Last updated: August 6, 2026, 10:55 PM ET
WNBA Playoff Race Heats Up as Clark, Cunningham Address Controversy
The WNBA playoff picture is tightening with seven teams looking like locks and six franchises—the Mystics, Sparks, Mercury, Sky, Fire, and Tempo—vying for the final No. 8 seed. Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark said Thursday that it is up to individuals to "speak when you feel like you want to speak" and that she is "trying to navigate life" as a 24-year-old. Sophie Cunningham said Wednesday that she wants the focus to return to basketball after her comments on transgender athletes sparked heated national debate, three rallies and social media firestorms. Coco Gauff said she supports "fairness in women's sports" but criticized how the WTA's gene testing creates "animosity towards the trans community." In the latest WNBA Power Rankings, Minnesota and Indiana rank 1-2 after meeting in an offensive showcase, with Las Vegas rounding out the top three. The Cleveland Sirens unveiled their new logo and branding for the expansion team that will join the WNBA in 2028. USA Basketball's long-awaited youth movement is here, as Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, Angel Reese and Aliyah Boston will make their first USA appearances at a major international competition next month.
MLB Trade Deadline Analysis: Execs, Scouts Weigh In
Our panel of baseball insiders weighs in on the biggest blockbusters, which teams had the best deadline and more as the trade season concluded. Not sure what to make of a wild conclusion to trade season? We've got it all covered, from the Cubs and Orioles to the Red Sox, Mets, and Phillies. One executive said "I'm glad we're not in the NL," highlighting the competitive balance in the National League after the flurry of moves. The Cubs, Orioles, Red Sox, Mets, and Phillies all made significant additions, but the consensus is that no single team clearly separated itself from the pack. Several insiders noted that the Orioles' aggressive approach could pay dividends in October, while the Mets' moves were seen as a calculated risk.
College Football: Belichick, Polls, and Playoff Projections
North Carolina coach Bill Belichick announced Thursday that his son, defensive coordinator Steve Belichick, is on medical leave and out indefinitely. Ohio State starts the 2026 season as the No. 1 team in the AFCA Coaches Poll as the Big Ten tries to extend its run of college football national champions to four. Tommy McClelland apparently forgot Indiana winning the CFP national championship in January when he said, "we are here to win championships. If you don't want to win championships..." Mario Cristobal, who led the Hurricanes to the College Football Playoff title game last season before losing to Indiana, agreed to a long-term contract extension with the school, sources told ESPN. Bill Connelly breaks down the best games of the 2026 college football season, highlighting Power 4 games with the highest combined SP+ ratings and a projected scoring margin under eight points. These 31 schools have the players—and the schedules—to reach the playoff in 2026. What players will have an outsized influence on the 2026 season? We start with CFP-hopeful QBs and go from there, including where Arch Manning and other top quarterbacks rank among the 40 most important players. After missing the College Football Playoff at the end of last season, Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman wants his players focused on winning now, and that starts with the Fighting Irish's opener on Sept. 1. Indiana defensive end Stephen Daley practiced in a limited role for the Hoosiers on Wednesday as he ramps his way up from a season-ending knee injury suffered in December. A.J. Williams, the No. 1-ranked player in the class of 2028, plans to reclassify into the 2027 class, he told ESPN. Ryan McGee weighs in on the biggest bad guys of all time, with no one fueling fans' ire more than Lane Kiffin these days.
College Football Schedules and Big Ten Projections
ESPN breaks down which teams face the biggest challenges and which have the easiest roads ahead in the preseason schedule evaluation. How good—win the national title!—and bad—miss the tourney!—it could get for all 18 Big Ten teams this season. The Big Ten is loaded with national title contenders, but several teams could also miss the tournament entirely, creating a wide variance in outcomes. Ohio State and Oregon lead off the preseason coaches' poll, setting up a potential showdown for Big Ten supremacy. All current Akron season-ticket holders are automatically entered into a random drawing for a unique promotion, according to the school, and they'll work with the head coach.
Cricket: Buttler's Record, The Hundred, and Retirements
BBC Sport explores how Jos Buttler became the highest run-getter in men's T20 cricket. Jos Buttler stars as Manchester Super Giants beat Welsh Fire by nine wickets in The Hundred. London Spirit are the first side to be knocked out of the men's Hundred after a six-wicket defeat by MI London at Lord's. Welsh Fire captain Phil Salt says ideally he would like The Hundred to be a week longer after his side played three matches in five days. Hampshire and England fast bowler John Turner retires from cricket aged 25 after more than a year out injured. Surrey maintain their push for a home semi-final in the One-Day Cup with a 95-run win over Kent. Sophia Dunkley helps Trent Rockets beat Birmingham Phoenix after Orla Prendergast takes four wickets in Welsh Fire's victory over Manchester Super Giants. England white-ball coach Brendon McCullum backs Harry Brook as a future captain but says Joe Root will do an "amazing job" in his second stint.
Soccer: Irish League, Swansea, and Super League
The 2026-27 Irish League season is set to start on time after votes to endorse three proposals were overwhelmingly passed at an Extraordinary General Meeting on Tuesday night. After a summer of transfers, preparation and uncertainty, the start of the Irish Premiership 2026-27 season has finally arrived, with Larne the team to beat. Derry City chairman Philip O'Doherty tells BBC Sport NI he thought "it was time to make a change" following news of the departure of manager Tiernan Lynch. Chief executive Tom Gorringe says Swansea City are now on track to compete for a return to the Premier League. St Helens will face Hull FC in Dublin as part of a Super League double-header next April, the day after Warrington Wolves take on Wigan Warriors. Wigan Warriors kick off the new Super Four format of the Women's Super League with a thumping 44-6 win at St Helens. Scarlets managing director Jon Daniels also wants greater transparency from the Welsh Rugby Union as their future hangs in the balance, dismissing any merger with Ospreys. The former England prop Joe Marler will be known as Mauler when he becomes BBC's first celebrity Gladiator when the fourth series airs in 2027. Television presenter Nick Knowles becomes a shareholder in Champ Rugby side Cornish Pirates. The planned launch of a bespoke European NBA league has the potential to take basketball in the United Kingdom to the "next level," says the New York Knicks' OG Anunoby.
UFC and WWE: Lesnar Retires, Van-Pantoja Rematch, and More
Brock Lesnar, a 10-time WWE world champ and former UFC heavyweight champ, said his match at WWE Summer Slam was his last and that he's retiring from combat sports. Top moments from SummerSlam Night 2 include Chad Gable's title win and Roman Reigns retaining the World Heavyweight Championship. A flyweight title rematch between Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja will headline UFC 331 in September, officials announced Thursday. UFC flyweight Allan Nascimento has died of an apparent heart attack, the promotion announced Monday; he was. UFC owners lose $30m (£22m) staging the Freedom 250 event, which was attended by US President Donald Trump, at the White House in June. Ian Machado Garry explains how switching to a plant-based diet helped him earn a welterweight title shot against Islam Makhachev at UFC 330 on 15 August. The WWE superstar couple Bianca Belair and Montez Ford welcomed their first child together, having been together since 2016 and married in 2018.
The Ocho: 10 Years of Obscure Sports
ESPN's 75-hour tradition showcases obscure competitions, from T. rex races and pumpkin tossing to death diving and sign spinning, and here's how it got started. The Ocho will celebrate its 10th anniversary in style, airing the world's quirkiest, most unconventional and obscure sports. Hundreds of competitors are poised to take the turf at Emerald Downs this year, honoring a tradition that began as a team-bonding experience. The new variation on chess—called "the strangest sport in the world"—will be broadcast on The Ocho at 8 a.m. ET on Aug. 8.
Tennis: Alcaraz Injury, Eala's Rise, and Norrie's Win
BBC Sport analyses Carlos Alcaraz's ongoing absence from tennis and why wrist injuries are so difficult to manage, with the Spaniard now 114 days and counting without competitive play. Alex Eala is preparing for the US Open, back on the surface that has produced many of the biggest moments of her career. After making history in Washington, BBC Sport looks at Alexandra Eala's journey to her first title, with the Filipino star showing "Filipino heart" to make history. Cameron Norrie progresses to the Canadian Open last 32 with a straight-set win over Ignacio Buse.
Golf: LIV Funding, FedEx Cup Bubble, and Irish Open
LIV Golf has secured funding from an outside investor that will keep the circuit alive beyond this season, according to league CEO Scott O'Neil. After the withdrawal of Saudi Arabian financial backing earlier this year, LIV Golf says it has secured a deal with an unnamed lead investor to continue next season. From Jackson Koivun to Brooks Koepka, what the players on the cusp of qualifying for the FedEx Cup Playoffs need to do at the Wyndham Championship. Robert MacIntyre, Patrick Reed, Francesco Molinari and Sepp Straka will play the Irish Open at the Trump International Golf Links & Hotel in Doonbeg, County Clare from 9-13 September.
Cycling: Tour de France Femmes and Clothing Checks
Kimberley Le Court wins a sprint finish to seal victory in stage six of the Tour de France Femmes on Thursday, as Swiss rider Marlen Reusser holds on to the overall lead. Demi Vollering wins stage five of the Tour de France Femmes following a sprint victory over yellow jersey holder Marlen Reusser. Switzerland's Marlen Reusser takes the first yellow jersey of her career by winning a 21km time trial to Dijon in the fourth stage of the Tour de France Femmes. Officials at the Tour de France Femmes Avec Zwift will check the clothing worn by riders to prevent attempts to make "aerodynamic gains," specifically over concerns about bra padding.
Poker, Horse Racing, and Other Sports News
Lucas Jumalon, a 22-year-old poker pro from Spokane, Washington, beat Finland's Lauri Saaskilahti heads-up to win the 2026 World Series of Poker main event and $10 million. The Preakness Stakes is moving to three weeks and a day after the Kentucky Derby and is set to be run on a Sunday for the first time. London submits its final bid to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships, with the London Stadium, built for the 2012 Olympics, as the proposed venue. Gloucester sprinter James Arminio is racing at the Under-20 World Championships, only two years after first stepping on to an athletics track. Winter Olympic gold medallist Eve Muirhead revokes her retirement, saying being Team GB's chef de mission at this year's Games has inspired her to return to curling after four years away. Chad le Clos reveals his apartment in South Africa was destroyed by a fatal fire in a "heartbreaking tragedy"—the night after he became the most decorated athlete in Commonwealth Games history. Longtime college basketball announcer Dick Vitale said he is making positive strides after announcing in April that he had been diagnosed with cancer for the fifth time. The San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet stopped in the rain to help out a stranded motorist in San Antonio whose car broke down. Bears new safety Coby Bryant will miss eight to ten weeks with a leg injury, sources say. While J.J. McCarthy and Kyler Murray compete for the starting quarterback job with the Vikings, their teammates are focused on helping both of them succeed. The British Grand Prix will remain on the Moto GP World Championship calendar until at least 2028 as Silverstone extends its partnership with Moto GP. Prime Minister Andy Burnham responds to Archie Goodburn's impassioned plea for more money and resources to be put into brain cancer research by inviting the Scottish swimmer to a personal meeting. UK Sport will no longer channel investment in skiing and snowboarding through the sports' UK governing body, GB Snowsport. Salary cap regulations might not be high on everyone's holiday reading list, but Eddie Hearn might be interested if he's keen to get Henry Pollock's £1m pay-day. Distinguished Ireland goalkeeper Ayeisha McFerran is ruled out of the forthcoming Hockey World Cup through injury. Hooker Tom Howe stays grounded after being tipped as one to watch for Wales before his debut for Cardiff. BBC Sport F1 correspondent Andrew Benson answers your latest questions on the "Newey effect" and why we are still waiting for it. Jemima Lines has hailed a "pivotal moment" in her sport after she became the first woman to be selected for the British America's Cup team in 90 years. Bouldering helped Mary Falconer deal with the loss of her mother and could also set her on the path to becoming an Olympian. Since their contracts were stripped back to part-time last summer, Great Britain Sevens players have had to find alternative employment and teams to keep their passion alive. A powerlifter who was disqualified following an alleged racially motivated act has said she "does not feel safe" when competing, and says black athletes are frequently booed in competitions. With Throwback Weekend on tap—and the playoffs quickly approaching—the PLL Power Rankings have the Waterdogs taking the top spot ahead of Week. Will you get today's player in as few attempts as possible in The Hundred cricket star guessing game? How much attention have you paid to what's happened in the world of sport over the past seven days? Test yourself with the weekly sports quiz.