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.

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UPCOMING

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CAR--NASCAR-ATLANTA-PREVIEW

DESCRIPTION: After an exhilarating finish to the Daytona 500, the rest of the 2026 NASAR Cup Series season will begin this weekend at Echo Park Speedway, where the most recent winner is home-state favorite Chase Elliott, who is coming off a last-lap heartbreak in the season opener. By Nate Ryan.

UPCOMING: By 02/21/2026 2:28 p.m. EST, Text

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SOC--GERMAN ROUNDUP

DESCRIPTION: Bundesliga leader Bayern Munich hosts Eintracht Frankfurt before second-place Borussia Dortmund visits Leipzig.

UPCOMING: By 02/21/2026 2:30 p.m. EST, Photo, Text

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BKC--ARIZONA-HOUSTON

DESCRIPTION: Arizona plays Houston at Fertitta Center. 300 words.

UPCOMING: By 02/21/2026 3:00 p.m. EST, Text

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SOC--FRENCH ROUNDUP

DESCRIPTION: French league leader Lens hosts Monaco before heavyweight Paris Saint Germain hosts bottom side Metz. Only a point separates the top two. Also, Toulouse welcomes promoted Paris FC.

UPCOMING: By 02/21/2026 5:00 p.m. EST, Photo, Text

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SOC--ITALIAN ROUNDUP

DESCRIPTION: Inter Milan can build a 10-point lead in Serie A if it stretches its winning run in the league to seven games at Lecce, while Juventus hosts Como in a duel with potential Champions League qualification at stake for both. Lazio visits Cagliari for the late game.

UPCOMING: By 02/21/2026 5:00 p.m. EST, Photo, Text

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BKC--MICHIGAN-DUKE

DESCRIPTION: No. 1 Michigan plays No. 3 Duke at Capital One Arena. UPCOMING 300 words, more on merit. With: Sidebar.

NOTE: AP will not be providing live photos of this game given access restrictions imposed by Gazelle Group that conflict with AP standards. AP file photos will be used.

UPCOMING: By 02/21/2026 6:30 p.m. EST, Text

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GLF--GENESIS INVITATIONAL

DESCRIPTION: LOS ANGELES -- Riviera newcomers Jacob Bridgeman and Marco Penge are tied for the lead going into the third round of the Genesis Invitational, with Rory McIlroy one shot behind. By Golf Writer Doug Ferguson. Upcoming: 700 words, photos.

UPCOMING: By 02/21/2026 7:00 p.m. EST, Photo, Text

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BOX--BARRIOS-GARCIA

DESCRIPTION: Mario Barrios defends his WBC welterweight championship against Ryan Garcia. By Mark Anderson. 600 words, photos.

UPCOMING: By 02/21/2026 8:00 p.m. EST, Photo, Text

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BKC--IOWA STATE-BYU

DESCRIPTION: Iowa State plays BYU at Marriott Center. 150 words, more on merit.

UPCOMING: By 02/21/2026 10:30 p.m. EST, Text

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SOC--MLS-INTER MIAMI CF-LOS ANGELES FC

DESCRIPTION: LOS ANGELES — Lionel Messi and Inter Miami open their defense of their MLS Cup championship against Son Heung-min and Los Angeles FC. By Greg Beacham. UPCOMING: 400 words.

UPCOMING: By 02/21/2026 11:45 p.m. EST, Text

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NEW AND DEVELOPING

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BKC--NCAA-INITIAL SEEDS

Michigan, Duke, Arizona, Iowa State headline preliminary seeds from NCAA selection committee

SUMMARY: Michigan is the No. 1 overall seed in the preliminary rankings by the committee that will select the 68-team men’s field for the NCAA Tournament. The Wolverines were joined by Duke, Arizona and Iowa State as the 1-seeds in Saturday’s reveal show on CBS. Michigan is ranked No. 1 in the AP Top 25. Saturday’s reveal is a snapshot of where things stand with a month left until Selection Sunday. Generally the teams listed above the cutline for a top-four regional seed stay there. Selection Sunday is March 15. The Final Four is in Indianapolis.

WORDS: 574 - MOVED: 02/21/2026 1:32 p.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:2fa848fa031255586a66fb1358985da0&mediaType=text

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BBO--DODGERS-OHTANI

Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani set to play a couple of Cactus League games before joining Japan for WBC

SUMMARY: Shohei Ohtani is scheduled to play a couple of Cactus League games for the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers before he departs the desert to join Japan for the World Baseball Classic. He was in the lineup leading off as designated hitter scheduled for two or three at-bats for the club’s spring training opener against the Angels at Tempe Diablo Stadium. In addition, right-hander and reigning World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto was starting on the mound to throw two innings and around 35 pitches.

WORDS: 527 - MOVED: 02/21/2026 1:24 p.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:b8abc77eca69ca9d1e4c9c268d316017&mediaType=text

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SOC--ENGLISH ROUNDUP

Aston Villa and Chelsea drop points in the Premier League after being held to draws

SUMMARY: Aston Villa’s Premier League title challenge was hit after being held to a 1-1 draw at home to relegation-fighting Leeds. It took an 88th-minute equalizer from substitute Tammy Abraham to rescue a point for Villa - but the draw means Unai Emery’s team could be cut further adrift of Arsenal and Manchester City at the top of the standings. Second-place City plays Newcastle in the later kickoff on Saturday and leader Arsenal is at Tottenham on Sunday. Chelsea was also held to a 1-1 draw by Burnley, another team battling for survival.

WORDS: 359 - MOVED: 02/21/2026 12:35 p.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:c6f989648315e24d6d8bb69740d9bb6b&mediaType=text

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BBO--OBIT-BILL MAZEROSKI

Baseball Hall of Famer Bill Mazeroski, known for walk-off home run in 1960 World Series, dies at 89

SUMMARY: Bill Mazeroski, the Hall of Fame second baseman who won eight Gold Glove awards for his steady work in the field and the hearts of countless Pittsburgh Pirates fans for his historic walk-off home run in Game 7 of the 1960 World Series, has died at the age of 89. The Pirates announced his death on Saturday. Pirates owner Bob Nutting said Mazeroski, who died Friday, “was one of a kind, a true Pirates legend.” The Pirates retired Mazeroski’s No. 9 in 1987. The club had a statue of him erected on Bill Mazeroski Way in 2010.

WORDS: 1557 - MOVED: 02/21/2026 12:35 p.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:18831caabd873e4a0c99a014dcffda04&mediaType=text

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GLF--EUROPEAN TOUR-LIV

Jon Rahm rejects European tour compromise for LIV golfers. His Ryder Cup status now in question

SUMMARY: Jon Rahm is not accepting a European tour deal that would allow players to compete on LIV Golf opposite tour events. Rahm’s refusal could keep him out of the Ryder Cup next year. The deal comes with stipulations that LIV players pay outstanding fines, play in designated European tour events and drop appeals. Tyrrell Hatton is among eight players who agreed to the conditions. Noticeably missing was Rahm. He’s a two-time major champion and former world No. 1. The Spaniard also has been adamant that he won’t pay the fines for competing on LIV without a release from the European tour.

WORDS: 744 - MOVED: 02/21/2026 12:16 p.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:dfca0ffbdb613804056f92f0560b256d&mediaType=text

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OLY--US-DOMINANT WOMEN

A record-setting Winter Olympics: 6 golds and 16 medals for the US in women’s events set marks

SUMMARY: Women are powering Team USA’s medal surge at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, and they are setting records along the way. By midday Saturday, they stand at six gold medals and 16 medals in women’s events. That tops past U.S. Winter Games marks. When mixed events are included, the total climbs to 20 medals. More than 40 American women are leaving Italy with at least one medal. Gold moments include women’s hockey over Canada, wins in Alpine skiing, monobob, figure skating, and freestyle moguls. Athletes say the success keeps feeding the next wave.

WORDS: 895 - MOVED: 02/21/2026 12:04 p.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:1937c806002be63c27d54f61808b30e7&mediaType=text

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OLY--HKO-CANADA-CROSBY

Injured Canada captain Sidney Crosby’s status uncertain for the Olympic gold medal game

SUMMARY: Canada has not decided whether injured captain Sidney Crosby will play in the gold medal game at the Olympics against the U.S., coach Jon Cooper said. Crosby skated in practice Saturday, and teammate Nick Suzuki said the 38-year-old center looked good on the ice. Hockey Canada closed practice to reporters to maintain a shroud of secrecy around Crosby, who left the quarterfinal game Wednesday night against Czechia with an apparent right knee injury and did not play against Finland on Friday night in the semifinals. Cooper said Crosby will only play if he can have an impact on the game.

WORDS: 640 - MOVED: 02/21/2026 11:36 a.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:81f559e389e112ccb8d28a02db724a70&mediaType=text

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OLY--FRE-GOEPPER CRASH

Goepper walks away with knee sprain, hurt shin after crash in all-or-nothing Olympic halfpipe gamble

SUMMARY: Team officials say U.S. freeskier Nick Goepper checked out of the hospital with only a knee sprain and a bad shin bruise after a scary fall in the halfpipe finals at the Winter Olympics. The 31-year-old Goepper went flying above the halfpipe and came down on his back before bouncing to the bottom. He stood up and walked gingerly and holding his back. Goepper finished fourth. Gold medalist Alex Ferreira was in awe of the attempt, saying it took real guts for Goepper to try it.

WORDS: 428 - MOVED: 02/21/2026 10:28 a.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:d160cd5582c17346d77b6cde5ee2e29f&mediaType=text

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OLY--XXC-MEN’S-MASS START

Klaebo becomes 1st athlete to win 6 golds at a Winter Games as Norway sweeps 50km mass start

SUMMARY: Norway’s Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo completed his historic gold medal sweep of the men’s cross-country skiing events on Saturday by winning his sixth race and set the record for the most golds by one athlete in a single Winter Olympics. Klaebo’s victory in the 50-kilometer mass start race shattered the nearly 50-year record set by American speed skater Eric Heiden, who won five golds in the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics.

WORDS: 578 - MOVED: 02/21/2026 10:25 a.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:1ff22a6ea924b46a4cb90517f7cf0caf&mediaType=text

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OLY--US-GOLD MEDAL RECORD

US captures a record 11th gold medal at the Winter Olympics

SUMMARY: The U.S. team won its record-breaking 11th gold medal of the Winter Olympics when the trio of Kaila Kuhn, Connor Curran and Chris Lillis took the title in mixed aerials. The 11th gold breaks a record set at the last Olympics on U.S. soil — in Salt Lake City in 2002, an Olympics that has long stood out as a turning point for a Winter-sports program that had struggled for decades. The medal lifted the U.S. to 30 overall for the Olympics. That’s second to Norway, which a day earlier won its 17th gold medal to set a Winter Games record.

WORDS: 429 - MOVED: 02/21/2026 8:09 a.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:0790effb956f009dce0f87acf8f36c83&mediaType=text

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HKO--JAGR-RETIREMENT TALK

Former NHL great Jaromir Jagr talks about retirement in his 38th professional season

SUMMARY: The storied hockey career of Jaromir Jagr might be coming to an end. The former NHL great is currently in his 38th professional season, with his hometown Kladno Knights in the Czech league, and strongly indicated fans might not get to see him on the ice any more. “Probably not,” Jagr said in an interview on Instagram. It wasn’t clear if Jagr will play again this season. The 54-year-old winger has played just six games in the league for Kladno this season. His last game was on December 21. Jagr made his debut for Kladno at 16 and returned to the club in 2018 when the Calgary Flames released him. Jagr praised the “great” hockey at the Milan Cortina Games.

WORDS: 433 - MOVED: 02/21/2026 7:26 a.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:ed3d99bfd40e77d0d45274db694001f7&mediaType=text

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OLY--FRE-BORN IN AMERICA

At halfpipe, neither US-born Olympic favorite competes for America. Eileen Gu takes the heat

SUMMARY: The two best bets to win the gold medal in women’s halfpipe skiing at the Winter Olympics were born in the United States. Zoe Atkin competes for Britain and hardly anyone raises a fuss about it. Eileen Gu competes for China and never hears the end of it. Athletes in freeskiing and snowboarding — two lifestyle sports that champion individuality — spend most of their time traveling the globe caring very little about countries or anthems.

WORDS: 1079 - MOVED: 02/21/2026 6:22 a.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:bf58f6a9dde2b183118df77c9d7bed58&mediaType=text

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OLY--HKO-GAUDREAU TRIBUTE

US pays tribute to the late Johnny Gaudreau and brother Matthew at the Winter Olympics

SUMMARY: The U.S. men’s hockey team will play for gold against Canada and it has honored Johnny Gaudreau’s memory along the way. Gaudreau and his brother Matthew died on Aug. 29, 2024, when an SUV hit them as they rode bikes in New Jersey. Team officials say Johnny would have been on this roster. A blue No. 13 jersey hangs in the locker room beside Matthew’s No. 21. Teammates say it keeps them close.

WORDS: 836 - MOVED: 02/21/2026 6:20 a.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:43c05ba80d4c3f51c4a4b94285c63038&mediaType=text

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SOC--MLS PREVIEW-MESSI

Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami reloads for a run at a second straight MLS title

SUMMARY: Less than three months removed from its first MLS Cup championship, Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami shows no signs of a letdown. The Herons have assembled perhaps the strongest roster in Major League Soccer history heading into a season that begins this weekend and bookends around the biggest event of them all, the World Cup hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada. Messi is coming off his second straight MVP award, the first player in MLS history to accomplish that feat. But he’s hardly going it alone in Miami, which pulled off an impressive reload.

WORDS: 644 - MOVED: 02/21/2026 6:00 a.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:9c2a3e680793ef51f846559effc70350&mediaType=text

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OLY--SPD-SHORT TRACK-SELLIER CRASH

Poland’s Kamila Sellier stretchered off after opponent’s blade slices above her eye in Olympic 1500

SUMMARY: Polish short-track skater Kamila Sellier suffered a scary cut above her left eye after another skater’s blade hit her in the 1,500 meters at the Milan Cortina Olympics. On Friday night, medics put her on a stretcher and wheeled her out as officials stopped the race. A sheet blocked the scene from the crowd and workers cleaned blood from the ice. Sellier gave a thumbs-up as she left. The crash also brought down Italy’s Ariana Fontana and American Kristen Santos-Griswold. Officials penalized Santos-Griswold for an illegal lane pass. Fontana was able to recover and finish second as she tries to win a record 15th medal at a Winter Games.

WORDS: 301 - MOVED: 02/21/2026 5:13 a.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:dc855ae461bcf661a0748642fa80e338&mediaType=text

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GLF--LPGA THAILAND

Top-ranked Jeeno Thitikul takes 3rd-round lead at her home LPGA Thailand tournament

SUMMARY: World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul has birdied her final three holes for a 6-under 66 and a two-stroke lead going into the final round of her home LPGA Thailand tournament. Thitikul made a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-3 16th to break away from a four-way tie for the lead Saturday, then saw her eagle chip just slide past the hole on 18 before tapping in for a birdie. Thitikul had a 54-hole total of 20-under 196 at the Siam Country Club Old Course.

WORDS: 417 - MOVED: 02/21/2026 4:41 a.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:64b2fa7c29902542b28bea5783f4ca61&mediaType=text

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MOVING TOMORROW ___

—Olympics coverage

—CAR--NASCAR-Atlanta

—BOX--Shields-Crews-Dezurn