The Golden State Valkyries win the WNBA title in only their second season, beating the Atlanta Dream 68-63 in the first Game 7 in Finals history

The stories

35 stories on this beat today.

Every story told the same way: what happened, who is involved, why it matters, how it works, the truth and the good news.

1. 01

   The Golden State Valkyries win the WNBA title in only their second season, beating the Atlanta Dream 68-63 in the first Game 7 in Finals history

   68-63

   the Valkyries' win over the Atlanta Dream in Game 7

   the first Game 7 in WNBA Finals history [1]

   2nd

   season for the Valkyries, who joined the league in 2025

   hockey's Vegas Golden Knights won their first title in their sixth [3]

   28 of 30

   of Gabby Williams's points came in the second half

   the most in one half of a WNBA play-off game [5]

   $100m

   earned by the Valkyries this season

   the first women's sports team to earn that much in a year [2]

   What happened

   • The Golden State Valkyries won the WNBA title on Saturday, beating the Atlanta Dream 68-63. [1]
   • The WNBA, North America's top women's basketball league, turned 30 this year. [2]
   • It was the first Game 7, a final winner-takes-all game, in WNBA Finals history. [1]
   • The Valkyries only joined the league in 2025, so this was their second season. [3]
   • No new club in North America's four big men's leagues has won a title that fast. [3]
   • Hockey's Vegas Golden Knights, another new club, won the Stanley Cup in their sixth season. [3]
   • The Valkyries are the 13th WNBA champion; five clubs, the Dream among them, have never won. [2]
   • Gabby Williams, a forward, scored 2 points in the first half and 28 in the second. [4]
   • Those 28 were the most anyone has scored in one half of a WNBA play-off game. [5]
   • She finished with 30 points and was named the Finals' most valuable player. [4]
   • Only Penny Taylor, for Phoenix in 2007, had scored 30 in a deciding Finals game. [1]
   • When the club was announced in 2023, Lacob promised a title within five years. [6]
   • The champions had no player on this year's All-WNBA teams, the league's list of its best. [2]
   • Veronica Burton, cut by the Dallas Wings two years ago, sealed it with two free throws. [1]
   • Tiffany Hayes, 37, came out of retirement two years ago and scored 11 points. [1]
   • Sportico valued the Valkyries at $850 million before this season, the most in the WNBA. [2]
   • This season it became the first women's sports team to earn $100 million in a year. [2]
   • It has more than 40 sponsors, including JPMorgan Chase, Sephora and United Airlines. [2]
   • The club has sold out every home game since it began. [1]
   • To fit around the Hawks, Game 6 was moved from 8pm to 12:30pm on a Thursday. [8]
   • It still drew 1.5 million viewers, 4% more than last year's title-deciding game. [8]

   First half2 points

   Second half28 points

   Who is involved

   Williams, 30, plays for France's national team and joined Golden State this season. [4][2]

   Joe Lacob's group, which also owns basketball's Golden State Warriors, owns the club. [3]

   Lacob gave the credit to coach Natalie Nakase, general manager Ohemaa Nyanin and president Jess Smith. [2]

   • Gabby Williams a 30-year-old forward who plays for France's national team; scored 30 and was named Finals MVP
   • Joe Lacob an American billionaire whose group owns the Valkyries and the Golden State Warriors; promised a title within five years
   • Natalie Nakase the Valkyries' head coach; told Williams at half-time to stay patient
   • Ohemaa Nyanin general manager
   • Jess Smith president
   • Veronica Burton cut by Dallas, now a champion
   • JPMorgan Chase sponsor
   • Sephora sponsor
   • United Airlines sponsor
   • Portland Fire a new club
   • Valkyries the standard
   • The Atlanta Dream the beaten finalists, losing in their fourth Finals; their Angel Reese was the league's best defender this year

   How it unfolded

   The Dream play most home games at Gateway Center, an arena with 3,500 seats. [3]

   Their Finals home games moved to the 17,000-seat State Farm Arena, home of the Atlanta Hawks. [3]

   1. 2025 joins the league
   2. This season champions
   3. 2007 Penny Taylor scores 30
   4. Saturday Gabby Williams scores 30
   5. 2023 Lacob promises a title in five years
   6. Saturday title in year two
   7. 2023 club started
   8. Now most valuable in the WNBA
   9. Oct 2023 Lacob announces the club and promises a title within five years [6]
   10. 2025 first season; the first new club to reach the play-offs in its first year [1]
   11. Thursday the Dream win a lunchtime Game 6 to force Game 7 [8]
   12. Saturday the Valkyries win Game 7, 68-63, in San Francisco [1]
   13. 2027 the Dream move to the 17,000-seat State Farm Arena [2]

   Why it matters

   Sportico calls the title the fastest return on investment yet for a women's team. [2]

   Portland Fire, one of the league's new clubs, calls the Valkyries the standard to copy. [3]

   How it works

   Basketball analysts judge a defence mainly by how many points it lets the other team score. [7]

   The Dream averaged 91.3 points a game in the regular season. [7]

   In each of the Valkyries' four Finals wins, the Dream scored under 70. [7]

   ESPN calls the Valkyries the league's best defensive team this season. [7]

   The truth

   • What is really going on The Golden State Valkyries won the WNBA title in their second season, with an owner who gave them the Warriors' 18,000-seat arena from the start. [6]
   • Why it works on people Calling the champions a team of cast-offs makes the title sound like luck, though The Athletic notes they had advantages few older clubs have. [6]
   • Lacob's group gains most: the club it started in 2023 is now the league's most valuable. [2]
   • The Valkyries also share the Warriors' 18,000-seat arena, an edge few older WNBA clubs have. [6]
   • Dream fans paid: Game 6 moved to lunchtime because the Dream borrow the Hawks' arena. [8]
   • Nobody yet knows who will replace Cathy Engelbert, the WNBA's retiring commissioner. [2]
   • Who gains Joe Lacob's ownership group — Its two-year-old club is the WNBA's most valuable and now its champion. [2]
   • Who pays Atlanta Dream fans — Their Game 6 was moved to a Thursday lunchtime to fit around the Hawks' games. [8]
   • Nobody knows yet

     Who will run the WNBA next.

     Commissioner Cathy Engelbert retires this year, and the search for her successor is still going on. [2]

   Good news

   • The Golden State Valkyries won the WNBA title in their second season. No new club in North America's four big men's leagues has won a title so fast.

   What comes next

   The club is looking at playing games abroad, a person close to it told Sportico. [2]

   The Dream move to State Farm Arena full time from 2027. [2]

1. 02

   USC beat second-ranked Ohio State

   What happened

   • USC beat Ohio State, ranked second in the country, 30-18 in Los Angeles on Saturday. [17][20]
   • Ohio State played without its starting quarterback, Julian Sayin, who was hurt against Indiana. [17]
   • It is the first time since 2011 that Ohio State has lost twice before November. [17]
   • It was Lincoln Riley's first win over a top-five team as USC's coach. [20]

   Who is involved

   Both are university teams in college football, ranked each week in a poll of voters. [20]

   Riley, whose job had been questioned, said afterwards: 'I'm the right person for this job.' [11]

   • Julian Sayin injured starter

   How it unfolded

   A week earlier USC lost at Wisconsin and fell out of the top 25. [20]

   Why it matters

   Ohio State is now on the edge of the College Football Playoff, CBS Sports says. [17]

   How it works

   Voters judge a whole season, so wins over Indiana and Iowa soften Ohio State's fall. [20]

   The truth

   • Riley gains time: a week ago many asked whether he should keep his job. [11]
   • Nobody knows yet

     Whether Ohio State still reaches the College Football Playoff.

     CBS Sports says one more loss would keep the Buckeyes out, and hard games remain. [17]

1. 03

   Canelo Alvarez wins back a world title

   What happened

   • Canelo Alvarez, the Mexican boxer, won back the WBC super-middleweight title in Riyadh on Saturday. [21]
   • He beat Christian Mbilli on all three cards: 115-112, 116-111 and 117-110. [14]
   • It was Mbilli's first defeat in 31 fights. [14]
   • Riyadh is Saudi Arabia's capital; Saudi money pays for many of boxing's biggest fights. [21]
   • Missiles fired at Riyadh by Yemen's Houthi rebels raised doubts about the fight for weeks. [14]
   • A tennis show and a car rally in Saudi Arabia were cancelled; the boxing went ahead. [14]

   Who is involved

   • Canelo Alvarez Mexico, 36
   • Christian Mbilli champion, unbeaten
   • Jaime Munguia WBA belt
   • Osleys Iglesias IBF belt

   How it unfolded

   Alvarez, 36, had lost all four of his belts to Terence Crawford in September 2025. [21]

   The WBC, one of boxing's four big title bodies, later took its belt away from Crawford. [22]

   Mbilli, holder of the WBC's stand-in 'interim' title, was made full champion in January. [22]

   1. September 2025 loses to Crawford
   2. Saturday champion again

   Why it matters

   The win makes Alvarez a world champion again, a year after losing to Crawford. [23]

   How it works

   The other big belts at this weight are held by Jaime Munguia and Osleys Iglesias. [23]

   Each body keeps its own belt, so one weight can have several world champions at once. [23]

   Why boxing has rival champions in the same weight

   In sports governance terms, boxing has no single ruling body: four rival bodies each crown their own world champion.

   The twist

   A boxing belt belongs to the body that hands it out, not to the boxer. So the body can take it back and give it to someone else.

   The picture

   1 of 4

   of the four big belts at super-middleweight are Canelo Alvarez's

   Step by step

   1. 1 Boxing has no single league: four bodies, the WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO, run world titles
   2. 2 Each body ranks the boxers and names its own champion in every weight
   3. 3 A body can take its belt from a champion, or give a stand-in 'interim' title
   4. 4 Some add lower belts too, like the WBC's 'silver' title
   5. 5 So one weight can have four champions, and 'undisputed' means holding all four belts

   The same force, elsewhere today

   Where this chain is also running, in today's other stories.

   • Canelo Alvarez's win in Riyadh

     The WBC took its belt from Terence Crawford, promoted its interim champion Christian Mbilli, and Alvarez won that one belt back.

   • Usyk's plan to drop to cruiserweight

     The IBF took its belt from Jai Opetaia, so Usyk can fight for an empty title before chasing the two belts Benavidez holds.

   • Carl Jammes Martin's win on the undercard

     He won the WBC's 'silver' belt, an extra title the body hands out below its world title.

   Where you've seen this

   Credit ratings

   three agencies each grade the same country's debt, and their grades can differ

   University league tables

   several publishers each crown their own 'number one' university

   Food and drink awards

   many contests hand out gold medals, so 'award-winning' says little without the award's name

   The catch

   The split has a use too: when a champion stops defending a belt, the body can hand it to boxers who will fight for it.

   And the whole of it

   A fan who buys a fight sees two boxers and a belt. The rules about who may fight for that belt are written in four offices the fan never sees, and the boxers live under those rules too.

   The truth

   • What is really going on In boxing, Canelo Alvarez won back one of the four world titles at his weight, a belt the WBC had taken from Terence Crawford and handed to Christian Mbilli. [22]
   • Turki al-Sheikh, Saudi Arabia's entertainment chief, gains: his show went ahead despite the missiles. [21]
   • Alvarez said his family watched from afar for the first time, because of 'certain circumstances'. [21]
   • Who gains Saudi Arabia's entertainment authority — Its Riyadh boxing show went ahead while a tennis show and a rally in the kingdom were cancelled. [14]

1. 04

   AC Milan end Inter's unbeaten start

   What happened

   • AC Milan beat Inter Milan 3-1 on Saturday, Inter's first defeat of the Serie A season. [12]
   • Nearly 78,000 people watched at the San Siro stadium. [12]
   • Christian Pulisic, an American forward, scored after four minutes. [12]
   • He had signed a new 5-year contract with Milan the day before. [12]
   • Adrien Rabiot and Diego Moreira scored too, all three goals coming before half-time. [24]
   • On goal difference, Inter dropped behind Lazio to second, with 25 points. [24]
   • Milan rose to fourth on 21 points. [24]

   Who is involved

   Serie A is Italy's top football league, and Inter are the defending champions. [12]

   Why it matters

   Lazio now top Serie A, and Inter no longer have an unbeaten record. [24]

   How it works

   Milan's second goal came from a planned corner: Moreira passed short to an unmarked Rabiot. [24][12]

   Coaches call this a set piece: a move practised in training for corners and free kicks. [12]

2. 05

   Hamilton takes his first pole for Ferrari

   What happened

   • Lewis Hamilton, 41, was fastest in qualifying for the Mexico City Grand Prix on Saturday. [25]
   • So he starts Sunday's race from the front, his first pole position for Ferrari. [25]
   • He beat George Russell of Mercedes by 0.009 seconds. [26]
   • It is his 105th pole, and his first since Hungary in 2023. [26]
   • Antonelli is champion unless Hamilton or Russell wins the race. [26]
   • Even then, he needs only 9th place if Russell wins, or 10th if Hamilton does. [26]

   Who is involved

   Kimi Antonelli, 20, of Mercedes, starts fourth and is close to the world title. [26]

   • Lewis Hamilton Ferrari, 41
   • Kimi Antonelli Mercedes, 20
   • Hamilton must win
   • Russell must win

   How it unfolded

   Antonelli took Hamilton's old seat at Mercedes when Hamilton left for Ferrari. [26]

   Why it matters

   Antonelli would be the youngest champion in Formula One's history. [26]

   The truth

   • Hamilton, after a very difficult first season at Ferrari, has his first pole since 2023. [25]
3. 06

   Haas drop Ocon for the Mexico race

   What happened

   • Haas, a Formula One team, dropped driver Esteban Ocon for the Mexico City Grand Prix. [27]
   • Ryo Hirakawa, 32, the team's reserve driver, takes his place for his first F1 race. [28]
   • On Friday Ocon told his engineer, Laura Mueller: 'No, no. I want to do soft.' [27]
   • The team had switched his tyres from the soft kind to the medium kind. [27]
   • France's L'Equipe reported that a meeting with team boss Ayao Komatsu perhaps turned physical. [27][29]
   • Ocon admitted a 'discussion' but rejected any claim that violence was used. [29]
   • Haas said only that the change was not because of illness. [30]

   Who is involved

   • Ryo Hirakawa reserve, 32
   • Esteban Ocon dropped
   • Ayao Komatsu team boss
   • Haas the team
   • Toyota its partner

   How it unfolded

   Ocon was already leaving Haas at the end of 2026, replaced by Rafael Camara. [27]

   1. Friday the radio row
   2. Saturday dropped
   3. End of 2026 leaves Haas

   Why it matters

   ESPN says Ocon already faced the possible end of his F1 career. [30]

   The truth

   • Hirakawa's seat comes through Haas's technical partnership with Toyota, the Japanese carmaker. [30]
   • Haas has not said what happened after Friday's practice. [27]
   • Who gains Toyota — Its technical partnership with Haas put Ryo Hirakawa into his first Formula One race. [30][28]
   • Nobody knows yet

     What happened between Esteban Ocon and Haas.

     L'Equipe reported a meeting that perhaps turned physical; Ocon denies any violence, and Haas will not explain. [27][29]

4. 07

   The Youth Olympics open in Senegal

   What happened

   • The Youth Olympic Games opened in Senegal on Saturday, the first Olympic event held in Africa. [31]
   • About 2,700 athletes will compete in 25 sports until 13 November. [31]
   • Tens of thousands watched the opening ceremony at the stadium in Diamniadio, near Dakar, the capital. [31]
   • Russia's 13 athletes compete under their own flag, a first at an Olympic event since 2022. [31]

   Who is involved

   The Youth Olympics are a smaller Games for athletes aged 14 to 17. [31]

   How it unfolded

   Dakar was due to host in 2022, but the coronavirus pandemic delayed the Games. [31]

   Russia had been suspended after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine that year. [31]

   1. 2022 planned Games, delayed
   2. Saturday the Games open

   Why it matters

   The Games mark Africa's push for a bigger role in world sport, AP reports. [31]

   The truth

   • Russia gains a first step back: its flag is at an Olympic event again. [31]

   Good news

   • The first refugee team at a Youth Olympics has six athletes, based in Kenya and Uganda. [31]
   • The Youth Olympic Games opened in Senegal, the first Olympic event ever held in Africa. Six refugee athletes there make up the first refugee team at a Youth Olympics.
5. 08

   South Africa beat Australia and go top

   What happened

   • South Africa beat Australia in the third Test in Cape Town to win the series. [13]
   • Needing 288 to win on the last day, Australia were bowled out for 111. [13]
   • They had lost 7 wickets by lunch. [13]
   • Off-spinner Simon Harmer took 6 wickets for 16 runs. [13]
   • Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada reached 350 Test wickets, the quickest ever by balls bowled. [13]

   Who is involved

   A Test is cricket's longest form: one match can last five days. [13]

   • Simon Harmer off-spinner, 6 for 16

   How it unfolded

   1. This winter England in South Africa
   2. Next summer the Ashes

   Why it matters

   Australia lost the world number one ranking, theirs for two and a half years. [32]

   How it works

   A luck-adjusted measure, 'expected wickets', says captain Pat Cummins bowled better than his figures show. [32]

   The truth

   • Cummins still faces questions: his series bowling average of 53.66 is among his worst. [32]
   • Who pays Australia's Test team — Bowled out for 111, they lost the series and the world number one ranking. [13]

   What comes next

   England tour South Africa this winter, then play Australia in the Ashes next summer. [32]

6. 09

   Brighton win at Manchester City

   What happened

   • Brighton beat Manchester City 1-0 at City's Etihad Stadium on Saturday. [33][34]
   • Yasin Ayari scored after City defender Matheus Nunes missed a cross. [33]
   • It is City's second league defeat in a row, after a 2-1 loss at Aston Villa. [33]
   • City have let in 10 goals in 9 league games, twice as many as Arsenal. [34]
   • Brighton now have 19 points, two behind City. [33]

   How it unfolded

   Manager Enzo Maresca replaced Pep Guardiola and won his first 7 league games. [34]

   On Wednesday City had knocked Brighton out of the League Cup on penalties. [33]

   Why it matters

   Arsenal go top if they avoid defeat at Liverpool on Sunday. [34]

   The truth

   • Maresca blamed 'silly goals' from individual errors, not his team's attack. [33]
7. 10

   Chelsea beat 10-man Manchester United

   What happened

   • Chelsea beat Manchester United 2-0 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. [35]
   • Morgan Rogers, Chelsea's record £117m signing, scored first in the 50th minute. [35]
   • United's Lisandro Martinez was sent off for conceding a penalty, and Cole Palmer scored it. [35]
   • Estevao Willian, 19, made his first league start of the season and had 6 shots. [36]
   • United have 7 points from 9 games and are 17th of the league's 20 clubs. [37]

   Who is involved

   Manager Michael Carrick said: 'We've got to keep moving forward and winning games.' [37]

   Why it matters

   United have not been this low after nine games since 1989-90, when they were 17th too. [37]

   How it works

   At 7 points from 9 games, United are on course for fewer than 30 points. [37]

   West Ham went down in 2003 with 42 points, the most for a relegated side. [37]

   The truth

   • Who pays Manchester United — Seven points from nine games leaves them 17th, on course for fewer than 30 points. [37]
8. 11

   Kane misses a penalty as Dortmund hold Bayern

   What happened

   • Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund drew 2-2 on Saturday in the Bundesliga, Germany's top league. [38]
   • Harry Kane hit the crossbar with a penalty, five days after winning the Ballon d'Or. [39]
   • Bayern hit the post or the bar 4 times in all. [38]
   • Fabio Silva equalised for Dortmund in the 89th minute. [38]
   • On goal difference, Bayern stay top; both clubs have 18 points. [38]

   Who is involved

   The Ballon d'Or is football's most famous award for a single player. [39]

   Why it matters

   The draw keeps Dortmund level with Bayern in the title race. [39]

   How it works

   Analysts rate chances as 'expected goals': Bayern's were worth 4.05 goals, Dortmund's 0.63. [39]

   Bayern had 23 shots to Dortmund's 12. [39]

9. 12

   Sovereignty wins the Breeders' Cup Classic

   What happened

   • Sovereignty won the $7 million Breeders' Cup Classic by one and three-quarter lengths on Saturday. [40]
   • Sovereignty, trained by Bill Mott, won the Kentucky Derby in 2025. [41]
   • Japan's Forever Young, last year's winner, finished fifth. [42]
   • In the $5 million Turf, Ryan Moore won the race for a record 6th time. [42]
   • His trainer, Aidan O'Brien, equalled his record of 28 top-level wins in one year. [42]

   Who is involved

   The Classic was the richest race of the two-day Breeders' Cup meeting at Keeneland, Kentucky. [41]

   • Forever Young Japan, last year's winner

   How it unfolded

   A year ago the horse missed the race with a fever. [40]

   1. 2025 missed the race with a fever
   2. Saturday wins the Classic

   Why it matters

   Godolphin, a big racing and breeding business, won its first Classic. [41]

   The truth

   • Several fancied European-trained horses lost on Saturday; Moore's was the one that won. [41]
10. 13

    Usyk plans a cruiserweight return

    What happened

    • Oleksandr Usyk, 39, the unbeaten former heavyweight champion, plans to fight at cruiserweight in 2027. [43]
    • His adviser Sergey Lapin says he first wants to fight for a vacant cruiserweight title. [43]
    • Then he wants David Benavidez, 29 and unbeaten, who holds the WBO and WBA belts. [43]

    Who is involved

    Cruiserweight is the division below heavyweight, for boxers up to 200 pounds. [44]

    • Oleksandr Usyk unbeaten, 39
    • Usyk unbeaten
    • David Benavidez WBO and WBA belts
    • WBA title body
    • WBC title body
    • IBF title body
    • WBO title body

    How it unfolded

    He won all four cruiserweight belts before moving up in 2019. [44]

    He gave up his heavyweight titles after beating Rico Verhoeven in May. [43]

    The IBF's belt is empty after it was taken from Jai Opetaia in March. [43]

    Why it matters

    Lapin says Usyk wants to finish as undisputed champion, holding all four belts. [43]

    How it works

    Boxing has four big title bodies, so 'undisputed' means holding every one of their belts. [43]

    The IBF took its belt from Jai Opetaia, so Usyk can fight for an empty title before chasing the two belts Benavidez holds.

    The idea, in story 03: Why boxing has rival champions in the same weight →

    The truth

    • Nobody knows yet

      Who Usyk fights first at cruiserweight.

      His adviser named only 'a vacant world title', with no opponent or date. [43]

    What comes next

    Benavidez fights Michal Cieslak for the WBC belt on 5 December. [43]

11. 14

    Carolina Panthers fire their defence coach

    What happened

    • The Carolina Panthers, an NFL team, fired Ejiro Evero, who ran their defence, on Friday. [9]
    • A 27-19 loss to the Green Bay Packers left Carolina with three wins and four losses. [9]
    • He is the first NFL coordinator fired this season. [9]
    • Carolina rank last in the league at stopping running plays. [9]
    • Since 2024 his defences let in 200-plus rushing yards in 12 games, the league's most. [9]
    • The next worst, the New York Giants and Washington Commanders, had 6 each. [9]

    Who is involved

    • Dave Canales head coach since 2024

    Why it matters

    It is head coach Dave Canales's first big staff change since he took over in 2024. [9]

    The truth

    • Evero was long the likely scapegoat, The Athletic says; now head coach Dave Canales is exposed. [45]
    • Owner David Tepper said in September: 'We're more of a playoff team this year.' [45]
    • Who pays Ejiro Evero and Jonathan Cooley — They lost their jobs after Carolina's defence ranked last against running plays. [9]

    What comes next

    Todd Wash takes over the defence for now. [45]

12. 15

    Pogacar reveals he broke three vertebrae

    What happened

    • Tadej Pogacar, a five-time Tour de France winner, says his August crash broke three vertebrae. [46]
    • A scan two weeks ago found two more broken vertebrae beside the one in his neck. [47]
    • He also broke his collarbone and had a severe concussion. [47]
    • Of the weeks after the crash, he says: 'I was just completely out of it.' [46]
    • For a time he could not shower alone because of dizziness. [46]

    How it unfolded

    He crashed in the Vuelta a Espana, a three-week race in Spain, on 29 August. [47]

    1. 29 August the crash
    2. 2027 racing again

    Why it matters

    Pogacar says cycling's safety record must improve. [47]

    How it works

    The extra breaks showed up on a CT scan, a detailed X-ray, weeks after the crash. [47]

    Good news

    • Two months on, he says he can do basically everything normal now. [46]
    • Two months after breaking three vertebrae in a crash, Tadej Pogacar says he can do basically everything normal now.

    What comes next

    His team, UAE Team Emirates-XRG, says he will not race again until 2027. [46]

13. 16

    De Minaur beats Zverev in Vienna

    What happened

    • Alex de Minaur of Australia beat Alexander Zverev 6-4 1-6 7-6 in the Vienna Open semi-final. [48]
    • It was De Minaur's first win over Zverev in a regular tour event. [48]
    • Zverev was given a time violation for bouncing the ball too long before serving. [48]

    Who is involved

    Zverev, from Germany, becomes world number one when next week's rankings come out. [48]

    • Alex de Minaur won
    • Alexander Zverev lost
    • De Minaur Australia
    • Alcaraz Spain

    Why it matters

    The win puts De Minaur back in the top eight for the season-ending ATP Finals. [48]

    What comes next

    Next week's Paris Masters is the last chance to qualify. [48]

    De Minaur plays Carlos Alcaraz in Sunday's final. [48]

14. 17

    Pakistan win the three-team series

    What happened

    • Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by three wickets in Lahore to win a three-team one-day series. [49]
    • Chasing 326, Fakhar Zaman scored 127. [49]
    • Arafat Minhas, 21, hit 61 from 31 balls. [49]
    • He and Hasan Nawaz, 24, added 94 together. [49]
    • Shaheen Afridi won it with a six in the second-last over. [49]
    • Sri Lanka's Kamindu Mendis made 131, his first one-day hundred, seven years after his debut. [49]

    Who is involved

    England were the third team in the series. [49]

    • Pakistan winners
    • Sri Lanka runners-up
    • England third team
    • Arafat Minhas 21
    • Hasan Nawaz 24

    Why it matters

    The Guardian says a three-team event with a final meant more than a usual two-team series. [49]

15. 18

    Australia beat Wales 124-6

    What happened

    • Australia's women beat Wales 124-6 at the Rugby League World Cup in Sydney. [50]
    • It is the biggest score in any international rugby league match. [50]
    • Australia, called the Jillaroos, scored 21 tries and led 60-0 at half-time. [50]

    How it unfolded

    Wales have played international rugby league only since 2021; this was their 16th match. [50]

    They had already lost 70-6 to England and 76-0 to Samoa. [50]

    Why it matters

    Australia's team is full of players from the NRLW, Australia's professional women's league. [50]

    The truth

    • Wales, new to the sport, pay for the gap with three heavy World Cup defeats. [50]

    Good news

    • At 100-0 down, Paige Travis scored the first points anyone has managed against Australia this tournament. [50]
16. 19

    New police records on Josh Jacobs

    What happened

    • Police released records on Friday with abuse claims from three more women against Josh Jacobs. [51]
    • His lawyers call the new claims 'uncorroborated, old, and previously unreported'. [51]

    Who is involved

    Jacobs is a running back for the Green Bay Packers, an NFL team. [51]

    • Josh Jacobs Packers running back

    How it unfolded

    In September he pleaded no contest to misdemeanour battery after a May incident with a then-girlfriend. [51]

    The NFL put him on leave, and he missed the Packers' first 6 games. [51]

    1. May arrested
    2. September pleads no contest

    Why it matters

    The records could shape the NFL's own investigation, which is separate from the court case. [51]

    The truth

    • Prosecutors had the claims for months and charged only 2 misdemeanours, his lawyers say. [51]
    • Nobody knows yet

      Whether the NFL will punish Josh Jacobs further.

      The league is still investigating, and it is unclear how the new police records will count. [51]

    What comes next

    The NFL is still investigating and could punish him further. [51]

17. 20

    Top-ranked Miami escape North Carolina

    What happened

    • Miami, the top-ranked college football team, won 38-35 at North Carolina on Saturday. [52]
    • Quarterback Darian Mensah completed 22 of 29 passes for three touchdowns. [52]
    • Malachi Toney caught 2 of those touchdown passes. [52]
    • Miami had been trailing in the second half. [20]

    Who is involved

    • Malachi Toney 2 touchdowns

    How it unfolded

    Miami had lost its last 5 games against North Carolina. [53]

    1. Saturday Miami win 38-35
    2. Next week Miami at Notre Dame

    Why it matters

    Miami stay unbeaten, and CBS Sports expects them to stay first in Sunday's poll. [20]

    What comes next

    Miami visit Notre Dame next week; Sports Illustrated calls it the game of the year. [54]

18. 21

    Boise State win 46-45 with their backup

    What happened

    • Boise State beat Texas State 46-45 after trailing by 11 in the last quarter. [16]
    • Boise State had led 28-3 at half-time, then let in 36 points in a row. [16]
    • Starting quarterback Maddux Madsen was hurt in the fourth quarter. [16]
    • His backup, Max Cutforth, threw three touchdowns, the winner with 2:46 left. [16]

    How it unfolded

    1. Half-time Boise State lead 28-3
    2. Then Texas State score 36 in a row

    Why it matters

    The win keeps Boise State's playoff hopes alive. [16]

    The truth

    • Madsen's injury looked like a knee problem; how serious it is is not yet known. [16]
19. 22

    Spurs win three in a row

    What happened

    • Tottenham Hotspur beat 10-man Crystal Palace, making 3 Premier League wins in a row. [55]
    • It is Spurs' first run of three league wins in almost 21 months. [55]
    • Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta was sent off after 13 minutes for a lunge. [55]
    • Archie Gray and Jan Paul van Hecke scored. [55]

    Who is involved

    • Archie Gray scored
    • Jan Paul van Hecke scored

    How it unfolded

    In their previous 26 league games, Spurs had won only three. [55]

    Why it matters

    Spurs, coached by Roberto De Zerbi, moved into the top half of the table. [55]

    The truth

    • BBC Sport says Mateta's recklessness handed Spurs their chance. [55]
20. 23

    The promoted clubs start well

    What happened

    • Coventry City beat Sunderland 3-1 to climb to 15th in the Premier League. [56]
    • They lost their first four games by a combined 10-0. [56]
    • Frank Lampard's team have now won 3 of their last 5. [56]
    • Hull City and Ipswich Town, also promoted, have 11 points each. [56]
    • The three promoted clubs have 31 points between them after nine games. [56]

    How it unfolded

    Coventry returned to the top flight this season for the first time since 2001. [56]

    1. 2001 Coventry go down
    2. This season Coventry back up

    Why it matters

    Weeks ago, BBC Sport says, the top league looked a step too far for Coventry. [56]

21. 24

    Forest lose again as Glasner vows change

    What happened

    • Nottingham Forest lost 2-0 at Brentford, their 4th defeat in 5 league games. [10]
    • Both goals went in off Forest defender Nikola Milenkovic, the first an own goal. [10]
    • Forest made two and a half times as many chances as Brentford. [10]

    Who is involved

    Manager Oliver Glasner banged the desk for 14 minutes and said he would change things. [10]

    He told players who do not 'buy in' that they could leave. [10]

    Why it matters

    Forest are 3rd from bottom, where clubs go down at season's end. [10]

    How it works

    In Opta's 'expected' table, built from chance quality, Forest were 3rd before kick-off. [10]

22. 25

    Villa held after a goalkeeper's error

    What happened

    • Aston Villa drew 1-1 with Fulham when goalkeeper Zion Suzuki dropped a corner into his net. [57]
    • Nicolas Jackson had scored his 8th goal of the season. [57]
    • John McGinn missed a penalty for Villa. [57]
    • Villa fans sang 'long and loud' for their manager, Unai Emery. [57]

    How it unfolded

    TV pundit Jamie Carragher had said Emery should want to manage Manchester United. [57]

    Why it matters

    The draw cost Villa a 5th win in 6 games. [57]

    The truth

    • Villa keep losing top players: Ollie Watkins, Morgan Rogers and Emi Martinez left last summer. [57]

    What comes next

    Villa play Barcelona on Tuesday. [57]

23. 26

    England may lose scrum-half Mitchell

    What happened

    • Northampton beat Gloucester 28-14 in rugby union's Premiership, scoring 28 points in a row. [15]
    • But England scrum-half Alex Mitchell limped off with a hamstring injury. [58]
    • It is his 4th hamstring injury this year. [58]
    • England play Australia next Sunday, eight days after the injury. [15]
    • Fly-half Fin Smith, also of Northampton, has a calf injury. [58]
    • Another scrum-half, Archie McParland, hurt his calf at England's training camp. [58]

    Who is involved

    • Fin Smith fly-half, calf
    • Archie McParland scrum-half, calf
    • Steve Borthwick England coach

    How it unfolded

    1. Next Sunday England v Australia
    2. 4 weeks no Premiership games

    Why it matters

    Coach Steve Borthwick now has worries in his two key half-back positions. [58]

    The truth

    • When fit, Mitchell is England's first-choice scrum-half; injury kept him out of the summer games. [58]
    • Nobody knows yet

      Whether Alex Mitchell can play for England against Australia.

      He limped off with his fourth hamstring injury of the year, eight days before the match. [58][15]

    What comes next

    The Premiership now stops for 4 weeks of international games. [15]

24. 27

    Rangers reach the Scottish League Cup final

    What happened

    • Rangers beat Aberdeen 1-0 at Hampden Park to reach the Scottish League Cup final. [59]
    • Ryan Naderi scored in the 83rd minute, his eighth goal of the season. [59]
    • Aberdeen were missing five defenders through suspension or injury. [59]

    Who is involved

    Rangers manager Derek McInnes won this trophy with Aberdeen in 2014. [59]

    Why it matters

    Rangers went into the semi-final unbeaten in 10 games. [59]

    What comes next

    Rangers will play the winners of Sunday's Hearts v Hibernian semi-final. [59]

25. 28

    Salford City win eight in a row

    What happened

    • Salford City have won 8 league games running and lead League Two by five points. [18]
    • Its budget has gone up, and players have dropped down a division to join. [18]
    • Striker Macaulay Langstaff arrived from Millwall, a club in the division above. [18]
    • Coach Peter Cklamovski, who last managed Malaysia's national team, replaced Karl Robinson. [18]

    Who is involved

    League Two is the fourth tier of English football. [18]

    David Beckham and Gary Neville are part of the group that took over in May 2025. [18]

    • David Beckham owner
    • Gary Neville owner

    How it unfolded

    Salford had spent 7 seasons in League Two. [18]

    Why it matters

    Beckham built Inter Miami into a brand worth more than £1bn, The Guardian notes. [18]

    The truth

    • Salford's rise is bought: a bigger budget pulled in players from the division above. [18]
    • Who gains Salford City's owners — A bigger budget has brought in players from the division above and an eight-game winning run. [18]
26. 29

    Caleb Williams fined over his boots

    What happened

    • The NFL fined Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams $23,882 for an unapproved logo on his boots. [60]
    • His first fine for the same thing was $11,941. [60]
    • The boots are made by Caddix, a 4-person company that pays no players. [60]
    • Only Adidas, Nike and Under Armour may show logos on NFL players' boots. [60]
    • Players wearing other brands must cover the logo, which is called spatting. [60]

    Why it matters

    Close to 100 NFL players wear the same brand, Caddix's founder says. [60]

    How it works

    Sports marketers call this an exclusive deal: paying brands are the only logos seen. [60]

    The truth

    • All NFL players share in the money the league earns from its approved boot makers. [60]
    • Caddix's founder says he is happy to pay the fines. [60]
    • Who gains Nike, Adidas and Under Armour — Only they may show logos on NFL boots, so players in a rival's boots are fined. [60]
    • Who pays Caleb Williams — He was fined $11,941 and then $23,882 for an unapproved logo on his boots. [60]

    What comes next

    Williams has appealed, with a hearing set for 10 November. [60]

27. 30

    Jeanie Buss goes to court over the Lakers

    What happened

    • She asked a court this week to stop her siblings selling the family's last Lakers shares. [19]
    • The family owns 17.8%, just above the 15% the NBA requires to keep control. [19]
    • She accuses brothers Joey and Jesse Buss of a 'cloak and dagger' campaign in the media. [19]
    • Bob Iger, Disney's former boss, leads a group buying the Lakers at a $12.5 billion value. [19]

    Who is involved

    Jeanie Buss has run the Los Angeles Lakers since her father died in 2013. [19]

    • Jeanie Buss runs the Lakers

    Why it matters

    Iger has said Buss would stay, but 'if things change, they'll change'. [19]

    The truth

    • If the family sells, Jeanie Buss loses her job running the club. [19]
    • Nobody knows yet

      Whether the Buss family sells its last Lakers shares.

      Jeanie Buss wants a court to block it, and the hearing is not until 8 December. [19]

    What comes next

    A Los Angeles court will hear the case on 8 December. [19]

28. 31

    Martin wins on the Riyadh undercard

    What happened

    • Carl Jammes Martin of the Philippines beat Mexico's David Picasso on a split decision in Riyadh. [61]
    • Two judges scored it 95-94 and 96-93 for Martin; the third had Picasso ahead 96-95. [61]
    • Martin, 27, is now unbeaten in 29 fights. [61]
    • Picasso, ranked 2nd by the WBC, had a 5-inch longer reach. [61]

    Who is involved

    • Carl Jammes Martin Philippines
    • David Picasso Mexico

    Why it matters

    It was his first fight on a big pay-per-view card, watched around the world. [61]

    How it works

    The prize was the WBC's 'silver' featherweight title, a second-level belt. [61]

    He won the WBC's 'silver' belt, an extra title the body hands out below its world title.

    The idea, in story 03: Why boxing has rival champions in the same weight →
29. 32

    Harriet Dart reaches her first final

    What happened

    • Britain's Harriet Dart, 30, reached her first final on the WTA Tour, the main women's circuit. [62]
    • At the Guangzhou Open she saved match points to beat Sun Xinran, 16, 5-7 7-6 6-0. [62]

    How it unfolded

    Dart made her tour debut at Eastbourne in 2015. [62]

    Why it matters

    Winning Sunday's final would lift her from 101st into the top 100. [62]

    Good news

    • Harriet Dart, 30, reached the first final of her WTA Tour career, at the Guangzhou Open.

    What comes next

    She plays Lilli Tagger in Sunday's final. [62]

30. 33

    Kadeena Cox wins a second world title

    What happened

    • Britain's Kadeena Cox won the C4 sprint at the Para-cycling Track World Championships in the Netherlands. [63]
    • She set a world record of 11.409 seconds in qualifying. [63]

    Who is involved

    Cox, 35, is a 5-time Paralympic champion. [63]

    How it unfolded

    On Friday she had won the 1km race, also with a world record. [63]

    Why it matters

    Britain have 6 golds, 8 silvers and 5 bronzes so far. [63]

    Good news

    • Kadeena Cox won her second world title in two days at the Para-cycling Track World Championships, with another world record.
31. 34

    Dabo Swinney sets a coaching record

    What happened

    • Clemson beat Florida State, giving coach Dabo Swinney his 192nd win. [64]
    • That is the most by any college football coach in his first 19 seasons. [64]
    • He passed Nick Saban and Bob Stoops, who had 191 each after 20 seasons. [64]

    Why it matters

    He also tied Bobby Bowden's record for regular-season wins in the ACC, Clemson's league. [64]

    What comes next

    Three more wins this season would pass Tom Osborne's record for a coach's first 20 seasons. [64]

32. 35

    Wembanyama scores 43

    What happened

    • Victor Wembanyama scored 43 points as the San Antonio Spurs beat Minnesota 121-111. [65]
    • He arrived for the Halloween game dressed as Geralt of Rivia, a monster-slayer. [65]
    • He also had 7 rebounds and 6 blocks. [65]
    • He took 34 shots, a career high. [65]
    • Teammate Dylan Harper scored a career-best 25. [65]

    Why it matters

    Wembanyama says he plays better when he is having fun. [65]

    How it works

    He says scoring works as a reward his brain learns from, so he repeats what works. [65]