Here are the AP’s top sports stories that have moved or are planned to move today. All times U.S. Eastern. For up-to-the minute information on AP’s coverage, visit AP Newsroom’s Coverage Plan. Sports content can be found at http://newsroom.ap.org/page/APSports.
For access to AP Newsroom and other technical issues, including agate, contact AP Customer Support at apcustomersupport@ap.org or 877-836-9477.
The New York sports desk can be reached at 800-845-8450, ext. 1630. Sports photos, ext. 1918; graphics, ext. 7636.
——————————
UPCOMING
——————————
BKL--WNBA FINALS COVERAGE
DESCRIPTION: Coverage of the WNBA Finals
FORMATS: FilePhoto, Text
1. WITH: BKL--WNBA FINALS-GAME 7
2. DESCRIPTION: There should be no problem with the Golden State Valkyries and Atlanta Dream approaching the first WNBA Finals Game 7 in league history on Saturday night with a sense of urgency. Then again, that’s what Golden State coach Natalie Nakase thought about Game 6 before her team showed a lack of defensive intensity at the start of the game. By Charles Odum. 700 words, photos
3. SENT: By 10/30/2026 2:00 p.m. EDT
4. WITH: BKL--WNBA FINALS COVERAGE
5. UPCOMING: By 10/30/2026 6:00 p.m. EDT
___
SOC EUROPEAN ROUNDUP
DESCRIPTION: Paris Saint-Germain visits Le Havre in the French league as Nice hosts Rennes in a game moved from Saturday because of expected protests. Villarreal faces Espanyol in Spain and Elversberg hosts Mainz in Germany.
UPCOMING: By 10/30/2026 5:00 p.m. EDT, Photo, Text
___
RAC--BREEDERS CUP
DESCRIPTION: Coverage of the Breeders Cup. at Keeneland in Lexington, Kentuckey
UPCOMING: By 10/30/2026 5:00 p.m. EDT, Text
___
CAR F1 MEXICAN GP PREVIEW
DESCRIPTION: A look ahead to the Mexico City Grand Prix, the 19th round of the 2026 season. Includes coverage of both Friday practice sessions. A look ahead to the Mexican Grand Prix, the 19th round of the 2026 season. Includes coverage of both Friday practice sessions.
SENT: UPDATES UPCOMING: By 10/30/2026 6:00 p.m. EDT, Photo, Text
___
FBN--BEARS-SIMMONS
DESCRIPTION: Story on the Chicago Bears and their new defensive tackle, Jeffery Simmons. The Chicago Bears practice a day after acquiring All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons in a trade with the Tennessee Titans. Simmons could make his Bears debut on Monday night at Seattle. By Jay Cohen.
UPCOMING: By 10/30/2026 7:00 p.m. EDT, Text
___
FBC--BAYLOR-UCF
DESCRIPTION: Baylor plays UCF at Acrisure Bounce House. By Alanis Thames. Baylor plays UCF at Acrisure Bounce House. By Alanis Thames. 500 words, more on merit.
UPCOMING: By 10/30/2026 7:30 p.m. EDT, Text
___
BKN--KNICKS-76ERS
DESCRIPTION: The New York Knicks visit the Philadelphia 76ers. By Dan Gelston. The New York Knicks visit the Philadelphia 76ers. 150 words, more on merit.
UPCOMING: By 10/30/2026 9:45 p.m. EDT, Photo, Text
___
——————————
NEW AND DEVELOPING
——————————
BKL--WNBA FINALS-GAME 7
Nakase and Valkyries are determined to avoid another slow start in WNBA Finals Game 7 against Dream
SUMMARY: There should be no problem with the Golden State Valkyries and Atlanta Dream approaching the first WNBA Finals Game 7 in league history with a sense of urgency. Then again, that’s what Golden State coach Natalie Nakase thought about Game 6. She was baffled that her team somehow left behind its defensive intensity at the start of Thursday’s 80-69 loss to the Dream that forced Game 7 at “Ballhalla” in San Francisco on Saturday night. Nakase was still struggling to comprehend the lackadaisical start so she could make sure it’s not repeated in Saturday night’s decisive game.
WORDS: 814 - MOVED: 10/30/2026 1:18 p.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:b13414c6c6e55b570aaec8470207657f&mediaType=text
___
BKC--T25-FLORIDA’S OPENER
No. 1 Florida returns to Tampa with feelings that are ‘still deep in our hearts’ from NCAA stunner
SUMMARY: Florida coach Todd Golden never really planned to open the season in Tampa, the site of one of the most painful NCAA Tournament losses in program history. It just sort of worked out that way. Nonetheless, facing No. 14 Miami at Benchmark International Arena on Monday should provide the top-ranked Gators a chance to purge eight months of bitterness. Winning a second national title in three years would be the ultimate atonement for a stunning loss to ninth-seeded Iowa in March that wiped out any shot at winning back-to-back championships. For now, though, Florida will use a return to Tampa as motivation while essentially trying to pick up where it left off last season.
WORDS: 628 - MOVED: 10/30/2026 1:07 p.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:7b61b3aee5dbd3771bab7035bfc73461&mediaType=text
___
BBO--BREWERS-PARADE
Brewers fans flood Milwaukee streets for a long-awaited World Series victory parade
SUMMARY: Tens of thousands of exuberant Brewers fans flooded the streets, watched from parking garages and cheered from office building windows in downtown Milwaukee to celebrate the franchise’s first World Series title. The small-market Brewers gave their long-suffering fans the championship they had been waiting for with a 4-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday, clinching the Series in five games. It was their first time playing in the Fall Classic in 44 years. Players on buses chugged cans of Miller Lite beer, walked the parade route high-fiving fans and hoisted the Commissioner’s Trophy as the cheers echoed through the streets.
WORDS: 851 - MOVED: 10/30/2026 1:01 p.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:5e52aaf8a53c2a23ead8f0902c764f73&mediaType=text
___
BKW--T25-USC-JUJU’S BACK
JuJu Watkins returns from an ACL tear as USC eyes its first title since 1984
SUMMARY: JuJu Watkins is returning to college basketball after missing last season due to an ACL tear. The star guard, who averaged 25.6 points in her first two seasons for Southern California, joins a talented team aiming for their first national championship since 1984. Watkins will play alongside Big Ten Freshman of the Year Jazzy Davidson, who averaged 17.9 points last season. The Trojans open the season Monday in Las Vegas against UNLV. Their schedule includes games against top-ranked South Carolina, Notre Dame, and Duke. Associate head coach Beth Burns says the team is ready to face tough challenges.
WORDS: 773 - MOVED: 10/30/2026 12:43 p.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:3d6102530a31f850115768465c4bbcef&mediaType=text
___
FBO--WOMEN’S FLAG FOOTBALL
Women’s flag football taking flight as pro leagues and series spring up with Olympics debut ahead
SUMMARY: Izzy Geraci left her job at the family’s jewelry store to pursue Olympic gold in women’s flag football. Geraci has sponsorships with Red Bull and Under Armour, highlighting the sport’s expanding opportunities. The sport is growing rapidly, offering pathways for making money, paying for college or simply enjoying camaraderie. Flag football will debut at the 2028 LA Olympics, and participation has surged. The Olympics have boosted the sport’s legitimacy, with professional leagues and even more global tournaments emerging. Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has called for more funding for the U.S. women’s team.
WORDS: 1098 - MOVED: 10/30/2026 12:30 p.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:19b29c19f7c0bb9ff7251cc2a65071c1&mediaType=text
___
HKO--RUSSIA-IIHF
Russia is back in the ice hockey world championships after sports court ruling
SUMMARY: The Court of Arbitration for Sport has ruled that Russia teams must be allowed to play International Ice Hockey Federation events such as the world championships. CAS has overturned IIHF decisions which excluded Russia from events in the 2026-27 season including the men’s and women’s world championships. In a brief statement CAS cites a lack of sufficient evidence to support the IIHF’s security concerns. The IIHF has barred Russian teams from its world championships since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Russia also missed the Olympic hockey tournaments this year.
WORDS: 1191 - MOVED: 10/30/2026 12:19 p.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:38f433379acdfc0172f778e6b85d76e4&mediaType=text
___
BKN--HEAT-WADE STATUE
Heat unveil an updated Wade statue, after original was widely panned for not looking like him
SUMMARY: Dwyane Wade has a new face — on his statue. After criticism started coming in waves immediately after the statue outside the arena where the Miami Heat play was unveiled in Wade’s honor two years ago, it was revealed Friday that the head of the piece has been redesigned. The original statue was widely panned because the face bore almost no resemblance to Wade, who spent the majority of his Basketball Hall of Fame career starring for the Heat and was a major part of Miami’s three NBA championship teams.
WORDS: 450 - MOVED: 10/30/2026 11:59 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:bdc654d141dac4f3a9eb49763fa01cb6&mediaType=text
___
FBN--PANTHERS-EVERO
Panthers fire defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero following 27-19 loss to the Packers
SUMMARY: The Carolina Panthers fired defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and defensive passing game coordinator Jonathan Cooley on Friday following the team’s 27-19 loss to the Green Bay Packers. Evero is the first NFL coordinator fired the season. Carolina entered the week ranked 22nd in overall defense and last in the league against the run. Defensive line coach Todd Wash has been named interim defensive coordinator and will call the defensive plays, according to the Panthers.
WORDS: 440 - MOVED: 10/30/2026 11:38 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:910010438f9575aa32fe6b59dde1e916&mediaType=text
___
ATH--NYC MARATHON PREVIEW
From 2,000 runners to 60,000: The 5-borough New York City Marathon at 50
SUMMARY: Fifty years ago, the New York City Marathon ran through all five boroughs of the city for the first time. There were just over 2,000 competitors in that seventh running of the race, including only 88 women. Now about 60,000 runners will step up to the starting line Sunday with nearly half of them women. Bill Rodgers, a year after winning the Boston Marathon for the first time, won in the debut of the five-borough course and is the only man to win the event four times, from 1976-79. Rodgers says “it was so different as we were used to running in Central Park.”
WORDS: 671 - MOVED: 10/30/2026 11:09 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:52babd15a3b41c862c4b11c3f7750064&mediaType=text
___
REL-BKO--ROME TIP-OFF-TEAM CHAPLAINS
It’s much more than just a hoop and a prayer for Notre Dame and Villanova team chaplains in Rome
SUMMARY: It’s much more than just a hoop and a prayer for the Notre Dame and Villanova team chaplains at the college basketball season opener in Rome. The doubleheader on Sunday featuring men’s and women’s games between the two Catholic universities will be preceded by a private audience with Pope Leo XIV on Saturday. The Rev. Pete McCormick is the Notre Dame team chaplain and also a basketball fanatic. The Rev. Rob Hagan is the Villanova team chaplain and was formerly a criminal defense lawyer. McCormick says of the Notre Dame players “if all they do is win a game and miss everything else, then so much will have been missed.”
WORDS: 1463 - MOVED: 10/30/2026 10:38 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:bbf9961b0aedbf09cbd8815db587bf0f&mediaType=text
___
BKC--VILLANOVA-THE ITALIAN WEMBY
Meet the Italian Wemby: Villanova freshman Luigi Suigo faces tall task of living up to early hype
SUMMARY: Villanova freshman Luigi Suigo, nicknamed the “Italian Wemby,” wants to clarify he never compared himself to Victor Wembanyama. Suigo, a 7-foot-3 Italian center, says it’s an honor to be called that, but he’s not like Wembanyama yet. Villanova hopes Suigo can help them regain their championship status. He’s set to debut against Notre Dame on Sunday in Rome. Suigo, who played in Serbia last season, aims to improve his game and become a lottery pick in the NBA draft. He compares his style more to Giannis Antetokounmpo and hopes to showcase his skills this season.
WORDS: 982 - MOVED: 10/30/2026 6:10 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:7ddf4316c4e264c58d5783bc3928819a&mediaType=text
___
BKN--NBA CUP-PREVIEW
The 4th edition of the NBA Cup opens on Friday, with all 30 teams in mix to chase a trophy
SUMMARY: This season’s NBA Cup tournament begins Friday, kicking off the start of the fourth in-season competition that features some wild court designs and gives all 30 teams the chance to compete for a trophy. It also offers a payday: Each player on the NBA Cup championship-winning team will collect $604,985, with $241,994 going to those on the runner-up squad, $120,997 to the players on the clubs that fall in the semifinals and $60,499 to those whose teams lose in the quarterfinals. The format has teams split up into six groups, with five teams apiece. From there, a single-elimination, eight-team tournament commences.
WORDS: 1014 - MOVED: 10/30/2026 6:00 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:603d61e97d94e60298a19795e63ef603&mediaType=text
___
FBN--ON FOOTBALL-SELLERS
As NFL trade deadline nears, several teams are clear sellers and others have 2 weeks to decide
SUMMARY: Jeffery Simmons, Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner have already been traded. More players will be on the move soon. With the NFL trade deadline approaching on Nov. 10, several teams still have to determine whether they will be buyers or sellers. The Titans and Colts already made their intentions clear. And, they may not be done yet. Tennessee got first-round picks in 2027 and in 2028 along with a 2027 fourth from Chicago for All-Pro defensive tackle Simmons and a 2028 fifth-round pick. Running back Tony Pollard, safety Amani Hooker and edge rusher Jermain Johnson could be next to go.
WORDS: 886 - MOVED: 10/30/2026 6:00 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:25cb37cb5b3773543697a15dd7465b8a&mediaType=text
___
CAR--F1-MEXICO CITY GP PREVIEW
Ailing Kimi Antonelli nears F1 title in Mexico and will make history as youngest champion
WORDS: 744 - MOVED: 10/30/2026 5:26 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:afbc2fc6580606c44bda6373b4957429&mediaType=text
——————————
MOVING TOMORROW
——————————
FBC--T25-MIAMI-NORTH CAROLINA
Top-ranked Miami looks to stay unbeaten on Saturday night when it visits North Carolina. By Aaron Beard.
___
BKL--WNBA FINALS
Coverage of the WNBA finals.
___
VATICAN POPE VILLANOVA
Pope Leo XIV holds a private audience with basketball teams from his alma mater Villanova and fellow Catholic university Notre Dame plus thousands of traveling American fans.
___
