26 Page 5 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

NHL cancels Olympic send-off, grants Isles 2027 All-Star Game
The NHL has canceled a planned send-off event for the 2026 Winter Olympics in February at UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y.,The league, however, plans to hold the All-Star Game and skills competition at the New York Islanders' home arena in 2027.,The initial plan was to create an international event on Long...

5-star F Anthony Thompson commits to Ohio State
Ohio State landed a commitment Tuesday from Anthony Thompson, a five-star forward from a high school in the Cleveland suburbs.,He is ranked by the 247Sports composite as the No. 2 small forward in the nation and the No. 8 player overall in the Class of 2026.,In July, he named his top seven schools u...

2025-26 NBA Power Rankings: Thunder repeat talk more than noise
Even before the first bogus "back spasms" show up on an injury report, it's already the Year of Barely-Walking Wounded in the NBA.,Tyrese Haliburton, Damian Lillard and Fred VanVleet are missing more than the season-opener next week. They're done for the year. ,Optimistic fans are counting the days ...

FIFA: Safety, security of World Cup host cities is 'government' call
FIFA shied away from a confrontation with President Donald Trump and told Field Level Media on Wednesday that the "government" will decide whether 2026 World Cup host cities are safe enough to remain hosts as scheduled.,FIFA was on the spot after Trump issued a veiled threat to move games from Bosto...

Boston mayor dismisses Trump threat of removing World Cup games
Boston mayor Michelle Wu implied the city is ready for a faceoff with President Donald Trump over his claim he could order FIFA to remove World Cup games scheduled to be played at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough next summer.,Wu appeared on "Java with Jimmy" on Wednesday to respond to Tuesday's critic...

Roger Goodell confirms NFL returning to Mexico City in 2026
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced the league will return to Mexico City in 2026, confirming the next game at Estadio Azteca, as the venue nears completion of its World Cup renovation.,"We'll be back in Mexico City next year, which we're thrilled about," the commissioner said at the Leaders in...

PWHL dropping puck on third season on Nov. 21
The Professional Women's Hockey League will open its third regular season on Nov. 21.,The 2025-26 campaign will feature a total of 120 games, with all eight teams playing a 30-game slate.,Expansion teams PWHL Seattle and host PWHL Vancouver will meet in one of two games on opening night.,The two-tim...

Injured Paula Badosa to miss rest of 2025 season
Eighteenth-ranked Paula Badosa announced Tuesday that she plans to take the rest of the year off and vowed to "come back stronger" in 2026.,The Spanish tennis player's announcement on Instagram came two days after she retired from her third-round match against Czech Karolina Muchova, the No. 15-rank...

Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald among 2026 HOF candidates
Former Chargers teammates Philip Rivers and Drew Brees are among first ballot modern-era candidates for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026 announced Wednesday.,Brees, who went on to win a Super Bowl and reach prolific production levels as a quarterback with the New Orleans Saints, Arizona C...

NASCAR adds Chicagoland event as 2026 schedule shuffled
A return to the Chicagoland Speedway, a street race in San Diego and a change to championship weekend highlight the 2026 NASCAR schedule, released Wednesday.,Also to be noted are the shift of the All-Star Race to Dover Motor Speedway, as well as schedule adjustments that move annual races to non-tra...

Report: Unrivaled salaries to rise; 90 percent of '26 rosters set
The Unrivaled women's basketball league has already signed nearly 90 percent of its player pool ahead of its second season in 2026.,"We have a few spots left open to fill and then we're pretty much ready to go," Unrivaled co-founder Alex Bazzell recently confirmed to Front Office Sports.,With the 3-...

Eagles' Saquon Barkley, Lane Johnson lead Madden '99 Club'
Cover star Saquon Barkley and Philadelphia Eagles teammate Lane Johnson lead the seven players who received 99 ratings for the "Madden NFL 26" video game, EA Sports announced Tuesday.,Joining the Super Bowl LIX champion running back and right tackle in the prestigious "99 Club" are reigning NFL MVP ...

Report: LIV weekly purse increasing to $30M in 2026
The weekly purses for LIV Golf competitions will increase to $30 million in 2026, with the extra $5 million going toward the team competition, the Sports Business Journal reported Monday. ,Beginning next season, $20 million in purse money will continue to cover individual stroke play with $10 millio...

Analysis: NASCAR's innovative return to SoCal a smart step forward
NASCAR will return to Southern California in style in June 2026.,The NASCAR Cup Series' second street race destination isn't just the sport's debut in the San Diego area, but also the site of the first race in NASCAR history to be held on a military installation.,It's a move that would've seemed lik...

Charlotte to host 2026 MLS All-Star Game
The MLS All-Star Game is coming to Charlotte, N.C., for the first time in 2026, the league announced Wednesday.,"Charlotte has turned into a big-time soccer city, and we are pleased to bring the 2026 MLS All-Star Game to the Queen City," MLS commissioner Don Garber said. "The city and region keep sh...

Report: PGA Tour eyeing return to Trump National Doral in ‘26
The PGA Tour plans to bring a tournament back to Trump National Doral near Miami in 2026, Sports Business Journal reported Monday.,Per Sports Business Journal, a new tournament at Doral is expected to be scheduled for the week of April 27-May 3, in between the Zurich Classic of New Orleans (a team e...

After SEC visits, 4-star WR Xavier McDonald picks Sacramento State
Sacramento State head coach Brennan Marion reached into Southeastern Conference territory and plucked a surprise commitment from four-star wide receiver Xavier McDonald.,McDonald, from Morton, Miss., is the highest commit in the history of the Hornets program. He committed to the school on Friday.,M...

Expanded NWSL reveals 2026 schedule framework
The National Women's Soccer League announced the framework for the 2026 season on Wednesday.,The season begins on Feb. 20 with the NWSL Challenge Cup between the reigning NWSL champion and the previous season's Shield winner.,The regular season starts on March 13 with the 16 teams -- including expan...

NHL players officially to take part in 2026 Olympics
National Hockey League players will take part in the Winter Olympics in 2026 for the first time in 12 years.,In a meeting Wednesday at the International Olympic Committee headquarters in Switzerland, representatives from the NHL, the players association and the International Ice Hockey Federation ex...

5-star LB Xavier Griffin commits to Alabama
Xavier Griffin, ranked by the 247Sports composite as the No. 2 linebacker in the Class of 2026, announced his commitment to Alabama on Sunday afternoon.,The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Griffin chose the Crimson Tide over finalists Florida State, Ohio State and Texas. He plays at Gainesville (Ga.) High Schoo...