General Sports 24-Hour Briefing
×Last updated: October 17, 2026, 4:40 AM ET
Women's Rugby and Football
England's remarkable 41-match unbeaten run came to an end as Canada bbc.co.uk edged a thriller in Toronto, with Shoshanah Seumanu central to the drama.
Boxing
Pundits have weighed in on the heavyweight rematch, with Dubois and Wardley bbc.co.uk set to meet again on Saturday and figures from the boxing world offering their predictions.
College Football
Notre Dame face their first real test at Provo in a marquee clash, and Connelly's Week 7 breakdown espn.com highlights the loaded slate, including Ohio State against Indiana. Coastal Carolina's bold throwback look stood out, with the Chanticleers leading the Week 7 uniform rankings espn.com. Meanwhile, ESPN has reached a handshake agreement espn.com to broadcast a 24-team College Football Playoff, though critics argue the expansion raises concerns espn.com about the event's direction. A hypothetical 24-team bracket espn.com built from the 2025 final rankings shows how the field would take shape.
WNBA
Ranking the top players in the WNBA Finals, the debate centres on Reese or Williams espn.com as the league's best performer this postseason.
Rugby Union and League
Dragons overturned a half-time deficit to beat Perpignan 29-14 in their Challenge Cup opener, four tries bbc.co.uk carrying them through despite missing the bonus point. Jaminet was the star as Toulon beat Edinburgh bbc.co.uk in the Challenge Cup, handing the Scots their first defeat of the season. In the Champions Cup, Gloucester and Bordeaux bbc.co.uk drew 36-36 in a thriller. Cardiff welcome back Faletau and Adams bbc.co.uk for their Champions Cup clash with Northampton. The Irish provinces have named their teams bbc.co.uk for Saturday's European openers, with debuts and returns across the squads. France boss Laurent Frayssinous blamed the NRL gap bbc.co.uk for his side's heavy defeat by Samoa.
Rugby League World Cup
England captain George Williams said the team will embrace the underdog tag bbc.co.uk ahead of their clash with Tonga.
Football
Coleraine produced a statement win, with Ruaidhri Higgins praising the manner of their 3-2 victory over Larne bbc.co.uk in the Irish Premiership.
Cycling and Athletics
Great Britain added two more golds at the Shanghai track Worlds, with Stewart and Morris bbc.co.uk continuing the nation's medal run.
Olympic Movement
The IOC is shutting down 12 permanent committees espn.com, including those focused on human rights and gender issues.
Sports Business and Legal
Banana Ball is adding international contests espn.com and unveiled a new "360" format. The NCAA has sued Ohio's governor espn.com over an order allowing schools to ignore a new eligibility rule. The ECB has dropped the Rooney Rule bbc.co.uk from its coach recruitment process.
Tributes and Court Cases
Southern Nazarene safety Tyler Ulrich espn.com died at 21 after an in-game injury. A burglar was jailed for stealing charity cash from snooker star Kyren Wilson's home bbc.co.uk.
Combat Sports and Entertainment
PFL's Liz Carmouche will compete in her sixth career championship rematch espn.com, while the new Street Fighter film espn.com features WWE and UFC talent.
College Recruiting and Roster Moves
Indiana's Charlie Becker espn.com, once overlooked as a recruit, has become the face of the Hoosiers. Midway through the season, a review of the 10 teams that fixed roster needs espn.com shows who got it right and who did not.
Youth Cricket and Rugby
Teenager Thomas Rew, has been named England Lions captain bbc.co.uk for the West Indies tour.
Coming Up
The Dubois and Wardley heavyweight rematch takes place Saturday bbc.co.uk. Notre Dame face BYU at Provo espn.com in Week.