Football/Soccer 24-Hour Briefing
×Last updated: October 17, 2026, 4:40 AM ET
Red Roses and Rugby League
England's 41-game unbeaten run came to an end after a late Canadian rally stunned the Red Roses. Elsewhere, England's women opened their Rugby League World Cup against Wales, while Australia thrashed Samoa in the women's opener.
Boxing
Oleksandr Usyk could move straight into a world title fight on his return to the ring, according to promoter Frank Warren. Daniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley both weighed in at career heaviest ahead of their heavyweight title rematch.
Premier League
Liverpool dropped points in the title race as the Premier League's top scorers continued to dominate, while Manchester City face substantial hurdles in their appeal. Enzo Maresca hopes for inflatable bananas at the Etihad, and Erling Haaland's onside mastery explains his prolific scoring. Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says job cuts will help the club achieve success, and Arteta will retake the team photo to include William Saliba. Chelsea captain Reece James is out for three months after knee surgery, and Henderson and Caicedo have shone in the Chelsea midfield.
La Liga and Europe
Real Madrid demanded LaLiga chief Tebas resign after he compared the club's efforts to Nazi propaganda, while Jude Bellingham is ready to commit his future to Real. Barcelona's Raphinha is fit for the trip to Real Betis. In the Champions League, a Viking side shocked Manchester United while Barcelona and PSG impressed, and Shakhtar's home win over AEK carried special significance. Alphadjo Cissè became Italy's youngest European hat-trick scorer for Milan.
Other Leagues and Competitions
Inter captain Lautaro Martínez is likely to miss seven games with a hamstring injury. Ousmane Dembélé joked about more holidays after PSG's win. Spain received a partial stadium closure over discriminatory chants during their match against Egypt, and police are investigating Nazi chants from Hajduk Split fans. Gloucester drew with Champions Cup holders Bordeaux in a thriller, and Burnley's home winless run will extend past one year.
MLS and US Soccer
Cavan Sullivan set a new MLS teen record but called his performance "terrible." Zambian players will miss several NWSL games due to Ebola travel restrictions. USMNT players are feuding online again.
Transfers and Finance
Liverpool are reportedly interested in Bournemouth's Alex Scott, and Liverpool eye Manzambi from Aston Villa. The founder of 777 Partners, which had bid for Everton, was found guilty of fraud and must repay $500M. Liverpool's big-money signings have struggled to deliver.
Scotland
Celtic face Hearts in the weekend's main event, with Martin O'Neill defiant after a 4-1 Benfica loss. Derek McInnes says it is too early for Rangers to pressure the top two.
Tragedy
A member of South Africa's Lions squad, Hyron Andrews, died suddenly in France, where the team were preparing for a match.
Coming Up
The United States Grand Prix returns to COTA with the UK schedule published. Saudi Arabia says the Asian Cup remains on track for next January.