General Sports 3 Days

Last updated: August 12, 2026, 9:36 PM ET

WNBA

A WNBA task force of team presidents and general managers met Wednesday to discuss transgender athletes but did not arrive at any eligibility rules. Separately, a row emerged after Sophie Cunningham said it was "common sense" to ban transgender women from women's sports, drawing responses from former NBA players. Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White was booed before Tuesday's win over the Liberty, then received backing from Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham. In the power rankings, time is running out as teams jockey for playoff seeds. Minnesota's Kayla McBride set the WNBA single-game record with 10 three-pointers in a 103-90 win over Dallas. For fantasy leagues, a playoff strategy guide offers expert picks and player advice.

Track & Field

Great Britain's Matthew Hudson-Smith made history as the joint-most decorated man at European Championships by winning 400m gold on home soil in Birmingham. Romell Glave and Jeremiah Azu claimed a sensational 100m one-two for the hosts. Amy Hunt had her "coming of age" moment storming to women's 100m glory. Jakob Ingebrigtsen returned from injury and "the lowest of lows" to win 5,000m gold. Keely Hodgkinson and rivals Audrey Werro and Femke Broeders-Bol advanced to set up a tantalizing 800m showdown. A BBC Sport feature explores why the women's 800m world record has stood for 43 years. The team behind Hodgkinson's golden rise is also profiled. However, nearly 10,000 empty seats at Alexander Stadium drew criticism. American Jonah Koech, the US 1500m champion, received a three-year doping ban. Meanwhile, the Russian Athletics Federation filed a new claim against World Athletics sanctions.

Aquatics

Great Britain's Angharad Evans won her first European Championship gold in the 100m breaststroke in Paris. Adam Ramsay-Peaty finished fifth, beaten for the first time at a European Aquatics Championships. On the opening day, GB secured three medals and Jack Kelly set a new Irish record to reach the breaststroke final.

Cricket

In The Hundred, Welsh Fire and MI London were eliminated after defeats in their final group matches. Ellyse Perry struck a superb 62 not out to lead Birmingham Phoenix to a five-wicket win over MI London. Trent Rockets face a nervous wait after a six-wicket defeat by Southern Brave. Test yourself with a guess-the-player quiz. In ODI cricket, Afghanistan sealed the series over Ireland with a game to spare at Stormont, thanks to a record tally. Rahmanullah Gurbaz top-scored with 71 as Afghanistan took a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. In county cricket, Rocky Flintoff, son of Andrew, hit his first professional century for Lancashire. Glamorgan coach David Harrison highlighted positives in young players despite only two wins from eight. England opener Emilio Gay is set to be fit for the first Test against Pakistan.

Football (Soccer)

Manchester United beat Leeds in a historic pre-season encounter at Croke Park, the first association football match between two English teams at the stadium. Less than a month after Mayo's All-Ireland final win, Croke Park turned its attention to the old rivalry. Former Liverpool boss Arne Slot confirmed talks for the Netherlands managerial vacancy but said his next job will be in club football. Brennan Johnson is tipped to thrive under David Moyes after moving from Crystal Palace to Everton. Meanwhile, Chile-based Argentine defender Jeremias James, proud of his Welsh roots, hopes for a rule change to help his international ambitions. In Northern Ireland, NIFL CEO Gerard Lawlor insisted no deals were done to ensure the EGM took place. The Irish League's long-term European hopes rest with Larne after Northern Ireland dropped outside the top 50 of Uefa's coefficient ranking.

Rugby

England head coach Steve Borthwick handed central contracts to Asher Opoku-Fordjour, Alex Coles, Guy Pepper, Jack van Poortvliet and Seb Atkinson for the first time. Ospreys publicly rejected WRU plans to cut a professional team, believing four sides are the way forward. Ulster captain Iain Henderson will miss several months after hip surgery. In the women's game, England's Red Roses have been using smaller balls in pre-season training before the WXV Global Series. Wales named 14 uncapped players in a 46-strong squad for four autumn Tests, with wing Lisa Neumann returning from injury. Former All Black Ma'a Nonu, performed a solo haka before the Sharks faced New Zealand in Durban. In rugby league, Davy Litten will join Wakefield Trinity from Hull FC at the end of 2026.

Golf

Rory McIlroy said he is confident he'll reach a compromise with the PGA Tour to maintain his dual membership, despite only having 14 starts. The FedEx Cup playoffs start in Memphis with spots in the Tour Championship on the line; we preview what to expect from McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler. Tee times for the first and second rounds of the FedEx St. Jude Championship are out. Jackson Koivun, who left Auburn in June and won the 3M Open in his third start, narrowly hung on to the 70th spot to move from college to the postseason. An amateur golfer resigned from his St. Louis-area club after a fake hole-in-one scandal.

NBA

The league revealed the 2026 NBA Cup group stage schedule, format and updates for the fourth annual in-season tournament. The NBA announced its opening week and Christmas Day games, leading with a tripleheader on Oct. 20 featuring the Knicks against the 76ers and LeBron James. In college basketball, Seth Trimble committed to Louisville after the court ruling gave Class of 2022 high schoolers a fifth season.

College Football & NCAA

An investigation of jacked college QBs looks at Oklahoma's John Mateer, who has turned heads with his massive arms. SEC 2026-27 projections examine best and worst outcomes for every team, including possible champions and teams that won't go dancing. We talked to GMs and agents to put a price on each position: how much does a Power 4 starter earn? on 43 signal-callers, revealing stars, fears, and questions. Freshman phenoms are set to shine, including first-year players who could affect conference and CFP races. Northwestern football received a $35M donation from Liz and Dick Uihlein. The NCAA and FBI partnered to educate athletes on preventing sexual exploitation online. In a bizarre story, a high school player in Arkansas unknowingly wore a helmet with a venomous snake inside for nearly an hour.

NFL & Other U.S. Sports

British NFL player Efe Obada retired after 10 years, saying he has found his "life's purpose" in launching a foundation. Charlie Smyth, the Saints kicker from County Down, is getting used to being a player rather than a fan. Patriots' top CB Christian Gonzalez is having a notable camp, leading by example while still negotiating a contract extension. In the Little League World Series, a Texas judge initially kept a Tulsa team from the Southwest title game. However, he later granted a temporary restraining order allowing them to play for a bid. Our LLBWS hub has schedules and coverage. Ty Gibbs outlasted Christopher Bell to win the NASCAR Cup Series race in Iowa. Olympic gold medalist Hezly Rivera won her second straight U.S. gymnastics national title at age.

Tennis, F1, Snooker & More

Elena Rybakina came back from a set and a break down to beat Naomi Osaka in three sets in the Canadian Open quarter-final. In F1, Kimi Antonelli continues to draw attention. Our Q&A examines if Liam Lawson can keep his seat for 2027. In snooker, Zhang Anda shocked world number three Zhao Xintong with a 6-5 win on a respotted black at the China Open. The GB dressage team secured LA28 Olympic qualification by winning silver at the FEI World Championships. In MMA, Dakota Ditcheva said she broke both hands during her win over Denise Kielholtz. Judo's Summer Shaw won Commonwealth bronze, then returned to work at McDonald's. A horse racing integrity firm is investigating five races at Saratoga and Monmouth Park after unusual betting patterns. The solar eclipse forced the Ffos Las horse racing meeting to start two hours early. Hacky sack has surged in popularity, with a throwback momentum heading to The Ocho. Finally, fantasy baseball trade targets are highlighted for late-season heroes.