Champions Arsenal secured a 2-0 victory over Sunderland, maintaining their perfect start to the Premier League season and moving clear at the top. Meanwhile, title contenders Liverpool and Chelsea were held to draws against Fulham and Hull City respectively. Other notable results include Aston Villa's loss to Nottingham Forest, Ipswich's win against Crystal Palace, and Tottenham's continued struggle to score goals.
Cristiano Ronaldo has called for a lifetime ban on football fans who chanted the name of deceased former teammate Diogo Jota at Ruben Neves during a Saudi Pro League match. The incident, which occurred during a game between Al-Taawoun and Al-Hilal, deeply affected Neves, a close friend of Jota.
VAR Matt Donohue and Assistant VAR Blake Antrobus have been dropped from officiating Premier League fixtures after acknowledging an error in allowing Erling Haaland's winning goal for Manchester City against Manchester United.
The second season of the Archery Premier League (APL) is set to commence on October 8 in Hyderabad, featuring a strong lineup of India's top archers, including Olympians Deepika Kumari and Atanu Das, alongside 12 international stars like world number one Marcus D'Almeida. The league will showcase 36 Indian archers competing in both recurve and compound categories, with a unique 15-second shot clock designed to enhance competition.
Dempo Goa Challengers completed an unbeaten league phase in the UTT 2026 season, defeating UP Prometheans 10-5. The two-time champions secured their top spot in the standings, heading into the semifinals with a perfect record, thanks to stellar performances from Alvaro Robles and Bernadette Szocs.
Hockey India is embroiled in a significant internal dispute between President Dilip Tirkey and Secretary Bhola Nath Singh, primarily stemming from an unauthorised jersey colour change. An emergent Executive Board meeting has been called to address this conflict, discuss the restructuring of the Hockey India League (HIL) into a joint venture with franchises, finalise election dates, and deliberate on hosting Asian Champions Trophy events. The meeting also aims to address a show-cause notice issued to the Director General.
Legendary striker Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 979th professional goal, leading Al Nassr to a 2-1 victory over Abha in the Saudi Pro League. Ronaldo opened the scoring, with Abdullah Al-Hamdan adding another, securing Al Nassr's second-place position in the league table.
Delhi Capitals are set to introduce a new coaching setup for IPL 2027, with Sourav Ganguly expected to take over as head coach, Chaminda Vaas as bowling coach, Yuvraj Singh as batting coach, and Amit Mishra also joining the team.
Ludhiana Lions' Krish Bhagat played an important Sher-E-Punjab T20 League match against Amritsar Soormas, dedicating a crucial wicket to his late grandfather, Chunni Lal Bhagat, a former Cabinet Minister. Krish shared how his grandfather's journey from Pakistan inspired him and spoke about his own early start in cricket, his family's support, and his focus on team goals in the league.
Former Indian fast bowler Zaheer Khan has joined the ownership group of Vancouver Anchors, a franchise in the Canada Super 60 league, reuniting with his former teammate Yuvraj Singh. Khan brings his extensive international cricket experience to the league, which features men's and women's competitions and aims to promote global cricket growth.
Barcelona captain Raphinha scored two goals, leading his side to a resounding 5-1 victory over Feyenoord in their opening Champions League fixture. Meanwhile, Ermedin Demirovic's hat-trick secured a 3-1 win for VfB Stuttgart against Viking Stavanger.
Lamine Yamal, at just 19 years and 58 days old, has become the youngest captain in Barcelona's history during a Champions League match against Feyenoord, surpassing Bojan Krkic's previous record.
Former Arsenal and France legend Thierry Henry has publicly backed Kylian Mbappe to win the prestigious Ballon d'Or award, citing his exceptional individual scoring achievements across the Champions League, LaLiga, and the World Cup.
Ganges Grandmasters, led by Ian Nepomniachtchi, defeated defending champions Alpine APL Pipers to win their first Global Chess League title. Nepomniachtchi's crucial win against Magnus Carlsen in the final, coupled with Stavroula Tsolakidou's performance, sealed the victory. FYERS American Gambits secured third place in the tournament.
Eighteen-year-old Moroccan midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi delivered a commanding performance on his first start for Manchester City, helping them secure a 2-0 Champions League victory against Porto.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has announced that the 2026-27 Indian Football League (IFL) season will begin on October 30. Following a successful 2025-26 season with significantly increased viewership, the upcoming season will feature new regulations, including a limit of three foreign players on the pitch, and an expanded footprint with new venues in Nagaland and Odisha. Discussions also covered the IFL Charter, budget, and broadcast partnerships.
Erling Haaland scored a VAR-approved goal to give 10-man Manchester City a 1-0 victory over rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford. Despite Phil Foden's red card, City secured the win, moving them to second in the Premier League table.
Eight-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt expressed amusement rather than frustration upon learning that a robot in China had broken his 100-metres world record by almost a second, stating, 'It just made me smile.'
Professional men's golf league LIV Golf has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in New Jersey, aiming to restructure its business with a $49.6 million loan from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.
The Global Chess League (GCL) has launched Road2GCL, a six-week community engagement initiative, to build excitement for its fourth season in Bengaluru. The programme includes competitions like Road2GCL Contenders, offering aspiring players a chance to compete with GCL stars, alongside activities for clubs, schools, and content creators. Season 4 will feature 36 Grandmasters, including Magnus Carlsen and debutant Divya Deshmukh.
Legendary Australian cricketer Ricky Ponting expresses concern over the diminishing role of One Day International (ODI) cricket due to the rapid expansion of T20 Internationals and franchise leagues worldwide. While he believes Test cricket will remain strong with support from major cricketing nations, Ponting fears the 50-over format will be played less frequently. David Warner also weighs in on the challenges and opportunities presented by the crowded T20 calendar.
The Indian Super League (ISL) is set to return to its traditional home-and-away format for an extended eight-month season from October 2026 to May 2027.
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker has been fined 8,000 by the FA for kicking an electronic substitution board after a 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest, an act of frustration following a contentious match incident.
Mumbai City FC has announced the signing of Serbian defender Lazar Cirkovic on a one-year deal for the 2026-27 Indian Super League season. The experienced 34-year-old has previously played for other ISL clubs and brings a wealth of international experience from European leagues.
European football's governing body, UEFA, announced a moment of silence and a solidarity banner at all Champions League matches this week to support victims of devastating flash floods in Nepal, where the death toll has risen and thousands remain missing.
Barcelona's Lamine Yamal believes his World Cup success with Spain and LaLiga title with Barcelona should give him the advantage over Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe in the race for the prestigious Ballon d'Or award.
Michael Carrick faces his biggest test as Manchester United's permanent manager when rising expectations, an indifferent league start and last season's revival meet Manchester City in Sunday's derby.
Captain Salil Arora's blistering 120 and Sahil Bhaskar's sensational six-wicket haul (6/16) propelled Ludhiana Lions to a 17-run victory over Jalandhar Warriors, securing their spot in the Sher-E-Punjab T20 League final.
Indian women's assistant volleyball coach Radhika Paruchuri believes that franchise-based leagues, like the upcoming Volleyball Champions League, are crucial for transforming Indian volleyball. She highlights their potential to provide much-needed match exposure for young players, strengthen the talent pipeline, and help identify and nurture new talent, ultimately raising the standard of the sport in India. Paruchuri also notes the decline in Indian women's volleyball due to a lack of international exposure and domestic competition, which these leagues aim to address.
Belgium have appointed former Netherlands international Mark van Bommel as their new head coach on a two-year contract running until the 2028 European Championship.
The third season of the World Championship of Legends will be held in the UAE from October 3 to 18, featuring cricketing legends like Yuvraj Singh, Shahid Afridi, Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers, and David Warner. This marks the tournament's first venture outside the UK, promising high-profile clashes and rekindled international rivalries across Dubai and Sharjah.
UEFA has initiated disciplinary proceedings against Fenerbahce players Matteo Guendouzi and Mason Greenwood for allegedly making provocative gestures towards Olympique Lyonnais supporters during a Champions League playoff match, which led to a brawl.
Akash Madhwal opens up on MS Dhoni's influence at CSK, Rohit Sharma's role at MI and the positive team culture behind both franchises' success.
Veteran spinner Imran Tahir, at 47, attributes his continued success and record-breaking five-wicket haul in the Caribbean Premier League to the motivation provided by his son, who encourages him to play 'one more year'.
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya met with Indian men's and women's hockey teams and officials to review their recent World Cup performance. He urged them to move past the disappointment, identify shortcomings, and focus on the upcoming Asian Games to secure qualification for the Los Angeles Olympics. The minister also discussed the future of the Hockey India League.
John Abraham, owner of Northeast United, believes the upcoming Indian Super League (ISL) season will mark a significant turning point for Indian football. With a new club-led domestic structure and a return to the traditional home-and-away format, Abraham envisions a "paradigm shift" where football could rival cricket's popularity. He also highlighted NEUFC's regional impact and their ambition to win the ISL title.
FC Bengaluru United has reappointed Nallappan Mohanraj as their head coach for the upcoming 2026-27 domestic season. Mohanraj, who previously led the team to Indian Football League qualification, will guide them through the BDFA Super Division League and their maiden IFL campaign.
Uzbek chess prodigy Javokhir Sindarov, set to challenge D Gukesh for the world crown, reveals he will only begin preparations for the highly anticipated match after competing in the Global Chess League and the Chess Olympiad this month, maintaining focus on immediate tournaments.
European football stakeholders, including UEFA, European Football Clubs, Football Supporters Europe, and European League, have collectively backed curbs on blanket away-fan bans, arguing that such measures should target individuals responsible for misconduct rather than entire groups of supporters.
Arsenal successfully defended their Premier League title challenge by defeating Chelsea 2-1, recovering from an early concession with goals from Kai Havertz and captain Martin Odegaard, maintaining a perfect start to the season.
