Football/Soccer 8-Hour Briefing
×Last updated: October 15, 2026, 10:32 PM ET
European Competition
Bournemouth made history as they hosted a European game at home for the first time, beating Sturm Graz 3-0 on Thursday. A night 127 years in the making saw the Cherries add another chapter to their remarkable season.
Celtic had a far harder evening, with Benfica running out 4-1 winners in Lisbon. Brendan O'Neill admitted his side had now lost two Europa League group games, though he insisted the second half showed real fight.
Brighton were far more comfortable, with Georginio Rutter scoring twice in a 4-0 win over Kauno Zalgiris that sent the Seagulls top of the Conference League. Shakhtar Donetsk's Champions League victory over AEK carried weight beyond the scoreboard, given the club has not played at home since 2014 because of the war.
Serie A
AC Milan's Alphadjo Cissè became Italy's youngest European hat-trick scorer, a record-breaking performance in Milan's European campaign.
Premier League & Transfers
Conte is reportedly ready to step in at Manchester United should Carrick be dismissed, according to Friday's newspaper reports. Harry Kane is close to a new deal at Bayern Munich, while Arda Güler reportedly agreed terms elsewhere.
Chris Sutton makes his predictions for the coming fixtures, taking on boxer and Ipswich fan Fabio Wardley.
Business & Legal
An American businessman whose firm invested in several European clubs has been found guilty of fraud and ordered to repay $500M, a case with implications for his bid to buy Everton.
MLS
Inter Miami clinched a playoff spot for 2026 after beating New York City FC, with Lionel Messi again central to the result. U.S. teen prodigy Cavan Sullivan set another MLS teen record on Wednesday, though he described his own performance as "terrible."
Championship & Other
Justin Seven-Seven scored in the 77th minute for West Brom against Sutton United. Ousmane Dembélé joked he might ask Luis Enrique for more holidays after his latest PSG win, while the Euro Leagues podcast asked whether Barcelona and PSG are the teams to beat in the Champions League.