General Sports 3 Days

Last updated: August 15, 2026, 11:06 PM ET

Athletics

Amy Hunt completed a historic sprint treble at the European Athletics Championships, claiming her third gold medal as Dina Asher-Smith made history by matching the British record for most European Championships medals. Kate O'Connor secured European gold in the heptathlon in Birmingham, dedicating her victory to her late grandmother who "would have been jumping for joy." Katarina Johnson-Thompson finished 21st at the championships and vowed that if she is "not competitive, I will start asking questions" after a difficult season plagued by injuries. Keely Hodgkinson was forced to settle for European silver after Switzerland's Audrey Werro denied her a third consecutive title in a thrilling 800m final. Adam Ramsay-Peaty expressed confusion over his continued poor run of form after exiting early at the European Aquatics Championships. Filip Nowacki claimed dramatic gold in the men's 200m breaststroke final at the European Aquatics Championships in Paris. Josh Kerr disappointed Jakob Ingebrigtsen by missing the European Championships in Birmingham, with the Norwegian calling himself "very" disappointed by the British rival's decision.

Swimming

Kate Douglass set a world record in the women's 50-meter freestyle during preliminary heats at the Pan Pacific Championships, marking a historic achievement in the pool. Johannes Liebmann and Douglass both set swimming world records on the same day, dazzling crowds at events in Paris and California respectively.

College Football

Linebacker Gideon ESPN Lampron has been a camp standout for the Colorado Buffaloes after meeting Deion Sanders on a December flight, with the coach praising him as "a bona fide leader." AK Dear is expected to miss about six weeks after suffering an ankle injury in a preseason scrimmage, dealing a significant blow to Alabama's running back rotation. Edrees Farooq will miss the 2026 season after suffering a torn patellar tendon in his right knee during practice. Tennessee placed multiple players on ESPN's preseason All-America team as the Volunteers prepare for the upcoming season alongside the Longhorns and Buckeyes. Oklahoma's John Mateer has turned heads this offseason with his massive arms, sparking debate about whether college quarterbacks are getting too big. Bill Connelly broke down the final preseason SP+ rankings, analyzing what the projections mean heading into the 2026 season. ESPN's preseason rankings covered all 138 FBS teams in a tiered ranking ahead of the upcoming season.

WNBA

Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers went blow for blow with dueling 29-point performances, but Clark's Fever prevailed 98-87 against Bueckers' short-handed Wings. Angel Reese continues to grab rebounds at a pace never before seen in the WNBA despite not being the tallest player or best leaper in the league. Diana Taurasi hopes to join the Phoenix Mercury ownership group within the next year or two, just two days before her No. 3 will be retired by the franchise. WNBA icons say the increased scrutiny and discourse surrounding the league is a direct result of the growth and success of the women's game.

MLB

Fantasy baseball lineups for Sunday's MLB action are loaded with options, including Royals' Cameron who is poised to bounce back. Saturday's fantasy advice features Seymour and Wesneski as must-start options for lineup setters. MLB Rank 2026 released its updated top 50 players as the 2026 regular season begins to wind down. Tight end tiers from Matt Bowen help fantasy managers identify value drops throughout the draft.

NFL

Nazeeh Johnson believes he tested positive for a banned substance due to fertility medication he was taking, resulting in his NFL suspension. Lamar Jackson is embracing a new vision under new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, adapting to the Ravens' revamped offense. Josh Allen and Caleb Williams are among the quarterbacks ranked by skill in Matt Bowen's 2026 QB trait rankings, evaluating everything from arm strength to pocket presence.

NBA

The LA Lakers completed a record $12.5bn (£9.3bn) sale in the span of a weekend, shocking the NBA world and fans with the speed and magnitude of the deal. NBA Cup 2026 revealed its group stage schedule for the fourth annual in-season tournament, with all the details on format and updates.

Golf

Scottie Scheffler birdied the first five holes and shot a 9-under 61 to tie the course record in the FedEx St. Jude Championship, taking a three-stroke lead. FedEx St. Jude Championship second round highlights showcased Scheffler's dominant performance at TPC Southwind. LIV Golf is set to cancel its season-ending Team Championship later this month, according to reports. Jessica Bang died at the age of 18 after suffering a brain haemorrhage while preparing for a tournament in Thailand.

Rugby

Alun Wyn Jones is set to join the Ospreys board before the 2026-27 season, bringing his legendary Wales captain experience to the club's leadership. WRU announced plans to slash Welsh professional teams to three by 2028, stating there is no prospect of generating enough revenue to fund four teams beyond that year. Jonathan Davies called for the Welsh Rugby Union board to step down amid ongoing governance concerns.

Soccer

Wigan Warriors scored six tries to defeat Bradford Bulls 34-6, maintaining their second-place position in the Super League behind Leeds. Castleford Tigers put their coaching problems aside to beat Hull FC 18-14 at the MKM Stadium, recording only their third Super League away win of the season. Cameron Burgess suffered a ruptured Achilles that will likely keep him out for the entire season, dealing a heavy blow to Swansea City ahead of the new Championship campaign. Cardiff City aims to prove pundits wrong who have dismissed them as possible relegation candidates in 2026-27.

Cricket

Rahmat Shah hit an unbeaten 143 at Stormont to help Afghanistan complete a 4-0 one-day series win over Ireland. Tamim Hasan became the first Bangladesh cricketer to score a Test century in Australia as the visitors dominated on day two in Darwin. Steve Smith benefited from an odd technology reprieve but Bangladesh otherwise dominated the hosts on day one of the first Test. Notts and Durham reached the One-Day Cup semi-finals with centuries from Jack Haynes and Kyle Verreyne helping Notts beat Yorkshire. Scotland enjoyed a thumping 170-run World Cup League 2 victory over Canada at Forthill, led by captain Richie Berrington and debutant Lyle Robertson. England scrapped their midnight curfew seven months after introducing it, with wins now needed to repair the reputational damage sustained. Moises Henriques is chasing "cricket nirvana" by helping Portugal qualify for their first-ever men's T20 World Cup at the twilight of his playing career. Rocky Flintoff earned praise with a Somerset century, with one former England coach calling for him to be "fast-tracked" to international cricket.

MMA & Boxing

Mackenzie Dern says poker helped develop her composure inside the octagon as the strawweight champion prepares to defend her title at UFC. Islam Makhachev stated he "does not have much time" left in the UFC as he prepares to defend his welterweight title against Ian Machado Garry at UFC. Ian Machado Garry is considered a real threat to Makhachev in the main event of UFC 330 in Philadelphia. Prichard Colon died 11 years after suffering a severe brain injury during a 2015 fight, his father Richard confirmed on social media.

Hockey

Four Canadian hockey stars remain suspended after a sexual assault acquittal, though a fifth player has been reinstated after an appeals board found the group broke Hockey Canada's code of conduct.

Cycling

The cyclists' union expressed "fury" over the death of British rider Fin Tarling during Friday's stage of the Volta a Portugal, calling for better helmets. Fin Tarling's team withdrew from the Volta a Portugal following the British cyclist's death, with his family describing the outpouring of support as both "heartbreaking and heartwarming." Eddie Jones revealed an interesting coaching method for Japan before their second Test against Australia: watching videos of geese fly in formation.

Miscellaneous

Ty Gibbs will honor former NASCAR driver Kyle Busch by driving an M&M's paint scheme at next month's Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Skip Bertman died at the age of, leaving behind a legacy as the legendary LSU baseball coach who transformed the Tigers into a national powerhouse with five Men's College World Series titles. Declan Devine declared that Glentoran "needs to put silverware in the cabinet this year" after failing to win a trophy last season. The Hundred experienced a peculiar summer marked by soaring heat and falling crowds, with attendance numbers dropping compared to 2025 in the tournament's first year under new private ownership. Welsh Fire continues to struggle in The Hundred 2026, with both men's and women's sides missing out on the Eliminators despite a drastically improved season. Ruby Evans spoke about coping with fame and followers ahead of the 2026 European Artistic Gymnastics Championships, revealing she had never watched the Olympics before her rise to gymnastics fame. Matt Bowen broke down his favorite fantasy football draft targets for 2026, from first-round superstars to late-round dart throws. PLL Power Rankings heading into Week 13 show Boston and Philly finishing strong in the East as the playoffs approach. Week 13 preview highlights playoff berths on the line for the men in Philly, while the Charm and Palms face off for the title. Fantasy football draft prep continues with comprehensive lineup advice for both Saturday and Sunday's MLB action.