Todays Sporting News – 9 October 2025

• Ronaldo Becomes First Football Billionaire With Big Saudi Contract: The Portuguese national is in the twilight of his playing career but his contract at Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr has propelled him into a select group of the very wealthiest athletes.
• Beth Mooney’s first ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup century rescued Australia en route to a 107-run win over Pakistan. Mooney batted Australia out of a hole having been reduced to 76 for seven in the 22nd over and she was ably supported by Alana King.
• Defending champions, DHL Western Province delivered a masterclass of rugby at Queens High School in Johannesburg with their 57-7 win over Border confirming their place in the final of the SA Rugby U20 Women’s Week on Friday where they will face the Blue Bulls. The Pretoria outfit made it to the final courtesy of a hard-fought 20-7 win over tournament hosts, the Golden Lions.
• South Africa, current World Test Championship holders, will begin the defence of their crown with a spin challenge in Pakistan.
• Egypt easily qualified for the 2026 World Cup with a 3-0 win over Djibouti on Wednesday, becoming the third African side to book their place. Mohamed Salah netted twice after Ibrahim Adel opened the scoring.
• Cristiano Ronaldo has become the first footballer to reach billionaire status, according to the latest Bloomberg Billionaires Index, which has valued the Portugal great’s net worth at an estimated $1.4-billion.
• The WPL Mega Auction will occur at the end of November.
• The County Championship will give up on its Kookaburra experiment.
• Dilip Vengsarkar will get a statue at Wankhede.
• The Irish tour of Sri Lanka is postponed, a second tour cancellation in 2025.
• Dhaka Cricket Clubs have called the BCB elections “illegal” & want a boycott.
• Beth Mooney produced a match-winning century to help Australia secure a 107-run victory over Pakistan at the Women’s World Cup in Colombo.
• The Diamonds have won their international netball series against South Africa with a dominant 67-40 win in Wollongong, sealing a 2-0 lead with one match still to play.
• Former UFC fighter and MMA coach Suman Mokhtarian has been shot dead in what police believe was a targeted attack in Sydney’s west.
• Former AFL player Shannon Cox has been sentenced to more than 10 years in prison after killing two elderly women in a head-on crash north of Perth with meth in his system.
• Australia’s Alex de Minaur has reached another career high, recording his 50th win of the year to advance to the quarter-finals of the Shanghai Masters, marking his most successful season yet.
• The International Cricket Council (ICC) has introduced the first-ever ICC Women’s Cricket Week, a global celebration of women’s cricket set to run from 16 to 22 October, aligning with the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025.
• Football – The Manchester United captain, Maya Le Tissier (above, centre), scored a first-half penalty to secure a 1-0 win against Vålerenga in their Women’s Champions League main-draw debut.
• Cricket – Watford have sacked their manager Paulo Pezzolano after only five months and 10 games in charge, with their former manager Javi Gracia confirmed as his replacement. The Uruguayan was summoned to a meeting at which he became the 11th manager Watford have sacked since the start of 2020.
• Formula One – Carlos Sainz believes Formula One is “going overboard” by placing too much focus on the reactions of drivers’ girlfriends and celebrities during live broadcasts, obscuring the drama of grand prix racing.
• Walker Bay and Kwaru will make history at Alberton Rugby Club south of Johannesburg on Friday when they face off in the Premier Division final of the inaugural Betway Women’s Club Championship. The main match, between the Boland and Eastern Province champions, will be preceded by the First Division final, to be contested between Potchefstroom Dorp and Titans.
• The 2025 MacArthur Foundation’s “genius grant” recipients announced; each of this year’s 22 winners gets a no-strings-attached $800K award.
• Two of India’s marquee round-robin matches at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 have officially sold out, underlining the surging interest in women’s cricket and the success of the ICC’s fan-first pricing strategy. All available tickets for the India vs Australia clash in Visakhapatnam on 12 October and the India vs England match in Indore on 19 October have been snapped up by fans. In total, 15,087 tickets were sold for the Australia fixture and 17,859 for the England encounter, both now listed as sold out.
• Level the playing field: Sky is calling for national action to close the gender gap in sport, saying it has bigger impacts through life.
• Scotland international Dylan Richardson will make his Edinburgh Rugby debut tomorrow night, stepping straight into the starting XV at openside flanker for the BKT URC clash against Munster at Virgin Media Park (10 October, kick-off 7.45pm) – live on Premier Sports.
• Adrian Kempe and Trevor Moore scored during the shootout and the Kings spoiled Pavel Dorofeyev’s hat trick and Mitch Marner’s debut in a Vegas uniform with a 6-5 win over the Golden Knights on Wednesday night.
• Jeremy Ebobisse scored in the 13th minute, substitute Frankie Amaya added a second-half goal, and LAFC beat Toronto 2-0 on Wednesday night for its sixth straight victory.
• The Canada Super 60 2025 has launched as a thrilling new T10-format cricket festival, showcasing international stars and domestic talent in a high-speed, action-packed tournament. Played entirely indoors at BC Place Stadium, Vancouver, this event signals a major milestone in the evolution of North American cricket.
• India’s recent squad announcement for the ODI series against Australia has sparked widespread discussion, particularly surrounding the absence of veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. Despite being fit and available, Jadeja’s exclusion from the 15-member team has raised eyebrows – and Ravichandran Ashwin’s candid take has added further fuel to the debate.
• Karnataka have finalized their 15-member squad for the highly anticipated Ranji Trophy 2025 season, with experienced batter Mayank Agarwal appointed as captain for another term. The squad features the notable return of Karun Nair, who rejoins his home side after a successful stint with Vidarbha, further fuelling the team’s ambitions.
• Australian speedster Mitchell Starc is officially returning to the Big Bash League (BBL) for its 14th season, reuniting with his original franchise, Sydney Sixers, after more than a decade. The announcement marks one of the most exciting developments ahead of BBL 15, as Starc rejoins the team.
• India Women will face South Africa Women in a much-anticipated league-stage encounter of the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 at the ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Thursday. The hosts, unbeaten in the competition so far, will be eyeing a third consecutive win to solidify their position at the top.
• Indian pacer Mohammed Shami has finally addressed his omission from India’s ODI and T20I squads for the upcoming Australia tour, saying that his non-selection was purely the decision of the selectors, coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill.
• Jhye Richardson believes he could play Test cricket this summer if needed having progressed to bowling off his full run coming off shoulder surgery.
• Afghanistan began their home series in style with a clinical five-wicket win over Bangladesh in the opening ODI of the Afghanistan vs Bangladesh in UAE 2025 series at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi.
• India leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has finally responded to the explosive cheating accusations made by his ex-wife and popular choreographer Dhanashree Verma. The controversy took center stage after a recent episode of the reality show Rise & Fall, where Dhanashree alleged that she ‘caught’ Chahal cheating just two months into their marriage.
• West Indies legend Brian Lara lauded Indian batting sensation Abhishek Sharma, praising his determination to represent India in the Test arena despite being one of the most destructive batters in T20 cricket. Lara spoke highly of the youngster during an interaction with the media at the CEAT Cricket Ratings event.
• French ocean racer Charlie Dalin has revealed that he was diagnosed with cancer in 2023, and completed – and won – the grueling 2024-25 Vendée Globe while continuing treatment for the illness.
• The 2.4mR Inclusive World Championship has officially begun in Malcesine, marking the start of the first-ever Inclusive Sailing World Championship.
• Vilamoura Sailing, in partnership with Marina de Vilamoura and the International ILCA Class Association, will host the ILCA LA28 Olympic Format Test Event from 7 to 12 October 2025 in Vilamoura, Portugal.
• Day one of the Freestyle Pro Tour Geneva opened under calm skies and even calmer winds — the perfect setup for a chilled out morning morning of registration, equipment stickers, photos, and the usual pre-event logistics.
• The Maritime College sailing team fielded two full squads at the Hewitt Trophy, hosted by Bowdoin College, on Oct. 4-5.
• The 2.4mR Inclusive World Championship has officially begun in Malcesine, marking the start of the first-ever Inclusive Sailing World Championship. Until October 12, Paralympic & able-bodied athletes will compete side by side on the waters of Lake Garda.
• A gap of only 33 minutes at the Equator between BELGIUM OCEAN RACING-CURIUM in the lead and CREDIT MUTUEL this Wednesday, October 8, late morning, with 16 leadership changes between four Class40s since the start in Mindelo.
• With the opening of Barcolana Village along the Rive and the new Village in Borgo Cavana, Barcolana57 presented by Generali enters its full swing: the great sailing festival illuminates Trieste with hundreds of events, exhibitions, meetings and shows.
• In another close-run edition, the 2025 IMA Mediterranean Maxi Inshore Challenge (MMIC) concluded with last week’s Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez and was won by David M Leuschen and Chris Flowers’ 100ft Galateia.
• The Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron held its 6th annual Ladies of the Sea Coaching Regatta over the October long weekend, welcoming more than 130 participants from 23 clubs across Australia.
• In the build up the 44th Hamble Winter Series, all eyes were focused on the Grib files to see how Storm Amy would affect the proceedings. Try as they might, the Race Team could not find a forecast that would allow racing on Saturday 4th October.
• Winter sailing is back, and this year Hayling Island Sailing Club is opening its doors to non-members for an unmissable series of racing weekends.
• FPT Geneva is right around the corner, kicking off October 8th! Once again, the world’s best freestylers have gathered for the first half of the Freestyle Pro Tour’s two-stop finale.
• For the very first time, the world’s most prestigious Swan One Design event, The Nations Trophy, will be held in Saint-Tropez, with the support of the City of Saint-Tropez and the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez.
• Despite the biblical forecast as Storm Amy rolled inexorably across the country on Saturday, 26 Mirrors weren’t deterred from entering their Inland Championship at Chew Valley Lake Sailing Club.
• From winging in Tarifa to F50 racing in Cádiz, some of the world’s best female foilers came together as Armstrong riders and SailGP sailors spent a few unforgettable days learning from each other and witnessing foiling at its highest level.
• Sharks coach John Plumtree says Ethan Hooker will return to the midfield once he’s further developed his game. The 22-year-old made a big impact for the Springboks on the left wing during the Rugby Championship and will wear the No 14 jersey for the Sharks in Saturday’s Vodacom URC match against Leinster in Dublin.
• Four returning Springboks have been included in the Sharks match 23 for Saturday’s Vodacom URC clash with Leinster in Dublin. Makazole Mapimpi and Ethan Hooker will start on the wings, while prop Vincent Koch and hooker Bongi Mbonambi add firepower off the bench.
• Scotland and Glasgow Warriors No 8 Jack Dempsey believes the Six Nations is tougher to win than the World Cup. And he’s using the Springboks’ recent dominance to back up his claim.
• South Africa’s Vodacom URC franchises have voiced growing concern about the proposed R360 competition. The franchises believe the breakaway tournament could disrupt squad stability, undermine existing structures and tempt top players away with big-money offers.
• Jake White has urged rugby bosses to protect its traditions amid sweeping global change. In his RugbyPass column, White praised the Springboks for making history in the Rugby Championship while warning the sport’s decision-makers not to destroy rugby’s traditional competitions in the rush to modernise.
• Laurie Mains says the All Blacks are not far behind back-to-back World Cup and Rugby Championship winners the Springboks.
• Coach Dwayne Peel says the Scarlets are doing everything possible to hold onto in-form Springbok hooker Marnus van der Merwe.
• Wallabies flyhalf James O’Connor admits he has come close to walking away from rugby several times during his turbulent career.
• Gloucester are being “tested” early this Prem season due to numerous injuries in the squad, says director of rugby George Skivington.
• Johnny Williams signed a new Scarlets contract to chase Wales caps despite the temptation to leave due to international frustration.
• Vodacom Bulls captain Johan Grobbelaar says Handré Pollard’s arrival has lifted the squad ahead of Saturday’s URC clash with Ulster.
• The Stormers can expect a fired-up Scarlets team in Llanelli on Friday night. The Welsh club has had a frustrating fortnight – starting the Vodacom URC season with a 34-21 defeat to Munster before their round-two clash against Connacht was postponed due to Storm Amy.
• England and Sale flanker Ben Curry may undergo surgery again on his hamstring, says club director of rugby Alex Sanderson.
• Ulster have been handed a timely boost ahead of their Vodacom URC match against the Bulls in Belfast on Saturday. Ireland internationals Robert Baloucoune and Eric O’Sullivan have both been cleared to return.
• Scottish Rugby has appointed Andy Rhys Jones as its first Head of Women’s Performance and Pathways. In this newly created position, Andy will lead the strategic growth and development of Scotland’s women’s player pathways; National Age Grade teams, and the Women’s Senior National Team.
• Joe Joyce is living proof that you really can teach an old dog new tricks. The Connacht Rugby second row has been a pro for more than a decade now, having moved to the west of Ireland in 2023 after some nine years with his home-town club, Bristol.
• For Hollywoodbets Sharks captain Vincent Tshituka, the honour of the leadership role he has been entrusted with comes with both responsibility and expectation. It is not a role he takes lightly, but certainly one he embraces for the opportunity to develop as a rugby player.
• Springbok scrumhalf Morne van den Berg could be thrust straight into the Lions lineup for their Vodacom URC clash against Benetton in Treviso on Saturday. Lions assistant coach Barend Pieterse confirmed that Van den Berg joined the squad in Italy on Tuesday.
• Retired England stars Ben Youngs and Dan Cole have praised the Springboks’ physical dominance at scrum time.
• Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend’s new advisory role with Red Bull is an unwelcome distraction heading into a crucial period for the national team, according to former Scotland Sevens captain Colin Gregor.
• Former Wallabies scrumhalf Nick Phipps believes the Springboks’ Rugby Championship triumph marks a key turning point in their quest for a historic third straight World Cup title.
• Vodacom Bulls coach Johan Ackermann is playing a vital role in guiding JJ Theron and Cheswill Jooste’s transition from the Junior Springboks to the URC. Ackermann, who served as a consultant during the Junior Boks’ triumphant World Rugby U20 Championship campaign earlier this year, has brought both youngsters into his Bulls setup for the start of the new Vodacom URC season.
• The fate of the professional game in Wales will ultimately be decided by the 12 people on the Welsh Rugby Union board.
• New Zealand rugby is facing serious questions after the country’s schools side conceded 136 points in two crushing defeats to Australia U18 in Canberra.
• Scarlets are in talks with in-demand South Africa hooker Marnus van der Merwe about a new contract.
• The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) today expressed its gratitude to the Irish Government for the additional funding allocated to rugby in Budget 2026.
• Connacht and Ireland Under-20 back rower Jemima Adams Verling got off to a blistering start in Galwegians colours, scoring four tries against Wicklow in the Energia All-Ireland League’s second round.
• David Wilkinson’s accuracy from the kicking tee has been a key factor in Old Belvedere’s excellent start to the season. He is the leading points scorer in Energia All-Ireland League Men’s Division 1A after the opening two rounds.
• MU Barnhall, Dungannon, and Old Crescent maintained their winning form in Energia All-Ireland League Men’s Division 2A on Saturday. Elsewhere, Ballymena and a Louis McDonough-inspired Wanderers recorded their opening victories.
• The Ireland U18 Clubs Squad, sponsored by PwC, has been named for the upcoming trip to Italy. The squad, drawn from clubs across all four Provinces as well as the IQ Rugby pathway, will assemble at Clongowes Wood College on October 27th, before travelling to Cosenza, Italy, to face their Italian counterparts on Saturday, 1 November.
• The Aviva Stadium Board today announce that David French will depart his role as CEO of Aviva Stadium at the end of the year, having accepted a new position within the sports industry.
• Both Kick Sauber drivers had contact with other cars in the Singapore Grand Prix and neither Nico Hulkenberg nor Gabriel Bortoleto managed to score points – though Hulkenberg isn’t convinced they had to pace to trouble the top 10 even if they’d had a clean race.
• Producer, writer and host Amelia Dimoldenberg’s Dimz Inc., alongside F1, is launching a brand-new YouTube original four-part weekly series titled ‘Passenger Princess’, premiering on October 15.
• With 16 Drivers’ and Teams’ World Championships combined, Williams are the third most successful team in Formula 1 history – behind Ferrari and McLaren. But they haven’t won a title since 1997, and it has been 13 years since they last took a race victory, so Team Principal James Vowles is on a mission to bring the glory days back to the Grove-based outfit.
• Pierre Gasly was frank in his assessment of how the Singapore Grand Prix went for Alpine, with the Frenchman coming home near the back of the pack in 19th place. With Franco Colapinto only 16th, this was the fifth race weekend in a row Alpine have not managed to score with either car.
• The Singapore Grand prix did not go to plan for Racing Bulls, who had both cars finish outside the points despite at times showing enough pace to mix with the top teams in practice and Qualifying. Isack Hadjar was forced to nurse an engine issue on his way to a P11 finish, while Liam Lawson finished down in 15th.
• Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur admits that “we didn’t extract the best from the car” during the Singapore Grand Prix on what was a “mega frustrating” weekend for the Scuderia.
• Yuki Tsunoda was left crestfallen in the wake of the Singapore Grand Prix as the Japanese racer failed to score points under the lights at Marina Bay. Much of that was to do with his start, which he called “the worst” of his racing career.
• There were contrasting emotions in the Haas garage at the end of a Singapore Grand Prix that saw Ollie Bearman score points for the American outfit with his ninth place finish. But team mate Esteban Ocon endured a frustrating race, the Frenchman having started down the back of the field following a poor Qualifying.
• Sarina Wiegman names her England squad next week – has she been left with no choice but to start Maya Le Tissier?
• Thomas Tuchel believes England will go into the World Cup as “underdogs” and says they have “no chance” of succeeding unless the team unite.
• Bruno Fernandes wants to stay at Manchester United, Harry Maguire is hoping to earn a new deal with the Red Devils and Bernardo Silva is ready to leave Manchester City.
• “Questions will be asked” of Sonia Bompastor following Chelsea’s underwhelming Women’s Champions League draw with Twente, says ex-England forward Lianne Sanderson.
• Chelsea forward Cole Palmer is expected to be out of action until November following a club meeting about his persistent groin injury.
• Glasgow City must come from behind if they are to progress to the last 16 of the inaugural Women’s Europa Cup after a 2-1 defeat by Koge in Denmark.
• The league stage match between defending champions Australia and Sri Lanka at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 was abandoned without a ball bowled at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
• At just 22, Lythe Pillay is already a two-time Olympian and one of the country’s most promising 400-metre runners.
• The City of Tshwane’s oldest Olympic-sized swimming pool has reopened after being closed last October.

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY:

1943 — Bob Hoernschemeyer throws six touchdown passes, an NCAA record for a freshman, to lead Indiana past Nebraska 54-13.

1965 — The United States wins the Ryder Cup 19½-12½ at the Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England. Arnold Palmer clinches the title, beating Peter Butler 2 up. It’s the 13th victory for the Americans in this event, which began in 1927. Britain, a three-time winner, last won in 1957.

1974 — The Washington Capitals lose their first NHL game, 6-3 to the Rangers at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

1982 — Al Del Greco kicks six field goals for all of Auburn’s points in an 18-3 triumph over Kentucky.

1983 — Buffalo’s Joe Ferguson passes for 419 yards and five touchdowns in an 38-35 overtime win against Miami. Uwe Von Schamann of the Dolphins misses two field goals in the overtime and Joe Danelo ends the game with a 36-yard field goal.

1991 — The San Jose Sharks gain their first NHL victory, defeating the Calgary Flames 4-3.

1993 — Minnesota’s Scott Eckers passes for 402 yards and a school-record six touchdowns in his first college start, sending the Gophers past Purdue 59-56.

1993 — Carey Bender rushes 33 times for 417 yards, setting an NCAA all-division single-game rushing record, in Coe’s 69-7 Division III victory over Grinnell.

2004 — Texas Tech beats Nebraska 70-10, the worst lost in the Cornhuskers’ storied 114-year history.

2004 — Texas loses to Oklahoma 12-0, getting shut out for the first time in 282 games and ending the longest streak in the country.

2005 — Chris Burke hits a home run in the bottom of the 18th inning and Roger Clemens pitches three scoreless innings of relief in Houston’s 7-6, series-ending victory over Atlanta in the NLDS. The longest postseason game in history takes 5 hours, 50 minutes.

2010 — Mike Brinkley passes for six touchdowns and Armond Smith runs for five scores to lead Union (Ky.) to an 84-55 victory over Bethel (Tenn.) in an NAIA game.

2010 — Derek Stepan becomes the fourth player to score three times in his NHL debut to lead the New York Rangers to a season-opening 6-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres.

2011 — Sebastian Janikowski kicks four field goals, including three from at least 50 yards (54, 55, 50), in Oakland’s 25-20 win over Houston. Houston’s Matt Schaub throws for 416 yards and two touchdowns.

2011 — The NHL returns to Winnipeg, but Carey Price stops 30 shots and the Montreal Canadiens dampen a city celebration with a 5-1 victory over the Jets.

2015 — Sepp Blatter, hoping to return to power as FIFA president, is banned for 90 days, essentially ending his 17-year reign as the leader of soccer’s governing body. UEFA President Michel Platini also gets a 90-day ban following an investigation of financial misconduct at FIFA in a Swiss criminal case.

2016 — Tom Brady returns from his four-game “Deflategate” suspension, passing for 406 yards and three touchdowns to Martellus Bennett in the New England Patriots’ 33-13 victory over the Cleveland Browns.

2022 — Dutch Red Bull driver Max Verstappen secures his second consecutive World F1 Drivers C’ship after finishing in front of Sergio Pérez and Charles Leclerc in the Japanese GP at Suzuka.

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY:

1928 — World Series: NY Yankees beat St. Louis Cardinals, 7-3 at Sportsman’s Park to become first to sweep consecutive World Series; Babe Ruth hits smashes 3 HRs for Yanks.

1934 — World Series: St Louis Cardinals rout Detroit Tigers, 11-0 at Navin Field to clinch 4 games to 3 series victory and 3rd championship.

1966 — World Series: Baltimore Orioles claim first championship in franchise history; edge LA Dodgers, 1-0 at Memorial Stadium for 4-0 sweep; MVP: Orioles outfielder Frank Robinson.

1988 — Oakland’s Dennis Eckersley saves all four games in the ALCS.

2005 — Chris Burke hits a home run in the bottom of the 18th inning and Roger Clemens pitches three scoreless innings of relief in Houston’s 7-6, series-ending victory over Atlanta in the NLDS. The longest postseason game in history takes 5 hours, 50 minutes.

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