Formula One keeps its last two races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi despite the Iran war, and stands down Imola as the backup

The stories

34 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

   Formula One keeps its last two races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi despite the Iran war, and stands down Imola as the backup

   22

   races a year Formula One must hold under its deal with the teams

   dropping Qatar and Abu Dhabi would leave 21 [4]

   6 Dec

   the day the season ends, in Abu Dhabi

   Imola was readied for that date, then stood down on Tuesday [1]

   2

   April races lost to the war, in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain

   Bahrain paid to race at Sepang in Malaysia instead [4]

   What happened

   • Formula One will end its season in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, despite the war with Iran. [1]
   • Qatar races on 29 November, and Abu Dhabi closes the season on 6 December. [2]
   • On Tuesday it told Imola, a circuit in Italy, that it will not be needed as a backup. [1]
   • Formula One says the situation in both countries has not got worse in recent months. [1]
   • Government travel advice still allows the trip, and insurance is still valid, it said. [1]
   • "We will not hesitate to do the right thing," a Formula One spokesperson said. [1]
   • The two races can still be dropped if fighting starts again. [4] The season would then end in Las Vegas. [4]
   • Several senior people in Formula One told BBC Sport they were uneasy about going. [1]
   • Both countries lie near the Strait of Hormuz, a sea lane where missile strikes still happen. [1]
   • Houthi rebels in Yemen keep attacking Saudi Arabia, which borders Qatar and the UAE. [1]
   • The US government has issued security alerts for travellers to Abu Dhabi and Qatar. [5]
   • Teams are thought to have asked, at a meeting on Tuesday, what the plan is if fighting grows. [3]
   • Qatar and Abu Dhabi pay large fees to hold their races. [1]
   • Qatar's state investment fund owns part of the Audi team, and Abu Dhabi part of McLaren. [1]
   • The teams' deal with Formula One requires at least 22 races a year. [4] Losing both Gulf races would leave 21. [4]
   • Prize money follows the teams' championship, and places below the top are still being fought over. [4]
   • MotoGP, the motorbike series Liberty Media also owns, raced in Qatar last weekend without trouble. [4]
   • Yamaha pulled out of that race because of its company travel policy. [4] No Formula One team has such a rule. [4]
   • Endurance racing's world championship moved its Middle East rounds to Barcelona and Monza. [2]
   • Max Verstappen, a four-time champion, said racing near a war did not feel right. [2] He later said he relies on the sport's decision. [2]
   • "I don't think Formula 1 would take the risk," said Valtteri Bottas, who drives for Cadillac. [2]
   • The FIA, which governs the sport, says it is ready. [6] Its president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, comes from the UAE. [6]

   Who is involved

   Formula One is a world championship of car racing. [3] It is owned by Liberty Media, a US company. [1]

   • Formula One the world championship of car racing, owned by the US company Liberty Media; it chose to keep the Gulf races
   • Liberty Media the US company that owns it
   • US government security alerts for both
   • Max Verstappen four-time champion
   • Mohammed Ben Sulayem FIA president, from the UAE
   • The FIA and Mohammed Ben Sulayem the body that governs motor sport, and its president, who is from the UAE; he says the races are ready
   • Qatar and Abu Dhabi the two hosts; they pay large race fees and own parts of the Audi and McLaren teams
   • Imola a circuit near Bologna in Italy; it was kept ready as the backup until Tuesday

   How it unfolded

   The war began in February, when US and Israeli forces struck Iran. [2] Iran then attacked US bases in Gulf states, Qatar and the UAE among them. [2]

   The war cost Formula One 2 April races. [2] Saudi Arabia's was cancelled, and Bahrain's was moved to Malaysia in October. [1]

   Bahrain paid to hold its race in Malaysia instead. [4]

   1. 29 Nov the Qatar Grand Prix [2]
   2. 6 Dec Abu Dhabi ends the season [2]
   3. 21 Nov Las Vegas
   4. 29 Nov Qatar
   5. February US and Israeli strikes on Iran start the war [2]
   6. April the Saudi race is cancelled and Bahrain's is moved [2]
   7. October Bahrain's race is run at Sepang in Malaysia [1]
   8. Tue 10 Nov Formula One stands down Imola [1]

   Why it matters

   Drivers, team staff and fans will travel to two races in a region where the conflict goes on. [3]

   Formula One also opens 2027 in the Middle East, in Bahrain on 12 to 14 March. [5]

   How it works

   Planners call a ready backup a contingency plan: a second option, kept only for when the first one fails.

   Imola had started building stands, but needed to know whether to commit fully. [4] Tuesday was its deadline. [4]

   Seen it before

   Before a picnic, a family books a hall in case of rain, and cancels it once the sky is clear.

   The truth

   • He gave no details of the security plans. [6]
   • Formula One says it talks constantly with the governments of Qatar and Abu Dhabi. [4] Those governments also pay it large fees for the races. [1]
   • Who gains Qatar and Abu Dhabi — They keep the season's last two races, which settle the final prize-money places. [4]
   • Nobody knows yet

     Whether the two Gulf races will really go ahead.

     Formula One says it will drop both if fighting starts again. [4] The US is still blockading the Strait of Hormuz, and attacks on ships go on. [63]

   What comes next

   The next race is Las Vegas on 21 November, then Qatar on 29 November. [4]

1. 02

   Pochettino open to Manchester United

   What happened

   • Mauricio Pochettino, coach of the US men's national team, is interested in managing Manchester United, sources told the Guardian. [18]
   • United are expected to sack their coach, Michael Carrick, after 1 win in 10 Premier League games. [8]
   • They are 18th, in the places that would send them down a division. [19] It is their lowest position this far into a season since 1986-87. [19]
   • United's bosses meet in Monaco on Wednesday to discuss Carrick's future. [20]
   • Pochettino's US contract has a buyout clause of about $10 million. [8] That fee lets another employer take him early. [8]

   Who is involved

   Monaco is home to Jim Ratcliffe, who bought 28.94% of United for just over £1bn. [19]

   • Mauricio Pochettino US men's coach

   How it unfolded

   He signed a new deal running to the 2030 World Cup only in August. [8]

   1. August new US deal, to 2030
   2. Now United's interest

   Why it matters

   The US team play Haiti on Saturday in Miami and on Tuesday in Cincinnati. [8]

   How it works

   Why a trade can leave both teams better off

   Economists call it gains from trade: two sides value the same thing differently, so each can give up what it values less.

   The twist

   A trade is not a game one side must lose. A pick for 2027 is worth more to a team that is rebuilding than to a team trying to win this season, so the Raiders and the Vikings can both be right.

   The picture

   Third-round pickmore to the Raiders

   vsvs

   Kirk Cousinsmore to the Vikings

   Step by step

   1. 1 Two sides value one thing differently
   2. 2 Each gives up what it values less
   3. 3 Each gets what it values more
   4. 4 Both can end up better off
   5. 5 No deal when the values never cross

   The same force, elsewhere today

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

   • The Vikings bring back Kirk Cousins

     Minnesota wants a quarterback for this season and Las Vegas wants a pick for 2027, so each gives up what it needs less.

   • Pochettino's $10 million buyout

     US Soccer would take money it could use for a new coach, and United would get the coach they want now.

   • The King's Melbourne Cup clause

     The buyers wanted a lower price and the King's stable believed in the horse, so a share of any Cup win closed the gap.

   • Jonathan Taylor stays with the Colts

     No team valued Taylor above the first-round pick the Colts wanted, so the values never crossed and no trade happened.

   Where you've seen this

   School lunch swaps

   a pupil who dislikes apples swaps one for a biscuit with a friend who loves apples

   Countries

   a country with spare farmland sells grain to a country with factories and buys machines back

   Second-hand sales

   a seller who no longer rides a bike values the cash more than the bike, and the buyer the other way round

   The catch

   It only works when both sides know what they are getting. Harness Racing Victoria swapped land for its debt in 2024, and now says the land was worth far more.

   And the whole of it

   Every deal on Tuesday was made by people who could see their own team's needs and little else. The fans of the team that gave up the pick, and the player who moved cities overnight, live inside those deals too.

   The truth

   • The buyout figure comes from unnamed sources. [8] United have not yet sacked Carrick. [8]
   • Who gains US Soccer — If Pochettino goes, it collects a fee it could not have had in the summer, when he was free to leave. [8]
   • Who pays The US men's national team — A new coach would start just as the 2030 qualifying games begin. [18]
   • Nobody knows yet

     Whether Manchester United sack Michael Carrick, and whom they hire.

     The Monaco meeting is on Wednesday, and United have announced nothing. [19]

1. 03

   18 trades as the NFL deadline closes

   What happened

   • NFL teams made 18 trades before Tuesday's deadline, moving 19 players and 34 draft picks. [11]
   • A draft pick is a team's turn to choose a player in a future draft. [12]
   • The Indianapolis Colts made the most deals, 4 trades for 6 draft picks. [11]
   • One sent receiver Josh Downs to the Kansas City Chiefs for fourth- and fifth-round picks. [21]
   • The Colts kept their star running back, Jonathan Taylor. [22] They turned down second-round picks and wanted a first. [22]
   • The Cincinnati Bengals nearly gave up a third-round pick by mistake on Tuesday. [23]

   How it unfolded

   The Colts have no first-round pick of their own in 2027, having traded it for Sauce Gardner a year ago. [22]

   Why it matters

   CBS counted many expected buyers who stayed put, and sellers who would not let players go. [11]

   ESPN says the deals will be judged by picks made and games won over 2 or 3 years. [23]

   How it works

   They are called compensatory picks: extra picks for a team that loses more free agents than it signs. [11]

   The Bengals had lost 3 such players and signed 2. [11] Adding Arnold Ebiketie would have cost them an extra third-round pick. [11]

   Seen it before

   A class wins a prize for fewest late arrivals, so one more late pupil can lose it.

   No team valued Taylor above the first-round pick the Colts wanted, so the values never crossed and no trade happened.

   The idea, in story 02: Why a trade can leave both teams better off →
2. 04

   Vikings bring back Kirk Cousins

   What happened

   • The Minnesota Vikings traded for quarterback Kirk Cousins on Tuesday, in the last hours before the deadline. [12]
   • Minnesota sends a third-round pick in the 2027 draft to the Las Vegas Raiders. [12]
   • This season he has thrown 20 touchdown passes for Las Vegas, the second most in the NFL. [12]

   How it unfolded

   Cousins, 38, started for the Vikings from 2018 to 2023, with 50 wins, 37 defeats and a tie. [12]

   Minnesota did not offer him a new long deal in 2024, after a serious injury. [12]

   Minnesota acted after Carson Wentz completed 8 of 25 passes in a loss on Monday. [12]

   1. 2018-2023 Cousins starts for Minnesota
   2. 2024 no new deal after his injury

   Why it matters

   The Vikings are 6-2 with the league's best defence, while the Raiders are 4-5. [11]

   The Raiders hand the job to Fernando Mendoza. [24] He was the first player picked in this year's draft. [11]

   How it works

   Teams call a player whose contract ends this season a rental: the buyer gets him for months, not years. [11]

   Cousins's contract runs out after this season. [12] Keeping him longer means paying a $10 million bonus on 13 March. [12]

   Seen it before

   Renting a bike for the summer costs less than buying one, but in autumn you hand it back.

   Minnesota wants a quarterback for this season and Las Vegas wants a pick for 2027, so each gives up what it needs less.

   The idea, in story 02: Why a trade can leave both teams better off →

   The truth

   • Who gains The Las Vegas Raiders — They turned a quarterback on a one-season deal into a third-round pick, and their top pick now plays. [11]
   • Nobody knows yet

     How ready Fernando Mendoza is to lead the Raiders.

     He has not started an NFL game; his first is against Seattle on Sunday. [11]

3. 05

   Wenger weighs a run against Infantino

   What happened

   • Arsene Wenger, the former Arsenal manager, is weighing whether to stand against Gianni Infantino for FIFA's presidency. [25]
   • Candidates must declare by 18 November, for an election in March. [26]
   • UEFA, European football's governing body, is pushing him to stand. [27]
   • Ramon Vega, a former Tottenham defender, and Japan's Kozo Tashima have also said they will stand. [26]

   Who is involved

   Wenger, 77, has been FIFA's chief of global football development since 2019. [25]

   • Arsene Wenger FIFA's development chief
   • Gianni Infantino FIFA president
   • Ramon Vega ex-Tottenham defender
   • Kozo Tashima Japan's football association

   How it unfolded

   Infantino came under pressure over a scrapped plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors. [25]

   Wenger said in August that he had not been involved in that plan. [25]

   1. 18 Nov deadline to stand
   2. March the election

   Why it matters

   Some supporters say Wenger could win, then step down before serving a full 4-year term. [26]

   How it works

   Political scientists call it the incumbent's advantage: a leader already in office can hand out rewards before a vote.

   Infantino promised more funding, and all 54 of Africa's national associations backed him for a 4th term. [26]

   Seen it before

   A class president who runs the school fair can promise good stalls to classes that vote for her.

   The truth

   • People close to Wenger say he has not decided, and still see Infantino as the favourite. [26]
   • Nobody knows yet

     Whether Arsene Wenger will stand against Infantino.

     His FIFA contract ends this year, and standing could make it hard to stay on in his FIFA job. [25]

4. 06

   LIV Golf files its plan to wind up

   What happened

   • LIV Golf, the tour paid for by Saudi Arabia's state fund, filed a plan to wind itself up on Tuesday. [14]
   • Selling off what is left could begin in early January. [14]
   • Players, contractors and suppliers are owed more than $100 million. [14] Only $2 million, paid by the fund, is set aside for them. [14]

   How it unfolded

   Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund has spent more than $5 billion on LIV since 2022. [14]

   1. 24 Nov hearing on the plan's papers
   2. 7 Jan hearing for final approval

   Why it matters

   Even if the other creditors object, Judge Michael Kaplan can approve the plan if he finds it fair to them. [14]

   Bryson DeChambeau, a LIV star and 2-time US Open champion, seems short of options, Rory McIlroy said. [28]

   DeChambeau can apply to join Europe's DP World Tour. [28] That could win back his place on the US PGA Tour for 2028. [28]

   How it works

   Bankruptcy law ranks the people owed money: a secured lender has first claim on what is left. [14]

   The fund lent this season's $495 million as a secured loan, so it stands first in the queue. [14]

   Seen it before

   A friend who holds your bike as a guarantee for a loan takes it before anyone else is paid.

   The truth

   • Experts told Front Office Sports that a bigger pot for those creditors is unlikely. [14]
   • Who gains Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund — A trustee chosen by the fund will run LIV's wind-down trust for up to 5 years. [14]
   • Who pays LIV's players, contractors and suppliers — They are grouped together, so a player's claim is pooled with a supplier's. [14]
   • Nobody knows yet

     How much LIV's players and suppliers will get back.

     The plan still needs the creditors' votes before the 7 January hearing, and their committee wants more. [14]

   What comes next

   A court hearing is set for 24 November, and a final one for 7 January. [14]

5. 07

   Top rugby nations try to avoid relegation

   What happened

   • Some of rugby's 10 leading nations want to make sure none of them can be relegated from the Nations Championship. [29]
   • The Nations Championship is a 12-team competition World Rugby started this year. [30]

   How it unfolded

   The 10 unions have set up a company, F10, to run it and sell its TV and sponsor rights. [29]

   World Rugby approved the competition in 2023 on one condition: promotion and relegation from 2030. [29]

   The vote passed 41 to 10, beating the 75% it needed with 80%. [29]

   1. 2023 approved, if open from 2030
   2. 2030 relegation due to start

   Why it matters

   Wales and Italy are among the unions that want protection. [29] Wales's chief executive said relegation would be "cataclysmic". [29]

   Changing that condition would need the World Rugby Council's approval, sources at the vote told the Guardian. [29]

   How it works

   Sports economists call a league with no relegation a closed league: its members keep their places for good.

   The top tier has more than 80 TV deals and the second tier 13, so going down costs money. [29]

   Seen it before

   A school team that can never be dropped from the top league has less to fear from a bad season.

   The truth

   • Six Nations officials say relegation will still start in 2030. [29] How it will work is not settled. [29]
   • Nobody knows yet

     Whether a top rugby nation will ever be relegated.

     The size of the payment that would cushion a relegated union is still being argued over. [29]

6. 08

   Football Leaks hacker in talks with UK fraud office

   What happened

   • Lawyers for Rui Pinto, who leaked millions of football's secret files, are in talks with British authorities. [17]
   • The Serious Fraud Office, which pursues serious financial crime in the UK, contacted him. [17]
   • He would help with its investigations in exchange for protection. [17]

   Who is involved

   • Serious Fraud Office UK financial crime investigators

   How it unfolded

   Between 2015 and 2019, Pinto, the founder of Football Leaks, gathered tens of millions of files. [17]

   His leaks exposed Cristiano Ronaldo's tax affairs and plans for a breakaway European Super League. [17]

   His documents mattered to the Premier League case that found Manchester City broke its money rules. [17]

   1. 2015 he starts gathering files
   2. 2019 the last of the files

   Why it matters

   Portugal told him on 30 September that it would stop protecting him as a witness. [17] He has appealed. [17]

   How it works

   Prosecutors call this a cooperation agreement: help with a case in return for something, here protection. [17]

   His files could point the office to tax crimes it would otherwise miss. [17]

   Seen it before

   A pupil who saw who broke a window may tell, if the head teacher keeps their name secret.

   The truth

   • Pinto has a suspended 4-year sentence in Portugal for attempted extortion and computer crime. [17]
   • Supporters see him as a whistleblower who exposed corruption. [17] Critics say his methods broke the law. [17]
   • Who pays Rui Pinto — Losing witness protection ends the guard he has lived under for 6 years. [17]
7. 09

   Jockey Izzy Neale dies after a fall

   What happened

   • Apprentice jockey Izzy Neale, 22, has died after a fall in a race in New South Wales, Australia. [31]
   • Her horse Marnoo fell entering the home straight of the Warren Shire Cotton Cup on Sunday. [31]
   • She was flown to hospital in Dubbo unconscious. [31] Her family said on Tuesday that she had died. [31]
   • Marnoo was put down with a leg injury. [32] Rider Diego Montes de Oca hurt his foot in the same race and has left hospital. [32]
   • "Through organ donation, Izzy will give others the chance of life," her family said. [31]

   Who is involved

   As an apprentice she worked for trainer John Thompson, and won 88 races. [32]

   • Izzy Neale apprentice jockey, 22

   How it unfolded

   1. Sunday fall at Warren
   2. Tuesday her family says she has died

   Why it matters

   The last race at Warren was abandoned, and Monday's meeting at Scone was postponed. [31]

8. 10

   Starc denies Khawaja's claims; Clarke wants an inquiry

   What happened

   • Fast bowler Mitchell Starc denied claims in Usman Khawaja's new book that more players knew of the 2018 ball-tampering plan. [33]
   • Former captain Michael Clarke wants the inquiry reopened, saying fans "can't trust what's real". [16]
   • Cricket Australia's chief, Todd Greenberg, sees no compelling reason to reopen it. [16]
   • On Wednesday David Warner backed former match referee Chris Broad, who said coach Darren Lehmann surely knew. [34]
   • Khawaja cancelled his TV and radio interviews after a tough interview on ABC television on Tuesday night. [35]

   Who is involved

   • Mitchell Starc denies it
   • Usman Khawaja says more knew
   • David Warner backs Broad
   • Darren Lehmann the coach in 2018

   How it unfolded

   In 2018 Australian players used sandpaper to change the ball's surface in a Test in Cape Town. [16]

   3 players were banned for long spells: captain Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft. [33]

   Why it matters

   Greenberg says players' accounts differ, and a new inquiry is unlikely to change that. [36]

   The truth

   • Greenberg says players have had 8 years to come forward, and still can. [36]
   • Nobody knows yet

     Who in Australia's team knew about the sandpaper in 2018.

     Khawaja's book says more players knew. [33] Starc says his memory matches the bowlers' 2021 statement, which denied all knowledge. [33]

9. 11

   Tennessee players draft a college labour deal

   What happened

   • Tennessee's men's basketball players have negotiated a model labour agreement with their university. [37]
   • It is thought to be the first by a college team, but it is unsigned, and no union exists. [37]
   • The terms cover minimum pay, one transfer window, 5 years to play, and caps on agents' fees. [37]

   Who is involved

   AO, an athletes' group funded partly by private equity investors, helped run the talks. [37] It hopes to become a union. [37]

   • AO an athletes' group

   How it unfolded

   College sport has spent millions lobbying the US Congress for one national law instead. [37]

   Why it matters

   The talks test the biggest question in college sport: who makes the rules and enforces them. [37]

   How it works

   Labour economists call this collective bargaining: workers agree the rules with their employer as one group. [37]

   Every big US professional league sets its rules this way. [37] College sport refused to for years. [37]

   Seen it before

   A class that picks one voice to agree trip rules with the teacher gets one set of rules for everyone.

   The truth

   • Critics say players would first have to count as employees, which could raise costs. [37]
10. 12

    ESPN and most fans did not want 24 teams

    What happened

    • ESPN, the TV network paying for college football's expanded playoff, did not want 24 teams either, The Athletic reported. [38]
    • It feared losing title games like the SEC's, which drew 16.7 million viewers in 2025. [38]
    • ESPN also worried a rival network could get a share. [38] Once the conferences agreed, it chose to keep the event rather than bid low. [38]
    • ESPN will pay about $345 million a year more, but gets about $140 million back from cancelled title games. [38]
    • In the playoff's own survey, 63% of keen fans and 76% of casual fans wanted no expansion. [38]

    Why it matters

    Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz asked: "Why are we associated with conferences anymore if we're not playing for a conference championship?" [39]

    The truth

    • Some conference leaders felt they were not consulted enough on the ESPN talks, The Athletic reported. [38]
    • Who gains ESPN — It keeps the whole playoff, with no rival network getting a share. [38]
11. 13

    Mets to meet Skubal before a likely lockout

    What happened

    • The New York Mets will meet pitcher Tarik Skubal next week. [40] He is the top free agent, a player any team can sign. [40]
    • He ended the season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, after a trade from Detroit for 3 prospects. [40] The Dodgers will meet him too. [40]

    Who is involved

    Skubal has twice won the Cy Young Award, baseball's pitching prize. [40]

    • Tarik Skubal the top free agent

    How it unfolded

    Owners are almost certain to shut players out from 2 December, as talks on a new labour deal go on. [13]

    1. Now labour talks
    2. 2 Dec likely lockout

    Why it matters

    Banker Steve Greenberg said fixing baseball's money system is "not going to come without some pain". [41]

    He is still bullish on baseball, and hopes the whole season will not be lost. [41]

    How it works

    Labour economists call it a lockout: an employer shuts its workers out until they accept a deal.

    Teams may rush signings before 2 December, as they did before the last lockout in 2021-22. [13]

    Seen it before

    Shoppers rush to buy before a shop shuts for a long holiday, in case it opens late.

12. 14

    Harness racing says a land deal cost it A$100m

    What happened

    • Harness Racing Victoria says a 2024 land deal with the state government cost it A$100 million. [15]
    • It handed 93 hectares at Melton, near Melbourne, to the state government to clear an A$86 million debt. [15]
    • The land has since been valued at up to A$200 million. [15]

    Who is involved

    Harness Racing Victoria is a state body that runs harness racing, a horse racing sport, in Victoria, Australia. [15]

    • Harness Racing Victoria a state body that runs the sport

    How it unfolded

    The body bought the land for A$5 million in 2007. [15] A 2019 state law sent any sale money to the state's Treasury. [15]

    It cut 40% of its staff after an A$34 million operating loss in the 2024 financial year. [15]

    1. 2007 land bought
    2. 2019 sale money goes to the state
    3. 2024 land handed over for debt

    Why it matters

    Insiders fear breeders, owners and trainers will walk out because they cannot make ends meet. [15]

    How it works

    Property valuers call it highest and best use: land is worth what its best possible use could earn.

    The Melton land sits near 2 stations and a new hospital site, which suits homes or shops. [15]

    Seen it before

    An empty garage next to a busy school is worth more as a shop than as a garage.

    The truth

    • The state government says it gave substantial support to clear the debt. [15] Melton's mayor declined to comment. [15]
    • Who pays Breeders, owners and trainers in Victoria — They race for less after A$14 million was cut from prize money. [15]
13. 15

    WTA defends its smaller Finals court

    What happened

    • The WTA, which runs women's tennis, is staging its Finals on the 8,000-seat second court at Indian Wells, California. [7]
    • The main court there holds 16,100. [7]
    • Tournament director Fabrice Chouquet said the short time to plan led to the choice. [7]
    • Jessica Pegula was caught on a court microphone calling Mirra Andreeva a "diva". [7] The WTA said sorry for not telling players the microphones were on. [7]

    How it unfolded

    The WTA picked Indian Wells only on 1 July, after ending its Riyadh deal a year early. [7]

    The Saudi deal ended over poor crowds and the uncertainty of the war with Iran. [7]

    1. Earlier the Riyadh deal
    2. 1 July Indian Wells picked
    3. This year Indian Wells, a stopgap
    4. 2027-2029 Charlotte

    Why it matters

    The tour is reported to be low on money, expecting about $15 million in cash at year end. [7]

    Its 5-year, $150 million deal with CVC, an investment firm, ends in 2027. [7]

    The truth

    • Sunday's matches sold out, but Monday's crowd fell just short. [7]

    What comes next

    From 2027 to 2029 the Finals move to Charlotte, in the US state of North Carolina. [7]

14. 16

    Noskova first into the WTA Finals semis

    What happened

    • Linda Noskova beat Coco Gauff 6-3 6-3 to become the first player into the WTA Finals semi-finals. [42]
    • She broke Gauff's serve 4 times in the first set alone. [42]
    • Gauff won 6 of 24 points on her second serve. [42]

    Who is involved

    Noskova, 21 and from the Czech Republic, won Wimbledon in July. [42]

    The Finals bring together the season's top 8 women, in 2 groups of 4. [7]

    • Linda Noskova Wimbledon champion, 21

    How it unfolded

    1. Tuesday Noskova through
    2. Thursday last group matches

    Why it matters

    An unbeaten champion takes home $3.37 million. [7]

    How it works

    Organisers call this a round robin: each player meets every other in the group. [7]

    So a player can lose once and still go through. [43] Gauff and Pegula, both on 1 win and 1 loss, hope to. [43]

    Seen it before

    In a chess club where everyone plays everyone, one bad game does not end your chances.

    What comes next

    The group's last matches, on Thursday, decide whether Gauff or Pegula joins Noskova. [43]

15. 17

    Khawaja says he was racially abused at Lord's

    What happened

    • Usman Khawaja says a member of the Marylebone Cricket Club racially abused him at Lord's during the 2023 Ashes. [44]
    • In his new book, Khawaja says one man tried to trip him and Warner on the stairs. [44]
    • He writes that the members turned into "a pack of privileged drunks". [44]

    Who is involved

    The club's members sit in the Long Room, which players walk through at Lord's. [44]

    Khawaja, 39, retired from Tests in January with 6,229 runs in 88 matches. [44]

    How it unfolded

    The row followed a disputed dismissal of England's Jonny Bairstow by Australia's Alex Carey. [44]

    Afterwards the club expelled 1 member and suspended 2 others. [44]

    Why it matters

    The same book claims the whole Australia team knew of the 2018 sandpaper plan. [44]

    The truth

    • The club found in 2023 that members used abusive, offensive or inappropriate behaviour or language. [44] Khawaja's racial abuse claim comes in his book now. [44]
16. 18

    Hellebuyck jeered in Winnipeg without playing

    What happened

    • Goalkeeper Connor Hellebuyck returned to Winnipeg on Tuesday with the New Jersey Devils, but did not play. [45]
    • Jets fans chanted "coward" at him in the warm-up. [46]
    • He said there were online death threats, and more that made his family uncomfortable. [45]
    • The Devils' general manager said playing him would mean "a reduction in our expected win probability". [45]

    How it unfolded

    He won 3 Vezina Trophies and an MVP award in Winnipeg, perhaps the Jets' greatest player. [45]

    He demanded a trade and skipped training camp, losing nearly $928,000 in pay. [45] He was traded on 23 October. [45]

    1. Earlier this year trade demanded, camp skipped
    2. 23 Oct traded to New Jersey
    3. Tuesday Devils in Winnipeg
    4. 28 Nov Jets in New Jersey

    Why it matters

    His case drew a rare public attack by one NHL team on another team's choices. [45]

    How it works

    Economists say a resale price moves as soon as buyers learn something new about what they are buying.

    The cheapest resale ticket rose from $39 to $146 after the trade, then fell to $53 once he was benched. [45]

    Seen it before

    A sticker of a player who has just been injured stops being worth much in a playground swap.

    The truth

    • No criminal charges have emerged over the death threats. [45]

    What comes next

    The Jets play in New Jersey on 28 November. [45]

17. 19

    NBA says its European league will be open

    What happened

    • NBA deputy chief Mark Tatum says top places in the league's planned European competition could sell for about $1 billion. [47]
    • NBA Europe will have 12 permanent teams, and 4 places any club can win its way into. [47]
    • "In European sports they want all clubs to be able to dream," Tatum said. [47]

    How it unfolded

    In October, the owners of EuroLeague clubs voted against working with the NBA. [47]

    Why it matters

    Tatum said owners are tired of paying tens of millions a year while their clubs' values do not rise. [47]

    How it works

    Venue managers call it utilisation: how many nights a year a building is in use and earning.

    Tatum said a team plays 30 to 40 home nights, leaving 320 other days for concerts and conferences. [47]

    Seen it before

    A school hall used only for assemblies sits empty most evenings, so schools rent it out to clubs.

    What comes next

    The NBA hopes to decide on new US teams in Las Vegas and Seattle by the end of this year. [47]

18. 20

    McTominay had heart treatment at the World Cup

    What happened

    • Scotland's Scott McTominay says he was sedated for a shock to his heart 48 hours before the World Cup opener. [48]

    Who is involved

    McTominay, 29, plays for Napoli in Italy and has scored 5 goals since returning in October. [48]

    How it unfolded

    He had an operation for an irregular heartbeat in September, and missed 4 Nations League games. [48]

    Scotland went out in the group stage, and coach Steve Clarke resigned. [48]

    1. June heart shock at the World Cup
    2. September operation
    3. October back playing

    Why it matters

    New coach Sebastien Pocognoli picks him for the first time against North Macedonia on Friday. [48]

    The truth

    • At the time, his absence from training was put down to a stomach complaint. [48]

    Good news

    • Scott McTominay is playing again after heart surgery, and has scored 5 goals for Napoli since October.
19. 21

    Kompany back at Bayern after his collapse

    What happened

    • Vincent Kompany, Bayern Munich's coach, is back at the club's training ground after collapsing last month. [49]
    • Doctors found meningeal irritation, a swelling of the lining around the brain and spinal cord. [49]
    • His English assistant Aaron Danks led Bayern to 4 wins and a draw while he was away. [49]

    Who is involved

    Kompany, 40, is a former Manchester City captain. [49]

    • Vincent Kompany Bayern coach, 40

    How it unfolded

    1. Late October collapses at training
    2. This week back at the ground
    3. Now international break
    4. 20 Nov Bayern v Cologne

    Why it matters

    Bayern lead the Bundesliga, Germany's top league. [49]

    Good news

    • Bayern say Kompany is on the road to recovery. [49]

    What comes next

    Bayern play Cologne on 20 November, after the international break. [49]

20. 22

    Dortmund fans object to Nmecha's goal gesture

    What happened

    • Borussia Dortmund's Felix Nmecha says his goal celebrations do not promote "intolerance, discrimination, or hate in any form". [50]
    • Nmecha scored twice in Saturday's 2-1 win over Elversberg. [51]
    • Each time he mimed taking a crown off his head and placing it on the ground. [51]

    Who is involved

    The gesture refers to The King's Return, a campaign by Ballers in God, a network of Christian footballers. [50]

    Ballers in God was started by former Tottenham midfielder John Bostock. [51] Bukayo Saka is among its followers. [51]

    • Ballers in God a network of Christian footballers

    How it unfolded

    German broadcaster ARD linked the network to very conservative positions on homosexuality and transgender people. [50]

    Why it matters

    Dortmund said they take fans' concerns seriously and would speak to Nmecha. [50]

    The truth

    • The fans' group says the campaign paints abortion as "Satan's plan". [51] Ballers in God says it wants to show love and respect to everyone. [51]
21. 23

    Australia's doping watchdog worries about children

    What happened

    • The head of Sport Integrity Australia, the country's anti-doping body, fears more doping in junior sport. [52]
    • A German TV documentary pulled together 44 surveys of junior athletes from 15 countries. [52]
    • Between 5% and 6% of the junior athletes in them admitted doping. [52]
    • Its chief, Sarah Benson, blamed influencers for making peptides seem normal to teenage boys. [52] Some children use them to build muscle. [52]

    Who is involved

    • Sport Integrity Australia the country's anti-doping body

    Why it matters

    Australia hosts the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane, which makes rules for testing children urgent. [52]

    It is debating how to take samples from minors, since giving a urine sample must be watched. [52]

    How it works

    Statisticians call this a small sample: checking very few people can easily miss what is there.

    About 2% or fewer of its test samples come from minors, and none has tested positive. [52]

    Seen it before

    If a teacher checks only a few bags, finding no sweets does not show the class has none.

    The truth

    • The documentary's makers projected that as more than 10 million children worldwide. [52] Benson called it an extrapolation, but still a big concern. [52]
    • Nobody knows yet

      How many junior athletes really use banned drugs.

      Sport Integrity Australia has not yet settled how to take samples from children at all. [52]

22. 24

    A sale clause pays the King after the Cup win

    What happened

    • King Charles's racing business gets about A$500,000 from Point of Law's Melbourne Cup win, The Age reports. [53]
    • That is about 10% of the winner's prize, The Age's source says. [53]
    • Point of Law won A$4.8 million in prize money from 2 cups, the Geelong and the Melbourne. [53]

    Who is involved

    The Melbourne Cup is Australia's biggest horse race. [53]

    How it unfolded

    The King sold the horse in August, with a clause paying him if it won the Cup. [53]

    Why it matters

    The royal stable still owns the horse's mother, Portfolio, whose foals are now worth more. [53]

    How it works

    Deal-makers call this a contingent payment: part of the price is paid only if something happens later.

    The King's team knew they had a good horse, and the clause helped the sale go through. [53]

    Seen it before

    You sell your bike cheaply to a friend, who promises you a share of any race prize.

    The buyers wanted a lower price and the King's stable believed in the horse, so a share of any Cup win closed the gap.

    The idea, in story 02: Why a trade can leave both teams better off →

    The truth

    • What is really going on Much of the rest of the day was deal-making: 18 NFL trades, a $10 million buyout clause for Pochettino, and a sale clause that paid the King about A$500,000. [11][8][53]
    • The deal's terms are confidential. [53] The horse's owners would only call it a substantial sum. [53]
    • Nobody knows yet

      Exactly what the King's stable was paid.

      The terms are confidential, and the horse's owners disputed rumours of A$1 million. [53]

23. 25

    Murphy wins a third Manager of the Year in a row

    What happened

    • Pat Murphy of the Milwaukee Brewers is the first manager to win baseball's Manager of the Year 3 seasons running. [54]
    • 30 baseball writers vote before the playoffs begin. [54] So the Brewers' World Series title did not count. [54]
    • Milwaukee had baseball's best record in the regular season, 103 wins and 59 defeats. [54]
    • The White Sox won 41 games in 2024, 60 in 2025 and 84 this year. [54]

    Who is involved

    Will Venable of the Chicago White Sox won in the American League. [54]

    • Will Venable White Sox manager

    Why it matters

    They are the first team to reach the playoffs after 2 straight seasons of 100 or more defeats. [54]

    Good news

    • The Chicago White Sox lost 121 games in 2024, the most in baseball's modern era, and reached the playoffs this year with 84 wins.
24. 26

    Georgia top the playoff rankings

    What happened

    • Georgia moved to number one in Tuesday's College Football Playoff rankings. [55]
    • A committee ranks teams 6 times a season, and its last list on 6 December sets the 12-team bracket. [55]
    • Notre Dame jumped 6 places to 5th after beating Miami. [55] Indiana fell 5 places to 9th without playing. [55]
    • Boise State, ranked 24th, holds the place kept for the best team from the Group of 6, the smaller conferences. [55]

    How it unfolded

    1. Tuesday second of 6 rankings
    2. 6 Dec the 12-team bracket

    Why it matters

    From next year 24 teams get in, and the big conferences' title games end. [55]

    The truth

    • The report said the rankings had their usual share of head-scratchers, after a rough first week. [55]
25. 27

    49ers need not pay Aiyuk for two weeks

    What happened

    • The San Francisco 49ers owe receiver Brandon Aiyuk nothing for the next two weeks, under the league's labour deal. [56]
    • He is back on the team at a salary of $13.75 million for the rest of the season. [56]
    • The NFL gave the 49ers a two-game roster exemption for him, which ends on 23 November. [57]
    • His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said that money will be settled separately from where he plays. [57]

    How it unfolded

    The 49ers say he owes $13 million in forfeited bonus after staying away. [57]

    1. Now exemption, no pay
    2. 23 Nov exemption ends

    Why it matters

    "It doesn't sound like they plan on bringing Brandon back," his agent said. [57]

    How it works

    A labour deal between a league and its players' union is called a collective bargaining agreement. [56]

    It says a player who skipped training camp goes unpaid during his exemption, if told in writing. [56]

    Seen it before

    A pupil who missed the trials must sit out a few practices before rejoining the team.

26. 28

    Palace may avoid paying Sage if Lens rehire him

    What happened

    • Crystal Palace could avoid paying much to Pierre Sage if his old club, Lens, rehires him. [9]
    • Palace decided to sack Sage on Sunday after a 4th straight Premier League defeat left them bottom. [9]
    • No sacking has been announced, and talks over his 3-year contract go on. [9]
    • Lens sacked coach Yannick Cahuzac on Tuesday, after a 9-1 Champions League defeat by Como. [9]

    How it unfolded

    Under Sage, Lens won the French Cup and finished second in France's league. [9]

    Palace paid more than £4m in the summer to buy him out of his Lens contract. [9]

    Why it matters

    Lens's owner, Joseph Oughourlian, is thought to favour bringing him back. [9]

    The truth

    • Who gains Lens — If they rehire Sage, they get their coach back after Palace paid more than £4m to take him. [9]
27. 29

    Lyon hire Vicens after Fonseca leaves

    What happened

    • Lyon, 7 times champions of France, named Carlos Vicens their coach on Monday, on an 18-month contract. [10]

    Who is involved

    Vicens, 43 and from Spain, spent 4 seasons on Pep Guardiola's staff at Manchester City. [10]

    • Carlos Vicens Lyon's new coach

    How it unfolded

    Paulo Fonseca left suddenly last week to coach Sporting Lisbon. [10]

    In his first season at Braga in Portugal, he finished 4th and reached a Europa League semi-final. [10]

    Why it matters

    Lyon are 5th in France's top league, 6 points behind leaders Paris Saint-Germain. [10]

28. 30

    Stajcic to coach Indonesia's women

    What happened

    • Australian Alen Stajcic, 53, will coach Indonesia's women's football team on a 3-year contract. [58]
    • Indonesia's women have never played at a World Cup, and he is hired to change that. [58]
    • "I hope we can make Indonesia one of the strongest teams in the world," he said in Jakarta. [58]

    Who is involved

    • Alen Stajcic Indonesia's new coach, 53

    How it unfolded

    He took the Philippines to their first Women's World Cup in 2023, where they beat co-hosts New Zealand 1-0. [58]

    He led Australia to 2 quarter-finals, at the 2015 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics. [58]

    1. 2015-2016 Australia, 2 quarter-finals
    2. 2023 the Philippines' first World Cup

    Why it matters

    Indonesia's football federation, PSSI, said his record against Southeast Asian sides was key. [58]

29. 31

    A team horse racing league gets a TV home

    What happened

    • The new Horse Racing League will show its first season live on the USA Network in 2027. [59]
    • It starts at Gulfstream Park in Miami on 13 March, then visits Keeneland and Santa Anita. [59]
    • After a draft, 10 teams will race for more than $10 million in prize money. [59]

    Who is involved

    It was co-founded by Greg Maffei, who ran Liberty Media while it bought and grew Formula One. [59]

    • Greg Maffei ex-Liberty Media chief

    How it unfolded

    1. 13 Mar Gulfstream Park, Miami
    2. April and May Keeneland, Santa Anita

    Why it matters

    Maffei wants to turn horse racing into a modern media product, as happened with Formula One over the last decade. [59]

    The truth

    • The value of the TV deal was not announced. [59]
30. 32

    Warning that digital card packs could hook children

    What happened

    • Collectibles leaders warned on Tuesday that digital card packs could become "slot machines for kids". [60]
    • Firms such as Fanatics, Underdog and PrizePicks let users open virtual packs online, backed by real cards. [60]

    Who is involved

    Ken Goldin, who runs the collectibles marketplace Goldin, spoke at a Sportico conference. [60]

    • Ken Goldin runs the Goldin marketplace

    Why it matters

    Rovell said each US state's attorney general, its top lawyer, will decide whether to regulate them. [60]

    How it works

    Psychologists call it a variable reward: not knowing what comes next is what keeps people opening.

    Darren Rovell said the thrill hits while the card spins, not from what the card turns out to be. [60]

    Seen it before

    A mystery toy egg is most exciting just before it is opened, whatever toy is inside.

31. 33

    First woman to finish Antarctica's 100-mile race

    What happened

    • Canadian runner Stephanie Case, 43, finished 2nd in the 100-mile Antarctic Ice Ultra. [61]
    • The race is 38 loops of one course in East Antarctica. [61]
    • She ran in temperatures as low as minus 35C, the coldest the organisers have seen. [61]
    • She finished in 17 hours 31 minutes, 29 minutes behind China's Yusheng Ni. [61]
    • Only 4 of the 8 starters finished, and she was the only woman of 3 to do so. [61]

    Who is involved

    • Stephanie Case ultra-runner, 43

    Why it matters

    Case said she wanted to show that "motherhood is not the finish line". [61]

    How it works

    Physiologists call it evaporative cooling: wet skin loses body heat fast as the water dries.

    Case had to run fast without sweating, because sweat would chill her at once. [61]

    Seen it before

    Wet clothes on a windy day feel colder than dry ones in the same air.

    Good news

    • No woman had even attempted the race before this year. [61]
32. 34

    Tiger Woods says he will be at the Hero

    What happened

    • Tiger Woods says he is feeling better and training a lot, nearly a year after his last meaningful golf. [62]
    • He will be at the Hero World Challenge, which he hosts, either way. [62]

    Who is involved

    • Tiger Woods golfer, 50

    How it unfolded

    Woods, 50, was arrested for suspected driving under the influence after a crash, days after a match in March. [62]

    Before the Masters, he stepped away from golf to seek treatment outside the US. [62]

    1. March last match, then a crash and arrest
    2. Before the Masters steps away for treatment
    3. Now training again

    Why it matters

    He has not said whether he will play at the Hero or only host it. [62]