Last updated: August 6, 2026, 11:48 PM ET
NFL Training Camps & Preseason Storylines
Brock Purdy is showing off his focus and leadership during 49ers training camp, with reporters noting his command of the offense as San Francisco prepares for another Super Bowl run. Meanwhile, Baker Mayfield is feeling the heat in Tampa Bay, where the Buccaneers' quarterback competition is intensifying as camp battles heat up across the league. The Vikings' quarterback room is the talk of the NFC North, with J.J. McCarthy and Kyler Murray locked in a battle for the starting job while teammates remain focused on helping both signal-callers succeed. Bears' new safety Coby Bryant will miss eight to 10 weeks with a leg injury, a significant blow to Chicago's revamped secondary. 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.
MLB Trade Deadline Fallout & Awards Race
Our panel of baseball insiders weighed in on the biggest blockbusters at the trade deadline, grading which teams had the best hauls and which moves will pay off down the stretch. The Cubs, Orioles, Red Sox, Mets, Phillies and more all made significant splashes, and ESPN's experts have broken down how each franchise really fared in a wild conclusion to trade season. Fantasy fallout from all the key deals that went down before Monday's MLB trade deadline is being tracked, with several players seeing their value shift dramatically. Pete Crow-Armstrong has emerged as the new odds leader for the NL MVP award, according to the latest betting lines for season-long honors. The odds for MVP, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year in both the AL and NL have shifted substantially following the deadline movement.
College Football Preseason Landscape
Ohio State starts the 2026 season as the No. 1 team in the AFCA Coaches Poll, with the Big Ten trying to extend its run of college football national champions to four. Texas moves into the top five in the Way-Too-Early Top 25, while North Carolina falls out for UCLA, but the key nonconference games circled on the calendar are generating the most buzz. Bill Connelly has identified the Power 4 games with the highest combined SP+ ratings and a projected scoring margin under eight points as the best games of the 2026 college football season. Thirty-one teams have the players and schedules to reach the playoff in 2026, making this one of the deepest CFP fields in recent memory. Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman wants his players focused on winning now after missing the College Football Playoff at the end of last season, starting with the Fighting Irish's opener in September. A.J. Williams, the No. 1-ranked player in the class of 2028, plans to reclassify into the 2027 class, he told ESPN, shaking up the recruiting landscape. Alabama and UNC have entered the updated top 35 for the 2027 class rankings as summer recruiting winds down.
CFB Storylines & Schedules
The Big Ten's ceiling and floor for all 18 teams range from winning the national title to missing the tournament entirely, according to ESPN's comprehensive preview. New Purdue athletic director Tommy McClelland apparently forgot Indiana winning the CFP national championship in January when he said "we are here to win championships," drawing a pointed rebuke from the rival school. ESPN's preseason schedule evaluation breaks down which teams face the biggest challenges and which have the easiest roads ahead in 2026. Lane Kiffin fuels fans' ire more than anyone these days, but Ryan McGee's College Football Supervillain Power Rankings examine whether he is the best pot-stirrer of all time. The 40 most important players in college football have been ranked, starting with CFP-hopeful quarterbacks like Arch Manning and other top signal-callers who will have an outsized influence on the 2026 season. Akron is running a unique raffle for season-ticket holders, who are automatically entered into a random drawing and will get to work with the head coach.
WNBA Playoff Race & Off-Court Noise
Seven teams look like WNBA playoff locks, leaving the Mystics, Sparks, Mercury, Sky, Fire and Tempo to battle for the No. 8 seed in a crowded race. The Fever and Aces are surging in the Power Rankings, with Minnesota and Indiana ranking 1-2 after meeting in an offensive showcase, and Las Vegas rounding out the top three. 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. Indiana Fever guard 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." USA Basketball's 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. The Cleveland Sirens unveiled their new logo and branding for the expansion team that will join the WNBA in 2028.
Combat Sports & MMA
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, at the age of. UFC owners lost $30 million 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. 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. Roman Reigns' win at Summer Slam Night 2 ends his rivalry with Seth Rollins, while Chad Gable's title win was another top moment from the event. Bianca Belair and Montez Ford, the WWE superstar couple who have been together since 2016 and married in 2018, welcomed their first child together.
Tennis & International Sports
Carlos Alcaraz's ongoing absence from tennis due to a wrist injury has reached 114 days, and BBC Sport analyses why wrist injuries are so difficult to manage. Cameron Norrie progressed to the Canadian Open last 32 with a straight-set win over Ignacio Buse. Alexandra Eala is preparing for the US Open, back on the hard courts that have produced many of the biggest moments of her career. After making history in Washington, Eala's journey to her first title shows her "Filipino heart," according to BBC Sport. 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, with tests coming back "very good."
Cycling & Tour de France Femmes
Demi Vollering won stage five of the Tour de France Femmes following a sprint victory over yellow jersey holder Marlen Reusser. Kimberley Le Court won 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. Switzerland's Marlen Reusser took 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" through bra padding.
Cricket & The Hundred
Jos Buttler became the highest run-getter in men's T20 cricket, and BBC Sport explores how he achieved the feat. Buttler starred as Manchester Super Giants beat Welsh Fire by nine wickets in The Hundred, breaking the T20 runs record in the process. 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. Sophia Dunkley helped Trent Rockets beat Birmingham Phoenix after Orla Prendergast took four wickets in Welsh Fire's victory over Manchester Super Giants. Hampshire and England fast bowler John Turner retires from cricket aged 25 after more than a year out injured. 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. Surrey maintain their push for a home semi-final in the One-Day Cup with a 95-run win over Kent, going level with the Foxes at the top.
Football, Golf & Other Sports
Wigan Warriors kicked off the new Super Four format of the Women's Super League with a thumping 44-6 win at St Helens. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. London submits its final bid to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships, with the London Stadium, built for the 2012 Olympics, the proposed venue.
Poker, Athletics & More
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. 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. Chad le Clos revealed 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. Winter Olympic gold medallist Eve Muirhead revoked 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. Gloucester sprinter James Arminio is racing at the Under-20 World Championships, only two years after first stepping on to an athletics track. The European Athletics Championships will take place in Birmingham from 10-16 August, with the full timetable and BBC coverage times now available. Prime Minister Andy Burnham responded 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.
The Ocho & Quirky Sports
ESPN's 75-hour Ocho tradition showcases obscure competitions, from T. rex races and pumpkin tossing to death diving and sign spinning, celebrating its 10th anniversary in style. Hundreds of competitors are poised to take the turf at Emerald Downs this year, honoring a T. rex race tradition that began as a team-bonding experience. The Ocho will air the world's quirkiest, most unconventional and obscure sports, including a new variation on chess called "the strangest sport in the world" on Aug. 8.
Rugby, Soccer & Other Notes
Scarlets managing director Jon Daniels dismissed any Ospreys merger talk and wants greater transparency from the Welsh Rugby Union as their future hangs in the balance. The former England rugby star Joe Marler will be known as Mauler when he becomes the BBC's first celebrity Gladiator for the fourth series airing in 2027. Television presenter Nick Knowles becomes a shareholder in Champ Rugby side Cornish Pirates. Hooker Tom Howe stays grounded after being tipped as one to watch for Wales before his debut for Cardiff. Chief executive Tom Gorringe says Swansea City are now on track to compete for a return to the Premier League, with foundations now in place. Derry City chairman Philip O'Doherty told BBC Sport NI he thought "it was time to make a change" following news of the departure of manager Tiernan Lynch, calling it "pretty much a snap decision." The 2026-27 Irish League season will 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 arrived, with Larne the team to beat. 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. 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. North Carolina coach Bill Belichick announced Thursday that his son, defensive coordinator Steve Belichick, is on medical leave and out indefinitely. The San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet stopped in the rain to help out a stranded motorist in San Antonio whose car broke down. 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. Bouldering helped Mary Falconer deal with the loss of her mother and could also set her on the path to becoming an Olympian in 2028. 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. As Ohtani chases another MVP award, his former interpreter serves his punishment in a Pennsylvania prison, recalling lessons of "The Betrayal of Shohei Ohtani." Distinguished Ireland goalkeeper Ayeisha McFerran has been ruled out of the forthcoming Hockey World Cup through injury. William Zepeda climbed the lightweight rankings after dominating Lamont Roach to capture the WBC title. The Waterdogs took the top spot in the PLL Power Rankings ahead of Week, with Throwback Weekend on tap and the playoffs quickly approaching. From Jackson Koivun to Brooks Koepka, the players on the cusp of qualifying for the FedEx Cup Playoffs know what they need to do at the Wyndham Championship.