Denver Broncos 10–31 Kansas City Chiefs Chiefs QB throws two TDs on return from torn ACL Kenneth Walker III rushes for 173 yards on debut Kenneth Walker III ran for 173 yards and scored two touchdowns on his Chiefs debut, stealing some of the spotlight from Patrick Mahomes as Kansas City defeated the Denver Broncos 31-10 on Monday night. The big question, even after Mahomes participated in the entire offseason program and every practice of training camp, was how his surgically repaired left knee would hold up nine months to the day since he tore his ACL. He erased many of those doubts when he capped the Chiefs’ opening drive with a 15-yard touchdown run. Continue reading...

Nine and Stan lock up Premier League rights for $120m a year Six major streamers increased base prices since February 2025 Five dollars here, three dollars there, but an increase almost everywhere. Sports streaming services have raised prices and introduced more ads in a bid to make back some of the billions of dollars outlaid for rights in recent years, highlighted by Nine and Stan’s huge Premier League deal secured last week. The partnership now runs until 2034, and follows the Nine Entertainment group taking over the rights from now defunct Optus Sport last year. The price – reportedly around $120m per year – consolidates the Premier League’s place as the fourth most sought after sporting competition on Australian television. Continue reading...

Australian Joanna Wietrzyk went on to win fitness race in Beijing Hyrox admits making mistake by ‘not reacting immediately’ Organisers of the global indoor fitness competition Hyrox have apologised and pledged immediate rule changes after an Australian athlete was allowed to finish and win an event in Beijing despite soiling herself mid-race. Footage of world record holder Joanna Wietrzyk competing on Saturday showed her continuing through demanding exercises and using communal equipment, with faecal matter visibly running down her legs. The incident went viral on social media and triggered debate about Hyrox’s health and safety standards, and athlete responsibility. Continue reading...

Inter and Roma lead Serie A, Como move up to third Real Betis beat struggling Villarreal in La Liga Inter fought back ⁠from two goals down ​to beat Udinese 5-3 on Monday, maintaining their perfect Serie A start alongside Roma , who won 2-0 at Torino before Saturday’s match between ⁠the joint leaders. Both sides have 12 points from four matches and share top spot before their encounter at the Stadio Olimpico, while Como are third on 10 points ⁠after beating Parma 2-1. Udinese stunned Inter with two goals in the opening 16 minutes, as James Abankwah headed home ​unmarked after nine minutes before Jurgen Ekkelenkamp doubled ‌the visitors’ lead with a ‌close-range finish seven minutes later. Inter hit back through Carlos Augusto, whose long-range effort flew into the bottom corner, ‌before Nicolò Barella levelled 10 minutes before half-time. Continue reading...

Tottenham visit Liverpool in Carabao Cup third round Richarlison will play no part despite being eligible Roberto De Zerbi has no doubt Dominic Solanke will rediscover his best levels as the head coach made clear he had left no stone unturned in the mission to solve Tottenham’s goalscoring problem. Spurs go to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday after the 0-0 home draw with Everton in the Premier League on Saturday; they have not found the net in their four matches in the competition. Tottenham did beat Charlton 5-1 at home in the second round of the Carabao Cup. Continue reading...

A dominant performance from Leeds sees them run over Newcastle and move up to third in the league Jaissle did, of course, have a choice; he might’ve picked Touré. But it makes sense that in so competitive a contest and such an intimidating environment, he’s decided that one new face is enough. Elanga, though, is a big miss. When he was playing age-group football, I really liked him – he combined the agility of a winger with the instinct of a striker. But when he broke into the Manchester United first team, his touch didn’t look good enough for the level, and even at Forest, he was more of a runner than a footballer. His worth-ethic, though, is unreal, and it might just be that he’s improved his technique to the point he’s growing into an all-round threat. Continue reading...

At what stage does a good start become something more significant? Perhaps we are not quite there yet; maybe we are. But as the goals flew in on a chaotic night at Elland Road, it was difficult not to think the boundaries of expectation for Leeds were potentially being redrawn. Ask those close to the action over the summer at Leeds and the feeling was that there was a possibility of something special materialising this season. Having found their feet in the Premier League in the last campaign, the platform had been set and a very good summer transfer window seemed like the catalyst for even brighter days to return to West Yorkshire. Continue reading...

Despite the drama on the court, the poor condition of Arthur Ashe Stadium was just one problem among many At the end of another comically late night and early morning in Flushing Meadows, when the remaining spectators were departing, a familiar scene was unfolding on the US Open tournament grounds. A handful of workers had congregated directly beneath a hole in the ceiling inside one of the tournament shops as they tried to stop water from flowing out of a broken pipe and ruining thousands of pounds worth of merchandise below. This was not a surprising sight. Upon entering Arthur Ashe Stadium this year, fans were greeted by some ominous signs: “Pardon our appearance while we write the next chapter of Arthur Ashe Stadium.” The tournament’s appearance, it must be said, was hideous. Inside the corridors and rooms at one of the biggest sporting events in the world, it felt like its main building was falling apart. Continue reading...

Former England batter starts role with white-ball teams Fleming also ‘right person’ to take Test team forward Brendon McCullum has revealed that he was the driving force behind the recruitment of Kevin Pietersen as a specialist mentor to England’s white-ball teams and said the new arrival had specific orders to “look across the environment and challenge me”. Pietersen spent his first day in the role monitoring training at the Utilita Bowl after delivering an address that had the players “buzzing”, according to McCullum, England’s white-ball coach. Continue reading...

American actor accused of sexualising women’s sports British sprinter Amy Hunt leads storm of protest The US actor Sydney Sweeney is facing a backlash from female Olympians and other athletes, who have accused her of demeaning and sexualising women’s sports by appearing in a controversial advert for a sports prediction company. In the viral commercial for Novig, which was viewed more than 22 million times in the first two days of its release, Sweeney’s nude body is covered by footballs, basketballs, and other sports equipment, as she tells users they can bet on “just sports”. After saying “sports” nine times, she appears topless on a pool table, before saying: “You can’t trade this, I just look good here.” Continue reading...

Matt Donohue is only human and made a mistake, but, in general, referees have started well this season There was a disappointing outcome on a big decision in the Manchester derby and no one will feel it more than the video assistant referee, Matt Donohue. On Sunday night, Pro Ref confirmed that Donohue had made a mistake in allowing Erling Haaland’s goal in City’s 1-0 victory to stand when Enzo Fernández had been in an offside position. When a VAR considers a decision such as this they start from the point at which the goal is scored and work backwards. Here, when Haaland scores, the flag is raised by the assistant referee for offside. The VAR automatically checked that on-field decision and used a semi‑automated system to show Haaland was onside. The decision was then made to overturn the call and award the goal. Continue reading...

Flanker says: ‘You almost have to be quite selfish’ Northampton still confident 21-year-old will stay Henry Pollock insists he has not yet re‑signed for Northampton and is “open to every opportunity” including playing abroad and trying out other sports. The England back‑row is still widely expected to agree a deal to remain at Franklin’s Gardens but, for now, is refusing to publicly confirm his intentions beyond the end of the season. While the 21-year-old flanker, who toured with the British & Irish Lions last year, has been offered a significant pay rise to more than £400,000 a year to stay with the English champions until 2029, his new promoter Eddie Hearn has been touting Pollock as “a seven-figure player” in terms of what he brings on the field and commercially. Prem salary cap regulations, however, mean that few, if any, other English clubs are in a position to afford him at that level. Continue reading...

The World Cup winner’s off-the-cuff assessment was brutally honest. Within days their manager and CEO were gone, but the problems run much deeper Kiat Lim wanted to see Valencia play so badly, so that is what he did. It was week four in La Liga, 6 September, and for the first time since he was given the presidency 18 months earlier, the owner’s 33-year-old son was going to watch his team play a competitive game. He was going to do it from the inside, too, so he took a flight to Spain, landing at Manises in a black mask and cap, a van to the hotel, then the team bus to Mestalla. He looked through the window as they rolled along Avenida Suecia, a huge, noisy crowd waiting, but when he got off and headed through the iron gate with its ornate club badge, he saw that this was no welcome. Above him as he went in were giant portraits of Mario Kempes, Antonio Puchades, Juan Sol, Gaizka Mendieta, David Villa and Santiago Cañizares, footballers from a better time; around him were yellow banners and whistles for the footballers there now. Inside, Lim saw the game start with the lower south stand empty as fans stayed away until the 19th minute, the sound of another protest drifting in from the street. They were out there still when, sitting alongside Joan Laporta, he saw Lamine Yamal score the sixth-minute opener then get a second. And although that, also from Lamine Yamal, was ruled out, he eventually saw Barcelona get four more, presiding over a 5-0 debut defeat. Continue reading...

Head coach insists forwards need to improve pressing Changes up front likely for Carabao Cup tie against Spurs Andoni Iraola has shifted the focus on to Liverpool’s forwards for the team’s uninspiring display against Fulham , insisting they need to give more to make his system work. The head coach admitted his team took “a step backwards” with their goalless draw on Saturday. His central midfield pairing of Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai struggled to contain their Fulham counterparts, winning two of five duels and one of nine duels respectively. But Iraola believes the problems started further forward with the pressing of Liverpool’s expensively assembled attack. Continue reading...

Matt Donohue and his assistant not used this weekend Pro Ref said allowing winner was ‘error of judgment’ The video assistant referee officials who allowed Erling Haaland’s winning goal in the Manchester derby on Sunday have been stood down. Matt Donohue and his assistant, Blake Antrobus, have been told by Pro Ref they have not received appointments for this weekend’s round of Premier League fixtures. Howard Webb, the chief ­refereeing officer, took the decision with his management team after a review of the weekend’s action. Their availa­bility will be reconsidered after the international break. Continue reading...

Test coach to work for Sky NZ in October and December Fleming will plan South Africa tour in upcoming weeks England’s new Test head coach Stephen Fleming will return to New Zealand to work as a commentator on the Black Caps’ Test and white ball series against India next month despite having formally started work. Fleming arrived in England on Monday for a 10-day trip which will feature talks with the captain Joe Root and the England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) managing director of men’s cricket, Rob Key, after missing this summer’s three-Test series against Pakistan with the batting coach, Marcus Trescothick, presiding over a 3-0 win. Continue reading...

‘It’s not a given, that’s the reality,’ Kerr says in Budapest Athletes cautious over BBC’s informal shortlist policy It should be the biggest no-brainer of the sporting year. After a summer where athletics has captured hearts and headlines, and made so many fans fall back in love with it again, either Amy Hunt or Josh Kerr should win the award for BBC Sports Personality of the Year. The bookies’ odds suggest many others think the same way: Hunt is the even-money favourite, Kerr is second, with Harry Kane a stride or two back in third. Yet Kerr knows he cannot take anything for granted. Continue reading...

How will Leeds United and Newcastle United fare today? Here is what to know, including kick-off time, TV channels and live stream options Leeds United and Newcastle United have both enjoyed an unbeaten start to the Premier League season, hinting that Monday’s encounter could be highly competitive between two teams seemingly on an upward trajectory. After avoiding relegation last season, Leeds are looking to push themselves even higher up the table and have lost just one of their last 12 league games. Newcastle, though, are unbeaten in their last six meetings with Leeds. Continue reading...

In a bad-tempered meeting at Old Trafford, United and City showed they are far from the finished product Sign up for our free newsletter here While London has a host of top-flight clubs and Liverpool have been regular contenders, the story of the Premier League can almost entirely be told with Mancunian main characters. From Manchester United’s decade-plus of dominance under Sir Alex Ferguson to Manchester City’s emergence among the oil baron class, with a grip made firmer under Pep Guardiola’s guidance, it seems one must always beat a Manchester club to the title. Never before has the trophy spent more three seasons before returning to one of these two clubs, with a pair of three-year roadshows in the mid-2000s and mid-2010s. Continue reading...