General Sports 3 Days

Last updated: August 12, 2026, 6:52 AM ET

NFL

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy impressed in a joint practice against the Titans during training camp. In Philadelphia, Lane Johnson said 2026 is "probably my last year" as he returned from a personal absence. The Patriots' top cornerback Christian Gonzalez has found his voice and is leading by example while still negotiating a contract extension. A high school player in Arkansas unknowingly practiced with a viper in his helmet for nearly an hour before discovering the venomous snake. From County Down, Charlie Smyth is getting used to being an NFL starter as he enters his first pre-season with the Saints.

WNBA

The Indiana Fever’s Stephanie White spoke out against critics and received support from Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham after being booed before a win over the Liberty. The WNBA quickly rescinded Clark’s eighth technical less than two hours after it was issued, preventing a suspension. Kayla McBride dropped 43 points and set the WNBA single-game record with 10 three-pointers in a 103-90 win over the Wings. The Las Vegas Aces rested stars A'ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young for a Sunday road back-to-back in New York. In power rankings, time is running out as teams jockey for playoff seeds. A transgender controversy erupted after Sophie Cunningham said it was "common sense" to ban transgender women from women's sports, drawing responses from former NBA players.

NBA

The NBA announced its opening week schedule, leading with a tripleheader on Oct. 20 that includes the Knicks against LeBron James and the 76ers. Top high school prospect Ahmed Nur earned an exclusive ticket to "The Sanctuary," an offseason performance retreat for NBA players.

MLB

Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson’s errorless streak reached 113 after an error was overturned to a hit in a 12-4 loss to the Rays. A panel of insiders graded the trade deadline deals, including the biggest blockbusters. How the fates of all 30 MLB teams have changed since the trade deadline, along with playoff hopes and roster completeness. Tommy John bid farewell with a message about his health, declining to attend the Yankees' Old-Timers' Day.

College Football

Northwestern football received a $35 million donation from Liz and Dick Uihlein to strengthen the program. How much does a Power 4 starter earn? We asked GMs, staffers and agents to price each position. Coaches spill the tea on 43 QBs, evaluating who will be stars and which signal-callers opposing coaches fear. A preview of the ACC (and Notre Dame) asks "How back is The U?" and whether Clemson can rebound. Freshman phenoms who could affect conference and CFP races are highlighted. The NCAA and FBI partnered to combat athlete sexual exploitation as college athletes become bigger targets online.

European Athletics Championships

Great Britain's Romell Glave and Jeremiah Azu secured a sensational 100m one-two in Birmingham. Amy Hunt had her "coming of age" moment with 100m gold. Jakob Ingebrigtsen fought back from "the lowest of lows" to win 5,000m gold after nearly a year out with injury. Keely Hodgkinson and rivals progressed in the 800m, while she said a home European title would mean as much as Olympic gold. The team behind Hodgkinson and the hunt for a world record was explored. The women's 800m world record (longest-standing in athletics) remains unbroken for 43 years. American Jonah Koech, the US 1500m champion, received a three-year doping ban for blood doping. Criticism of empty seats at Alexander Stadium noted nearly 10,000 seats were empty on Monday. The day three schedule and BBC coverage details are available. The Russian Athletics Federation filed a new claim with CAS to challenge World Athletics sanctions.

European Aquatics Championships

Adam Ramsay-Peaty finished fifth in the 100m breaststroke final, his first loss at a European Aquatics Championships. GB claimed gold along with three medals on the opening day in Paris, while Jack Kelly set a new Irish record to reach the breaststroke final.

The Hundred & Other Cricket

Trent Rockets face a nervous wait after a six-wicket defeat by Southern Brave. Sunrisers Leeds thumped Welsh Fire by 71 runs to close in on qualification. Caleb Falconer nearly lost his Hundred contract due to an email hoax. There are quizzes to guess The Hundred star No 21 and No 23. Rocky Flintoff, 18-year-old son of Andrew, hit his first professional century for Lancashire. Middlesex advanced as the One-Day Cup nears a tense finale. Glamorgan coach David Harrison highlighted the positives in developing young players despite only two wins. Afghanistan beat Ireland by 71 runs to take a 2-0 ODI series lead. Scotland scraped past UAE by one wicket with one ball left. Emilio Gay is set to be fit for England's first Test against Pakistan.

Soccer

Manchester United vs Leeds will be the first English club clash at Dublin's Croke Park in a pre-season game. Arne Slot confirmed talks for the Netherlands job but said his next role will be in club football. Brennan Johnson is tipped to thrive under David Moyes after moving from Crystal Palace to Everton. The NIFL CEO insisted "no deals were done" to ensure the EGM took place and prevent a season delay. An Argentine defender Jeremias James wishes he could play for Wales due to his Welsh roots.

Rugby (Union & League)

Former All Black Ma'a Nonu, performed a solo haka in response to the All Blacks before a club game in Durban. Ulster captain Iain Henderson will miss several months after hip surgery. Wales named 14 uncapped players in a 46-strong squad for WXV. Wigan Warriors beat Toulouse 48-18 with eight tries, moving second in Super League. Huddersfield Giants thrashed Catalans 42-20 to celebrate their move to Dewsbury. Wakefield Trinity paid a "substantial" fee to sign Davy Litten from Hull FC.

Golf

Charley Hull let a one-shot lead slip with two holes to play as 17-year-old Anna Huang won the PIF London Championship. Jackson Koivun secured the 70th FedEx Cup playoff spot after winning the 3M Open in only his third start. An amateur golfer resigned after faking a hole-in-one in a viral cheating scandal.

Boxing

Aaron McKenna cracked the middleweight top 10 after winning the IBF title. Dina Thorslund dominated to become undisputed bantamweight champion, shaking up the 118-pound weight class.

Snooker

Zhang Anda shocked world number three Zhao Xintong by potting a respotted black ball to win 6-5. Judd Trump lost to Noppon Saengkham, while Shaun Murphy set a new scoring record.

Horse Racing

The Ffos Las meeting will start about two hours earlier on Wednesday due to the solar eclipse. Five races at Saratoga and Monmouth Park are under investigation after unusual betting patterns. Chepstow racecourse celebrates its centenary with memories of royal visits and racing fairytales.

F1/Moto GP

Kimi Antonelli is a 19-year-old F1 star. A Q&A asks whether Lawson can keep his seat for 2027. Raul Fernandez won the British Moto GP ahead of Jorge Martin.

Other Sports

Ty Gibbs outlasted Christopher Bell to win the NASCAR Cup race in Iowa. Hezly Rivera won her second straight U.S. gymnastics title at age. Dakota Ditcheva broke both hands during her win over Denise Kielholtz. Summer Shaw won Scotland's first judo medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games and returned to work at McDonald's a week later. Hacky sack has seen a viral comeback, featured on ESPN's The Ocho. The Little League World Series schedule is set, while a Tulsa team was initially kept from a LLBWS bid by a judge, then allowed to play after a temporary restraining order was granted. Fantasy football Eric Karabell's "Do Not Draft" list is out, and a playoff strategy guide for women's hoops is available. The teenage Spaniard Jodar is on the verge of the fastest rise to the top 10 in ATP history.