General Sports 8 Hours

Last updated: August 26, 2026, 3:08 PM ET

WNBA & Basketball

The Fever-Sky matchup set a record Sunday, averaging 3.31 million viewers on NBC and Peacock — the most-watched regular-season WNBA game since the league's inaugural 1997 campaign. In the latest WNBA Power Rankings, Golden State earned its first franchise win over Minnesota while climbing toward playoff positioning, while Atlanta surged four spots and Indiana fell three. Meanwhile, the SEC banned pro athletes from returning to college basketball and football, extending the Big Ten's NFL-only rule to include the NBA and WNBA.

Golf & Boxing

Scottie Scheffler said he's 95% recovered from hand, foot and mouth disease heading into the Tour Championship. Gary Woodland opened up about his PTSD struggles, acknowledging "a lot of days that suck" while hoping his transparency helps others facing similar battles. PGA Tour Champions player Matt Gogel received a six-month suspension Wednesday for placing bets on PGA Tour competition. In boxing, Prince Naseem Hamed declared Moses Itauma is "a million times better" than both Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury.

Football

Tua Tagovailoa will start Friday in the Falcons' preseason finale, though coach Kevin Stefanski said no Week 1 starter has been named and Michael Penix Jr. will sit out. For San Francisco, the 49ers' playoff hopes may hinge on under-the-radar contributors like Demarcus Robinson and the left guard competition. In the Big, ESPN's reporters projected the field of all 16 teams, identifying which programs could contend for a national title and which will fall short. The preseason top-100 player rankings sparked debate, with our writers weighing in on snubs like Dante Moore and other questionable inclusions. And in a unique promotion, Akron named alum Marty Whims II the winner of its "Offensive Coordinator of the Game" contest.

Tennis & Figure Skating

Bianca Andreescu's road back to the US Open has been defined by seven years of setbacks since her stunning 2019 title, but she's fighting to reach the main draw once again. Alex Eala returns as a different player — no longer a debutante with little expectation but a top-20 contender aiming for a deep run. Stan Wawrinka received a late wildcard for what will be his final US Open appearance, despite initially being left off the entry list. Olympic champion Alysa Liu announced she will skip the 2026-27 season, taking a break from competitive figure skating.

Cricket, Rugby & Athletics

Joe Root has demonstrated off-field leadership that England needs, and now faces the challenge of translating that into on-field captaincy. Fast bowler Josh Tongue confirmed Root's message has landed with the squad, saying it has "100%" been heeded. Premiership Women's Rugby reported average attendances rose 23.4% during the 2025-26 season, which ended in June with Saracens claiming a record fourth title. European 800m champion Audrey Werro is targeting one of athletics' oldest world records — the 43-year-old mark — insisting "the record will fall." Snooker's Mark Allen will miss the British and English Opens for personal reasons, extending his absence from the professional circuit. Cardiff City completed the signing of Krystian Bielik from Championship rivals West Bromwich Albion.