EuroLeague's club owners turn down the NBA's offer and vote to make their own places in the league permanent

The rest of the day

39 more stories on this beat.

Each with its own sources. None of these is a link to the story above.

1. 02

   Messi plays his last game for Argentina

   Lionel Messi, 39, played his 208th and last match for Argentina on Tuesday, a 3-0 friendly win over Benin in Buenos Aires. [5][8] He scored his 126th goal for his country from a penalty, in front of 85,000 people. [5] He also set up the first goal for Nicolas Otamendi, who was playing his last game for Argentina too. [7][8] Benin's injured captain, Steve Mounie, paid for his own flight to be there. [9] Messi announced on 31 August that he would stop, six weeks after Argentina lost the World Cup final 1-0 to Spain. [5][6]

   Why it matters — Messi still plays for Inter Miami, a US club, under a contract that runs to 2028. [5][6] He has bought two Spanish clubs, one still waiting for approval, and Forbes put his wealth at about $1.1bn in June. [6]

2. 03

   Rival clubs want Man City punished for years

   Several Premier League clubs want Manchester City punished both for the past and for seasons to come, sources told BBC Sport. [10] An independent panel found City guilty of breaking the league's money rules from 2009-10 to 2017-18, and City have appealed. [10] At least four clubs think one points deduction that drops City into the second tier would not be enough. [10] One club source said City should lose their titles from those years. [10]

   Why it matters — Clubs worry City would come straight back up, so some want points taken over several seasons and long bans on signing players. [10] Shaun Harvey, a director at Wrexham, said a demotion must not punish second-tier clubs that spend within the rules. [11]

3. 04

   FIFA let DR Congo use an ineligible goalkeeper

   FIFA, world football's governing body, let DR Congo play at this summer's World Cup even though its own lawyers found a player ineligible, the New York Times and Le Monde reported. [12][13] Goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi was born in France and had not finished switching countries, the reports say. [12] FIFA rejected Nigeria's complaint about him because it came in too late. [12] DR Congo had knocked Nigeria out on penalties in a play-off. [12]

   Why it matters — An official at Nigeria's sports commission told ESPN the country may ask FIFA to pay for the World Cup money it lost. [13] It adds to the questions around FIFA's president, Gianni Infantino, whose former university associate now runs DR Congo's football body. [12]

4. 05

   Sinner stops for the year with a knee injury

   Jannik Sinner, the world's top-ranked men's tennis player, will not play again in 2026 because of his right knee. [14] He has not played since he won Wimbledon in July, and pulled out of the US Open and then Beijing and Shanghai. [14][15] Sinner said he and his doctors chose a course of treatment, and he wants to protect his long career. [14] He won 44 of his 47 singles matches this year. [14]

   Why it matters — Alexander Zverev, the German ranked second, is now almost sure to finish the year as world number one. [14] Sinner also cannot defend the ranking points he won late last year, including at the ATP Finals. [14]

5. 06

   Djokovic wins in Beijing, Alcaraz in Tokyo

   Novak Djokovic, 39, won the China Open in Beijing this week when Alex de Minaur stopped injured early in the second set. [16][17] It is his 102nd title, and only Jimmy Connors, with 109, and Roger Federer, with 103, have won more. [17] He has won at least one title in each of the last 21 years, and has never lost in Beijing. [16][17] In Tokyo, Carlos Alcaraz beat Jiri Lehecka 7-6, 6-4 for his first title since February. [16]

   Jimmy Connors109 titles

   Roger Federer103 titles

   Novak Djokovic102 titles

   Why it matters — Alcaraz was playing only his third event after four and a half months out with a wrist injury. [16][18] Djokovic beat Zverev, the world number two, on the way to his title. [17]

6. 07

   Seven countries in the race for the 2036 Olympics

   The IOC, which runs the Olympics, named seven countries on Tuesday that want the 2036 Summer Games: Qatar, India, South Africa, Hungary, Turkey, Germany and South Korea. [20][21] Others have until 31 October to join. [20][21] Each will present its case in November, and IOC members vote in 2029. [19][22] South Africa would stage the first Olympics in Africa, across Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban. [19][22]

   Why it matters — Qatar is seen as the favourite, the Guardian reported, though Doha's heat would push the Games out of July and August. [19] India's bid centres on Ahmedabad, which hosts the Commonwealth Games in 2030. [20][21]

7. 08

   Referees' union fights two suspensions

   The NFL Referees Association, the union for the league's game officials, said on Tuesday it will challenge the suspensions of two officials. [23][24] The NFL, American football's top league, banned line judge Jeff Seeman for two games and referee Adrian Hill for one, for how they spoke to players on Sunday. [23] The union says both did fall short, but the bans are bigger than past cases. [24] Seeman's two games is the longest ban for an official since 1988, CBS Sports reported. [25]

   Why it matters — The union also wants to meet the players' union about growing anger between players and officials. [24] Officials suspended for clashes with players in the past each missed only one game. [25]

8. 09

   Ronaldo says his coach broke his word twice

   Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal's 41-year-old captain, said on Tuesday that coach Jorge Jesus twice broke promises to him. [26][27] He said Jesus first agreed he would rest, then told him he would play, then left him on the bench against Norway. [26] Ronaldo said a later deal for the coach to explain this in public was not kept, so he left the camp. [26] He asked Portugal's football federation to punish him, and said he is not retiring. [27]

   Why it matters — Portugal won both games without him and play Denmark and Wales in November. [27] Ronaldo has 146 goals in 234 games for Portugal, both world records. [27]

9. 10

   Most-watched first round in WNBA history

   The first round of the playoffs in the WNBA, the top US women's basketball league, averaged 1.3 million viewers a game over 10 games, the league said on Tuesday. [28][29] That is 37% more than last year's 944,000. [28] It beat the 2024 record of 1.1 million, set in Caitlin Clark's first season. [28] The deciding game between the Las Vegas Aces and Clark's Indiana Fever drew about 2.3 million. [28][29]

   20241.1 m

   20250.94 m

   20261.3 m

   Why it matters — Clark missed last year's playoffs injured, and the Fever's games drew the biggest numbers again. [30] The Fever went out to the Aces, so the league now has to keep the audience without its biggest draw. [30]

10. 11

    Detained basketball player freed on bond

    An immigration judge ruled on Tuesday that Aminata Seck, a basketball player at Kentucky State University, can leave detention on a $2,500 bond. [31][32] Seck, 26, from Senegal, was arrested by ICE, the US immigration agency, at Louisville airport on 7 August while travelling with her team. [32] Her lawyer said she had seizures in detention and was kept in isolation for days. [31] The US government had 24 hours to appeal. [31]

    Why it matters — Her case moves to a slower list for people not in detention, so her next hearing is likely after 20 November. [32] She was moved four times and taken to hospital during two months in custody. [32]

11. 12

    Lane Johnson retires from the Eagles

    Lane Johnson, 36, who blocked for the quarterback as the Philadelphia Eagles' right tackle for 14 seasons, retired on Tuesday. [33][34] The Eagles picked him fourth in the 2013 draft, and he never played for anyone else. [33] He said he needed to put his mental health and family first. [33] He made the Pro Bowl, the league's all-star game, six times and won two Super Bowls. [33][34]

    Why it matters — His contract ran to 2027, so the Eagles lose a starter a month into the season. [34] They are 2-2, and their coach Nick Sirianni is under more pressure without him. [35]

12. 13

    Kane equals England's caps record

    Harry Kane played his 125th game for England on Tuesday, equalling the record set by goalkeeper Peter Shilton 36 years ago. [36][37] He scored twice in a 3-0 Nations League win over Czechia at Wembley. [36][38] That takes him to 91 goals, already an England record. [36][37] The win almost certainly sends England to the Nations League quarter-finals. [36]

    Why it matters — Shilton wrote that Kane will beat his record in November. [37] Under coach Thomas Tuchel, England have won 15 and drawn one of 16 games against teams outside the world's top 20. [36]

13. 14

    Connecticut's WNBA team leaves for Houston

    The Connecticut Sun played their last game last month and have been sold to a group in Houston led by Tilman Fertitta, owner of the NBA's Houston Rockets. [39] The Mohegan Tribe, a Native American nation, bought the team for $5m in 2003, and agreed to sell it for $300m. [39] It had first agreed a $325m deal with a Boston group that would have kept the team in New England. [39] Connecticut's state government is considering legal action. [39]

    Why it matters — Native fans told the Guardian the move feels like another loss of land and history, after the tribe fought until 1994 to be recognised. [39] New England no longer has a WNBA team. [39]

14. 15

    London win the second tier and still wait

    London Broncos won rugby league's Championship, the second tier, beating Doncaster 78-6 in the final on Sunday. [40] But winning does not promote them. [40] Super League decides who goes up using a grading system that scores clubs on and off the field, and whether to grow to 15 teams. [40] Bradford, who finished last in Super League, are not going down. [40]

    Why it matters — London were dropped before the 2024 season under the same grading system, and the club nearly folded a year ago. [40] Australian investors Grant Wechsel and Darren Lockyer have since paid for its rebuild. [40]

15. 16

    LIV's new backer says teams could be worth $100m

    Ted Goldthorpe, whose firm BC Partners is putting money into LIV Golf while it is bankrupt, said on Tuesday that its teams could soon be worth over $100m each. [41] LIV is a men's golf tour with team events, and went into bankruptcy protection in September after Saudi Arabia's wealth fund stopped paying for it. [42] BC Partners' money is the first part of a planned $300m. [41][42] LIV must sign up half the golfers it owes money to, and Goldthorpe said that is the work of the next 22 days. [41]

    Why it matters — Under the plan the players would own shares in the league and its teams. [42] The golfers are owed at least $45m, and none has to sign on. [42]

16. 17

    Kalshi offers to limit its own trading arm

    Kalshi, a US exchange where people buy contracts on sports results and other events, offered on Monday to cap its own trading firm at 5% of trading each quarter. [43] It made the offer to the CFTC, the US regulator for these markets, which has proposed rules on companies that run an exchange and also trade on it. [43] Kalshi agreed for the first time that this set-up carries risks. [43] It opposes the CFTC's idea that such firms should always wait behind outside traders. [43]

    Why it matters — Several of Kalshi's rivals use the same set-up, so the cap would become a rule for all of them. [43] The trading firm takes bets on the exchange, so the cap limits how much the exchange's owner trades against the people using it. [43]

17. 18

    Old Michigan players lose their pay case again

    A US judge refused again on Friday to revive a case brought by four former Michigan football players, including Denard Robinson and Braylon Edwards. [44] They sued the NCAA, which runs US college sport, the Big Ten league and its TV channel, saying they were made to sign away the right to earn from their names. [44] They played between 2001 and 2012. [44] The judge said such claims must be brought within four years, and they sued in 2024. [44] They can still appeal to a higher court. [44]

    Why it matters — The same time limit has ended similar cases by Terrelle Pryor, Mario Chalmers and others. [44] Players from before college athletes could earn from their names keep losing on the time limit, not on what happened to them. [44]

18. 19

    Teenage first pick scores for Toronto

    Gavin McKenna, 18, the first pick in this year's NHL draft, scored his first goal as the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Nashville Predators 5-4 on Tuesday. [45][46] The NHL is North America's top ice hockey league. [46] Toronto came back from 3-0 down, and Auston Matthews won it with 14 seconds left in overtime. [45] Nashville's Steven Stamkos scored twice. [45]

    Why it matters — Toronto got the first pick by winning the draft lottery after missing the playoffs for the first time in ten years. [46] McKenna was playing his fourth professional game. [46]

19. 20

    Varlamov back after 676 days

    Semyon Varlamov played in goal for the New York Islanders on Tuesday, his first NHL game in 676 days. [47] He had two partial knee replacements on the way back. [47] The Islanders lost 5-2 to the New York Rangers, whose Alexis Lafreniere scored three goals, two into an empty net. [47] The Rangers have won four games in a row. [47]

    Why it matters — He had not played since 29 November 2024, and let in three goals from 22 shots. [47] The Rangers are 3-0 at home, a year after losing their first seven home games. [47]

20. 21

    Dodgers lead the Braves 2-1

    The Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves 3-1 in Atlanta on Tuesday to lead their baseball playoff series 2-1. [48] Yoshinobu Yamamoto, their Japanese pitcher, allowed one run in seven innings and struck out ten. [48][49] The Dodgers had moved their star Shohei Ohtani down to fifth in the batting order, the lowest of his time with them. [50] Enrique Hernandez hit a two-run home run off Chris Sale. [48]

    Why it matters — One more win sends the Dodgers to the next round. [48] In the other series the San Diego Padres were without their closer, Mason Miller, who left to be at the birth of his first child. [51]

21. 22

    Wildfire smoke over Singapore's race

    Singapore's air was rated unhealthy on Tuesday, days before Sunday's Formula One night race. [52] Smoke has drifted from huge wildfires in Indonesia. [52] A strong El Nino, a swing in Pacific weather, has left rain in the region about 80% below normal since June, a Singapore scientist said. [52] The FIA, which runs Formula One, said it has a back-up plan if the haze gets worse. [52]

    Why it matters — Organisers said they will have N95 masks, which filter smoke, if needed. [52] Any limits on outdoor events would fall on the concerts and fan areas, not the race, the FIA said. [52]

22. 23

    Green out of Australia's first Test

    Australia's all-rounder Cameron Green will miss the first cricket Test against South Africa, starting on Friday in Durban, with a stomach muscle strain. [53] The team may bring in Nic Maddinson, 35, who last played a Test in 2016. [53] Maddinson was called up after a one-day century, a year after he beat testicular cancer. [53] Coach Andrew McDonald defended the choice after criticism from former opener Matthew Hayden. [53]

    Why it matters — Green may return during the three-Test series but is not expected to bowl. [53] The choice for Durban is between Maddinson and Cooper Connolly. [53]

23. 24

    Harmanpreet steps down as India captain

    Harmanpreet Kaur, 37, has stepped down as captain of India's women's cricket team in all three forms of the game. [54] She led India to its first world title, the 50-over World Cup, last year. [54] Her last game in charge was the Asian Games final on 22 September, which India won. [54] Opener Smriti Mandhana, who has already led the side in shorter games, takes over. [54]

    Why it matters — Harmanpreet wrote that she often put her own batting second to the team's needs as captain. [54] She will keep playing. [54]

24. 25

    UEFA opens an inquiry into a spitting claim

    UEFA, European football's governing body, opened a disciplinary inquiry on Tuesday into a claim that an Israel player spat at a member of Ireland's staff. [55][56] The claim was made at half-time in Sunday's 1-1 Nations League draw, played behind closed doors in Serbia. [56] Ireland's fitness coach, Damien Doyle, is understood to have made it. [55][56] Israel's football association denied it. [55]

    Why it matters — Both games between the teams were moved to neutral grounds after the draw in February put them together. [56] Many Irish fans had wanted their team to refuse to play Israel. [55]

25. 26

    Korean captain sorry for military service boast

    Lee Gi-hyuk, captain of South Korea's Asian Games football team, apologised for saying he was not going to the military after winning gold. [57] South Korean men must usually serve 18 to 21 months before the age of 28. [57] Asian Games winners and Olympic medallists only do basic training, which lasts less than a month. [57] Lee wrote that he was sorry to fans who are doing their service now. [57]

    Usual military service18-21 months

    vsvs

    Asian Games winnersunder a month

    Why it matters — The rule spared Son Heung-min, who did three weeks in 2020 after winning the Asian Games in 2018. [57] Golfer Tom Kim earned the same exemption this year. [57]

26. 27

    Slovenia beat Scotland at Hampden

    Scotland lost to Slovenia at Hampden Park in Glasgow on Tuesday in the Nations League, after Ryan Christie had scored for them. [58][59] It was only the fourth game for their new Belgian coach, Sebastien Pocognoli. [58] Captain Andy Robertson said his side were outfought. [58] The result leaves Scotland facing third place in their group. [58]

    Why it matters — Pocognoli changed his back three late, and the BBC's writer called it desperation rather than a plan. [59] Robertson had reached 100 caps in Saturday's win in North Macedonia. [58]

27. 28

    US win all four autumn games

    The United States men's football team beat Canada 1-0 in Minnesota on Tuesday, with a goal from Justin Ellis. [60] It was their fourth win out of four this autumn, under coach Mauricio Pochettino. [60][61] The two sides made 43 fouls between them. [60] Brian Schwake kept a clean sheet in his first start in goal. [60]

    Why it matters — The US have won every game since the World Cup ended in the summer, SI reported. [61] Giovanni Reyna was the only player to start all four. [61]

28. 29

    Penn State's tickets fall with its results

    Resale tickets for Penn State's White Out home game on Saturday cost under $80 this week, against $350 in late August. [63] The White Out is the football team's biggest home night of the year. [63] The team has lost its first two Big Ten games, under Matt Campbell, who replaced the fired James Franklin. [62][63] Last year some tickets for the same game sold for over $1,000. [63]

    $350Cheapest seat, late August

    vsvs

    under $80Cheapest seat, this week

    Why it matters — Penn State fired Franklin a year ago to chase a national title, and it is now 3-2. [62] Last year Penn State set a White Out crowd record of 111,015. [63]

29. 30

    A Danish club teaches English to sell players

    Midtjylland, a Danish football club, makes its young players take English lessons at least three times a week, its technical director Kristian Kjaer told the Guardian. [64] The club has made more than 200m euros from selling players since 2018. [64] Its two biggest sales this summer, to Trabzonspor and Crystal Palace, could bring in 62m euros. [64] Kjaer said a player who cannot speak English in six months cannot talk to the coach. [64]

    Why it matters — Kjaer said the lessons matter as much as training, and called the two big sales poster boys for the method. [64] He said Midtjylland runs as an international club, not a Danish one. [64]

30. 31

    Farbrace leaves Sussex for Lancashire

    Lancashire, an English county cricket club, have made Paul Farbrace their director of cricket, weeks before he was due to start that job at Sussex. [65] Lancashire finished seventh in the second division this year, the lowest in their history. [65] Farbrace, 59, led Sussex to third in the top division despite a 12-point penalty. [65] That penalty came from the club's money problems. [65]

    Why it matters — Sussex had already named Matt Walker head coach under Farbrace. [65] At Lancashire he will also oversee the women's team. [65]

31. 32

    Furyk calls the US underdogs

    Jim Furyk, captain of the US golf team for next year's Ryder Cup at Adare Manor in Ireland, said his side will be the underdogs. [66] The Ryder Cup is a team contest between the US and Europe every two years. [66] The Americans have lost all seven in Europe since they last won there in 1993. [66] Europe won the last one 15-13 in New York in 2025. [66]

    Why it matters — The home captain chooses how the course is set up, which Furyk said tips the scales for Europe. [66] Europe's captain, Luke Donald, was less sure Europe should be favourites. [66]

32. 33

    Wembanyama trained with a rugby club

    Victor Wembanyama, the San Antonio Spurs' 7ft 4in French star, spent part of his summer training with Provence, a French second-tier rugby club. [67] Video shows him hitting tackle pads and joining a line-out, where players lift a teammate to catch the ball. [67] He said the training was good for balance and strength. [67] In 2025 he trained with Shaolin monks in China. [67]

    Why it matters — Wembanyama said what stayed with him was how the players, coaches and fans welcomed him. [67] Spurs teammate Harrison Barnes went with him. [67]

33. 34

    Good Good Golf says sales hold up

    Good Good Golf, a golf brand that grew on YouTube, says its online shop is healthy after a scandal this summer. [68] An advert made with Callaway, the club maker, showed a co-founder shoving a female creator to the ground. [68] Callaway ended the partnership, big stores pulled its products, and it lost its sponsorship of a TV golf show and a PGA Tour event. [68] Its chief executive stepped down. [68]

    Why it matters — Big stores pulled its products, but it told Front Office Sports that its website sales are strong. [68] An early investor, Nahid Giga, is running it for now, and it is posting on YouTube again. [68]

34. 35

    Cora turns down the Phillies again

    Alex Cora, the former Boston Red Sox manager, has told the Philadelphia Phillies he will take 2027 off, USA Today reported. [69] It is the second time he has said no to them. [69] The Phillies dropped Rob Thomson after a 9-19 start and offered Cora the job then. [69] Their head of baseball, Dave Dombrowski, worked with Cora in Boston. [69]

    Why it matters — The Phillies must now go to their next choice, a report says. [69] This is a reported account, not a statement from either side. [69]

35. 36

    Sam McDowell dies at 84

    Sam McDowell, a pitcher who played 14 major-league seasons, died on Monday at 84, the San Francisco Giants said. [70] He was best known for his years with Cleveland, from 1961 to 1971. [70] He was said to be the model for Sam Malone, the former pitcher in the TV comedy Cheers, and shared his fight with alcohol. [70] After playing, he helped others with addiction and mental health. [70]

    Why it matters — His trade from Cleveland in 1972 sent future Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry the other way. [70] He finished with 141 wins and 134 defeats. [70]

36. 37

    A Sixers centre is out for the season

    Ariel Hukporti, a Philadelphia 76ers centre, tore his Achilles tendon in the team's first pre-season game on Monday and will miss the season. [71] He had signed a one-year deal worth $3.4m. [71] He was meant to cover for Joel Embiid, the team's star centre, whose minutes are limited to protect his health. [71]

    Why it matters — The 76ers now have less cover for Embiid before the season starts. [71] For Hukporti it was a chance at a bigger role than he had at the New York Knicks. [71]

37. 38

    Two WNBA teams juggle their arenas

    The Golden State Valkyries will host Game 2 of the WNBA Finals at Chase Center in San Francisco if they get there, after a Doja Cat concert that night was moved. [72] They lead the Las Vegas Aces 1-0 in their semi-final. [72] The Atlanta Dream opened fewer than 10,000 of about 17,000 seats for their first two playoff home games. [73] The team said there was too little time to sell more. [73]

    Why it matters — Atlanta's arena is owned by a local authority and run by the NBA's Hawks. [73] Both teams share their buildings with other events, so playoff dates must fit around them. [72][73]

38. 39

    A storm may hit Alabama against Georgia

    The SEC, a group of US college sports teams, is watching Tropical Storm Isaias before Saturday's game between Alabama and Georgia in Tuscaloosa. [74] The storm could become a hurricane and head inland over the south-east, The Weather Channel said. [74] Georgia are ranked second and Alabama sixth. [74] The SEC last moved a football game in September 2022. [74]

    Why it matters — A move would need the SEC and both schools to agree, and it is very rare. [74] The picture should be clearer within a day or two. [74]

39. 40

    O'Neill says he will stay at Celtic

    Martin O'Neill, 74, says he wants to keep leading Celtic, the Glasgow football club. [75] Two weeks ago, after two defeats to Rangers and a 3-1 home loss to Ferencvaros, he said it might be time to stop. [75] Celtic's chief executive, Michael Nicholson, backed him in public. [75] O'Neill signed a one-year deal after winning the league and Scottish Cup last season. [75]

    Why it matters — O'Neill said losing to your rivals and in Europe is not the end of the world. [75] He said he wants to win the league again. [75]