Sports, in brief

Jon Rahm, a Spanish golfer who has won two of golf's four biggest events, will leave LIV Golf, his lawyer told a US bankruptcy court on Wednesday. [3][4]

LIV is a breakaway men's golf tour. Saudi Arabia's state wealth fund spent more than $5bn on it, and said in April it would stop paying at the end of 2026. [2]

LIV asked a US court for Chapter 11 protection on 8 September. That is a process that pauses a company's debts while it tries to reorganise. [4][3]

Rahm's lawyer, John Beck, said Rahm had studied the terms of the new league, called LIV 2.0, and found them unacceptable. [2][5]

Under LIV 2.0, players would own shares in a new company instead of being paid their old contracts. [1]

Rahm joined LIV in December 2023 on a deal reported to be worth more than $300m. [4][3]

The court lists him as LIV's biggest unpaid creditor, owed $7.5m. That figure is only pay already overdue, not the years still to come. [4][5]

Rahm and LIV hope to agree the terms of his exit by 15 October, before a court hearing on 5 November. [4][6] If there is no deal, Rahm will keep fighting LIV in court. [6]

The judge let LIV cancel all its other player contracts. Sergio Garcia, a former Masters champion, got his formally ended, so he is free to talk to other tours. [6][3]

Lawyers for Cameron Smith and several other players asked for the same. LIV asked for more time, and the question moves to a hearing in mid-October. [5][3]

People close to LIV expect Tyrrell Hatton, Cameron Smith, Joaquin Niemann and others to leave too, most likely for the DP World Tour, the main tour in Europe. [2]

BC Partners, an investment firm, plans to put $300m into LIV if it signs enough players by 25 October. [6] BC's credit chief, Ted Goldthorpe, says he is not that worried. [3]

Why it matters. The next test is 25 October, the date by which LIV must sign enough players for BC Partners' money to keep coming. [6] Whether Bryson DeChambeau signs is the clearest sign either way. [1]

South Korea's sports minister, Choi Hwi-young, told parliament on Wednesday that the rule letting top athletes skip army service will have to be cut back. [7][8] Most South Korean men must serve 18 to 21 months before they turn 28. [8] Since 1973, Olympic medal winners and Asian Games champions have done about three weeks of basic training instead. [8] Anger grew after footballers who won Asian Games gold boasted about avoiding service. [9][8] One lawmaker said 36 of the 44 athletes who earned it this year played football or baseball. [7]

Why it matters. Young South Korean athletes chasing an Asian Games gold may lose the exemption that comes with it. [8] No new rule or date has been proposed yet. [7]

Senior figures in English football are worried that Manchester City could play in next season's Champions League even if their punishment is severe, the BBC reports. [10] An independent panel found City guilty of inflating their sponsorship income by £830m with sham contracts between 2009 and 2018, and City have appealed. [10] Every club needs a licence to play in Europe, and it is judged on a club's finances now, not past breaches. [10] So there is no automatic way to keep City out. [10] Pep Guardiola, City's former manager, is expected at their next home game. [11]

Why it matters. If City win the Champions League, they qualify again as holders whatever happens at home. [10] Wrexham director Shaun Harvey, a former head of the English Football League, says he no longer understands what the rules are trying to achieve. [12]

Ramon Vega, a former Switzerland defender who played for Tottenham, says he will stand for president of FIFA, world football's governing body, next year. [39] He is the first to say he will challenge Gianni Infantino, who has refused calls to quit after a failed plan to sell stakes in the World Cup. [39] In 2019 Vega could not get the five national federations needed to be a candidate. [39] Separately, Norway's football federation has asked FIFA's committees to investigate whether Infantino broke FIFA's ethics code. [40]

Why it matters. The election is in March, and candidates must declare by November. [40] UEFA, which runs European football, and two other regional bodies have already called on Infantino to quit. [39]

Sheffield United, an English second-tier club, say they do not expect to lose points, though the English Football League (EFL) is investigating. [41] The company that agreed to buy the club for just over £100m in December 2024 was put into liquidation in August, with about £35m still owed to the old owners. [41] EFL rules can take 12 points from a club whose group goes bust. [41] Chief executive Stephen Bettis says that company had already left the group, and the owners would fight a penalty. [41]

Why it matters. In 2009 Southampton lost 10 points when their parent company collapsed. [41] Sheffield United's players and fans could pay for an owner's debt.

Tonda Eckert, Southampton's manager, was given a six-week ban from football that will apply only if he offends again before the end of next season. [37] He was also fined £28,000. [37] Eckert admitted allowing staff to spy on Middlesbrough's training in May, before a play-off match for promotion. [38] Southampton were thrown out of the play-offs for it. [37] The Football Association, England's governing body, had asked for a three-month ban, and has not said whether it will appeal. [37]

Why it matters. A real ban could have cost Eckert his job. Southampton's owner said the club had already suffered enough. [37]

The Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday to win their play-off series three games to one. [17][16] Andy Pages broke a 1-1 tie with a two-run hit in the seventh inning, and Max Muncy added a home run. [16] The Dodgers have won the last two World Series and are eight wins from a third in a row, which only the Yankees and the Athletics have done. [17] The National League semi-final starts on Sunday. [16]

Why it matters. Braves star Ronald Acuna Jr. aggravated a knee injury in the series and spoke emotionally about his future with the club. [18]

The Tampa Bay Rays beat the New York Yankees 4-3 on Wednesday to win their series 3-0 and reach the American League semi-final for the first time since 2020. [19] A Yankees hit that looked like a game-tying home run was changed to a double on video review, because a fan reached over the wall and touched it. [20] Yankees manager Aaron Boone said the umpires got the call right. [20] The Yankees have now gone 17 seasons without winning the World Series, equal to their longest wait. [21]

Why it matters. The Rays celebrated on the big-spending Yankees' field for the second time in two weeks. [19] Yankees manager Aaron Boone and general manager Brian Cashman face questions about their futures. [21]

The Cleveland Guardians beat the Chicago White Sox 9-3 on Wednesday to stop being knocked out. [22] The White Sox still lead the series 2-1. [22] Jose Ramirez, Cleveland's star, had two hits and two runs batted in, and made a diving stop to end a bases-loaded rally. [22] Before this game he had hit .225 in 198 trips to the plate in play-off games. [23] Chicago's crowd had hoped to see their team win a play-off series at home for the first time in 120 years. [22] Game 4 is on Thursday. [22]

Why it matters. The winner meets the Rays in the American League semi-final, starting on Monday. [19]

The San Diego Padres beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 on Tuesday night to cut the Brewers' series lead to 2-1. [24] Jake Cronenworth hit the deciding home run. [24] Michael King, normally a starting pitcher, pitched the last two innings on one day of rest. [24] Closer Mason Miller missed it for the birth of his child, but was back for Game 4. [27] The loss was the Brewers' 12th play-off defeat in a row away from home, equal to the major-league record. [25]

Why it matters. The Brewers had the best record in the majors this season, at 103 wins and 59 losses. [25] A fifth game would be back in Milwaukee on Friday. [26]

The Atlanta Dream beat the New York Liberty 101-98 in overtime on Wednesday to lead their WNBA semi-final two games to none. [28] On the last play the Liberty did not call a timeout, and Breanna Stewart's long shot missed. [29] Stewart said she asked the referees whether her team had a timeout left, and they told her no. [28] The Liberty left the court with one still unused. [28]

Why it matters. No WNBA team has ever come back from 2-0 down in a five-game series. [28] A timeout would have let the Liberty restart nearer the basket. [29]

The Philadelphia Eagles traded Cam Jurgens, a centre who has been picked for two Pro Bowls, to the Baltimore Ravens on Wednesday. [13] The Eagles get a second-round draft pick in 2028 and a fifth-round pick in 2027. [13] The Ravens had lost their three main centres to injury. [14] Jurgens signed a four-year, $68m contract in 2025, and the Ravens take on $16m of guaranteed pay for 2027. [13] It came a day after Eagles tackle Lane Johnson retired. [14]

Why it matters. Eagles boss Howie Roseman said he was not shopping Jurgens, but the offer was too good. [15] The Eagles' line is now much thinner, days before they play in London on Sunday. [14]

Mikel Arteta, who managed Arsenal to last season's Premier League title, signed a new contract until 2030. [35] The Guardian understands it is worth more than £20m a season, which would make him the league's best-paid manager. [34] The BBC says his salary until now was £10m a year. [35] Arsenal ended a 22-year wait for the title last season. [34] Midfielder Declan Rice is close to a new deal too, on a large raise from about £240,000 a week. [36]

Why it matters. Arsenal's chief executive says keeping the only title-winning manager in the league gives them an edge. [35] Rice's raise would put him level with Bukayo Saka, the club's best-paid player. [36]

Disney said on Wednesday that February's Super Bowl will also stream on Disney+, its main streaming app, in the US and more than 50 other countries. [32] Its sports channel ESPN will make the broadcast, which also airs on ESPN and the ABC network. [32] Disney+ will have shown more than 100 live sports events by the end of this year. [32] On Super Bowl Sunday this year, Peacock, a rival app, gained about one million new sign-ups. [32]

Why it matters. Live sport draws a steady crowd, so streaming apps use it to sign up subscribers. [32] Disney has already sold every advert slot for the game. [32]

Fox, the US broadcaster, said on Wednesday it averaged 3.2 million viewers for the first two days of the National League play-off round. [31] That is up 2% on last year. [31] The first game between the Braves and Dodgers drew 5.48 million, the most for a first game of this round since 2018. [31] TNT Sports said its American League games averaged 2.8 million for a Saturday double-header, up 6% on 2024. [31]

Why it matters. The games drew these numbers while competing with NFL football on Sunday. [31]

The two opening games of the WNBA semi-finals averaged 1.15 million viewers on Sunday, up 10% on last year's openers. [30] The Dream against the Liberty drew 1.17 million on ABC. [30] The Aces against the Valkyries drew 1.12 million on NBC, the network's first WNBA play-off game since 2002. [30] It came after a record first round that averaged 1.3 million viewers. [30]

Why it matters. NBC is one of the partners in the league's new TV deal, worth more than $3bn. [30] Last year's openers included one game that drew 1.4 million, with the Indiana Fever playing. [30]

The Golden State Valkyries became the first women's sports team to earn $100m in a year, Sportico reports. [33] The WNBA club in San Francisco is only in its second season. [33] It earned $78m last year, 48% more than any other team in the league. [33] It has sold out 47 home games in a row, sold over 12,000 season tickets and signed more than 40 sponsors. [33]

Why it matters. The Valkyries share owners and staff with the NBA's Golden State Warriors, and both clubs earn far more than their rivals. [33] A run to the WNBA Finals could push this year's revenue past $130m. [33]

Arsenal and Chelsea's women's teams could miss up to a month of next season's Women's Super League, England's top division, the Guardian reports. [43] The first Women's Club World Cup, run by FIFA, is set for the US from 5 to 30 January. [43] Arsenal are guaranteed a place as 2025 European champions, and Chelsea are likely to join them. [43] A long run could mean missing four league weekends and an FA Cup round. [43]

Why it matters. The league would have to squeeze those games into the end of the season. The Women's Super League has not yet been told FIFA's plans. [43]

Portugal's witness protection board decided in July to end protection for Rui Pinto, the hacker whose leaked files helped start the case against Manchester City. [42] It told him only on 30 September, 83 days later and 10 days before it ends. [42] That is the Guardian's finding from documents it has seen. [42] Pinto says he fears for his life and must find a safe place to live. [42] The board did not answer questions about the delay. [42]

Why it matters. Portugal's justice minister has been asked about the case. Pinto's lawyers say his help to investigators across Europe should count. [42]

George Russell will start Sunday's Singapore Grand Prix from the back of the grid. [45] His Mercedes engine failed while he was third, five laps from the end of the last race. [45] He needs a new engine and is now over the season's limit on parts, which carries a penalty. [45] Russell's teammate Kimi Antonelli leads him by 84 points, with six or seven races left. [45]

Why it matters. Overtaking is very hard on Singapore's street track, so Russell's title chances are almost gone. [45] The number of races left depends on safety in the Middle East for Qatar and Abu Dhabi. [45]

Australia's cricketers start their first Test series in South Africa since 2018 on Friday, in Durban. [50][52] Their last tour there ended with three players banned for roughening the ball with sandpaper. [52] Vice-captain Travis Head hit back at former players who criticised the team. [50] That came a day after Matthew Hayden called the selectors' choices a "pile of mediocrity". [50] Australia rely on the same four bowlers as in 2018, with a less settled batting order. [51]

Why it matters. Head says batting averages have fallen worldwide, so today's batters are judged unfairly. [50] Apart from Steve Smith and one opener, Australia's batting order is still unsettled. [51]

Australia's rugby coach Les Kiss named his team on Thursday for Saturday's match against New Zealand at Eden Park in Auckland. [53] It is the first match of the Bledisloe Cup, the trophy the two countries play for. [53] Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, who came from rugby league, stays on the wing. [53] Isaac Henry is the only change from the side that beat South Africa 42-38 two weeks ago. [53]

Why it matters. Hunter Paisami is banned for four weeks for a high tackle. [53]

Brendan Venter, who runs rugby at Saracens, an English club, compared Premiership Rugby's media rules to something from an autocratic country. [49] The league requires clubs' top coaches to speak to reporters. [49] Venter missed a pre-season media event, which cost Saracens a £5,000 fine. [49] This week he finally appeared and said interviews steal his joy. [48] His title has changed from director of rugby to head of culture. [49]

Why it matters. Venter says he does not want to be the club's public face. [49] Saracens play Bristol on Saturday. [49]

A police motorcyclist rode the wrong way down the course at the Tre Valli Varesine race in northern Italy and hit two riders. [46] Both were teammates of Tom Pidcock, a British rider, on the Pinarello Q36.5 team. [46] Thomas Gloag stopped racing and needed stitches in his knee. [46] Marcel Camprubi carried on and finished last. [46] Pidcock, who finished second, said he wanted to stop racing in anger. [47]

Why it matters. Camprubi posted pictures of his smashed bike and said riders should not have to risk their lives to race. [46]

Jackson County, which owns the stadiums of the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals, has a plan for the site once both teams move. [54] Arrowhead, the Chiefs' stadium, would be kept for concerts, college football and soccer. [54] Kauffman, the Royals' ballpark, would be knocked down for a hotel, a convention centre and shops. [54] The Chiefs are building a $3bn domed stadium across the state line in Kansas, due in 2031. [54]

Why it matters. The county says taxpayers should not carry the cost alone. [54] Old stadiums in Washington and Houston sat empty for years after their teams left. [54]

A New York jury ordered Riverside Church to pay $11.3m on Wednesday to a man abused as a 14-year-old in 1978. [55] The abuser was Ernie Lorch, who ran the church's youth basketball programme and died in 2012. [55] Riverside's teams helped set the pattern for today's $40bn youth sports industry. [55] The man sued in 2019 under a New York law that let survivors bring old cases. [55]

Why it matters. It is the second trial over Lorch, and the first ended in a settlement. [55] The jury found the church reckless, which is why the church itself must pay. [55]

A US federal judge threw out copyright and trademark claims by Cooperstown Dreams Park against a YouTube channel that mocked it. [56] The park runs youth baseball tournaments in Cooperstown, New York, home of baseball's Hall of Fame. [56] The channel, Baseball Doesn't Exist, posted a video joking about parents who think their 12-year-olds will turn professional. [56] The judge said viewers could only see it as mockery. [56]

Why it matters. The judge kept some claims under New York state law alive. [56] The video drew more than 2 million views before it was taken down. [56]

Bochum, a German second-division football club, has banned fans in one stand from jumping up and down together. [44] Engineers checking the stand found it was safe to hold the weight. [44] But jumping in time made the stand bounce like a trampoline, which left some people feeling sick. [44] The ban starts on 11 October, so the stand can stay at full capacity. [44]

Why it matters. Bochum's stadium holds about 26,000 people, and the club says it regrets having to bring in the ban. [44]