Alysa Liu, the 21-year-old American Olympic figure skating champion, announced she will take a break from competition during the 2026-27 season to focus on improving her technique. She will miss the upcoming World Championships but plans to return to skating after this period.
Key Facts
Alysa Liu won Olympic gold in women's singles figure skating at the 2026 Milano Cortina Games.
She also helped the U.S. win gold in the team figure skating event at the same Olympics.
Liu announced a break from competition to work on her artistry and skating skills.
She will miss the World Championships in March, held in Finland.
Liu previously retired in 2022 at age 16 but made a strong comeback by winning the world championship and Olympic gold.
She said she wants her skating to reflect her personal growth.
Liu will support her teammates during her break.
She became the youngest U.S. national champion ever in 2019 at age 13.
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Atletico Madrid says there is "0% chance" they will sell forward Julian Alvarez to Barcelona, despite Barcelona's club president saying they want to buy him. Alvarez has been linked to several clubs this summer and was booed by Atletico fans recently, but Atletico insists they will not let him go to Barcelona.
Key Facts
Atletico Madrid refuses to sell Julian Alvarez to Barcelona.
Barcelona's president, Joan Laporta, said they still want to buy Alvarez and have offered €100 million (£85.7 million).
Atletico says the issue is about dignity, not money, and claims they are the victims of negative stories.
Alvarez missed a recent training session due to illness and was booed by Atletico fans during a match.
Atletico’s coach said Alvarez going straight to the dressing room after a game was a planned decision.
Real Madrid also made a €150 million (£130 million) offer for Alvarez, but Atletico rejected it.
Alvarez joined Atletico from Manchester City in 2024 and still wants to stay in Spain.
Arsenal is interested in Alvarez but is less hopeful about signing him before the transfer deadline on September 1.
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The Unrivaled women’s 3-on-3 basketball league is now valued at $650 million after raising new funds, nearly doubling its value from a year ago. The league’s players own a part of the company worth about $200 million, and the new investment will help support players, improve fan experience, and grow the league’s future.
Key Facts
Unrivaled’s latest funding round raised enough to value the league at $650 million.
This new value is almost twice the league’s worth from a year ago.
Players collectively own a part of the league valued at nearly $200 million.
The player equity pool has grown by 550% since it started.
The Series C funding round was led by Ten Pillar Sports Fund and exceeded the $100 million target.
The league has eight teams and mainly plays in a 1,000-seat arena in Miami.
Unrivaled has a six-year media deal with TNT for broadcasting games.
The upcoming season starts in early January, and the league plans to hold eight tour stops in 2027.
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UEFA, the main European soccer organization, is planning to stop threatening to boycott FIFA events after getting promises that FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s failed plan to sell World Cup commercial rights will not return. This decision allows six European teams to keep preparing for the FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup starting in September 2026.
Key Facts
UEFA threatened to boycott FIFA competitions because of Infantino’s failed plan to create a $20 billion company to control World Cup commercial rights.
The proposed company would have been partly owned by private investors, including a fund led by Joshua Kushner.
Infantino withdrew the plan within four days after backlash from UEFA and other soccer bodies.
UEFA demanded guarantees that the plan, called FIFA Forward Enterprise, would not be brought back in any form.
UEFA received those guarantees and will now stop the boycott threat.
Six European teams, including France, Spain, England, Italy, Portugal, and Poland, will participate in the upcoming Under-20 Women’s World Cup.
UEFA had earlier expressed a lack of confidence in Infantino’s leadership and aimed to block his reelection next year.
FIFA’s next presidential election is scheduled for March 2024 in Morocco, with candidate registrations closing in November 2023.
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Jermod McCoy, a football player for the Las Vegas Raiders, was picked in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft due to concerns about his knee injury. Despite this, he played well in a recent preseason game, showing good movement and coverage skills, which suggests he might become a strong player for the team.
Key Facts
Jermod McCoy played college football at Tennessee and was once expected to be a first-round draft pick.
He tore his ACL (a key knee ligament) in January 2025.
Teams were worried about knee inflammation and arthritis, which caused his draft position to drop.
The Raiders selected him at number 101 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft.
In a preseason game, McCoy performed well in man coverage, staying close to receivers.
His good performance may indicate the Raiders made a smart choice by picking him.
The team will decide how much he will play during the regular season based on his health and performance.
Media outlets like CBS Sports have praised his preseason showing.
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The New York Jets had no interceptions during the entire 2025 regular season, setting an NFL record. In Week 2 of the 2026 preseason, the Jets’ defense made two interceptions against the Pittsburgh Steelers, showing improvement in their defensive performance.
Key Facts
The Jets did not make a single interception during the 2025 regular NFL season.
This was the first time an NFL team finished a regular season with zero interceptions.
In the 2026 preseason Week 2 game, the Jets intercepted Steelers quarterback Will Howard twice.
Two different Jets players, Andre Cisco and Samuel Womack III, made the interceptions.
Andre Cisco intercepted a pass intended for receiver Roman Wilson.
Samuel Womack III is a 27-year-old player who has been on multiple teams before joining the Jets.
The Jets’ defense showed more aggression and success creating turnovers in the preseason.
Experts said the Jets’ defense looked better but noted that one game does not guarantee regular-season success.
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New York Giants wide receiver Calvin Austin III tore his ACL during practice and will miss the entire 2026 season. This injury adds to the Giants’ problems at wide receiver, as Malik Nabers is still recovering from the same injury and former top receiver Wandale Robinson has left the team.
Key Facts
Calvin Austin III tore his ACL in practice and is out for the 2026 season.
Austin was expected to have a big role in the Giants’ offense this year.
Malik Nabers, another Giants wide receiver, is still recovering from an ACL injury suffered last season.
Head coach John Harbaugh said Nabers might be ready to play at the start of the season.
Wandale Robinson, who led the team in catches and yards last season, is no longer with the Giants.
The Giants added several wide receivers in the offseason, including Darnell Mooney, Odell Beckham Jr., and Braxton Berrios.
The current top receivers for the Giants are Mooney, Darius Slayton, and rookie Malachi Fields.
Calvin Austin III had 84 catches, 1,100 yards, and 8 touchdowns in 48 games with the Pittsburgh Steelers before joining the Giants.
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Audrey Werro, the 22-year-old European 800m champion from Switzerland, is aiming to break the 43-year-old world record set by Jarmila Kratochvilova in 1983. Werro has recently run one of the fastest times ever and believes the world record will fall one day, though she is focusing on winning races for now.
Key Facts
The current women's 800m world record is 1:53.28, set by Jarmila Kratochvilova in 1983.
Kratochvilova's record has lasted 43 years and is considered controversial due to doping concerns, but she never failed a test.
Audrey Werro ran 1:53.80 in June 2024, the third-fastest time in history and less than half a second behind the record.
Werro has improved her personal best every season for eight years and holds three of the 10 fastest times ever in 2024.
Werro recently finished university and now trains full time, which has helped her improve mentally and physically.
Werro beat Britain’s Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson to win the European title in August 2024.
Hodgkinson is not competing at the upcoming Diamond League meet in Zurich; other competitors include Femke Broeders-Bol, a recent convert from 400m hurdles to 800m.
British athlete Georgia Hunter-Bell will represent Britain in the 800m race at the Zurich meet.
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Celtic football team failed to qualify for the Champions League again after losing a two-legged match against LASK, despite having a strong lead. The team struggled in defense and midfield during the second game and key players were missing or made mistakes, leading to their collapse.
Key Facts
Celtic led 3-0 from the first game and 4-0 during the second but lost 5-4 on aggregate to LASK.
Celtic had won their first four competitive games of the season before this loss.
Captain Callum McGregor said the team looked scared and passive during LASK’s attacks.
Manager Martin O’Neill took responsibility for the defeat, but former captain Scott Brown said O’Neill was protecting his players.
Celtic’s defense during the loss included inexperienced and out-of-position players.
Celtic signed new forwards and midfielders this summer but sold important players like Arne Engels and Daizen Maeda.
Analysts say Celtic’s squad lacks the depth and quality needed to compete in Europe’s top competitions.
The failure to qualify for the Champions League could cost Celtic over £20 million in revenue.
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Liverpool tried to buy Yankuba Minteh from Brighton but had two offers rejected. Now, they are looking at Crystal Palace’s Ismaila Sarr as a possible new player, although Palace says they do not want to sell him. Liverpool is also in talks to sign Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain.
Key Facts
Liverpool made bids of £50 million and £60 million for Yankuba Minteh, but Brighton rejected both.
After failing to sign Minteh, Liverpool showed interest in Ismaila Sarr from Crystal Palace.
Ismaila Sarr is a right winger who scored 21 goals last season and has experience in the Premier League.
Crystal Palace is not keen on selling Sarr, who is under contract for three more years.
Liverpool is also negotiating to sign Bradley Barcola, a French winger from Paris Saint-Germain.
Crystal Palace manager Pierre Sage wants Sarr and teammate Jean-Philippe Mateta to stay at the club.
Jean-Philippe Mateta is disputing the last year of his contract, but he remains a Palace player for now.
FIFA has said it will not rule on Mateta’s contract case, which is being handled by a Premier League tribunal.
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Bennedict Mathurin signed a two-year contract worth $16 million with the New Orleans Pelicans. He chose this deal to have flexibility and become a free agent sooner. Mathurin was picked sixth in the 2022 NBA Draft and has played for the Indiana Pacers and Los Angeles Clippers before joining the Pelicans.
Key Facts
Bennedict Mathurin is a five-year NBA player.
He agreed to a two-year, $16 million deal with the New Orleans Pelicans.
Mathurin preferred a shorter contract to gain free agency next summer.
The Pelicans have wanted Mathurin for over a year.
This deal helps the Pelicans avoid paying a luxury tax this season.
Mathurin was selected sixth overall in the 2022 NBA Draft by the Indiana Pacers.
He scored 38 points in his home debut with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Mathurin now joins Pelicans players like Dejounte Murray, Zion Williamson, and Trey Murphy III.
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Micah Parsons, a defensive player for the Green Bay Packers, was ranked No. 8 on the 2026 NFL Top 100 Players list, a big rise from his previous 36th spot. Parsons missed part of last season due to a knee injury but is set to return in Week 6.
Key Facts
Micah Parsons is ranked 8th on the NFL Top 100 Players list for 2026.
His rank improved from 36th in the previous year’s list.
Parsons joined the Packers in August 2025 after being traded from the Dallas Cowboys.
Last season, Parsons had 19 solo tackles and 12.5 sacks in 14 games.
He missed part of the season due to a torn ACL and meniscus in his left knee.
The Packers showcased Parsons’ skills and teammates’ praise in a video announcing his ranking.
Parsons is expected to return to play in Week 6 against the Dallas Cowboys.
The Packers lost to the Chicago Bears in the 2025 NFC Wild Card round without Parsons playing.
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Alysa Liu, the American figure skater who won gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics, announced she will not compete in the upcoming skating season. She plans to take time off to grow personally and improve her skating before returning to competition.
Key Facts
Alysa Liu won the gold medal in women’s singles figure skating at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics.
She is the first American woman to win Olympic gold in figure skating since 2002.
Liu recently turned 21 years old.
She announced on Instagram that she will skip the next skating season.
Liu said she wants to use the break to grow artistically and personally.
She retired briefly after the 2022 Olympics and missed two seasons before returning.
Liu said she is grateful for her journey and plans to come back to skating.
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New York Giants wide receiver Calvin Austin tore the ACL in his right knee during training camp and will miss the rest of the season. Austin was performing well before the injury and his absence creates opportunities for other receivers on the team.
Key Facts
Calvin Austin injured his right knee ACL during a one-on-one drill at Giants training camp.
The injury occurred without contact, and he was taken off the field on a cart.
Austin is expected to miss the entire NFL season due to the injury.
Before getting hurt, Austin had made two catches for 24 yards in a preseason game.
He had played three seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers before joining the Giants.
Austin had 89 catches, 1,140 yards, and nine touchdowns in 51 games over his first three NFL seasons.
The injury gives other Giants receivers, including Malik Nabers, Darnell Mooney, Braxton Berrios, Odell Beckham Jr., and rookie Malachi Fields, a chance to compete for playing time.
Austin signed a $1.5 million contract with the Giants for the 2026 season.
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The Houston Texans' offensive line is facing injury problems during training camp, with right tackle Braden Smith and defensive end Ali Gaye both suffering leg injuries. This could be a setback for quarterback C.J. Stroud, who needs strong protection in an important contract year.
Key Facts
Braden Smith, right tackle for the Texans, was injured and carted off the practice field with a leg injury.
Defensive end Ali Gaye also suffered a leg injury at the same time.
Both players could not put weight on their legs and were taken for further examination.
Smith signed a two-year, $25 million contract with the Texans in March and was expected to improve the offensive line.
The Texans’ offensive line was ranked as the worst in the league during the preseason by ESPN analyst Mike Clay.
The offensive line’s weakness has contributed to quarterback C.J. Stroud being sacked many times in recent seasons.
Stroud missed three games in 2025 due to a concussion and faces pressure to perform well before his contract renewal.
The Texans picked up Stroud’s fifth-year option, but he has not yet signed a new contract.
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Tua Tagovailoa, a veteran quarterback, signed with the Atlanta Falcons to help while Michael Penix Jr. recovers from a knee injury. However, Tagovailoa has struggled in practice and preseason games, and Penix may start the season despite his recent return from injury. The Falcons’ coach has not yet named a starting quarterback.
Key Facts
Tua Tagovailoa joined the Atlanta Falcons as a veteran quarterback.
Michael Penix Jr., the Falcons’ first-round pick, is recovering from a torn ACL (a serious knee injury).
Tagovailoa has not performed well in preseason games or practice.
Penix recently returned to practice for the first time after his injury.
Due to Tagovailoa’s struggles, Penix might start the season early despite limited practice time.
Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski has not made a decision on the starting quarterback yet.
The Falcons will play their first regular-season game on September 13 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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Rueben Bain Jr., a rookie defensive player for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, suffered a minor injury during the preseason but is expected to play in the team's first game. Bain was a top college player and was picked 15th in the NFL draft.
Key Facts
Rueben Bain Jr. injured his AC joint late in August, but it is not serious.
The AC joint connects the collarbone to the shoulder blade.
Bain is still expected to play in Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals on September 13.
He was drafted 15th overall by the Buccaneers after a strong college career.
Bain helped lead the Miami Hurricanes to the College Football Playoff National Championship game.
Some teams were concerned about his arm length, which caused him to be picked later than expected.
Buccaneers' General Manager Jason Licht praised Bain's passion for football and his practice habits.
ESPN analyst Domonique Foxworth predicted Bain could win Defensive Rookie of the Year and help the team reach the Super Bowl.
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Rory McIlroy faces a possible penalty for not playing 15 PGA Tour events, the required number to keep his card for next season. PGA Tour Commissioner Brian Rolapp suggested they have reached an agreement and McIlroy may not be punished this year.
Key Facts
Golfers must play in 15 PGA Tour events each season to keep their playing rights.
McIlroy plans to play only 14 PGA Tour events this season.
After these events, McIlroy will play in international tournaments on the DP World Tour.
PGA Tour Commissioner Brian Rolapp said McIlroy is clearly dedicated to the PGA Tour and also to the DP World Tour.
Rolapp has discretion in deciding punishments and is considering if the 15-event rule still fits the new partnership between the PGA and DP World Tours.
The PGA Tour and DP World Tour have recently formed an alliance.
McIlroy will compete in the upcoming Tour Championship starting Thursday.
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Seattle Mariners player Cal Raleigh struggled early this season but has started playing much better recently, helping his team with important home runs. His improved performance is giving the Mariners a chance to compete for a playoff spot in the American League.
Key Facts
Cal Raleigh, the Mariners' catcher, had a very low batting average of .169 this season after a strong previous year.
He hit three home runs in one game against the Philadelphia Phillies, helping the Mariners win 9-2.
Raleigh hit another home run the next day, making him only the second Mariners player to hit home runs in four straight at-bats.
His overall season offensive score (OPS) improved from .579 to .632 after these games.
The Mariners lost some games badly but have recently won five of their last seven.
They are now only 2.5 games behind the division leader, the Houston Astros.
Raleigh said he has been focusing on staying positive and improving his hitting techniques.
The Mariners aim to continue their strong performance and possibly make the playoffs this fall.
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The PGA Tour CEO Brandon Rolapp said there are no current plans to bring back the Returning Member Program, a way for players from LIV Golf to rejoin the PGA Tour. Some top golfers like Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm may not be able to return next season without penalties.
Key Facts
The Returning Member Program lets LIV Golf players return to the PGA Tour under certain conditions.
Brooks Koepka used this program to come back but lost some financial benefits and was not eligible for a big bonus.
PGA Tour CEO Brandon Rolapp said the program is not planned to return at this time.
Rolapp mentioned the tour wants the best golfers competing but warned there would be penalties for returning LIV players.
Top LIV Golf players like DeChambeau, Rahm, and Tyrrell Hatton may not be back on the PGA Tour next season.
The announcement came just before the Tour Championship event.
The PGA Tour is focusing on a competitive model to meet fans’ expectations for top-level golf.
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