- The global sports calendar is entering a particularly busy stretch, with NFL and college football underway, MLB approaching its postseason, the WNBA returning from the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, NHL training camps opening, European soccer entering its early-season European competitions, and major international events building toward late-September championships.
- NFL: Detroit and Buffalo meet tonight in Thursday Night Football after both won their Week 1 games. Around the league, teams are preparing for Week 2, while quarterback development and early-season injuries remain major storylines.
- NCAAF / College Football: Syracuse visits undefeated Pittsburgh tonight in an ACC matchup. Pitt enters 2-0, while Syracuse is seeking a response after its loss to California.
- MLB: Cleveland moved into sole possession of first place in the AL Central, while Cincinnati prevented the Dodgers from clinching the NL West. Arizona also suffered another setback in the NL wild-card race.
- WNBA: The league resumes its regular season following the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, with playoff positioning becoming the central storyline during the final stretch. Dallas–Los Angeles and Las Vegas–Seattle are among today’s games.
- NBA: The league is in the offseason/pre-training-camp period rather than regular-season play. Teams are continuing roster construction and preparations for training camp; the Knicks have added James Wiseman, Bruce Brown and Ochai Agbaji.
- NHL: Training camps are beginning across the league. Columbus opens camp today, while the NHL’s latest preseason power rankings place the defending champion Carolina Hurricanes at the top.
- EPL / European soccer: The 2026-27 European club season is moving into its opening rounds, with Bournemouth beginning its first Europa League campaign against Real Sociedad and other English clubs involved in European and League Cup action.
- Women’s soccer / World Cup: The U.S. Under-20 women’s team was eliminated from the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup by Brazil following a 1-1 draw and penalty shootout.
- ATP / WTA / Grand Slams: The post-US Open tennis calendar is shifting toward team events and the Asian swing. Ben Shelton has withdrawn from the Laver Cup and will be replaced by Brandon Nakashima; Novak Djokovic has also confirmed a return to the China Open.
- Golf: The BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth is underway on the DP World Tour, providing one of the week’s principal global golf events.
- ICC / Cricket: England’s white-ball series against Sri Lanka is underway, with Harry Brook scoring an unbeaten 114 in England’s 119-run opening victory. The ICC also named Sri Lanka’s Sonal Dinusha and Isle of Man’s Lucy Barnett its August Players of the Month.
- Rugby Union: The Pacific Nations Cup is heading toward Saturday’s final in Tokyo, where defending champion Fiji meets Japan; Canada and the United States will contest third place.
- NASCAR: Bristol is the immediate focus of the Chase. The Craftsman Truck Series begins its seven-race Chase tonight, while Cup and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase races follow this weekend. NASCAR has also changed its wet-weather tire protocol, giving teams more discretion over switching between wet tires and slicks.
- F1: Formula 1 is between races after the Spanish Grand Prix and before the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on September 24-26. Kimi Antonelli won both the Italian and Spanish Grands Prix, making the upcoming Azerbaijan round the next championship event.
- MotoGP: The Austrian Grand Prix takes place September 18-20, with Ai Ogura declared fit to return and Senna Agius confirmed for a 2027 MotoGP promotion with Tech3.
- IndyCar: Offseason driver-market activity is already developing, with 2026 Rookie of the Year Dennis Hauger confirming a move from Dale Coyne Racing to AJ Foyt Racing for 2027.
- Cycling / UCI: Attention is building toward the 2026 UCI Road World Championships in Montréal, scheduled for September 21-27. The elite men’s road race is set for September 27, with a deep international field expected.
- Track & Field: World Athletics is preparing for the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, while the 2027 World Championships in Beijing have confirmed September 10-19 dates.
- Volleyball: The United States, Canada and Cuba secured places at the 2027 Volleyball World Cup following the NORCECA Championship, with the U.S. winning its 11th NORCECA title.
- Gymnastics: International attention is turning toward the 2026 junior and World Challenge Cup circuits, including the Junior Acrobatic World Championships in Pesaro, Italy.
- Swimming: The Asian Games are approaching in Nagoya, with young international swimming stars among the athletes attracting attention; South Africa’s Tatjana Smith is also preparing for a competitive return at the country’s short-course championships next week.
- Boxing / MMA: Combat-sports coverage is focused on upcoming UFC activity, reshuffled fight cards and continuing professional boxing events, while the broader 2026 boxing calendar moves toward its autumn schedule.
- Esports: The international esports calendar remains active across global tournament circuits, but today’s strongest verified mainstream storylines are concentrated in traditional team sports, motorsport and international championships.
NFL, MLB, cricket, rugby, NASCAR and world championships dominate September 17, 2026 headlines today
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