General Sports 3d Briefing
×Rugby Union
RFU bbc.com set to confirm radical revamp for English rugby, with the Premiership separating from the pyramid and promotion and relegation scrapped. Dennis Taylor bbc.com paid an emotional tribute to snooker legend John Virgo, who died earlier this month aged. Portia Woodman-Wickliffe bbc.com announced her retirement from international rugby for a second time, ending a stellar career as New Zealand's leading try-scorer.
Cricket
Aiden Markram bbc.com smashed an unbeaten 82 off 46 balls to power South Africa to a nine-wicket win over West Indies in their T20 World Cup Super 8s match in Ahmedabad. Harry Brook bbc.com scored a magnificent century to lead England into the T20 World Cup semi-finals with a two-wicket victory over Pakistan. Sri Lanka bbc.com crashed out of the T20 World Cup after collapsing to a 61-run defeat by New Zealand in Colombo, with Matt Henry bbc.com dismissing Pathum Nissanka with the first delivery of Sri Lanka's innings.
Basketball
Rookie Kon Knueppel bbc.com became the fastest player to reach 200 three-pointers in NBA history as the Charlotte Hornets defeated the Chicago Bulls 131-99. Cameron Boozer espn.com had 24 points and 13 rebounds as No. 1 Duke beat Notre Dame 100-56, handing the Irish their worst home loss since 1898. Tre White espn.com scored a season-high 23 points as No. 14 Kansas bounced back from a surprising defeat to hand No. 5 Houston its third straight loss.
Football
Jacksonville Jaguars bbc.com will play two games in the UK in 2026 while the Washington Commanders will also play in London and the Detroit Lions will visit Munich. Snoop Dogg bbc.com attended his first Swansea City game, marking the sport-loving American rapper's investment in the Welsh club. Larne and Linfield bbc.com played out a 1-1 draw at Inver Park in the Irish Premiership.
Combat Sports
Claressa Shields espn.com continues to dominate pound-for-pound rankings. Anthony Joshua bbc.com driver case adjourned to March after a fatal crash in Nigeria. Daniel Dubois bbc.com called his fight against Fabio Wardley the biggest of his career so far, though he refused Wardley's fist bump at their news conference.
Winter Sports
Menna Fitzpatrick bbc.com will compete at Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympics only three months after suffering a significant knee injury. Davy Zyw bbc.com spoke of "the tragic beauty" of becoming what is believed to be the first snowsport athlete with motor neurone disease to compete at the Winter Paralympics. Tommaso Giacomel bbc.com had minor heart surgery after dropping out when leading the Winter Olympic 15km mass start event.
American Football
Chandler Morris espn.com filed a lawsuit against the NCAA seeking a seventh year of eligibility. Seahawks GM John Schneider espn.com said the team sale won't hinder offseason operations, calling it "business as usual." Brendan Sorsby espn.com faces a $1 million exit fee lawsuit from Cincinnati after transferring to Texas Tech.
Tennis
Katie Boulter bbc.com reached the quarter-finals of the Merida Open in Mexico as Camila Osorio retired with injury. Craig Tiley bbc.com was appointed chief executive of the United States Tennis Association after 13 years at Tennis Australia. Andy Roddick espn.com joined ESPN for coverage of Wimbledon and the US Open under a multiyear deal.
College Sports
Keaton Wagler espn.com continues his unexpected rise at Illinois as a top freshman. Jared Curtis and Jackson Cantwell espn.com face pressure as freshmen in 2026 with big money and expectations. Charles Bediako espn.com asked the Alabama Supreme Court to allow him to play, seeking "interim injunctive relief."
Other Sports
Beau Greaves bbc.com made history with the perfect leg in her Players Championship 6 clash against Mensur Suljovic in Leicester. Josh Rock bbc.com called his Premier League debut "a dream come true" ahead of his first night in Belfast. Arvid Lindblad bbc.com discussed being shaped by his Indian and Swedish heritage on his path to becoming Britain's youngest F1 driver.