Month: September 2025

NEW YORK — The World Series went back to its roots this year, playing on home turf for the first time since 1952. And if the Astros can keep up their current pace, they’ll be playing in their third World Series in a row.

A year after the Astros broke a long playoff drought with their first World Series win, they’re set to become only the third team in Major League Baseball history to repeat as champions. It’s been quite a run for the franchise, and the team is only getting better as the years go by.

Corey Seager, who took home the World Series MVP award in 2020, joined Reggie Jackson as the only players to win the trophy with two different teams. He also became the youngest player to ever win the award in a World Series, edging out the record of 20 years established by Reggie Jackson.

NEW YORK — Aaron Judge sent one deep into the Bronx night and gave the Dodgers hope of a comeback in Game 5. The two-run home run off Jack Flaherty sent Yankee Stadium into a bobbing sea of bedlam. But the Dodgers roared back in the eighth inning with a pair of sacrifice flies by Gavin Lux and Mookie Betts, both coming off of errant throws by the Yankees.

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The World Athletics Championship, officially the IAAF World Championships in Athletics, is the world’s premier annual track and field athletics competition organised by IAAF. Held every two years, it is the highest level of senior international outdoor athletics competition other than the Olympic Games and is regarded as one of the most important sports events in the world.

Move over Noah Lyles, there’s a new world 100m champion in town; Oblique Seville has blasted past the American and his compatriot Kishane Thompson in a Jamaican one-two with Seville taking silver and Thompson bronze. Boosted by the support of his countryman Usain Bolt, the 24-year-old Seville ran 9.77s to win, taking 0.07 off his personal best from his semi-final run.

It’s a Jamaican one-two in the women’s 100m, too as Tina Clayton and Melissa Jefferson-Wooden make it a clean sweep of medals for the host nation on the second night. Jefferson-Wooden arrived in Tokyo as favourite after winning the bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics and running the fastest three times of the year.

There’s also a first-ever medal for Uruguay, with Julia Paternain finishing third in the women’s marathon. Originally from Uruguay, Paternain moved to the UK aged two and won back-to-back English schools 3,000m titles before securing her first major championship medal in Tokyo with her impressive finish.

World Test Championship is the ICC’s tournament for the best teams in the longest format of the game. It lasts two years and sees nine of the game’s leading test-playing nations compete in a series of bilateral Test matches. Each series consists of three to five Tests and the team that wins the most matches earns a berth in the final. Each match in a Test series is worth points (12, six, or four), with penalties for slow over rates. The point system was introduced by the ICC as a way to add context to bilateral Test cricket and encourage the playing nations to focus on building stronger Test squads.

In 2025, South Africa ended a 27-year hoodoo and triumphed over modern Goliaths Australia to win the World Test Championship final at Lord’s. The win marked a historic achievement for the Proteas and earned them the respect of the entire cricketing world, whose billions paid their tributes on social media.

The final of the ICC World Test Championship was held on Sunday at Lord’s between current holders Australia and South Africa. The iconic venue replaces the Rose Bowl in Southampton and the Oval in London, which hosted the previous two WTC finals.

Defending champions Australia were tipped to win the final and they did not disappoint, thrashing South Africa by an innings and 217 runs. However, the Proteas fought back hard to level the scores and clinched victory in a gripping finish. The result pushed the Temba Bavuma-led side to the top of the ICC Test Rankings.

The 2025 NFL draft is underway in Green Bay, Wisconsin. And, for the first time since the league expanded to 32 teams, every team owns a pick heading into the three-day event.

On the first day of the draft, Tennessee Titans owner John Henry made it clear he wanted to address the team’s quarterbacking issues by selecting Miami Hurricanes signal-caller Cam Ward with the top pick.

After that, things began to get a little more unpredictable. The New York Giants moved up a spot to select Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart, and the Cleveland Browns traded back into the top 12 to take two-way star Travis Hunter.

A few more surprises followed as the San Francisco 49ers took LSU offensive tackle Jonathan Taylor with the fifth pick, and the Atlanta Falcons drafted Ole Miss defensive end James Pearce Jr. with the sixth selection. Meanwhile, the Arizona Cardinals used their other top-10 pick to take Alabama safety Tae Campbell, who will give an already-strong young defense a boost up front with his ability to play multiple positions. The New Orleans Saints also went big and grabbed Texas offensive guard Taliese Banks with the ninth pick, a player who can provide depth at left tackle after the Saints cycled through several starters last season on that side of the line. He’ll immediately compete with free-agent addition Xavier Legette for playing time.

The Champions League is the pinnacle of European club football. The prestigious competition was established in 1955, and initially only champions of Europe’s strongest domestic leagues qualified to take part in the tournament, but after some experimentation with multiple groups and knockout rounds, the format was changed in 1999 to allow also league runners-up to qualify for the group stage.

Since then, only five clubs have won more than one title. Real Madrid have the most, with fifteen titles, while Bayern Munich and Barcelona have won ten each. The other top teams include Liverpool, Manchester United and Internazionale (a.k.a. Inter Milan; Italy).

In 2023, Real Madrid dominated the tournament to win their fourth treble in a row. Jupp Heynckes’ side had a great mix of experienced players like Dani Carvajal, Nacho and Luka Modric with the emerging generation of ‘Galacticos’ including Toni Kroos and Aurelien Tchouameni.

That team was also blessed with the emergence of Lionel Messi, who won the Champions League Player of the Season award for his 12 goals across the campaign, including some crucial strikes in big moments to turn around games against Manchester City and Arsenal.

The miracle of Istanbul will be forever etched on the memories of this Manchester United team, who were trailing 3-0 in the second leg at home to Juventus and 2-0 on aggregate in the final at Wembley, but fought back through goals from Roy Keane, Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole. The team’s defensive line was led by the rock-solid Edwin van der Sar and Nemanja Vidic, while goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek pulled off some of the greatest saves in Champions League history to keep them in the final.

ANY sincere fan will at times display what may seem like an inordinate amount of emotional attachment and angst over their favorite sports celebrities. But that’s the point — sports celebrity involvement sparks interest and excitement, which boosts viewership and ticket sales. From megastars of music, film or television spotted in the stands to athlete-designed fashion collaborations to yelling at the ref and mourning Brangelina, these celebrity connections bring sports to the masses by tapping into the pop culture landscape. But there’s a fine line between entertainment and responsibly consuming the churn of sports celebrity gossip by prioritizing more substantial issues and fostering a critical mindset.

This week, we’ve got the latest on a former WWE superstar and her Coldplay cheating drama, WNBA star Suni Lee and NBA player boyfriend OG Anunoby make their relationship official and a teen powerlifter obliterates a world record that has the athletics community losing its mind. Plus, Patrick Mahomes opens up about his father’s 2024 DWI arrest, Taylor Swift takes extreme measures to protect her 12th album from leaks and a community football coach is sacked for making a crude comment about Tammy Hembrow.

As if the soccer world doesn’t already feel like it’s a little too American, the best player of all time rolls up to America’s finest grocery store in Miami wearing slides with his family and buys some cereal. And TMZ Sports has the photos.

Since ice hockey’s inclusion in the Olympic programme at 1920, Canada has won the most medals, including 14 golds. During the first six Olympics in which ice hockey was played, a single round robin series of games determined who earned medals; at Nagano 1998, playoffs were introduced to accommodate NHL schedules, with teams grouped into two tiers and playing each other once.

On February 22, 1988, in Calgary, the U.S. was in the midst of what became known as the “Miracle on Ice.” Trailing 3-3 with less than ten minutes left in their semifinal game against the Soviet Union, U.S. captain Mike Eruzione took advantage of a defensive miscue, gathered the puck in the corner and rifled it past the goalie to give the Americans a 4-3 victory in the third period and a gold medal.

When Canada and Sweden met in the gold medal game at 2018 PyeongChang, they were tied after the full 40-minute period of 4-on-4 play. After a modified sudden death shootout in which both teams had five players rush the goalie, Paul Kariya beat Sweden’s Tommy Salo with a wrist shot past the glove.

In addition to the dramatic upset, the most interesting moment at PyeongChang came in the women’s tournament, when OAR defeated Germany in a shootout. The Russians, led by future NHL stars Pavel Datsyuk and Kirill Kaprizov, entered the final having lost only one game in the entire tournament.

Combat Sports have captivated audiences worldwide for centuries, showcasing physical prowess and discipline. From the precision of boxing to the versatility of MMA, these disciplines offer a unique blend of physical challenge and strategic depth. Whether you’re a fan, a fighter, or thinking about giving them a try, understanding the fundamentals is essential for success—from mastering techniques to investing in the right gear.

The polar opposite of a street fight, a sport match is a controlled, structured affair in which distance control, timing, and rhythm play key roles in the outcome. Using footwork, single strikes and combinations, fakes and feints, combatants can suss out their opponent’s tendencies, responses, and reactions.

In addition to being a great workout, sparring and the practice of other combative sports is also a great way to stay healthy. It helps build cardiovascular and respiratory endurance, burns calories, tones multiple muscle groups, releases endorphins, and helps with stress relief.

Most importantly, however, incorporating a combative sport into one’s training program helps build a strong and resilient self. Whether it’s fighting off bullies as a kid, or navigating the challenges of adulthood with confidence and strength, a strong combative experience is an invaluable asset in all aspects of life. Moreover, studies have shown that incorporating combative sports into one’s life enhances self-discipline, mental resilience, social bonds, community involvement, and physical fitness. It’s no wonder icons like Muhammad Ali, Conor McGregor, and Ronda Rousey inspire so many to pursue their dreams in the ring and beyond.

The FIFA World Cup is football’s biggest stage, and the path to it is a dramatic journey filled with high-stakes matches that see dreams realized or shattered. From battling for survival to emerging as a global powerhouse, international qualifiers often provide moments of exceptional skill and heart that will live on forever in the memory of fans.

With just 35 spots available next summer, every nation will be fighting to book their place at the finals, and this month, major stages of qualification kick off across Europe, North America and South American with some of the continent’s heavyweights set to begin their quest for glory.

FIFA allocates a number of World Cup spots to each of its 211 member countries based on their performance, history, and the relative strength of their domestic leagues and world stars. The allocation is designed to ensure that teams from all Continents have a fair chance of qualifying for the World Cup, and reflects the global nature of the sport.

Most knock-out qualifiers are played over two legs, with the team that scores a greater aggregate number of goals progressing. If the scores are level after the full 90 minutes of each match, then extra time and penalties will be used to determine the winner. Occasionally, if neither side has the facilities to host the second leg (or if the venue has been booked for another event) then a play-off on neutral ground will be held.

The Asian Games, first held in 1951, is Asia’s biggest sports competition. The event was advocated by India’s first Prime Minister, Nehru, to re-establish bonds of friendship through sport and contribute to world peace. Since the first Games in New Delhi, the Asian Games have grown into a multi-sports competition spanning 41 events and 45 participating nations and territories. The upcoming edition in Aichi and Nagoya will feature both Olympic and regional disciplines, including unique Asian sports such as kabaddi and sepak takraw, alongside global Olympic sports like athletics and swimming.

The 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games will include 11 medal-contending esports titles, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has confirmed. The Games’ organisers have selected a combination of popular titles and those with a strong track record of attracting viewership engagement. The inclusion of eFootball and Konami’s TEKKEN also reflect Japan’s growing gaming ecosystem and align with the OCA’s strategic focus on market development and broadcast optimization. On the other hand, Dota 2’s exclusion signals a calculated decision to streamline production and ensure adherence to stringent broadcasting requirements of high-stakes international sporting events.

The OCA’s decision also comes at a time when cricket and mixed martial arts are set to make their return to the Olympic fold for the first time in more than a century. Both sports will be featured at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, with cricket set to be contested as an outdoor game and MMA being classed as a combat sport alongside kurash and jujitsu.