Sports · Wednesday, 4 November 2026

Asia's football body postpones the 2027 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia by almost a year after Houthi attacks

35 stories 67 sources

Signals on this beat

The bar and the word are our reading of how hard each one is pushing, and the arrow is where it is heading.

War moving sport's dates High↑

The AFC moved the Asian Cup to December 2027 after Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. [1]
Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Latvia joined Finland's refusal to play Russia at hockey. [10]
Canada's prime minister said Russian players will not compete at the junior championship in Alberta. [11]

Pay deals running out Building↑

Baseball's labour deal ends on 1 December, and the owners are expected to lock the players out. [12]
Rugby Australia's pay deal with its players expired on 31 October with no new one. [13]
Football Australia wants Tony Popovic's contract settled before Christmas. [8]

Who pays for sports buildings Steady→

Illinois lawmakers meet from 17 November on a stadium plan to keep the Chicago Bears. [14]
Tennessee's district sold as 100% privately funded starts with an $83 million car park on state bonds. [15]
Glasgow's Commonwealth Games cost the taxpayer nothing, its own report says. [16]

Coaches out after bad runs Building↑

West Ham sacked Nuno Espirito Santo with the club 8th in England's second tier. [17]
The New York Liberty dropped coach Chris DeMarco after one season. [18]
Michael Carrick's job at Manchester United had looked lost before Tuesday's comeback. [19]

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.

01
Asia's football body postpones the 2027 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia by almost a year after Houthi attacks

23 Dec 2027

the Asian Cup's new start, almost a year late

it was due to start on 7 January [1]

24

national teams that qualified for the tournament

Iran, Palestine and Yemen among them [3]

30 of 51

matches that were set for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia's capital

the city's airport was hit by Houthi missiles [5]
What happened
- The AFC, which runs football in Asia, postponed the 2027 Asian Cup on Tuesday. [1] It was due to start in Saudi Arabia on 7 January. [1]
- It will now run from 23 December 2027 to 21 January 2028. [2]
- The reason is a run of deadly attacks on Saudi Arabia by the Houthis, an armed group from Yemen. [3]
- The Asian Cup is the championship for Asia's national teams, and 24 teams have qualified. [1]
- In October, a Houthi missile attack on the airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia's capital, killed 13 people. [4] More than 300 were wounded. [4]
- Riyadh was due to host 30 of the tournament's 51 matches. [5]
- There was little appetite for another country to host at such short notice, the Guardian reports. [2]
- The new dates still need approval from FIFA, which runs world football. [4]
- Saudi Arabia's top league, the Saudi Pro League, then postponed this week's round of games. [4]
- The league said the new dates give it room to spread its games more evenly. [4]
- The Dakar Rally, due in Saudi Arabia in January, will now run from Portugal to Morocco. [6]
- Rally Saudi Arabia, a world championship round due on 12 to 15 November, has been cancelled. [6]
- Swansea's South Korean midfielder Eom Ji-sung could have missed up to 5 matches in January. [7] Now he stays with his club. [7]
- Australia's coach, Tony Popovic, chose a short deal that was meant to run to the Asian Cup. [2]
- Football Australia, which runs the game there, says his contract ends in March. [8] It does not stretch to fit the new dates. [8]
- It wants him to stay until the new tournament ends, and talks with his agent have begun. [8]
Who is involved
- Tony Popovic Australia's coach; his contract ends in March, before the new dates
- The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) the body that runs football in Asia; it postponed the Asian Cup
- Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa the AFC's president; he had said a decision could wait until late November
- Heather Garriock Football Australia's head of football; she is negotiating Popovic's future
How it unfolded

Last month a spokesman for the Saudi organisers said "daily life is ongoing in Saudi Arabia". [1]
The AFC's president, Sheikh Salman, had said a final decision could wait until late November. [1]
It is the second Asian Cup in a row to be moved. [3] The 2023 one moved from China to Qatar, and was played in 2024. [3]
1. 7 January 2027 the old start
2. Tuesday the AFC postpones it
3. 23 Dec 2027 the new start date, if FIFA agrees [2]
4. 2023 Cup moved from China over Covid
5. 2024 played in Qatar
6. 2027 Cup postponed in Saudi Arabia
7. October Houthi missiles hit Riyadh's airport, killing 13 [4]
8. Last month Saudi organisers say daily life goes on [1]
9. Tue 3 Nov the AFC postpones the Asian Cup [1]
Why it matters

For Saudi Arabia it is another blow, after it stopped paying for LIV Golf this year. [3]
Its plan for the 2034 World Cup has also shrunk, from 15 stadiums to 10. [3]

How it works

Lawyers call this a fixed-term contract: Popovic's ends in March, and a moved tournament does not move it. [8]
So this month's friendlies may be Popovic's last games under his deal. [9] Australia play Qatar on 11 November and Jordan 6 days later. [5]

Seen it before

A school play moved to next term still loses the pupils who leave at the end of this one.
The truth
- What is really going on The AFC put back the Asian Cup after Houthi attacks on its host, Saudi Arabia [1], and six European nations and Canada's government refused to let Russia back on the ice after a sports court ordered its return. [23]
- The death toll is reported 3 ways: 13 by the BBC, 14 by Saudi aviation officials and 17 by ESPN. [4][3][5]
- Who gains English clubs with Asian players, such as Aston Villa and Swansea — They keep players like Zion Suzuki and Eom Ji-sung through January's league games. [4]
- Who pays Robert Moreno, South Korea's interim coach — His deal ends in November, so the Korean federation must choose a permanent coach without seeing him at the Asian Cup. [1]
- Nobody knows yet
  Whether FIFA approves the Asian Cup's new dates.
  
  The AFC has sent them to FIFA, and they fall in one of the busiest weeks of the European club season. [2]
- Nobody knows yet
  Whether Tony Popovic stays as Australia's coach.
  
  Talks with his agent have begun. [8] Football Australia says other candidates are "knocking at the door". [8]
What comes next

Football Australia wants Popovic's future settled before Christmas. [8]

02
Baseball owners delay their pay limit to 2028
What happened
- Baseball's team owners now offer to start a salary cap in 2028, a year later than before. [20]
- The cap would limit each team's player pay to $258.2 million, up from $245.3 million in their first offer. [20]
- The owners also raised the floor, a lower limit on team pay, to $180.2 million. [20]
- 12 teams would have to add $636 million in pay, including the champion Brewers. [20] 8 teams would have to cut $528 million. [20]
- MLB says "clubs will need a full offseason to prepare" for a cap. [20]
How it unfolded

The current labour deal ends on 1 December, and the owners are expected to lock the players out. [12]
1. May cap proposed for 2027
2. Tuesday start moved to 2028
Why it matters

The players' union says the cap would cut player pay and end guaranteed contracts. [12]
The truth
- MLB says it would agree to a $1 million minimum salary only as part of a salary cap. [20]
- The 2028 cap and floor are projections that could change with 2027 revenue. [21]
- Who gains The Los Angeles Dodgers — A 2028 start gives them one more season under today's rules before they would have to cut their pay. [20]
- Who pays Baseball players, from 1 December — In a lockout no player can sign or be traded until a new deal is reached. [20]
- Nobody knows yet
  How long baseball's expected lockout would last.
  
  The last one ended on 10 March, and a long one would leave clubs no time to fit under a cap in 2027. [12]
03
Hockey nations refuse to play Russia
What happened
- 6 of the 16 nations in next year's men's hockey world championship say they will not play Russia. [22]
- They are Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Latvia and the Czech Republic. [23]
- The court said the safety reasons for the ban were "not supported by sufficient evidence". [11]
- Canada's prime minister, Mark Carney, said Russians will not play at the junior championship in Canada next month. [23]
- AJ Produkter, a Swedish firm that sponsored the last 37 world championships, will not show its brand in 2027. [24]
Who is involved
- Mark Carney Canada's prime minister
How it unfolded

Last week the Court of Arbitration for Sport, sport's highest court, ordered Russia back in. [11]
Russia had been banned since it invaded Ukraine in February 2022. [11]
1. February 2022 Russia banned after invading Ukraine
2. Last week the court orders it back
Why it matters

Germany, the 2027 host, is unsure whether it can still stage the championship. [22]

How it works

The sports court's order binds the hockey body, which must admit Russia. [11] Hosts Canada and Czechia say they will still restrict visas for Russian players. [24]

Seen it before

A club can let a new member into its party, but the house owner decides who comes in.
The truth
- The hockey body, the IIHF, gave no immediate answer to the boycotts. [10]
- Who pays Norway's junior hockey team — As the last team to qualify, it may lose its place at the junior championship if Russia is added. [10]
- Nobody knows yet
  What happens to a team that refuses to play Russia.
  
  The hockey rulebook leaves the punishment for a forfeit to officials' "discretion". [67]
04
Rugby Australia writes to players over pay
What happened
- Rugby Australia, which runs the sport there, wrote to every professional player on Tuesday with its pay offer. [13]
- The offer raises the players' share of the game's money from 29% to 32%. [13]
- Each member of the World Cup squad would get $175,000 for winning the tournament. [13]
- The letter says players must keep doing sponsor and media work, as their own contracts require. [13]
- The fight is also over image rights, the right to use a player's name and face. [13]
How it unfolded

Talks with the players' union, RUPA, failed when their old pay deal expired on 31 October. [13]
1. 31 October old deal expires
2. Friday likely court hearing
Why it matters

Until the court rules, each player's contract, pay and conditions carry on, the letter says. [13]

How it works

Rugby Australia separates the expired collective deal from each player's individual contract, as labour law does. [13] It says the duties sit in the individual contracts, so they still apply. [13]

Seen it before

When a class agreement on homework lapses, each pupil's own school rules still apply.
The truth
- The letter went straight to players after Rugby Australia said the union had stopped it addressing them. [13]
- Nobody knows yet
  Who holds the Wallabies' image rights.
  
  The union says its new trust holds them from 1 November. [13] Rugby Australia says the players' contracts still decide, and a court is due to rule. [13]
What comes next

The union is taking that question to the New South Wales Supreme Court, likely on Friday. [13]
05
United come back to beat Roma
What happened
- Manchester United beat Roma 3-2 in the Champions League after being 2-0 down. [25]
- Roma scored twice in 17 minutes, the earliest any visitor has done so at Old Trafford in Europe. [25]
- Fans released 4,000 balloons and threw tennis balls to protest against the club's owners. [26]
- Captain Bruno Fernandes had his penalty saved, but it was retaken and he scored. [19]
- Matheus Cunha then scored twice in the last 7 minutes, and was later sent off. [19]
- It was United's first win in 10 games. [19]
Why it matters

Coach Michael Carrick's job had looked lost while United trailed. [19]

How it works

Referees call it encroachment: a player in the penalty area before the kick, so it is retaken. [19]
Roma's Bryan Cristante had a foot in the area as Fernandes struck the first kick. [19]

Seen it before

In a school race, a runner who sets off before the whistle makes everyone line up again.
The truth
- Fernandes said "a lot of lies" had been reported about him and Carrick. [27]
06
Barcelona end Villa's perfect start
What happened
- Barcelona beat Aston Villa 3-0 and ended Villa's perfect start in this season's Champions League. [28]
- Lamine Yamal scored first, after a Villa pass went straight to him. [28]
- Yamal now has 14 Champions League goals, the most by any teenager. [30]
- Raphinha, Barcelona's captain, then scored twice in 8 minutes. [28]
- Barcelona's chances were worth 1.96 expected goals, against Villa's 0.72. [28]
How it unfolded

Villa had won all 3 earlier games, against Club Brugge, Fenerbahce and Viking. [29]

Why it matters

Villa's coach, Unai Emery, has now lost 15 of his 16 games at Barcelona's ground. [29]

What comes next

Both teams now have 9 points from 4 games. [28]
07
PSG win 6-0 as Bayern beat Atletico
What happened
- Paris Saint-Germain, the European champions, beat Villarreal 6-0 in Spain. [31]
- PSG were 4-0 up after 16 minutes. [32] It equalled their biggest winning margin in the Champions League. [31]
- Boly, a 17-year-old, scored less than 2 minutes after coming on for his debut. [31]
- PSG have won all 4 of their games in this season's league phase. [31]
- Bayern Munich beat Atletico Madrid 2-0 away. [32]
- Atletico have already lost to Liverpool and Bayern. [33]
Why it matters

Only the top 8 teams go straight to the knockout rounds. [33] Teams 9th to 24th must win a 2-leg playoff in February. [33]
08
Tenerife striker dies after a collision
What happened
- Tenerife striker Jesus de Miguel died on Tuesday, a day after a collision in a match. [34]
- He was 30, and leaves a wife and a daughter, Spanish media said. [35]
- Andorra's goalkeeper, Jesus Owono, ran to the halfway line and struck him in the chest. [35]
- Owono was sent off, and the Spanish second-division game was abandoned at 2-2. [35]
- De Miguel's heart stopped after the collision, his club said. [35]
How it unfolded
1. Monday collision, match abandoned
2. Tuesday De Miguel dies
Why it matters

A minute's silence was held before every Champions League match on Tuesday. [36]

How it works

Under Spanish law, a death from non-natural causes, accidents included, goes to a judge. [35] So police opened an inquiry into possible involuntary manslaughter. [35]
09
The vote puts a college sport bill on a clock
What happened
- A bill to set national rules for college sport, the Protect College Sports Act, passed the US Senate 77-22. [37]
- It still needs the House of Representatives, which has only 20 session days left this year. [37]
- Sportico says Democrats who win the House may prefer to wait and write their own version. [37]
Who is involved

Michele Tafoya, a former NBC sideline reporter, lost her Senate race in Minnesota. [38]
Mark Teixeira, a former baseball player, won his seat in Texas. [38]
- Michele Tafoya lost in Minnesota
- Mark Teixeira won in Texas
Why it matters

Team owners gave over $350,000 to Republican Senate candidates in close races, and under a fifth of that to Democrats. [39]
Prediction-market firms such as Kalshi face a bill from both parties to treat sports bets on them as gambling. [40]

How it works

US lawmaking runs in two-year terms of the US Congress: a bill not passed by both houses in time dies. [37]

Seen it before

Homework not handed in by the end of term is not marked; it has to be set again.
The truth
- Critics say the bill's limited shield from competition law could cut players' earnings, Sportico reports. [37]
What comes next

If it does not pass before the new US Congress sits on 3 January, it dies. [37]

10
Rahm would pay to return to the PGA Tour
What happened
- Spanish golfer Jon Rahm, twice the world's top-ranked player, would accept penalties to rejoin the PGA Tour. [41]
- Brooks Koepka returned this year after giving $5 million to charity and losing 5 years of tour shares. [43]
- "If I got offered exactly the same penalties as him, I probably would do it," Rahm said. [43]
- The tour's chief, Brian Rolapp, has said there are no plans to reopen that route. [43]
Who is involved

Lee Westwood, 53, says he is "currently unemployed" after not signing for LIV's new version. [42]
- Jon Rahm Spanish golfer
How it unfolded

He left it for LIV Golf, the Saudi-funded rival league, at the end of 2023. [41]
LIV sought bankruptcy protection after Saudi Arabia's wealth fund stopped paying for it. [42]

Why it matters

Otherwise the usual rule is a 1-year ban from a player's last LIV event; Rahm's was in late August. [43]
How it works
Why baseball's owners tie their gifts to the one thing players refuse

Negotiators call it linkage: a side offers what the other wants only together with a condition the other side has refused.

The twist

Baseball's owners offer the players a $1 million minimum salary and earlier free agency, but only with a salary cap. So each gift they add is something the players lose by saying no to the cap.
Step by step
1. Each side wants something different
2. One side offers what the other wants
3. It ties that gift to the thing the other side refuses
4. The other side cannot take the gift alone
5. So every new gift makes saying no cost more
The same force, elsewhere today

Where this chain is also running, in today's other stories.
- Rahm's way back to the PGA Tour
  
  The tour let Brooks Koepka back only if he also gave $5 million to charity and gave up tour shares for 5 years, and Rahm says he would accept the same terms.
- Illinois's plan for the Bears
  
  The plan pairs the team paying for its own stadium with the team paying no property tax on it, so the state's gift and its ask arrive together.
Where you've seen this

Phone contracts

a cheap handset comes only with a two-year plan

Trade deals

a country lowers its car tariffs only if the other opens its farm market

Wage talks at a factory

a pay rise is offered only alongside longer shifts

The catch

Tying works only while the other side wants the gifts more than it fears the condition. The baseball players' union says the cap costs more than every gift is worth, and it has said no.

And the whole of it

Players on the minimum, stars on big contracts and owners of small teams all sit inside this one offer, and each judges it by the part that touches them. Anyone who has taken a free phone to get a two-year plan has stood on the other side of the same kind of offer.
The truth
- Rahm says he has not yet talked to the PGA Tour about a way back. [43]

11
A former FIFA official says Infantino cannot run again
What happened
- Miguel Maduro, a former head of FIFA's governance committee, says Gianni Infantino cannot stand for a 4th term. [44]
- Infantino, FIFA's president, has been elected 3 times. [44]
- FIFA's own rules say no person may serve as president for more than 3 terms. [44]
Who is involved
- Miguel Maduro former FIFA governance chief
- Gianni Infantino FIFA's president
How it unfolded

Infantino sacked Maduro in 2017, 10 months after he took the job. [44]
Maduro had refused to approve a Russian deputy prime minister for FIFA's ruling council. [44]

Why it matters

Maduro says the rule is the "most appropriate" way for critics to end Infantino's time in charge. [44]

How it works

Political scientists call this a term limit, and Infantino brought in FIFA's own as one of his first reforms. [44]

Seen it before

A school may let each pupil be class captain only once, so the job passes on.
The truth
- Maduro has criticised Infantino since being sacked, and spoke on a call run by a rights group, FairSquare. [44]
- Nobody knows yet
  Whether Gianni Infantino may stand again.
  
  Maduro reads FIFA's 3-term rule as a bar, and no FIFA body has been asked to rule on it yet. [44]
What comes next

He says critics should ask FIFA's review committee to rule, then appeal to the sports court. [44]
12
Illinois plans a new bill to keep the Bears
What happened
- Illinois lawmakers are preparing a new bill to keep the Chicago Bears, an NFL team, in the state. [14]
- In August the Bears called a site in Hammond, Indiana, their "sole focus". [14]
- Under the Illinois plan, the team pays for the stadium and public money pays for the roads around it. [14]
How it unfolded

An earlier bill failed in the spring. [14]
Indiana passed its own law in February to lure the team across the border. [14]
1. 17 November session opens
2. 3 December session ends
Why it matters

Governor JB Pritzker, expected to be re-elected on Tuesday, says a deal can be done in November. [14]

How it works

A stadium authority is a public body that owns the venue, so the building pays no property tax. [14] The Bears would pay a set rent instead. [14]

Seen it before

A shop renting a council-owned building pays rent, and the council pays no tax on its own building.

The plan pairs the team paying for its own stadium with the team paying no property tax on it, so the state's gift and its ask arrive together.
The idea, in story 10: Why baseball's owners tie their gifts to the one thing players refuse →

What comes next

Their session runs from 17 November to 3 December. [14]
13
Tennessee's 'privately funded' plan has a public part
What happened
- The University of Tennessee calls its $288 million district beside Neyland Stadium "100% privately funded". [15]
- Its first part, an $83 million car park, is owned by the university and funded by state bonds. [15]
- The hotel and shops that would pay rent are covered only by non-binding deals. [15]
Who is involved

Neyland Stadium is the home ground of Tennessee's football team. [15]
How it unfolded

University leaders said in 2023 the project would need no state funding. [15]

Why it matters

If the hotel is cancelled, the university is still left owing the car park debt. [15]

How it works

Lenders call the yearly payment on a loan debt service. [15] At an assumed 7.85% rate, Tennessee's would be about $7.3 million. [15]

Seen it before

A phone contract must still be paid every month even if the phone breaks.
The truth
- A spokesperson now says repayment comes from parking and project revenue, not parking "solely" as the finance chief said. [15]
- Who pays The University of Tennessee — It has not explained how it would pay the car park's bills if parking money falls short. [15]
- Nobody knows yet
  Whether Tennessee's car park can pay its own debt.
  
  Its bond rate is set only when the debt is issued. [15] The university's parking already ran a $698,029 shortfall in 2026. [15]
14
Team USA looks for investors
What happened
- The US Olympic and Paralympic Committee is seeking outside money for a new business arm. [45]
- The arm will handle sponsors, licences, content and sales direct to fans. [45]
- It hired the Raine Group to explore selling a stake or raising debt, Sky News first reported. [45]
How it unfolded

Its partnership with the LA 2028 organisers ends that year, and renewals for 2029 begin in January. [45]
1. January renewals for 2029 begin
2. 2028 LA partnership ends
Why it matters

In June, FIFA dropped its own plan to sell stakes after protests from members such as UEFA. [45]

How it works

Economists call income that rises and falls with a cycle cyclical revenue. [45] Team USA took $496 million in 2024, a Games year, and $264 million in 2025. [45]

Seen it before

A seaside ice-cream shop earns most in summer and has to last through the winter.
The truth
- Its chief executive, Sarah Hirshland, would not say what the new business is worth. [45]
15
Lawyers ask $18.6m for policing college pay
What happened
- Lawyers for college athletes asked a US court for $18.6 million for a year of work on the House settlement. [46]
- The settlement set up a pool of money that colleges share with their athletes. [46]
- The firms, Hagens Berman and Winston Taylor, logged more than 3,430 hours checking colleges follow it. [46]
Why it matters

The lawyers also said they talked to senators about the Protect College Sports Act. [46]

How it works

In a class action, a few lawyers act for a whole group, and a judge sets their pay. [46]
The truth
- Who gains The athletes' lawyers in the House settlement — Most of their $18.6 million request is a fee tied to the athletes' money pool, not hours worked. [46]
Good news
- Their audits found $88 million colleges had left out, and $44 million more reached athletes this year. [46]
What comes next

A US magistrate judge, Nathanael Cousins, will decide the fee. [46]
16
WNBA's Game 7 draws a record audience
What happened
- Game 7 of the WNBA Finals drew 3.3 million US viewers, the most for any playoff game in league history. [47]
- The Golden State Valkyries won it to take the title in only their 2nd season. [47]
- If the figure holds, it is the most-watched WNBA game of any kind since 1997. [47]
Why it matters

An NFL game in Paris at breakfast time in the US drew 7.7 million on a smaller channel. [48]
The truth
- The 3.3 million is a first count from USA Sports, and could change. [47]
Good news
- The 7 games averaged 1.89 million viewers, more than any Finals before. [47]
17
NFL TV audiences highest since 2015
What happened
- NFL games averaged 18.4 million US viewers through Week 7, the most at that point since 2015. [49]
- CBS says Sunday's Chiefs-Broncos game drew 28.18 million, its best Week 8 game on record. [49]
- Denver won it 28-24 to take top spot in their division. [49]
- The first NFL game in Paris drew 7.7 million despite a 9:33 morning start on the US east coast. [48]
Why it matters

CBS's late Sunday window averages 25.3 million, the most-watched programme of any kind on US TV. [49]

How it works

TV planners call it a lead-in: viewers of one game stay for the next. [49] The Chiefs game followed a Ravens-Bills game. [49]

Seen it before

People who stay on the sofa after one film often watch whatever comes on next.
The truth
- These figures come from CBS itself; the league's updated numbers are due on Thursday. [49]
18
The CW wants more live sport
What happened
- The CW, a US TV network owned by Nexstar, says it wants sports rights now held by TNT Sports. [50]
- Skydance, which now controls TNT Sports, carries nearly $80 billion of debt. [50]
- TNT pays the NHL $225 million a year in a deal that ends after the 2027-28 season. [50]
- Its $535 million-a-year baseball deal ends after 2028. [50]
How it unfolded

The CW already shows college football, NASCAR and wrestling. [50]

Why it matters

Some expect Skydance to sell sports rights to cut its debt. [50]
The truth
- No sale has been announced; the CW is saying what it would like. [50]
19
West Ham sack Nuno
What happened
- West Ham sacked manager Nuno Espirito Santo after a poor start in the Championship, England's second tier. [17]
- They are 8th, 6 points behind leaders Middlesbrough, after two home defeats in a row. [17]
- The club is in advanced talks with Scott Parker, who won promotion with Bournemouth and Burnley. [17]
Who is involved
- Scott Parker likely new coach
How it unfolded

West Ham were relegated from the Premier League last season. [17]
1. Last season relegated
2. Now Nuno sacked
Why it matters

West Ham had been seen as favourites to win promotion straight back. [17]

What comes next

Parker could start before Wednesday's game at Cardiff, BBC Sport says. [17]
20
Liberty drop their coach after one season
What happened
- The New York Liberty, a WNBA team, will not keep coach Chris DeMarco after 1 season, ESPN reports. [18]
- He led them to 26 wins and 18 defeats, and the 8th seed. [18]
- They beat the top seed, Minnesota, then were swept by Atlanta. [18]
- It will be their 3rd head coach in 3 years. [18]
How it unfolded

Sandy Brondello, who won them their first title in 2024, was fired a year ago. [18]
1. Round 1 beat top seed Minnesota
2. Semi-final swept by Atlanta
Why it matters

The next coach gets Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones and Sabrina Ionescu, but only 6 players under contract. [18]
21
Bills cut a safety after his spitting ban
What happened
- The Buffalo Bills released safety CJ Gardner-Johnson a day after his 1-game ban for spitting ended. [51]
- He signed in the off-season and started Buffalo's first 6 games. [51]
- He has played for 6 teams in 5 years, and won the Super Bowl with Philadelphia. [51]
How it unfolded

He was sent off for spitting toward Raiders tight end Brock Bowers. [51]

Why it matters

Damar Hamlin and Geno Stone played well while he was banned, the team believes. [51]

How it works

His replacements also play on kicks and punts, the special teams; he played none of those snaps. [51]

Seen it before

A school picks the reserve who can play two positions over the one who can play only one.
22
Giants and Colts pay young defenders
What happened
- The New York Giants gave cornerback Greg Newsome a 3-year, $46 million extension, ESPN reported. [52]
- $32 million of it is guaranteed. [52]
- He had been on a 1-year, $8 million deal, and now averages $15.3 million a year. [52]
- That still puts him outside the 20 best-paid cornerbacks. [52]
- The Indianapolis Colts gave defensive tackle Adetomiwa Adebawore 2 years and $35 million. [53]
Why it matters

The Colts, at 2-6, traded two Pro Bowl players for draft picks last week. [53]

What comes next

The NFL trade deadline is next Tuesday. [53]
23
Ravens turn to an undrafted rookie
What happened
- The Baltimore Ravens will start Joe Fagnano, a rookie no team picked in the draft, on Thursday. [54]
- Lamar Jackson needed surgery on his right thumb, and backup Tyler Huntley has a toe injury. [54]
- Both are likely to go on injured reserve, coach Jesse Minter said. [54]
- Fagnano completed 10 of 21 passes for 91 yards when he came on last week. [54]
- He also threw an interception and lost a fumble. [54]
Who is involved
- Joe Fagnano undrafted rookie
- Lamar Jackson thumb surgery
- Tyler Huntley toe injury
Why it matters

So this start against Jacksonville could be the first of many for him, CBS says. [54]
24
Caleb Williams hides his shoe logos
What happened
- Chicago quarterback Caleb Williams wore boots with no visible logos on Monday, after 2 NFL fines. [55]
- The fines, for unapproved logos, came to nearly $36,000. [55]
- The boots are made by Caddix, which posted "No logo necessary!" [55]
- Williams said he did it "just to calm things down". [55]
- NFL rules let a player cover or remove a logo. [55]
Why it matters

Caddix's founder, Jack Rasmussen, said hiding the logo keeps Williams playing and the cameras away. [55]
25
Miami top the first college playoff rankings
What happened
- Unbeaten Miami top the first College Football Playoff rankings, ahead of Georgia. [56]
- 12 teams make this season's playoff for the national title. [56]
- One-loss Notre Dame are 11th, the last team in if the season ended today. [56]
- The final bracket is chosen in just over a month. [56]
Who is involved
- Miami first
- Georgia second
Why it matters

Miami missed the playoff in each of its first 11 years. [56]

How it works

Statisticians call how often something happened before a base rate: 9 of the 12 first-ranked teams made the playoff. [56]

Seen it before

If most past school sports days were dry, a dry one is the best first guess.

What comes next

Miami are 8-0 and play at Notre Dame on 7 November. [56]
26
Broker in fake NFL loans goes bankrupt
What happened
- Sure Sports, a broker that arranges loans for athletes, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. [57]
- It set up 3 loans worth $11.7 million for men it thought were NFL players. [57]
- The borrower was in fact Luther Davis, a former Alabama lineman, who came to signings in disguise. [57]
- The real players, including Michael Penix Jr, had no part in it. [57]
Who is involved
- Luther Davis former Alabama lineman
Why it matters

The lenders say the broker did not check who it was lending to. [57]

How it works

Under US bankruptcy law, a Chapter 11 filing pauses lawsuits against the company. [57] So 2 lenders' suits against Sure Sports should stop for now. [57]

Seen it before

A referee's whistle stops play for every player until the game restarts.
The truth
- It is unclear whether the pause covers the claim against founder Leon McKenzie, who wants it dismissed. [57]
What comes next

Davis pleaded guilty and is due to be sentenced on 3 December. [57]
27
Haas drop Ocon for the rest of the season
What happened
- Haas, a Formula 1 team, says Esteban Ocon will not race for it again this season. [58]
- Brazilian rookie Rafael Camara takes his seat at this weekend's Sao Paulo Grand Prix. [58]
- Camara has already signed for the team for 2027. [58]
- Ocon has started 198 Grands Prix and won one. [58]
Who is involved
- Esteban Ocon dropped
- Rafael Camara in
How it unfolded

Ocon was first dropped in Mexico City, after an apparent row with team boss Ayao Komatsu. [58]

Why it matters

He looks set to be without a race seat in 2027. [58]
The truth
- Haas calls the talks with Ocon "an internal matter" and has given no reason. [58]
- Who gains Rafael Camara — Signed by Haas for 2027, he starts racing for the team a season early. [58]
28
Australia set to drop Labuschagne
What happened
- Marnus Labuschagne looks set to lose his place in Australia's Test cricket team. [59]
- He made 121 runs at an average of 21.83 as Australia lost 2-1 in South Africa. [60]
- He has gone more than 3 years without a Test century. [60]
- Coach Andrew McDonald says the team will "reassess" him and its age profile. [59]
Why it matters

His batting adviser, Neil D'Costa, says it may be best for him to be dropped. [60]

What comes next

Australia play New Zealand next month. [60]
29
Kerr and Sawe up for moment of the year
What happened
- Josh Kerr's mile record and Sabastian Sawe's marathon under 2 hours are up for World Athletics' moment of the year. [61]
- Kerr, from Britain, ran the mile in 3 minutes 42.66 seconds in London in July. [61]
- That beat a record Hicham El Guerrouj had held for 27 years. [61]
- Botswana's 4x400m relay win at home is the 3rd nominee. [61]
Who is involved
- Botswana 4x400m relay
How it unfolded
1. 27 years El Guerrouj's record stands
2. July Kerr breaks it in London
Why it matters

Athlete of the year and rising star will also be named that night. [61]
Good news
- Sawe, from Kenya, won the London Marathon in 1:59:30 in April, the first marathon race ever run under 2 hours. [61]
What comes next

The awards are in Monaco on 29 November. [61]
30
Glasgow's Commonwealth Games brought in £233m
What happened
- The Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games brought £233 million of economic activity to Scotland, a new report says. [16]
- £158.6 million of it was in Glasgow itself. [16]
- More than 1 million people attended, and 510 million watched around the world. [16]
- The games cost under £160 million, about £100 million of it from the Commonwealth Games Federation. [16]
How it unfolded

Glasgow stepped in after the Australian state of Victoria pulled out over costs in 2024. [16]

Why it matters

Its chief executive, Phil Batty, says Glasgow showed "a template for designing an event differently". [16]
The truth
- The figures come from the games' own impact evaluation. [16]
Good news
- Organisers promised it would cost the taxpayer nothing, and the report says they managed it. [16]
31
Burrage gets death threats after a defeat
What happened
- Britain's Jodie Burrage got death threats online after losing her first WTA Tour match in 16 months. [62]
- She lost in Chennai, India, to Vaishnavi Adkar, 3-6 6-3 7-5. [62]
- Burrage, 27, is ranked 474th in the world. [62] Her last main-tour match was at Wimbledon in July 2025. [62]
- Germany's Eva Lys asked the WTA: "When will something be done?" [62]
Why it matters

Female tennis players got more than 12,000 abusive posts and messages last year, one report found. [62]
Angry gamblers sent 42% of the verified abuse in 2025, the Signify Group found. [62]
32
England win 134-0 at the wheelchair World Cup
What happened
- England beat the USA 134-0 to reach the semi-finals of the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup. [63]
- They scored 23 tries at Wollongong Entertainment Arena. [63]
- Finlay O'Neill scored 38 points, with 2 tries and 15 conversions. [63]
- Luis Domingos, a former Portugal basketball player, scored 4 tries on his first appearance. [63]
Who is involved
- Luis Domingos ex-basketball player
Why it matters

Captain Mason Billington rated it "at least a seven" out of ten, after a weaker opening win over Wales. [63]

What comes next

England face France or Australia in the semi-finals next week. [63]
33
Rugby league asks the UK government for £30m
What happened
- Jon Wilkin, the new head of English rugby league, asked Prime Minister Andy Burnham for £30 million over 5 years. [64]
- The money would fund community projects through the sport in the north of England. [64]
- The Rugby Football League's new chief executive, Ian Nolan, backs the plea. [64]
How it unfolded

In July, Australia's government pledged A$250 million over 10 years to rugby league in the Pacific. [64]

Why it matters

Wilkin says the clubs, schools and community links already exist, and only a plan and money are missing. [64]
34
India's football body short after Brazil games
What happened
- India's football federation, the AIFF, is about 80 to 85 crore rupees short after friendlies with Brazil, Uruguay and Panama. [65]
- It owes Brazil about 19 crore rupees and Uruguay 4.7 crore, The Times of India reports. [65]
- It has asked for more time to pay. [65]
- State associations objected to a plan by president Kalyan Chaubey to take money from the federation's savings. [65]
Who is involved
- Kalyan Chaubey the federation's president
- State associations against using savings
Why it matters

The matches also earned far less than promised. [65]
The truth
- The full figure was not announced, because the contracts carry confidentiality clauses. [65]
35
Papua New Guinea's new team courts Hudson Young
What happened
- Rugby league forward Hudson Young flew to Port Moresby, capital of Papua New Guinea, to talk to the Chiefs. [66]
- The Chiefs offer him $900,000 a season, as high as they would go. [66]
- Young, 28, is recovering from an Achilles injury that ended his season. [66]
- He is under contract with the Canberra Raiders until the end of next season. [66]
How it unfolded

The NRL first set his market value at $1.1 million, then at $1 million. [66]

Why it matters

He would be the Chiefs' 8th signing. [66]

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