an issue alongside Vinícius Júnior.

Solheim Cup and Golf

Team USA captain Angela Stamford insists Angel Yin will be fit to face Team Europe this week at the Solheim Cup in the Netherlands. Another piece previews the same event: there is little to separate the sides, and Europe can make home advantage count. Team USA already retained the Junior Solheim Cup with a 13-11 win in an epic comeback.

Boxing, F1, NFL

Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua is looking "less and less likely", says Johnny Nelson as Joshua has every reason to stand firm. Buffalo Bills head coach Joe Brady is under pressure, with Phoebe Schecter explaining why he must lead Josh Allen from "bridesmaid to bride". The F1 title race is not over yet with Kimi Antonelli’s Monza win a key moment. Ferrari's Frédéric Vasseur says they will bounce back in Madrid after their "failure" at Monza with "all the energy" ahead of the race. And finally, an unknown goalkeeper could be in line for the Ugandan throne.

Racing

The jump action at Bangor-on-Dee features live on Sky Sports Racing, with Roadlesstravelled making their chase debut.