LIV Golf plans to wind down after BC Partners pulls out of a $300m rescue, ending a tour that took more than $5bn of Saudi money

The stories

49 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

   LIV Golf plans to wind down after BC Partners pulls out of a $300m rescue, ending a tour that took more than $5bn of Saudi money

   $5bn+

   of Saudi money spent on a tour that is now winding down

   LIV began play in 2022, and the fund stopped paying in April [1][3]

   $227m

   the most LIV ever earned in one season

   only 5% of its 2025 income came from TV [3]

   $300m

   the rescue money that depended on enough golfers signing

   the deadline for players was 25 October [4]

   2 of 300

   possible backers who sent LIV an offer

   BC Partners sent one, and neither was binding [3]

   What happened

   • LIV Golf, the breakaway tour paid for by Saudi Arabia, told a US bankruptcy court it plans to wind down. [1]
   • BC Partners, a London investment firm, pulled out of a plan to put $300m into a new version. [2]
   • It judged that too few top golfers had agreed to come back in 2027. [2]
   • LIV's lawyer Matthew Williams said on Thursday they 'just couldn't get' enough financial and player support in time. [69] LIV says it remains open to other offers during the wind-down. [69]
   • LIV lost more than $5bn by February, and never earned more than $227m in a season. [3]
   • Jon Rahm got more than $300m to sign, Phil Mickelson $200m and Bryson DeChambeau $125m. [3]
   • Another $1.3bn went on prize money, and $2bn on building the tour from nothing. [3]
   • TV brought in only 5% of its 2025 income, which The Athletic puts at about $10m. [3] Most sports leagues live on their TV deals. [3]
   • The fund said in April it would stop paying, and LIV sought bankruptcy protection on 8 September. [2]
   • Its filing listed $100m to $500m in assets against $500m to $1bn in debts. [2]
   • Bankers tried 300 possible backers for LIV, and 104 signed up to read its plan. [3]
   • Of those, 30 looked closely, 5 stood out, and only 2 sent an offer, neither one binding. [3]
   • BC Partners sent one of those 2 offers. [3] Its co-founder Ted Goldthorpe said 'All systems go' on 6 October. [3]
   • The new tour would give golfers a share of the league instead of big guaranteed contracts. [3] Players would own most of it, and BC nearly half. [4]
   • BC set a 25 October deadline for a required number of players to sign. [4] It passed with no announcement from anyone. [4]
   • About 30 golfers had signed and another 10 were undecided, sources told ESPN and The Athletic. [2][3]
   • BC pulled out before those 10, who included stars, could decide. [3]
   • Rahm, Sergio Garcia, Tyrrell Hatton and Ian Poulter had already said they would play in Europe next season. [2]
   • Bryson DeChambeau, arguably the biggest name left, said he hopes the league 'exists forever'. [1][5]
   • In October the DP World Tour, Europe's main men's tour, said it would refuse anyone who signed for LIV. [2]
   • The new LIV planned only 10 events, so several golfers hoped to play both tours. [2] One source called the ban 'a nail in the coffin'. [2]
   • Guy Kinnings, the DP World Tour's boss, said LIV aimed to 'destroy the DP World Tour'. [5] He said it spent, 'so we are told, over $7bn'. [5]

   Who is involved

   • LIV Golf the breakaway golf tour launched in 2022; now in US bankruptcy protection
   • BC Partners a London investment firm; it was due to put up to $300m into a new tour and has pulled out
   • Public Investment Fund Saudi Arabia's national wealth fund; it spent more than $5bn on LIV and stopped paying in April
   • Jon Rahm a Spanish golfer and LIV's top player; he left and was reported to be owed about $100m
   • Guy Kinnings boss of the DP World Tour, Europe's main men's tour; he barred anyone who signed for LIV

   How it unfolded

   Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, its national wealth fund, spent more than $5bn on LIV from 2022. [1][3]

   1. April the Saudi fund says it will stop paying [2]
   2. 8 Sept LIV seeks bankruptcy protection [2]
   3. Monday wind-down plan due
   4. 16 Nov last day to apply in Europe
   5. 24 Nov next hearing
   6. 2022 LIV starts on Saudi money [3]
   7. 25 Oct BC's deadline for players passes [4]
   8. 4 Nov reports say BC Partners has pulled out [2]
   9. 5 Nov LIV tells the court it plans to wind down [69]

   Why it matters

   LIV had already failed to pay suppliers and some of its players, CBS Sports reports. [6] Rahm was reported to be owed about $100m when he left. [1]

   Adelaide, in South Australia, had a LIV event booked for 18-21 March. [1] The state's premier, Peter Malinauskas, said he did not expect it to go ahead. [70]

   'I think it's not going to happen next year,' Malinauskas told reporters in Adelaide. [70]

   The PGA Tour, the main US tour, has been slow to open more ways back for LIV golfers. [6]

   Rory McIlroy said LIV gave golfers 'a lot of leverage' over the tours, and he doubts that helps the game. [5]

   How it works

   Contract lawyers call this a condition precedent: BC's $300m counted only if enough players signed first. [4]

   The players were slow to swap guaranteed pay for a share in the league. [3] So by BC's reckoning the condition was not met in time. [2]

   Seen it before

   A school trip runs only if enough pupils pay by Friday. If too few pay, nobody goes, and nobody broke a promise.

   The truth

   • What is really going on LIV Golf plans to close because BC Partners would pay only if enough star golfers signed, and it judged that too few had by its deadline. [4]Saudi Arabia's fund had already spent more than $5bn on a tour that never earned more than $227m in a season. [3]
   • Why it works on people A figure like $300m sounds like money in the bank, so people plan around it long before anyone has met the conditions.
   • CBS Sports reports about 15 interested players, while sources told ESPN and The Athletic about 30. [6][2] The 13-minute hearing did not say which players had signed. [1]
   • The bill differs too: the BBC says more than $5bn, while CBS says about $7bn. [1][6]
   • LIV and BC Partners now say only that terms could not be agreed, and neither has named the terms. [69]
   • Who gains The PGA Tour and DP World Tour — The rival that took their players and sponsors plans to close, so golfers must come back on the old tours' terms. [5]
   • Who pays Suppliers and golfers LIV has not paid — They wait in a bankruptcy where the Saudi fund itself is the largest creditor. [4]
   • Who pays South Australia — Its premier says the LIV event had been worth A$316m to the state, and it will not run next year. [70]
   • Nobody knows yet

     How much LIV's creditors will get back.

     The tour's bankruptcy filing gives only wide ranges for what it owns and owes, and no sale of anything has been reported. [2]

   • Nobody knows yet

     Whether anyone else steps in.

     LIV says it remains open to other offers, and its lawyer says its committee can revisit the decision if facts change. [1]

   What comes next

   LIV plans to file its wind-down plan by Monday, and the next hearing is on 24 November. [69] Golfers have until 16 November to apply to the DP World Tour. [2]

1. 02

   Rugby's big unions agree to sell together

   What happened

   • The Six Nations and Sanzaar rugby unions agreed to sell their TV and sponsor rights together for the first time. [18]
   • Southern unions will share profits from the Six Nations and from British and Irish Lions tours. [18]
   • European unions will share deals from the Rugby Championship and the New Zealand-South Africa series. [18]
   • A new agency, set up by a 10-person board, will run the sales. [18]

   Who is involved

   Sanzaar is New Zealand, South Africa, Australia and Argentina, so with the Six Nations that makes 10 unions. [18]

   How it unfolded

   1. 2028 sponsor deals sold together
   2. 2030 TV rights sold together

   Why it matters

   Rugby needs the money, and the Guardian says debts left by Covid pushed the unions together. [19]

   A broadcaster in 2030 can buy the Six Nations, Rugby Championship and Nations Championship as one package. [18]

   How it works

   Economists call this collective selling: 10 unions sell as one, hoping to raise what their rights fetch. [18]

   Alone, each union faced a difficult TV market, so they pooled rights in the hope of growth. [18] Smaller packages stay on offer, to draw more bidders. [18]

   Seen it before

   Neighbours who sell old bikes at one stall draw a bigger crowd than each selling alone.

   The truth

   • Fiji and Japan are not among the 10 founding unions, and get much smaller appearance fees. [18]

   What comes next

   Sponsor deals change from 2028, and TV rights from 2030, because current TV deals run until 2029. [18]

1. 03

   Voters in Plano reject arena taxes

   What happened

   • Voters in Plano, a Dallas suburb, rejected taxes for a Dallas Stars hockey arena by 55% to 45% on Tuesday. [7]
   • The taxes, on hire cars, parking, hotels and tickets, would have paid Plano's $700m share. [7]
   • That money was for a $1bn arena, inside a $3bn project on the site of an empty shopping mall. [7]
   • The vote did not kill the arena, only that way of paying for it. [7]
   • Opponents campaigned under slogans like 'Puck No!', amid voters' worries about costs and traffic. [7]

   Who is involved

   The Stars play in the NHL, North America's top hockey league, and want to move by 2031. [7]

   How it unfolded

   1. Now American Airlines Center
   2. 2031 a new arena in Plano

   Why it matters

   The plan resembles the Atlanta Braves' move to a suburb, where they built shops and homes around their ground. [7]

   How it works

   Public finance calls this earmarking: these taxes would have gone to one named project, Plano's arena share. [7]

   The council had approved only a non-binding letter, so the $700m depended on voters agreeing. [7] When they said no, nothing was left to enforce. [7]

   Seen it before

   A class can vote down a trip fee without cancelling the trip. It just needs another way to pay.

   Why $300m on paper is not money until its conditions are met

   Contract lawyers call it a condition precedent: a promise that binds only once something else has happened first.

   The twist

   A deal can die without anyone breaking a promise. The backer only ever promised to pay if the condition was met.

   The picture

   Approached300

   Read the plan104

   Looked closely30

   Stood out5

   Sent an offer2

   Step by step

   1. 1 A backer promises money, but only if something happens first
   2. 2 Everyone quotes the big number, and plans around it
   3. 3 The condition sits with other people: players, voters, a judge
   4. 4 The deadline comes and the condition is not met
   5. 5 The promise falls away, and nobody has broken it

   The same force, elsewhere today

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

   • Plano's vote on a hockey arena

     The city's $700m rested on a non-binding letter and on voters approving new taxes, so a 55% to 45% vote removed the money without anyone breaking a deal.

   • Brandon Aiyuk and the 49ers

     His guaranteed pay carried duties, and the team voided about $27m, reportedly over missed meetings.

   • Real Madrid and JJ Gabriel

     The contract is on offer, but it works only if he gets an EU passport and Fifa signs it off.

   • Burnley's accounts

     The same idea run backwards: Burnley hold Everton's £38.8m now, and an appeal in January could make them repay it.

   Where you've seen this

   Buying a house

   an offer is often 'subject to mortgage', so if the bank says no, the buyer walks away without penalty

   A job offer

   it can depend on references or a health check, so the job does not exist until those arrive

   A crowd-funded project

   backers are charged only if the target is reached, so one short week ends it with no one at fault

   The catch

   A condition protects the one paying, so it can also give them an easy way out. People can argue over whether it was really missed, as LIV's side does here, saying about 30 players were enough.

   And the whole of it

   The golfers, the suppliers and the people of Adelaide all planned around a number that one firm had promised only on terms. Most of us live on promises like that, from employers, banks and governments, and we rarely see the conditions until the day they are not met.

   The truth

   • The Stars had not commented on the result when Front Office Sports reported it. [7]
   • Who gains People who use hire cars, parking and hotels in Plano — They avoid the new charges that would have paid for the arena. [7]
   • Nobody knows yet

     Where Plano finds its share of the arena money.

     Nobody has named another source for it, and the city manager's review has not reported. [7]

   What comes next

   Plano's city manager says the financing must be reassessed before the council acts. [7]

1. 04

   Burnley's accounts lean on an appeal

   What happened

   • Burnley, in England's second tier, published accounts showing a £9m loss for 2025-26. [8]
   • Without £38.8m from Everton, the loss would have been £47.8m, a club record. [8]
   • Everton's appeal is expected in January, and Burnley may have to repay anything from nothing to all of it. [8]
   • Debt now stands at £62.9m, down by more than half, helped by £77.7m from the owners and Everton's money. [8]

   How it unfolded

   Everton paid because its own breach of spending rules in 2021-22 hurt Burnley's fight against relegation. [8]

   ALK Capital bought Burnley using a £65m loan against the club's assets and £37m of the club's own cash. [8]

   Before that takeover, Burnley had no debt and £41.65m in the bank. [8]

   1. January £24.2m due
   2. August £21.6m due

   Why it matters

   Burnley sit in the relegation zone, with 1 win in 14 league games. [8]

   How it works

   Finance calls this a leveraged buyout: ALK Capital borrowed against the very club it was buying. [8]

   So Burnley ended up carrying the debt, paying interest as high as 12%. [8]

   Seen it before

   Imagine buying a shop with a loan that the shop itself must repay. Its till pays for your purchase.

   The same idea run backwards: Burnley hold Everton's £38.8m now, and an appeal in January could make them repay it.

   The idea, in story 03: Why $300m on paper is not money until its conditions are met →

   The truth

   • Kieran Maguire, a football finance professor, said filing 6 months early lets Burnley count Everton's money before the January appeal. [8]
   • Who pays Burnley fans — If the loans cannot be refinanced, the club needs its owners to find more money, and its accounts warn of 'significant doubt' over its future. [8]
   • Nobody knows yet

     Whether Burnley will have to repay Everton.

     The appeal has not been heard, and Burnley's accounts say they cannot measure the likely result. [8]

   What comes next

   £24.2m of bank loans falls due in January, and £21.6m next August. [8]

2. 05

   Four US states vote on trans athletes

   What happened

   • Voters in Arizona and Nebraska backed tighter bans on transgender athletes in women's and girls' sport on Tuesday. [20]
   • Arizona's measure had 59% and Nebraska's 68% on Wednesday afternoon. [20]
   • Washington and Colorado were also on track to pass bans, though both were too early to call. [20]
   • Nebraska's ban covers state schools, colleges and private schools that play against them. [20]
   • Arizona's defines sex as the sex assigned at birth, and also covers changing rooms and toilets. [20]
   • Washington's would ask women's team players for a health worker's statement verifying their sex. [20]

   Why it matters

   Washington and Colorado lean Democrat, so these votes ran against Tuesday's wider swing to Democrats. [20]

   How it works

   Lawyers call it entrenchment: Nebraska's voters moved a 2025 law into the state's constitution. [20]

   Seen it before

   A school rule in the founding charter is harder to drop than one on the noticeboard.

   The truth

   • These counts were taken on Wednesday afternoon, and the final totals may move. [20]
3. 06

   College sport bill close to dead

   What happened

   • The Protect College Sports Act now has almost no chance in the US House, sources tell Front Office Sports. [9]
   • The bill, on the rules of college sport, passed the US Senate 77-22 in September. [9]
   • It must pass the US House before the new US Congress sits on 3 January. [9]
   • Democrats won both chambers on Tuesday, and are unlikely to do deals with Republicans now. [9]
   • 'There's absolutely zero reason to give Donald Trump a win on college sports,' one Democratic aide said. [9]
   • House Republicans had doubts too, including their leader Steve Scalise. [9] The Congressional Black Caucus, a group of Black lawmakers, opposed it. [9]

   Who is involved

   • Steve Scalise House Republican leader
   • Congressional Black Caucus Black lawmakers

   How it unfolded

   1. September passes the Senate 77-22
   2. 3 January new Congress, bill must restart

   Why it matters

   The bill's backers now face starting over with a US Congress run by Democrats. [9]

   How it works

   In US lawmaking, a bill that has not passed dies when that Congress ends. [9] So the 77 Senate votes count for nothing unless the House acts within weeks. [9]

   Seen it before

   Homework not handed in before the term ends has to be done all over again next term.

   The truth

   • This forecast rests on unnamed aides and a lobbyist, and President Trump has backed the bill. [9]
   • Who gains Unions and civil rights groups against the college sport bill — They raised concerns in the US House, and now the bill's sponsors would have to start again under Democrats. [9]
4. 07

   California's billionaire tax falls short

   What happened

   • California voters were rejecting Proposition 40, a one-time 5% tax on billionaires, 55.6% to 44.4% with 60% counted. [21]
   • It would have sent 90% of the money to healthcare. [21]
   • California has 83 of the Forbes 400 richest Americans, and New York comes second with 54. [21]
   • More than a dozen billionaires who control big sports teams would be spared. [21]
   • The richest is Henry Samueli, worth $31.7bn by Forbes's count. [21] He bought hockey's Anaheim Ducks for $75m in 2005, and Sportico values them at $1.92bn. [21]

   Why it matters

   Several new team owners live in California, like Marc Stad, who is buying basketball's Minnesota Timberwolves at $4.5bn. [21]

   How it works

   Economists call this tax flight: Google's founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin moved before the vote. [21]

   They went to Florida and Nevada, and Mark Zuckerberg told a board committee he was considering leaving too. [21]

   Seen it before

   If one shop charges more, people with cars just drive to the next town.

   The truth

   • Billionaires spent heavily against it, and Governor Gavin Newsom opposed it too. [21]
   • Who gains Team owners living in California — If the vote holds, they keep the one-time slice of their wealth that the tax would have taken. [21]
5. 08

   Team owners backed the losing side

   What happened

   • US sports team owners put more than $100m into Tuesday's elections, mostly for Republicans, Front Office Sports found. [10]
   • In its count, 8 of the 9 close Senate states went to Democrats, with Alaska not yet called. [10]
   • Owners gave Republicans in those states more than $350,000 directly, almost 6 times what Democrats got. [10]
   • Miriam Adelson, owner of basketball's Dallas Mavericks, gave more than $67m. [10] ESPN reports she has sold control of the club to her daughter and son-in-law. [10]
   • James Dolan, who owns New York's Knicks and Rangers, switched from the Democratic governor to her Republican rival, who lost. [10]
   • Only 3 of the top 25 owner donors gave mostly to Democrats, led by Seattle's Vinod Khosla with $2.09m. [10]

   Why it matters

   Owners now face a Democratic Congress and more Democratic governors, after funding mostly the other side. [10]

   The truth

   • Front Office Sports counted filings by principal owners, so other investors in these teams are left out. [10]
6. 09

   A sideline reporter loses her Senate race

   What happened

   • Michele Tafoya, a former NFL sideline reporter, lost Minnesota's US Senate race by about 10 points. [22]
   • Tafoya, a Republican, spent over a decade on NBC's Sunday Night Football. [22] 'The voters spoke,' she said as she conceded. [22]
   • Jay Feely, a former NFL kicker, trailed by 7.2 points in an Arizona House race with 90% counted. [22]
   • His opponent, Amish Shah, was the New York Jets' team doctor when Feely kicked for them. [22]
   • Mark Teixeira, a former baseball star, won a House seat as a Republican, leading by 10 points when called. [22]

   Who is involved

   • Michele Tafoya lost
   • Peggy Flanagan won
   • Jay Feely kicker
   • Amish Shah team doctor
   • Mark Teixeira won
   • Kristin Hook lost

   Why it matters

   Feely's district was seen as a test for the House, having voted for Biden in 2020 and Trump in 2024. [22]

   How it works

   Political scientists call this a national swing: Democrats gained so widely that Tafoya's fame could not hold her race. [22]

   Tafoya had polled just behind her rival, but the swing to Democrats proved too strong. [22]

7. 10

   Judge opens inquiry over Trump's golf plan

   What happened

   • A US judge has opened a formal inquiry into whether officials misled her over President Trump's golf course plan. [11]
   • She said government lawyers' claims did not match Trump's own posts about his timeline. [11]
   • A special master, an expert or retired judge, will review the evidence and advise her. [11]
   • Reyes stressed she has not yet found any wrongdoing. [11]

   How it unfolded

   Trump wants to turn East Potomac, 3 affordable public courses in Washington, into 1 championship course. [11]

   Judge Ana Reyes has already blocked more tree felling, after over 400 trees came down on a holiday weekend. [11]

   Why it matters

   From 3 January Democrats will chair committees that can order documents and testimony on the plan. [11]

   How it works

   Lawyers call this the duty of candour: government lawyers owe a court honest answers, and Reyes is checking. [11]

   If Reyes finds officials misled her, penalties could include contempt or referring lawyers to their regulators. [11]

   Seen it before

   A pupil who says the dog ate the homework can get in more trouble for the lie.

   The truth

   • The government has appealed her order, and the inquiry's details are still to be set. [11]
8. 11

   Braves lose on baseball, earn on property

   What happened

   • The Atlanta Braves reported a $12.5m loss on baseball for the first 9 months of 2026. [23]
   • That is down from a $62.5m profit a year earlier, which the team blames mainly on player costs. [23]
   • The Battery, the shops and homes it built by its ground, made $55.8m on $84m of income. [24]
   • The club made the playoffs and drew 2.8 million fans, 10th in baseball. [23]

   Why it matters

   Owners can point to a popular team losing money on baseball. [23] The players' union can point to the property profit. [23]

   How it works

   Accountants call this segment reporting: the Braves report baseball and The Battery as separate profit lines. [23]

   So which line you quote decides the story, and each side in the labour fight quotes its own. [23]

   Seen it before

   A cafe can lose money on coffee and still do well by renting out the flat upstairs.

   The truth

   • The Braves' chairman, Terry McGuirk, declined to discuss the labour talks on the results call. [24]

   What comes next

   Baseball's labour deal ends on 1 December, and owners are expected to lock the players out. [24]

9. 12

   Mexico's league prepares for a US lockout

   What happened

   • Mexico's baseball league is writing rules for players who may come if US major league baseball locks them out. [25]
   • Stars on huge contracts are unlikely, because insuring them against injury would cost too much. [25]
   • The likely arrivals are young players near the $700,000 minimum, veterans, and big leaguers born in Mexico. [25]
   • Rosters hold 38 players, and at least 20 must be born in Mexico. [25]

   Who is involved

   Gabriel Medina, the Mexican league's sports director, says owners of its 20 clubs are keen. [25]

   • Young players near the minimum
   • Veterans late in their careers
   • Mexican-born coming home

   How it unfolded

   The US labour deal ends on 1 December, and a lockout would stop signings, trades and training. [25]

   The last lockout, in 2021-22, lasted 99 days. [25]

   Why it matters

   Richer Mexican clubs could grab the most, so the league is discussing a limit per club. [25]

   How it works

   Labour economists call this an outside option: Mexico offers somewhere to earn while the US dispute runs. [25]

   US baseball cannot legally stop locked-out players going abroad, so low-paid players have somewhere to earn. [25]

   Seen it before

   A worker with a second job can wait longer for a pay rise than one with none.

   The truth

   • Medina says the final rules wait on what US baseball tells him after 1 December. [25]
   • Who gains Mexican baseball clubs — A lockout could send them young US major leaguers they could not normally sign. [25]
   • Nobody knows yet

     How long a baseball lockout would last.

     The Mexican league's sports director says it could be weeks or a month, and the last one ran 99 days. [25]

10. 13

    Harry Kane stays at Bayern to 2029

    What happened

    • Harry Kane, England's captain and this year's Ballon d'Or winner, signed a new Bayern Munich deal to 2029. [26]
    • He is 33, and it keeps him there until shortly before he turns 36. [27]
    • He has 156 goals in 161 games since his £86m move in 2023. [27]
    • Kane scored 73 goals in 65 games for club and country in 2025-26. [27]
    • Bayern did not disclose his pay, but German media call it the club's most lucrative deal. [26]

    Who is involved

    The Ballon d'Or is the award for the world's best male player. [26] Kane is the first Englishman to win it in 25 years. [26]

    How it unfolded

    1. 2023 joins Bayern from Tottenham
    2. 2029 new contract ends

    Why it matters

    It makes a return to chase Alan Shearer's Premier League record of 260 goals less likely. [27]

    How it works

    Under football's Bosman rule a player leaves free when his deal ends, and Kane had 12 months left. [27]

    Seen it before

    A tenant near the end of a lease can walk away, so a landlord who wants him asks early.

    The truth

    • The 'most lucrative' claim rests on German reports, because Bayern gave no figure. [26]
11. 14

    Alan Jones, 1980 F1 champion, dies at 80

    What happened

    • Alan Jones, the 1980 Formula 1 world champion, has died at 80 after a short illness. [28]
    • He turned 80 on Monday, and his wife announced his death on Thursday. [29]
    • He won 12 grands prix, 5 of them for Williams in his 1980 title year. [28]
    • He was the first of Williams' 7 world champions. [28]
    • Jones is still the last Australian to win the F1 title, after Jack Brabham. [28]

    Who is involved

    • Jack Brabham first Australian champion
    • Alan Jones the most recent

    How it unfolded

    Born in Melbourne, he moved to Europe in 1970, and first raced in F1 in 1975. [29]

    After retiring from F1 in 1986 he became a well-known TV commentator in Australia. [29]

    1. 1980 world champion
    2. 5 November dies at 80
    3. 1970 moves to Europe
    4. 1975 first F1 race
    5. 1986 retires from F1
    6. Later TV commentator

    Why it matters

    The Australian Grand Prix said his title 'inspired a generation of Australian motorsport fans'. [29]

12. 15

    Como win 9-1 in the Champions League

    What happened

    • Como, an Italian club in its first Champions League, won 9-1 at Lens in France on Wednesday. [30]
    • Only Bayern Munich had scored 9 in the competition before, beating Dinamo Zagreb 9-2 in 2024. [30]
    • Anastasios Douvikas scored 3, and Nico Paz scored 1 and set up 2. [30]
    • Como have won 3 of 4 games, and only PSG, Real Madrid and Arsenal have done better. [30][31]

    Who is involved

    • Anastasios Douvikas 3 goals
    • Nico Paz 1 goal, 2 set up

    How it unfolded

    Coach Cesc Fabregas first coached Como's under-23s, then took them up to Serie A and into the Champions League. [31] He owns a small share of the club. [31]

    1. 2024 Bayern score 9
    2. Wednesday Como score 9

    Why it matters

    Como have more points than Bayern, Inter, Roma and Napoli after 4 games. [31]

    How it works

    Transfer economists call it a sell-on clause: Real Madrid kept a share of any later sale of Nico Paz. [31]

    Real Madrid sold Paz to Como for €6m in 2024, keeping 50% of any later sale. [31] Como paid about €60m in 2026 to keep him. [31]

    Real Madrid can still buy him back for €80m in 2027. [31]

    Seen it before

    Sell your bike to a friend, but agree to take a share if it is ever sold on.

13. 16

    Liverpool lose after leading twice

    What happened

    • Liverpool lost 3-2 at Fenerbahce in Turkey on Wednesday, after leading twice. [32][33]
    • They went ahead after 69 minutes, the latest Liverpool have ever led a big European game and lost. [33]
    • Vedat Muriqi scored the winner. [32] Fenerbahce are run for now by Dirk Kuyt, a former Liverpool player. [33]
    • 'We made a miracle tonight,' Kuyt said. [33]
    • Liverpool have lost twice in 4 days, after 5 straight wins. [33]

    Who is involved

    • Vedat Muriqi the winner
    • Dirk Kuyt interim coach

    Why it matters

    The defeat ended their 100% record in this season's competition. [32]

    How it works

    Football analysts call these set pieces: restarts, where Fenerbahce's tall players could crowd Liverpool's goal. [32]

    All 3 Fenerbahce goals came that way: a free kick, a corner and a long throw. [32]

    Coach Andoni Iraola said Liverpool knew this was Fenerbahce's strength, and it still cost them. [32]

    Seen it before

    In a school match, a practised free kick works because the ball stops and everyone can get ready.

14. 17

    Arsenal and City win, and Slavia match a bad record

    What happened

    • Arsenal won at Slavia Prague, who equalled a record of 23 European Cup games without a win. [34]
    • Slavia's only win in the competition came in their first match, in 2007. [34]
    • Viktor Gyokeres set up one goal and scored another for Arsenal, and David Raya's late save stopped a draw. [34]
    • Erling Haaland scored the winner as Manchester City beat RB Leipzig in Germany. [35]
    • Real Madrid won 3-2 at AEK Athens through a late Federico Valverde goal, their 7th straight win. [30]
    • Porto, who had lost their first 3 games, beat Napoli 4-1. [30]

    Who is involved

    • Viktor Gyokeres 1 assist, 1 goal
    • David Raya the late save

    How it unfolded

    1. 2007 Slavia's only win
    2. Now 23 without a win

    Why it matters

    City's goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was at fault for Leipzig's first goal. [35] His coach says he will look at it in the international break. [35]

15. 18

    Scott Parker's West Ham draw from 3-0 down

    What happened

    • Scott Parker's first night as West Ham's coach ended 3-3 at Cardiff, after his team trailed 3-0. [36]
    • He got a contract of 2 and a half years on Wednesday, a day after Nuno Espirito Santo was sacked. [36]
    • He met the players for the first time at 9 that morning. [36]
    • Jack Moylan scored 3 for Cardiff in the first half. [36] Max Kilman levelled for West Ham with 8 minutes left. [36]
    • League leaders Middlesbrough lost 2-0 at Wrexham the same night. [36]

    Who is involved

    • Jack Moylan 3 for Cardiff
    • Max Kilman the equaliser

    How it unfolded

    1. Tuesday Nuno sacked
    2. Wednesday Parker appointed

    Why it matters

    West Ham are now in the Championship, England's second tier, and Parker has taken 3 clubs up from it. [36]

16. 19

    Real Madrid close on a 16-year-old from United

    What happened

    • Real Madrid are close to signing JJ Gabriel, a 16-year-old forward from Manchester United's academy. [37]
    • Madrid have offered a multi-year contract, and hope to bring him in January. [37]
    • United have not been contacted, the Guardian understands, and will consider legal action if rules were broken. [37]

    How it unfolded

    Gabriel walked out on United in September, and is believed to be training in Spain. [37]

    He played in a United friendly at 15, and was the Premier League's under-18 player of the season. [37]

    1. Now contract offered
    2. January move hoped for
    3. August plays for United
    4. September walks out

    Why it matters

    United lose a player who could have become their youngest ever, the Guardian says. [37]

    How it works

    Sports lawyers call this a carve-out: Madrid would use a named exception to Fifa's rules on young players. [37]

    The exception lets EU clubs sign young players on professional deals with an EU passport. [37] Gabriel can get one through his parents. [37]

    Seen it before

    A club says members only, but anyone with a family pass can walk in.

    The contract is on offer, but it works only if he gets an EU passport and Fifa signs it off.

    The idea, in story 03: Why $300m on paper is not money until its conditions are met →

    The truth

    • Madrid were asked for comment, so the terms come only from the Guardian's reporting. [37]

    What comes next

    Fifa, football's world body, would have to approve the move, and United would be owed a fee. [37]

17. 20

    A Crimean club's promotion tests Uefa

    What happened

    • FC Sevastopol, from Crimea, won promotion in Russian football, and that may force Uefa to act. [17]
    • Sevastopol won a group in a fourth-tier league, which Russia's union calls amateur and says it does not run. [17]
    • The next level up has never denied its clubs are professional, so that argument would not cover it. [17]
    • The runner-up is a fake Shakhtar Donetsk, which copies a Ukrainian club forced from its home. [17]
    • In that group, 5 of the 15 teams played in or claimed to represent occupied areas. [17]

    Who is involved

    Uefa runs European football, and Russia took Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. [17]

    How it unfolded

    Uefa ruled in 2014 that Crimean clubs must not play in events run by Russia's football union. [17]

    1. 2014 Russia takes Crimea
    2. 2014 Uefa bars Crimean clubs

    Why it matters

    If the club goes up, there would be fresh calls to throw Russia's union out of Uefa and Fifa. [17]

    How it works

    Sports governance turns on territory: Uefa's 2014 ruling bars Russia's union from running Crimean clubs. [17] The union stepped around it by disowning the lower league. [17]

    Seen it before

    A club told not to play away adds a game, then says the game is friendly.

    The truth

    • None of Uefa, Fifa, Russia's union or the clubs would comment to the Guardian. [17]
    • Nobody knows yet

      Whether Russia's football union will let Sevastopol go up.

      No decision on its licence has been made, and Uefa has not given the review Ukraine asked for in October 2025. [17]

18. 21

    Five people will shape Man City's punishment

    What happened

    • The BBC profiled the 5 people whose advice will shape Manchester City's punishment. [38]
    • The Premier League's board, which has no club members, recommends a penalty. [38] A 3-person panel then decides. [38]
    • A fine, a points deduction, expulsion or losing past titles are all possible. [38]

    Who is involved

    Its chair is Alison Brittain, and its chief executive is Richard Masters. [38]

    • Alison Brittain chair
    • Richard Masters chief executive

    How it unfolded

    An independent panel found City guilty of breaking financial rules in September, and City have appealed. [38]

    1. September panel finds City guilty
    2. Now City appeal; penalty undecided

    Why it matters

    The league calls it the most significant disciplinary case in its history. [38]

    How it works

    Lawyers call this separating the prosecutor from the judge: the league's board asks, and the panel decides. [38]

    Panels have cut the league's requests: Everton 12 points to 10, Nottingham Forest 8 to 4, Leicester 12 to 6. [38]

    Seen it before

    A teacher can ask for a long ban, but the head decides how long it is.

    The truth

    • The board members declined to comment to the BBC, through the league. [38]
    • Nobody knows yet

      What punishment Manchester City will face.

      The Premier League has not said what it will ask for, and no hearing date is known. [38]

    What comes next

    No date has been set for the hearing. [38]

19. 22

    Inquiry opens into Tenerife striker's death

    What happened

    • Spanish police's homicide division is investigating the death of Tenerife striker Jesus de Miguel, a standard step in Spain. [39]
    • He died on Tuesday, a day after colliding with FC Andorra goalkeeper Jesus Owono in a second-division game. [39]
    • The chief prosecutor in Santa Cruz said criminal charges against Owono were 'very unlikely'. [39]
    • Owono called these 'the hardest days of my life', and closed his Instagram after abuse. [39]
    • De Miguel, 30, was treated on the pitch for 5 minutes before going to an ambulance. [39]
    • His wife and 18-month-old child were at the ground. [39]

    How it unfolded

    1. Monday the collision
    2. Tuesday he dies in hospital
    3. Thursday funeral in Navahermosa
    4. Saturday homage at the ground

    Why it matters

    Tenerife's majority shareholder wants to know whether anything could have prevented it, and is waiting for the autopsy. [39]

    How it works

    Emergency medics work to one rule here: move a patient only once a pulse is restored. [39]

    The inquiry will look at his care, and Spain's emergency nurses' group asks where and when his pulse returned. [39]

    The truth

    • Elvira Gonzalez, who leads Spain's emergency nurses' group, said the information so far is 'contradictory'. [39] Tenerife reported a pulse in the ambulance. [39]
    • Nobody knows yet

      What the inquiry into Jesus de Miguel's death will find.

      The autopsy results have not been reported, and the shareholder and the medics' group both say they are waiting for facts. [39]

    What comes next

    His funeral is in Navahermosa, his parents' village, and a homage follows at Tenerife's ground on Saturday. [39]

20. 23

    A Brazilian youth game sets a record: 53 red cards

    What happened

    • A Brazilian under-20 game set a world record with 53 red cards. [40]
    • The Minas Gerais semi-final between Uberlandia and Mamore was abandoned after a brawl in the second half. [40]
    • Those sent off were 43 players, 8 coaching staff and 2 Uberlandia board members. [40]
    • The old record was 36, in an Argentine fifth-division game in 2011. [40]
    • It began when a Mamore player taunted Uberlandia's bench at 3-1, and a coach ran on. [40]
    • Police listed 14 broken doors, plus smashed windows, showers and furniture. [40]
    • Uberlandia have conceded the second leg, because Mamore have only 7 players left. [40]

    Why it matters

    Mamore go through to the final, and Uberlandia call that a 'gesture of fair play'. [40]

    The truth

    • The count comes from the referee's report, and he says the brawl made it impossible to show the cards. [40]
21. 24

    Brandon Aiyuk asks to come back

    What happened

    • Brandon Aiyuk, a San Francisco 49ers receiver who has not played since 2024, applied to return to the NFL. [41]
    • His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, says he will report to the team on Friday. [41]
    • The 49ers can keep him, release him or trade him before Tuesday's league deadline. [41]
    • 'I've kinda moved on with that mentally,' said coach Kyle Shanahan. [41]

    Who is involved

    • Drew Rosenhaus his agent
    • Brandon Aiyuk the receiver

    How it unfolded

    He signed a 4-year, $120m deal in August 2024, then tore a knee ligament that October. [41]

    1. Oct 2024 last played
    2. Now applies to return
    3. Friday reports to the team
    4. Aug 2024 $120m deal
    5. Oct 2024 knee injury

    Why it matters

    At 28, he could be with another team if San Francisco lets him go. [41]

    How it works

    Contract lawyers call this a conditional guarantee: the 49ers treated Aiyuk's guaranteed pay as depending on his duties. [41]

    The 49ers voided about $27m of Aiyuk's guarantees, reportedly over missed meetings. [41]

    Seen it before

    A free trip offered to pupils who come to every lesson is lost after missed lessons.

    His guaranteed pay carried duties, and the team voided about $27m, reportedly over missed meetings.

    The idea, in story 03: Why $300m on paper is not money until its conditions are met →

    The truth

    • The reason for voiding the money is reported, not confirmed, and the NFL did not immediately answer. [41]
    • Nobody knows yet

      Whether Brandon Aiyuk plays anywhere this season.

      The NFL has not ruled on his application, and the 49ers made no immediate comment. [41]

22. 25

    Ravens trade for a quarterback after two injuries

    What happened

    • The Baltimore Ravens are trading for Arizona quarterback Jacoby Brissett, after losing 2 quarterbacks in one game. [13]
    • Lamar Jackson hurt his thumb and Tyler Huntley his toe in Sunday's 36-10 loss at Buffalo. [13]
    • Joe Fagnano, an undrafted rookie on $885,000, starts on Thursday night against Jacksonville. [42]
    • Jackson's contract is worth $260m in all. [42]
    • Brissett, 33, has 73 career starts, and Baltimore will be his 7th team. [13]
    • Baltimore are 4-4, with a 6.4% chance of the playoffs on ESPN's model. [43]

    Who is involved

    • Lamar Jackson thumb
    • Tyler Huntley toe

    How it unfolded

    Arizona had just dropped him to third choice. [13]

    1. Season start Arizona's starter
    2. Now third choice

    Why it matters

    Jackson has one more season on his deal, and CBS Sports says it counts $84.34m against next year's limit. [12]

    How it works

    NFL teams call this a cap hit: what a contract counts against the yearly spending limit. [12]

    Jackson also has a no-trade clause, so Baltimore need his agreement to move him. [12]

    Seen it before

    Buying on credit keeps this month cheap, and next year's bill arrives all the same.

    The truth

    • The deal is not final, and rests so far on an unnamed league source. [13]
23. 26

    Miami's star receiver needs ankle surgery

    What happened

    • Malachi Toney, top-ranked Miami's star receiver, hurt an ankle in practice on Wednesday and is expected to have surgery. [14]
    • Miami visit Notre Dame on Saturday, one of 7 games between ranked teams. [44]
    • Toney has 73 catches, 1,027 yards and 13 touchdowns this season. [14]
    • He is a favourite for the Heisman Trophy, college football's top player award, with his quarterback Darian Mensah. [14]

    Why it matters

    Notre Dame can now send more defenders at Miami's running game. [14]

    How it works

    Football analysts look at share: how much of a team's attack runs through one player. [14]

    Toney makes 35.1% of Miami's catches, 38.6% of its yards and 46.4% of its touchdowns. [14] Defences must watch him, which leaves the runners more room. [14]

    Seen it before

    In tag, watching the fastest child leaves everyone else free to run.

    The truth

    • The surgery news comes from CBS Sports' sources, not from Miami. [14]

    What comes next

    Miami hope he can return for a possible playoff run. [14]

24. 27

    College football's TV audience is down 11%

    What happened

    • US college football games average 1.6 million TV viewers through October, down 11% on last year. [44]
    • The figures, from the ratings firm Nielsen, cover 402 games. [44]
    • Only 4 games have passed 10 million viewers this season, against 11 at any point in the 2025 regular season. [44]
    • Texas against Ohio State leads this season with 14 million. [44]

    Why it matters

    ESPN's College GameDay preview show is up 4%, at 2.8 million. [44]

    How it works

    Audience researchers separate average viewers from total minutes watched, because the two can move apart. [44]

    Here the average per game is down 11%, while total minutes viewed are up 2%. [44]

    Seen it before

    A shop can sell less to each customer and still sell more in all.

    The truth

    • The 2% figure comes from a Fox Sports executive, whose network shows these games. [44]

    What comes next

    On Saturday NBC shows Miami at Notre Dame while ABC shows Georgia at Ole Miss, both at 7:30 Eastern time. [44]

25. 28

    FanDuel's owner cuts its target

    What happened

    • Flutter, which owns the US betting firm FanDuel, reported $3.87bn in quarterly income, below forecasts of about $4bn. [45]
    • It cut its 2026 income target by $300m, to $17.61bn. [45]
    • FanDuel's US income rose 6% to $1.45bn. [45]
    • New boss Dan Taylor blamed sports results that went against it, and Brazil's gambling ban. [45]
    • Flutter's shares rose over 2% that morning, though they are down over 60% this year. [45]
    • FanDuel Predicts, its service for betting on events, had 140,000 users in October. [45]

    Who is involved

    • Results went against the firm
    • Brazil a gambling ban

    Why it matters

    It handled $119m in the quarter, up 102% on the quarter before. [45] Taylor names it a top priority. [45]

    How it works

    Finance calls this market making: quoting one price to buy and another to sell. [45]

    Taylor says that skill is 'really at the heart' of Flutter, which now trades on several exchanges. [45]

    Seen it before

    A market stall that buys old games and sells them on is making a market.

    The truth

    • Taylor did not say which exchanges the firm's trading arm uses. [45]
26. 29

    UNC paid $914,000 to probe its football staff

    What happened

    • The University of North Carolina paid over $914,000 for law firms to investigate its football staff, records show. [46]
    • It began with a complaint about general manager Michael Lombardi, then reached coach Steve Belichick and others. [46]
    • Most of it, $821,339, went to one firm, which billed 1,034 hours. [46] Its lead lawyer charged $990 an hour. [46]
    • Lombardi, paid $1.5m a year, resigned on 3 September. [46] Belichick's resignation was announced on 17 September. [46]

    Who is involved

    Steve Belichick is the son of head coach Bill Belichick. [46]

    • Michael Lombardi general manager
    • Steve Belichick defensive coordinator
    • Bill Belichick head coach

    How it unfolded

    1. 3 Sept Lombardi resigns
    2. 17 Sept Belichick resignation announced

    Why it matters

    Sportico got the bills through public records, and they raise questions about UNC's own timeline. [46]

    How it works

    Employment lawyers call this an outside investigation: UNC hired law firms to look into its own staff. [46]

    UNC first used K&L Gates, then hired Barnes and Thornburg on 5 August, after a former staffer complained. [46]

    Seen it before

    A school may ask a teacher from another school to look into a complaint against its own.

    The truth

    • An invoice shows a law firm at work from 9 July. [46] UNC's chancellor said on 30 July that it had learned of concerns the week before. [46]
27. 30

    US school sports start to look like college

    What happened

    • US high-school sports directors say the job now looks like running a college programme, Front Office Sports reports. [47]
    • 'Most of us are running mini colleges at this point,' said Colin Beemiller, a sports director in Ohio. [47]
    • Florida reportedly saw more than 7,000 athletes change schools in 2025-26, up from 5,688. [47]
    • One Ohio school spent $120,000 on a weight room, and installed video screens. [47]
    • Athletes bring hired video makers, and some families pay several private coaches. [47]
    • Actual pay deals for school athletes remain rare so far. [47]

    Why it matters

    Directors now have to persuade players to stay, as colleges do, and expect to police pay deals soon. [47]

    How it works

    Economists call this an arms race: schools spend on screens and gyms because their rivals do. [47]

    A school adds screens and gyms because, as one director says, parents will move their child if unhappy. [47]

    Seen it before

    When one child's party has a bouncy castle, the next party needs one too.

    The truth

    • The 7,000 is a reported figure, and the directors are the main voices in the piece. [47]
28. 31

    NFL schedules a game on Thanksgiving eve

    What happened

    • The NFL will play on the night before Thanksgiving for the first time, with the Rams hosting the Packers. [48]
    • Netflix shows the game on 25 November, the eve of Thanksgiving on 26 November. [48]
    • To fit it in, both teams lose their normal rest week. [48]
    • A normal break between games is 14 days, and the Rams get 10. [48]
    • The Rams then play Kansas City on 3 December, and Seattle on Christmas Day. [48]
    • Kelly Stafford, wife of quarterback Matthew Stafford, asked on Instagram why the Rams were 'the only team' without true rest. [48]

    How it unfolded

    1. 25 November Rams against Packers
    2. 26 November Thanksgiving
    3. 25 Nov Packers
    4. 3 Dec Chiefs
    5. 25 Dec Seahawks

    Why it matters

    The Packers next play on 6 December, so they play only once in 19 days. [48]

    The truth

    • Who pays Rams and Packers players — They give up a normal week of rest and healing so a streaming service can have the slot. [48]
29. 32

    Djokovic misses the ATP Finals

    What happened

    • Novak Djokovic, 39, is out of the ATP Finals race after losing to world number 83 Rinky Hijikata in Paris. [49]
    • Hijikata, from Australia, won 2-6 6-3 6-3, after nearly pulling out with a sore neck. [50]
    • It was his 4th win this year over a top-20 player, after none before 2026. [50]

    Who is involved

    The ATP Finals in Turin are men's tennis's season-ending event, which Djokovic has won 7 times. [50]

    • Rinky Hijikata world number 83
    • Novak Djokovic aged 39

    How it unfolded

    He has missed it when fit only twice in 20 seasons. [49]

    Why it matters

    Djokovic failed to reach the quarter-finals in 8 of his 11 events this year, and turns 40 in May. [49]

    How it works

    Tennis calls it the race: points won this season decide who goes to Turin. [49]

    Djokovic likely needed the Paris semi-finals, and lost in the second round. [49]

    Seen it before

    A runner who needs one fast last lap has no second chance after tripping.

    Good news

    • Rinky Hijikata, 28 and ranked 83rd in the world, beat Novak Djokovic in Paris. It was his 4th win over a top-20 player this year, after none in his career before.

    What comes next

    Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul alone can still take the last 2 places. [49]

30. 33

    Zverev loses his first match as world number 1

    What happened

    • Alexander Zverev lost his first match as world number 1, 7-6 6-2 to Lorenzo Musetti in Paris. [51]
    • Zverev, a German, is the 30th man at the top since computer rankings began in 1973. [15]
    • He won the French and US Opens this year, his first 2 Grand Slam titles. [15]
    • 'I think I deserve to be where I am,' he said, annoyed at having to explain it. [15]
    • Zverev is 62-9 against players ranked 11 or lower, but 3-9 against the top 10. [15]

    How it unfolded

    1. 1973 computer rankings begin
    2. Now 30th man at the top

    Why it matters

    His rise has brought back accusations of abuse by 2 former partners, which he has always denied. [52]

    How it works

    Tennis rankings add up results, so a player who misses events loses ground. [15]

    Jannik Sinner has not played since Wimbledon, and Carlos Alcaraz missed nearly 5 months. [15]

    Zverev began 2026 almost 7,000 points behind Alcaraz, and now leads him by 3,000. [15]

    Seen it before

    A league table can change because the two top teams stopped playing.

31. 34

    Kohli passes Tendulkar as India beat New Zealand

    What happened

    • India beat New Zealand by 5 wickets in a rain-hit one-day game at Eden Park in Auckland. [53]
    • Arshdeep Singh took 4 wickets as New Zealand were all out for 185. [53]
    • Virat Kohli, who turned 38 on Thursday, made 74 from 51 balls. [54][53]
    • He and captain Shubman Gill added 113 for the second wicket. [53]
    • Kohli is now the top scorer in one-day run chases, with 8,741 to Sachin Tendulkar's 8,720. [54]
    • He is also the first to average 50 in one-day games in South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia. [54]

    Why it matters

    Kohli has left Test cricket, and has 1,002 runs in 16 one-day games since. [54]

    How it works

    Cricket's Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method, built by statisticians, resets a target when rain takes overs, as it did here. [54]

    So India needed 143 from 32 overs, and got there in 22.4. [54][53]

    Seen it before

    If rain stops a race halfway, you compare the runners by the pace they were setting.

    What comes next

    India lead the 5-match series 1-0. [53]

32. 35

    Chennai and Hyderabad swap four players

    What happened

    • Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad, 2 Indian Premier League teams, agreed a 4-player trade for the 2027 season. [55]
    • England's Liam Livingstone and Australian Jack Edwards go to Chennai. [55]
    • Khaleel Ahmed and Australian Nathan Ellis go to Hyderabad. [55]
    • Livingstone moves for 6 crore rupees, down from 13 crore. [55] A crore is 10 million. [55]
    • The others keep their fees: Edwards 3 crore, Khaleel 4.8 crore and Ellis 2 crore. [55]

    Who is involved

    • Jack Edwards missed 2026
    • Nathan Ellis missed 2026
    • Khaleel Ahmed 5 games

    How it unfolded

    Edwards and Ellis both missed all of the 2026 season injured, and Khaleel played only 5 games. [55]

    Why it matters

    Chennai gain 2 overseas all-rounders, and Hyderabad add to their bowling. [55]

    The truth

    • The report gives the fees but not why Livingstone took the cut. [55]
33. 36

    Tanvi Patri makes Youth Olympic history

    What happened

    • Tanvi Patri, 15, became the first Indian woman to reach the badminton semi-finals at the Youth Olympics. [56]
    • She beat Thailand's Kakanik Kungkaew 21-17, 21-13 in 39 minutes in Dakar on Wednesday. [56]
    • Only 3 Indians had reached that stage before, all of them boys. [56]

    Who is involved

    Patri comes from Odisha, in eastern India, and trains in Bengaluru. [56]

    How it unfolded

    HS Prannoy won silver in 2010, and Lakshya Sen silver in 2018. [56]

    1. 2010 HS Prannoy, silver
    2. 2018 Lakshya Sen, silver

    Why it matters

    A medal would be the first for an Indian woman in badminton at these Games. [56]

    The truth

    • This report was written before her semi-final against Japan's Yuzuno Watanabe, so that result is not here. [56]

    Good news

    • Tanvi Patri, 15, became the first Indian woman to reach the badminton semi-finals at the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar.

    What comes next

    A win in the semi-final would guarantee her at least a silver medal. [56]

34. 37

    The NBA plans its first shop in India

    What happened

    • The NBA will open its first shop in India in 2027, with the Indian clothing firm Suditi. [57]
    • Suditi took over the league's online store in India in October. [57]
    • 'You can't just focus on broadcast and say, please watch my game,' said NBA strategist Rajah Chaudhry in June. [57]
    • Its Indian social media accounts have more than 8 million followers. [57]

    How it unfolded

    India is dominated by cricket, and NBA games air at awkward hours there. [57]

    The league has shown games with Sony, MTV and the state broadcaster, and this season on Prime Video. [57]

    1. October Suditi runs the online store
    2. 2027 first shop opens
    3. First Sony
    4. Then MTV and digital
    5. This season Prime Video

    Why it matters

    The league's Indian accounts have drawn 1.35 billion video views, and it wants fans connected between live games. [57]

    How it works

    Business schools call this brand extension: the NBA sells Indian fans shirts and shoes, not only games. [57]

    Fake Lakers and Bulls shirts already sell in Indian markets, so the league wants that money in official shops. [57]

    Seen it before

    A band that rarely visits a town can still sell plenty of T-shirts there.

35. 38

    The NBA defends its work with Rwanda

    What happened

    • The NBA told 2 US senators it follows US policy in deciding where it operates. [58]
    • They asked whether the league has a 'red line' on money from governments that abuse rights. [58]
    • Deputy commissioner Mark Tatum said a military-funded team, APR, left the Basketball Africa League after US sanctions. [58]

    Who is involved

    Senators Jeff Merkley and Marsha Blackburn had asked about its deepening ties with Rwanda and leader Paul Kagame. [58]

    • Jeff Merkley
    • Marsha Blackburn

    How it unfolded

    Rwanda built a 10,000-seat arena in Kigali, its capital, central to the NBA's push into Africa. [58]

    Rwanda's government is accused of abuses at home and of funding child soldiers in Congo, next door. [58]

    Why it matters

    Bayern Munich and Arsenal have ended their sponsorship deals with Rwanda. [58]

    How it works

    Compliance officers call this following the sanctions list: the NBA says it moves when US policy moves. [58]

    The team left after US sanctions early this year, long after the senators first wrote 2 years ago. [58]

    Seen it before

    A shop may keep selling something until the law says stop, whatever customers say.

    The truth

    • Tatum did not directly answer the 'red line' question. [58]
36. 39

    Hyrox joins World Triathlon

    What happened

    • Hyrox, a fitness race mixing running with exercise stations, has become a recognised part of World Triathlon. [59]
    • That could make it eligible for a future Olympics, though Los Angeles 2028 is too soon. [59]
    • In all, 1.5m people took part in 2025-26, up from 650,000 the year before. [59]
    • Briton Max Stapley called it an 'attack on our whole existence', and said he learned of it on Instagram. [59]
    • World Triathlon says athlete representatives sit on the board that approved it. [59]

    How it unfolded

    Triathlon has been in the Olympics since 2000. [59]

    1. 2028 too late for Los Angeles
    2. Later a possible Olympic place
    3. 2000 triathlon joins the Olympics
    4. Now Hyrox joins its federation

    Why it matters

    Some triathletes fear sponsors will move, and that Hyrox could one day take their Olympic place. [59]

    How it works

    Sports governance runs through federations: Hyrox now sits under a recognised world body, a possible route to the Olympics. [59]

    Max Stapley's complaint is that Hyrox gets to 'use our access to the International Olympic Committee'. [59]

    Seen it before

    A new band that joins a famous label gets on stages it could not reach alone.

    The truth

    • Hyrox referred the BBC to World Triathlon's statements, and British Triathlon is still waiting for the deal's terms. [59]
    • Who pays Olympic-distance triathletes — Max Stapley says sponsors already see little of them on TV, and may rather back a sport heading to the Olympics. [59]

    Good news

    • Hyrox, a fitness race that began in 2017, drew 1.5m people last season, up from 650,000 the year before.
37. 40

    The horse nobody bought wins the Oaks

    What happened

    • Proxima Dea won the A$1m VRC Oaks by 2 lengths at Flemington in Melbourne on Thursday. [60]
    • It was her 6th win in 6 races. [60]
    • Ciaron Maher, whose horses took the top 3 places in the Melbourne Cup, had one runner, who came 7th. [60]

    Who is involved

    David Payne, 72, trains her, and Zac Lloyd rode her from the second-widest starting gate. [60]

    • David Payne trainer, 72
    • Zac Lloyd jockey

    How it unfolded

    Her breeder, Andy Giles, offered her for sale last year at a value of A$300,000. [60]

    Nobody bought her, so his group took her back and raced her. [60]

    Why it matters

    Payne, 72, has long wanted to win the Melbourne Cup, and says she may run next year. [60]

    How it works

    Economists call this a thin market: too few buyers came, so the asking price said little about Proxima Dea. [60]

    Australian buyers favour sprinters, so an unproven long-distance horse was hard to sell. [60]

    Seen it before

    An old game nobody wants at a car-boot sale can turn out to be rare.

    Good news

    • Proxima Dea, a filly nobody would buy last year, has won all 6 of her races, including Thursday's Oaks in Melbourne.
38. 41

    A contested return for John Kanga in racing

    What happened

    • John Kanga, who quit as Melbourne Racing Club chairman last year, has nominated for Flemington's Victoria Racing Club board. [61]
    • Vin Cox beat Michael Ramsden 6-5 in last month's secret board vote for next chair. [61]
    • Cox must win an election at the end of this month, before taking the chair in December. [61]
    • Claire Ewart-Kennedy has confirmed she is running, and Nicholas Tzaferis is reported to be. [61]

    How it unfolded

    He resigned on the eve of last year's Caulfield Cup carnival, after questions from The Age about his past. [61]

    1. Last year quits Melbourne club
    2. Wednesday nominates at Flemington

    Why it matters

    Kanga has backed mergers of racing clubs before, and the vote could reshape the club's future. [61]

    How it works

    Boards work by simple count: after a 6-5 split, one new director can flip the result. [61]

    Seen it before

    A class vote won by one hand can flip if one pupil moves away and another joins.

    The truth

    • Tzaferis's run rests on 2 unnamed sources, and the club has not published its list. [61]

    What comes next

    All candidates face a nominations committee in the coming days. [61]

39. 42

    Sydney Swans star's drug test brings an apology

    What happened

    • Sydney Swans star Tom Papley tested positive for methylamphetamine, an illegal drug, at a roadside police check, The Age reports. [62]
    • The club's chairman and chief executive apologised to members for 'recent incidents' involving players. [62]
    • The Swans are reviewing their whole AFL programme, and will finish by the end of the year. [62]
    • An outside firm, Intersection, is advising. [62]

    Who is involved

    • Andrew Pridham chairman
    • Matthew Pavlich chief executive

    How it unfolded

    Police stopped him because his licence had been suspended over unpaid parking fines. [62]

    Why it matters

    The AFL is Australia's top league in Australian rules football. [62] The club's women's team plays an elimination final this weekend. [62]

    How it works

    Forensic testers keep a second 'B sample': police took one from Papley to confirm the first result. [62]

    The AFL is expected to wait for that second result before any penalty. [62]

    Seen it before

    A teacher who finds one wrong answer checks it again before giving a detention.

    The truth

    • The result is not final until police confirm the second sample. [62]
40. 43

    Billy Loughnane signs for Godolphin

    What happened

    • Billy Loughnane, Britain's 20-year-old champion jockey, signed to ride for Godolphin next year. [63]
    • He shares the job with William Buick, as one of 2 retained jockeys, not as number 1. [63]

    Who is involved

    Godolphin is Sheikh Mohammed's global racing operation, set up as an advert for Dubai. [63]

    How it unfolded

    Frankie Dettori was Godolphin's first and most successful top rider. [63]

    Dettori also reached about 8 million BBC viewers each week as a TV quiz captain. [63]

    1. Then Frankie Dettori, top rider
    2. Next year Loughnane and Buick

    Why it matters

    Many in racing hope Loughnane can be known beyond the sport, as Dettori was. [63]

    How it works

    Racing calls it a retainer: Godolphin pays Loughnane to ride its horses first. [63]

    That should put Loughnane on horses with a chance in most of next year's big races. [63]

    Seen it before

    A team that pays a goalkeeper to stay keeps him from playing for anyone else.

41. 44

    A sponsor threatens to leave hockey's worlds

    What happened

    • Strauss, a German workwear brand, says it will drop its logos at hockey's 2027 world championship if Russia plays. [16]
    • It is also considering leaving as a sponsor, chief executive Henning Strauss said. [16]
    • The championship is in Germany next May. [16]
    • Another 4 sponsors, Skoda, AJ Produkter, Tipsport and Nokian, have reportedly spoken out. [16]

    How it unfolded

    The Court of Arbitration for Sport, which settles sport's disputes, overturned Russia's 2022 ban last Friday. [16]

    1. 2022 Russia banned
    2. Last Friday ban overturned

    Why it matters

    The court said the claims of the IIHF, hockey's world body, 'were not supported by sufficient evidence'. [16]

    How it works

    Marketers call this brand safety: Strauss would pull its logos rather than stand beside Russia's team. [16]

    A court can put Russia back in, but Strauss says it can still take its own logos out. [16]

    Seen it before

    A shop can refuse to sponsor the school fair if it dislikes who is running a stall.

42. 45

    Thieves take a 1980 Olympic gold

    What happened

    • Thieves stole 4 medals from MM Somaya, a former India hockey captain, including his 1980 Olympic gold. [64]
    • That Moscow gold is India's last in Olympic hockey. [64]
    • The burglary at his Bengaluru home was at about 2.30 in the morning on 28 October, with the family away. [64]
    • They were locked in a drawer inside a cupboard, and both were broken open. [64]

    How it unfolded

    Somaya, 67, had moved the medals from Mumbai 2 months ago, and meant to put them in a bank. [64]

    1. 1980 Moscow gold
    2. 28 October stolen
    3. 2.30 in the morning break-in
    4. Later a neighbour sees the door

    Why it matters

    'It took me a couple of hours to come to terms with what had happened,' he said. [64]

    What comes next

    He has registered a police report and emailed government officials. [64]

43. 46

    Bournemouth's six wins, and what the numbers saw

    What happened

    • Bournemouth have won 6 games in a row, after 3 points from their first 6 league games. [65]
    • Those wins include Milan, Aston Villa and Manchester United, and they are now 8th in the Premier League. [65]

    Who is involved

    Coach Marco Rose replaced Andoni Iraola in the summer. [65]

    How it unfolded

    The low point was a 5-1 loss at Chelsea. [65]

    1. Until summer Andoni Iraola
    2. Now Marco Rose

    Why it matters

    Rose kept saying the performances were better than the results, and the club kept him. [65]

    How it works

    Analysts use expected goals, or xG: a value for each chance, showing how many goals it should bring. [65]

    Chelsea's 5 goals came from 1.1 xG, while Bournemouth's 1 goal came from 1.38. [65]

    Opta, the data firm, gave them 8.4 expected points when the table showed 3. [65]

    Seen it before

    A shooter who keeps hitting the post is not bad. The goals usually come later.

    The truth

    • Opta wrote this piece from its own model, and it says their recent games were slightly easier. [65]
44. 47

    England back Borthwick whatever happens

    What happened

    • England's rugby union says coach Steve Borthwick stays for next year's World Cup, whatever happens this autumn. [66]
    • Bill Sweeney, its chief executive, said he could not see a case for replacing him. [66]
    • 'We're committed to Steve,' Sweeney said. [66] Borthwick's deal runs to mid-2028. [66]
    • England have lost 5 of their past 7 matches. [66]

    Who is involved

    • Italy first win over England

    How it unfolded

    In March they lost to Italy for the first time. [66]

    Nearly 4 years ago the same union sacked Eddie Jones after a poor autumn. [66]

    1. Nearly 4 years ago Eddie Jones sacked
    2. Now Borthwick backed

    Why it matters

    The union has now tied itself to one coach through the World Cup, whatever the results. [66]

    How it works

    Managers call this removing job risk: Borthwick's long deal stops talk of who is next before a World Cup. [66]

    What comes next

    England play Australia, Japan and New Zealand this month. [66]

45. 48

    Rugby's new tournament resumes on Friday

    What happened

    • Rugby's new Nations Championship resumes on Friday, with Ireland against Argentina in Dublin. [19]
    • Over 3 weekends, France, Ireland and Italy play Argentina, Fiji and South Africa. [19]
    • England, Scotland and Wales play Australia, Japan and New Zealand. [19]
    • It ends with 6 games in 3 days at Twickenham in London, each pairing teams by final position. [19]

    How it unfolded

    World Rugby first suggested the idea in 2018. [19]

    1. Friday Ireland against Argentina
    2. Then finals at Twickenham

    Why it matters

    England flew 25,000 miles for 3 games in 3 weeks over the summer, the Guardian reports. [19]

    Organisers must sell 500,000 tickets for 6 games whose teams are known only 6 days before. [19]

    How it works

    TV planners call this a made-for-TV format: the Guardian says these fixtures were built for broadcasters first. [19]

    Fiji's 'home' games were in Cardiff, Liverpool and at Murrayfield, which the Guardian blames on commercial aims. [19]

    Seen it before

    A school play moved to fit the hall's bookings, not the parents' free evenings, is the same step.

    The truth

    • This account is a Guardian writer's critical view, and organisers' replies are not in it. [19]
    • Who pays Rugby fans who travel — They must buy tickets without knowing which teams will play, and the Guardian says that deters them. [19]
46. 49

    Wembanyama scores 52 as Doncic races on

    What happened

    • Victor Wembanyama scored a career-high 52 points as the San Antonio Spurs beat the Dallas Mavericks 112-111. [67]
    • He also had 24 rebounds and 8 blocks, and made the winning free throw. [67]
    • He is 22, and the first in 52 years with 50 points, 20 rebounds and 5 blocks in a game. [67]
    • Luka Doncic scored 40 for the Los Angeles Lakers, reaching 308 points in 8 games. [67]
    • He is the first past 300 in a season's first 8 games since Michael Jordan in 1988-89. [67]
    • A fan was removed in that game after throwing the ball at an official. [67]

    How it unfolded

    Sporting News lists Bob McAdoo and Wilt Chamberlain as the players who did it before. [68]

    1. 1988-89 Michael Jordan
    2. Now Luka Doncic

    Why it matters

    The Philadelphia 76ers, who signed LeBron James and Jaylen Brown, lead the NBA at 8-1 after beating Detroit. [67]