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The names just kept coming, one after the other: Alexia Putellas, a two-time Ballon dOr winner; Mary Earps, named the best womens goalkeeper by FIFA in 2022 and 2023; Mapi Leon, a four-time Champions League winner; and Kadidiatou Diani, who has earned more than 100 caps for France.But how are the London City Lionesses, owned by American businesswoman Michele Kang, complying with the Womens Super Leagues financial rules to pay these big-name players?What is London Citys strategy?Invest before revenue.Kang, a Korean-American businesswoman, bought the club in 2023, helping them win promotion to the WSL in 2025. Finishing sixth in their debut top-flight season was respectable, but this summer, they have gone big. London City have splashed out on star players albeit mostly on free transfers for two reasons: they want to qualify for the Champions League and increase their revenue as soon as possible.Earnings have to rise so they can afford to pay this set of players. London City are banking on marquee names attracting larger sponsorship deals and a new fanbase that will increase revenue down the line. On Thursday they announced a first-of-its-kind multi-year front-of-shirt partnership with Nike. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Kang, however, said the value exceeds some Premier League mens teams shirt deals and the $4million (2.9 m) annual value of the NWSLs Atlanta expansion franchises recent front-of-shirt agreement, believed to be the wealthiest jersey sponsorship in womens sports.Invest before revenue is a common strategy in womens football and reflects its start-up nature. In a league where attendances have stalled, London City have taken it upon themselves, for better or worse, to inject some dynamism into the WSL.That piece of the puzzle (revenue) is missing, Christina Philippou, associate professor in sport finance at the University of Portsmouth, tells The Athletic. But Kang is too smart for this to be: Lets go wild and spend for fun. As Kang has proven in the past, if she wants to make something happen, she will.The WSL introduced financial rules a year ago but crucially, any breach of the salary cost could not be enforced until this upcoming season.What are the rules?The WSLs permitted squad salary requirement (PSS) limits clubs to spending a proportion of revenue on players, but allows for increased spending when owners provide equity funding.PSS limits spending on player salaries to 80 per cent of a clubs annual revenues, plus an allowance for relevant cash funding, capped at 25 per cent of those annual revenues or 4million ($5.4m), whichever is higher.That allows for some owner investment to push the team forward but not go completely wild, says Philippou.Relevant cash funding from owners doesnt have to be equity, with soft loans interest-free borrowings that are at the back of the queue when it comes to the teams liabilities also included. For most clubs, such funding will max out at 4m. At last check (accounts for the 2024-25 financial year), only Chelsea and Arsenal recorded revenues beyond 16m, suggesting only they could inject more than 4m.Determining a WSL teams relevant revenues will require more nuance than has previously been evident. PSS dictates clubs cant count money sent from fellow group undertakings (ie, mens teams) as revenue, and any revenue from sponsorship deals spanning both forms must be reasonably allocated. That will require a clear definition of splits to be distributed between the mens and womens teams going forward.Whatever the topline figure ends up being, clubs will only be able to spend 80 per cent of it on their total salary cost a slightly misleading tagline, as it only refers to players wages. The WSL has laid out a list of what comprises these player salary costs, including player agent payments and image rights.Notable exceptions include pension contributions, payments towards player education, parental leave or childcare, helping ensure that clubs dont cut back under the guise of compliance with the rules.How much have London City spent and what are the risks?Well, we wont know until the financial accounts are released in approximately 18 months. But according to multiple sources speaking anonymously to protect relationships, like some others in this piece there is no player at London City earning a baseline salary of more than 1million.London City have been criticised for inflating wages at the top end of the market, but one source points to Khadija Bunny Shaws salary Manchester Citys star striker signed a new four-year contract in June that, as The Athletic reported, is worth an annual 1.6m, excluding performance-related bonuses. There is an argument, however, that London Citys activity has driven wages at the middle-to-lower levels of the table, where clubs are fighting to build their fanbases and compete.Over the coming years, London City plan to shift their sights to younger, more affordable players, keep wages down, and hope the allure of their squad, facilities, and the prospect of competing in Europe will attract the next generation of talent. They do not want to become the go-to team for out-of-contract 32-year-olds.During their promotion 2024-25 season from the Championship (now WSL 2), their total expenditure (11.5m) was the fourth-highest in English womens football, only behind Arsenal (21.6m), Chelsea (20.2m) and Manchester City (14.0m). Their revenue was only 902,000, in contrast to Chelsea (21.3m), Arsenal (21.5m), Manchester United (10.7m) and City (10.6m). Generating revenue is vital now that London City have higher-earning players on their books.The independent club has, according to a source with knowledge of the matter, developed a five-year business plan to make the project sustainable and profitable. Any club can spend now but their revenue generated at the end of the season, when they have to declare their figures, is an estimate. London Citys fanbase, according to the source, has already significantly increased and sponsors are offering more because of the names attached to the club. The WSL also negotiated an improved five-year TV deal, starting from the 2025-26 season, which will increase revenue.The risk is overestimating the impact of such transfers, especially in the case of their biggest star, Putellas. What if sponsorship deals do not come off? What if she gets injured or wants to move? What if the new fans at their ground in Bromley, south London, with a capacity of just 5,160, are not engaged as the club predicted? There are a lot of what-ifs, but London City are hedging their bets.What are the punishments if a club breaches the PSS?Lets be clear: there is no sense that London City have done anything wrong yet.Perhaps learning from the past ambiguity of sanctions in the Premier League, the WSL has been prescriptive when detailing what might befall London City, or anyone, if they breach PSS.The regulations section breaches are split into four types: minor procedural, major procedural, salary floor threshold and salary cost threshold.The former two range in seriousness from late filings to attempts to circumvent the rules in bad faith by, for example, falsifying exclusions to redirect funds to a player and therefore reduce their salary cap value. Minor procedural breaches carry low penalties but major ones can lead to point deductions.A salary floor threshold breach occurs when clubs are found to have paid players less than the bare minimum required by WSL rules. Those salary floors are flexed by age and tier: in the top flight, minimum salaries range from 26,900 for players aged 18-20 to 42,500 for over-23s; in WSL2, the range is 17,500 to 26,900. A breach here sees clubs allowed time to rectify the issue. If they dont, point deductions are possible.Salary cost threshold breaches which, from the outside, look like London Citys most obvious concern are split into their own minor and major categories.A minor breach is when a club exceeds its threshold by up to 20 per cent and incurs a fine. They taper upwards in line with the size of the breach and can total up to 40 per cent of the clubs excess spending. For example, if the maximum amount a club can spend, according to revenue generated, is 10m but they spend 20 per cent more (12m) they will be fined 40 per cent of the 2m excess (which is 800,000).Anything beyond a 20 per cent excess comprises a major breach and would incur a more severe fine (50 per cent of the excess) and a points deduction. If a top-flight club exceeds its salary cap by 20 per cent but by less than 100,000, they will be docked one point. Anything that is both 20 per cent and 900,000 over a clubs threshold will see them docked at least 10 points. So if a clubs threshold is 10m, they exceed it by 30 per cent, rising to 13m, they will be fined 1.5m and docked at least 10 points.If clubs have not met their revenue target at the end of the season, some may embark on creative ways, such as club tours, to close the revenue gap.Some teams in mens football could calculate that taking the financial hit and points deduction would leave them better off if they qualify for European competitions the source, who has been briefed on the situation, stresses that is not London Citys intention.But it is still a possibility for any club.Is this good or bad for the WSL?On the one hand, bringing high-profile players into the WSL attracts more eyeballs, driving the leagues growth. On the other hand, you can understand why some teams, especially mid-table clubs, may be irked. Aggressive spending widens the competitive gap between teams and creates pressure for others to invest in order to compete, potentially beyond a clubs means. The financial regulations are in place to prevent clubs from doing that.The better your accountants and lawyers, the more wiggle room you can get, says Philippou. New regulations have lots of loopholes in them and clubs test the limits. As the league progresses, the rules get stronger and more loopholes are closed.What is beneficial for the womens game is, when the financial accounts are published, a more transparent understanding of wage to revenue ratio. For now, London City are prepared to speculate to accumulate.This article originally appeared in The Athletic.London City Lionesses LFC, Premier League, Sports Business, Women's Soccer, Women's Super League2026 The Athletic Media Company

If your crystal ball is looking a little murky, dont worry, youre not alone.With more teams, a broken title run and contrasting approaches to investment, this could be the most uncertain season of the Womens Super League yet. We could even see its power dynamics majorly disrupted for the first time in years.London City Lionesses finished sixth last season but have signed two-time Ballon dOr winner Alexia Putellas, signalling a shift in the leagues status quo. Manchester United are entering a new era, with former Hearts head coach Eva Olid replacing Marc Skinner, whose five-year tenure ended in August. Does their focus on youth mean a place in the top four is up for the taking? Who will be the kingmakers in a title race that feels more open now that Manchester City have ended Chelseas run of six consecutive WSL titles? And who will emerge as the next England star as the womens game gears up for the 2027 World Cup?Welcome to The Athletics mega preview of the new Womens Super League season.Lets start by catching upWhich team won the league last year?Manchester City lifted the WSL trophy for the first time in a decade, ending a once-impenetrable Chelsea dynasty that had stretched for a record six seasons.Who qualified for the Womens Champions League?Champions City and runners-up Arsenal went straight into the league phase, while third-placed Chelsea earned a place in the final qualification round. They confirmed their place in the Champions League proper on Wednesday, beating Real Sociedad 6-2 on aggregate.Who won the Golden Boot?Citys Khadija Bunny Shaw finished top scorer for the third time in four seasons. The 29-year-old bagged 21 goals in 22 matches, becoming the first player to notch three 20-goal seasons. Those numbers are why City forked out the big bucks to keep hold of the Jamaica international for another four years. Can anyone beat her?How to watchFor fans in the United Kingdom, every game from the WSL and WSL2 will be shown on either Sky, the BBC or YouTube.Opening the WSL season on Friday, London City vs Manchester United can be found on six Sky channels including Sky Sports Main Event and Sky One. Chelsea vs Aston Villa on Saturday will be available on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Brighton & Hove Albions lunchtime clash with Arsenal will take the Skys Main Event slot on Sunday, with the remaining games available on Sky Sports+, a streaming service included in Sky Q and Glass subscriptions and available on the Sky Sports app.Sky Sports will remain the WSLs primary home, with 90 per cent of all matches (163 in total) to be shown live on Sky Sports, including the promotion play-off match at the end of the season. Some of those games will also be shown on the Sky Sports WSL YouTube channel. BBC will show the remaining 10 per cent of matches.In May, the WSL announced it had reached a broadcast deal with CBS. For the United States audience, Paramount+ will stream 183 matches and CBS Sports Network will air one match per week, with select matches also airing on CBS SportsGolazoNetwork.First match: London City vs Manchester United, Friday, 7pm UK (3pm ET/12pm PT)Four must-see match-upsManchester City vs Arsenal (October 4 and January 30): If Arsenal are to win a first title in eight seasons, this feels like their best chance. Last seasons showdown between the eventual champions and the runners-up at the Joie Stadium didnt disappoint. Former City attacker Chloe Kelly arrived as a substitute and equalised for the team she forced a move to in the 83rd minute. Kelly kissed the Arsenal badge. Five minutes later, Iman Beney won it for City. City fans trolled Kelly. Kelly trolled back. It was glorious, delirious drama.Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester United (December 20 and February 7): A trio of ex-United coaching staff now at Tottenham taking on their former club. The battle for the last Champions League spot could be tighter than ever this year, and these fixtures may result in a changing of the guard.Chelsea vs Arsenal (September 27 and March 28): The most historic rivalry in the WSL, now with added spice courtesy of Katie McCabes switch to the blue side of London and Arsenal knocking their rivals out of Europe in last seasons quarter-final. They faced off four times last year, with Arsenals only defeat coming in the second leg of their Champions League clash, which Chelsea lost 3-2 on aggregate. Chelsea will be desperate to reclaim bragging rights.Charlton Athletic vs Birmingham City (October 25 and January 10): In a roundabout way, Charlton have Birmingham to thank for one of the greatest days in their modern history. Charlton had been top of WSL2 going into the final day last season, but a 2-0 defeat against Birmingham meant they finished third. Birmingham won the title, runners-up Crystal Palace took the second automatic promotion spot, and Charlton were left to contend the inaugural WSL promotion-relegation play-off.Facing Leicester City, who finished bottom of the top flight, Charlton goalkeeper Sophie Whitehouse saved four penalties in the shootout to send her side into the WSL for the first time. In October, Charlton and Birmingham will have a chance to reignite the rivalry.Will this be the most competitive title race in recent years?Yes. City, Arsenal and Chelsea, as always, are all title contenders, but it feels even tighter this season after City knocked Chelsea off their perch. The way they did so suggests they can do it again. However, as the cliche goes: getting to the top is hard, staying at the top is even harder. City approach this season with a different perspective, going from hunters to hunted. We love that, we want that, we welcome that challenge, City midfielder Sam Coffey told The Athletic.Like City last year, Arsenal are hungry after a seven-year title drought. They are talented enough to win the league but have been slow starters in recent years.Change is afoot at Chelsea, but they will want to exact revenge. Manchester United have a new head coach and faced recruitment difficulties this summer, all the while watching the leagues depth get stronger. It is not just the games between the top four that could be defining, with Tottenham, Brighton and London City licking their lips at the prospect of taking points off the biggest sides.Charlotte HarpurHow will London City perform?The relatively new kid on the block and an independent club disrupting the status quo went for high-profile names Putellas, Mary Earps, Mapi Leon and Kadidiatou Diani and got them.Former Manchester United captain and London City player Katie Zelem, now at West Ham United, was not surprised by their signings. Michelle Kang is a powerhouse, she told The Athletic. Having been in it, you understand they wont stop until they get to the top.Their strategy is to spend money on older stars first, in the hope that revenue will come later from a new fanbase andsponsorship deals. On the pitch, they want to qualify for the Champions League. Its ambitious.Some argue they are destroying the game and the salary cap. An increase in spending creates a divide and wage inflation beyond a clubs means. Financial regulations are in place to stop clubs from doing that, and there is no sense yet that London City have broken any financial rules.Others argue a club investing and bringing such players into the league brings more eyeballs, which is beneficial for the games growth.London City may be less popular in the mid-table section where Brighton, Tottenham and Aston Villa are fighting to build their fanbases and compete. Whether this video-game-style assembly of individuals will gel remains to be seen.Charlotte HarpurHow will the 2027 World Cup impact the season?A year out from the biggest Womens World Cup in history (literally, in terms of teams but also magnitude and potential impact), players have an eye on Brazil. U.S. womens national team forward Alyssa Thompson, who joined Chelsea last summer, told The Athleticthat her move to the WSL took into account the physical and tactical preparation it offered for next summers action. Playing in tournaments means you have to be playing every two days, the forward said.I always want to be prepared for the national team, said Switzerland midfielder Geraldine Reuteler when asked about her move to Arsenal this summer. Its the right step for me to be here to improve my football skills.England youth international Ruby Mace, who, despite being a No 6 most of her career, was deployed as a centre-back last season for Everton, is among the players having conversations with their teams about how they fit into squads. My position was a big question mark, Mace said. Playing in (midfield) this year hopefully can allow me the platform to showcase what I can do.Players ensuring theyre performing in the ideal positions for their national teams is paramount. Teams want to capitalise on marketing opportunities with potential World Cup stars, so it benefits all parties to strike a balance or make a move to do so.Megan FeringaWhat can we expect from Manchester Uniteds new era?After a bittersweet season that saw United reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time, but fail to qualify for this seasons edition, the club is entering a new era.Skinner departed the club by mutual agreement after five seasons as head coach. In his place, Olid is taking on her first WSL role after guiding Hearts to their maiden Scottish league title.A change of coach bearing in mind that Olid will only be the third person to manage United since their reformation in 2018, following Casey Stoney and Skinner is seismic in isolation, but it also comes with significant movement in the squad.Six players have departed permanently, most notably Melvine Malard, who had the most goal involvements in the squad last season. The France forward joined Chelsea in a club-record sale. Full-back Andrea Medina and goalkeeper Janina Leitzig have been recruited. United also signed Hacken winger Monica Jusu Bah last week and Washington Spirit defender Rebeca Bernal before Thursdays transfer deadline.Olids appointment aligns with the clubs desired direction, emphasising sustainable investment and bringing through young players from Uniteds Carrington academy. AsThe Athleticreported, Skinners doubts over Uniteds approach to squad investment were a factor in his exit.Teenagers Layla Drury (17), Jess Anderson and Scarlett Hill (both 18) signed professional contracts this summer and other youngsters who spent last year on loan are also expected to feature more heavily.The shift to youth is a big change United ranked at the bottom of the WSL for minutes given to under-21 players last season. Particularly on the mens side, the club has a rich history of bringing through Carrington graduates and relying on youth. Supporters are keen to see academy talents given a chance, but teams around them invested heavily. Given the physical and tactical challenges academy talents can face when stepping up to the WSL, can Uniteds approach propel them back into the top three?Cerys JonesWhich of the middle of the pack can actually have a go?We say it every season. But for real this time, with gusto, the status quo might be in trouble! Or, you know, a little nervous. Sure, City, Arsenal and Chelsea will likely be the teams locked in a title race, but that fourth-place berth is not so straightforward, and we should not underestimate other teams impact on the title race itself.As discussed, London City have taken an ambitious approach. Beyond them,Spurs impressed under head coach Martin Ho in his first season, finishing fifth in the table. The club have backed him by signing defender Alice Sombath for a club-record fee (above 375,000), plus additions such as forward Kirsty Hanson and defender Caitlin Dijkstra. Last seasons signings Signe Gaupset and Julie Blakstad should be more settled (and dangerous) in their second year. Victories against the established top three will be the aim.It can sound wild that Liverpool bottom of the WSL last winter break are included here but summer recruitment has been strong (Vivien Endemann! Mao Itamura!) and the underlying attacking numbers last season were exceedingly positive. A teething year was always necessary given the style and managerial shift under Gareth Taylor. It wont be seamless but those at Liverpool believe they can start looking upwards.Brighton were most peoples picks for dark-horse hopefuls this season, particularly after reaching their first major final under former head coach Dario Vidosic in his second season in charge. But Vidosics exit less than two weeks before the seasons start has thrown expectations into the air. Brightons squad was fashioned in his image, and while new head coach Arturo Ruiz impressed during his time at Real Sociedad, getting to grips with a brand new team so close to the seasons beginning screams teething problems.Megan FeringaHow is expansion affecting the league?Charlton, Birmingham, and Crystal Palace have been promoted, with Leicester the only relegated side. Consequently, the WSL has expanded from 12 to 14 teams.From now on, the champions of the second-tier WSL2 will win automatic promotion and the bottom WSL team will be automatically relegated. The WSL2 runners-up and 13th-placed WSL team will have a play-off to decide the final top-tier spot.Its a huge positive, Zelem said. Before, it was really difficult for players to filter in, find a team, or get as many minutes as they would like. But the more teams in the league, the better, especially now that the quality is increasing. And you can see the teams coming up are putting in money and signing some great players. So that just adds to the competitiveness.With each team playing 26 rather than 22 league fixtures, the hope is that one rogue result or dropped point will no longer have a disproportionate impact on a teams season. Its a good thing because it means the margins arent so small all the time, Zelem said. Before it was such a short season and it felt a little bit dragged out, but now itll be more flowing and less breaks hopefully.It gets a lot more eyes on it because there are different things going on throughout the season, Crystal Palace playmaker Annabel Blanchard said. Theres extra spice, with the play-offs and everything.Its also really good for the fans that its not just (about) finishing top two or three.The knock-on effect, though, is an increased load for those players who already juggle club and international fixtures in a tightly packed calendar.Its hard because the expansion is good, but on the flip side, there are players that are playing every single minute for club and country, Zelem, who is not a regular international for England, said. Its difficult to get the balance but thats when it is on the clubs and countries to make sure players get rest. Teams, especially the top teams, have huge squads that they need to use to keep players fresh.Cerys JonesOne bold predictionCharlotte Harpur: Manchester Citys squad is too thin to compete for the WSL title and the Champions League.Megan Feringa: Tottenham Hotspur will, finally, beat one of the top three.Cerys Jones: Arsenal will go further in the Champions League than City or Chelsea, but finish below both in the WSL.Katie Whyatt: A team outside of the big four, most likely London City or Brighton, will make a final and become one of the historically weaker WSL sides to deliver a big cupset.This article originally appeared in The Athletic.West Ham United WFC, Arsenal WFC, Everton FC, Liverpool FCW, Manchester United WFC, Chelsea FC Women, Aston Villa WFC, London City Lionesses LFC, Manchester City WFC, Brighton & Hove Albion WFC, Tottenham Hotspur FCW, Charlton Athletic WFC, Crystal Palace Women FC, Premier League, Women's Soccer, Women's Super League2026 The Athletic Media Company

The new Womens Super League season will be the first with an official fantasy game.Launched on August 19, 16 days before the start of the 2026-27 season, the game is the next step in the leagues pursuit of more engagement with existing fans and a broader toolkit to attract new ones.The extremely popular Fantasy Premier League (FPL) game was born 24 years ago, ahead of the 2002-03 season. At the end of last season, FPL had over 13million users around the world.Naturally, in the quickly evolving world of womens football, one cant just copy and paste what has achieved success in mens football when it comes to creating an addictive game where users create a team that earns points for WSL players real-life performances.I think there was an assumption that core fans love playing fantasy, Joey Davidson, head of digital products at the WSL, tells The Athletic. But I think we also had to acknowledge that a core fan of the Premier League, for example, was very different in their behaviours from a core fan from the WSL.Prior to the launch of the official WSL Fantasy game, there was a very popular unofficial version. Aerial Fantasy by Even Sports launched properly in 2023 under the name Fantasy WSL and garnered over 80,000 users across three seasons before shuttering its WSL game at the end of last season. Even Sports still operates an NWSL equivalent.We genuinely love this game and this community, said Aerial Fantasy co-founder Dani Goncalves in a statement on their website. However, after putting in all the time and effort to make it exist, we realised it also needed to sustain itself financially.In the development of their own fantasy game, the WSL spoke to many creators of existing games out there, including FPL and Aerial. In the end, the WSL chose to work with Sportz Interactive, who handle UEFAs fantasy league offerings.Davidson acknowledges the decision to partner with Sportz Interactive over Aerial has created some division amongst WSL fans.Thats the main criticism weve had since launch, he said. It obviously made it quite challenging for that portion of the audience to really buy into a WSL Football product.Honor Wicks, co-host of womens football podcast Screamers, who had been playing Aerial Fantasy for the last two seasons, says that she will not be signing up to play WSL Fantasy despite previously talking about fantasy football on the podcast and having segments analysing picks in Aerials game.I think this is probably because I was just feeling a bit disillusioned with not being able to continue with the Aerial fantasy game, which I really enjoyed, Wicks tells The Athletic. When it came to developing the official game, Davidson and his team came in with an open mind. They werent exactly sure what a fantasy WSL game should look like when tailored specifically to WSL fans.In December 2025, the WSL ran a research project to try to better understand the desires of their fanbase. Would they prefer a weekly match-prediction game or a trivia app over a traditional points-based, season-long team selection fantasy game?We explored everything and it wasnt just us presenting a lot of options, Davidson says. We took it to fans and said: What do you actually want to play? What do you want to do week-to-week? I think we engaged around 7,000 fans in the initial outreach.The primary positive response was community. People play fantasy to connect with other fans and learn more about players and the league they love.Community is key to it all, Davidson said. We needed a game which brought people closer to the league, close to what players exist, and needed it to be a mechanism for fans learning about whats going on in real life, which then brings you closer to other fans, letting fans find community.El, an Arsenal fan based in London, says that playing fantasy has been a feature in her social circles built around football. She has signed up to play WSL Fantasy.Im in leagues with some of the girls that I play football with as well, so we get a bit competitive with each other, El tells The Athletic. Sometimes well chat about it at the pub after our training sessions; have a bit of banter about whos doing crap or whos doing well.I think creating leagues with other womens football fans from online communities is a really nice lead-up to the season starting, says Mia, a Manchester United fan based in Manchester, who has also signed up to play this year. Ill be doing my research right up until the final day. Its fun to have something competitive and interactive to play.In terms of deterrents to playing fantasy, one of the biggest issues the WSL identified was users creating a team at the beginning of the season, falling behind in the competition, and then dropping off entirely.As a rapidly growing and adaptive league, Davidson and his team also wanted the game to remain open to new fans discovering the WSL throughout the year.So how could a fan who doesnt discover the WSL until December or January not be made to wait until the next season begins in September to play the leagues fantasy game?The WSLs solution was the creation of the leg system. In addition to the traditional season-long classic league, every manager in WSL Fantasy will also compete in six mini-seasons, known as legs. Each one lasts between three and six matches. There will be prize-winners and leagues created for every leg.What we wanted to do is create that feeling: youre always there, youve always got a chance to win, says Davidson. Youve always got a chance to compete with your friends again. Whereas if its just that season-long game, you kind of have got one opportunity a year, and thats the main thing we wanted to tackle.Another bold choice the WSL made when developing their game was bundling selectable players from the WSL and the WSL2 together. The theory was that by increasing the number of players in the game, there would be more variable squad selections and outcomes. More players means less similar teams and, in turn, more strategy.You get to January, and in previous games, the game has really slowed down because everyones got the same team. Thats because the talent pool in what was a 12-club league was too small to support a game with real depth, Davidson says.Other fantasy games have adopted this. Fantasy EFL, home to the official fantasy game of the second, third and fourth tiers of mens football, offers players 72 clubs to select from across three leagues.These decisions, though, are certainly splitting opinion.For Arsenal fan El, all the new rules felt a bit confusing, and she wishes the format of WSL Fantasy WSL was a bit simpler. Wicks agrees and feels that the WSLs new game is convoluted.While Mia believed that even as intimidating as it was to see all the WSL2 players included in the game, she saw their inclusion as a positive change, saying it would encourage people to keep up with both leagues.There is no concrete metric for success when it comes to WSL Fantasy. Davidson is not putting a ceiling on the leagues targets or audience gains, partly because he believes this fantasy game can go beyond traditional core fans.We feel like weve designed a format here that has a much wider appeal because our game can appeal to people who are completely new to football, he says.At the time of writing, Fantasy WSL has had over 25,000 sign-ups since its launch two weeks ago.Around half the WSLs investment for this project is going into exclusive creator-, coach- and player-driven content surrounding Fantasy WSL. All this lives on the app itself as well as on YouTube and podcast streaming platforms. Cultural influence, conversation and engagement might be the real reward that the WSL is seeking to seize.In terms of what success looks like for everybody, its more about reach, says Davidson. Its not just a game. Theres a whole content ecosystem which surrounds this.This article originally appeared in The Athletic.Fantasy Premier League, Women's Soccer2026 The Athletic Media Company

OKEMOS 21, GRAND RAPIDS UNION 0GRAND RAPIDS Blake Burke threw for 167 yards and two touchdowns while helping the Wolves get off to their first 2-0 start since 2017. Brett Burak and Andy Peng each had touchdown receptions and Jalen Mitchell-Castilla had a rushing score for Okemos. Rylan Rapson added an interception for the Wolves.OLIVET 54, LANSING CATHOLIC 12OLIVET Kellen Rabakon led the Eagles with 161 yards rushing and four touchdowns in a CAAC White victory over Lansing Catholic. Caleb Waffle ran for 63 yards and a touchdown, Caleb Frazier tallied 43 yards rushing and a score and Aaron Golomski contributed a rushing touchdown for Olivet (1-1, 1-0). Emmett Eyde threw for 75 yards and two touchdowns for the Cougars (0-2, 0-1).SARANAC 15, MAPLE VALLEY 14VERMONTVILLE Gabe Webb pushed the Red Hawks with a game-high 70 yards rushing and scored two touchdowns in the second half and the go-ahead 2-point conversion in the fourth quarter as Saranac picked up the nonleague win over Maple Valley. Eric Lake finished with 67 yards on five carries and Jacob Bush threw for 58 yards for Saranac (2-0). Darren Carpenter threw for 72 yards and a touchdown, Teagan McDonald pulled down five receptions for 47 yards and a score and Nolan Hoefler punched in a rushing touchdown for the Lions (0-2).ST. JOHNS 35, IONIA 6ST. JOHNS Archer Gurski carried the ball 10 times for a team-best 113 yards and two touchdowns to help lead the Redwings to a nonleague win over Ionia (0-2). Connor Kurncz threw for 112 yards and two touchdowns, Lucas McCastle ran for 50 yards and a touchdown and 55 yards receiving with a score and Ian Smith added on 52 yards receiving and a touchdown for St. Johns (1-1).PERRY 38, DETROIT OSBORN 6DETROIT Tyger Whitbeck completed 14-of-19 passes for 261 yards and three touchdowns for the Ramblers in their nonleague win. Alex Rockafellow added seven catches for 161 yards and a touchdown and added seven tackles and an interception for Perry (2-0). Dylan King led the Ramblers defensively with seven tackles.ITHACA 54, ALLEN PARK CABRINI 0Gibson Rondy completed all 13 of his pass attempts for 274 yards and four touchdowns and added a rushing score for the Yellowjackets in their win over Allen Park Cabrini. Connor McMurphy had 80 yards receiving and a touchdown and Michael Sheler had a 79-yard TD reception for Ithaca. Greyson Merchant caught and rushed for a score for the Yellowjackets.HASTINGS 50, WILLIAMSTON 21Luke Criscuolo threw for 106 yards and rushed for 77 yards and a touchdown to lead the Hornets (1-1) in their nonleague loss. Max Kindinger added a 70-yard touchdown pass to John Dunlap and Parker Friess had a rushing score for Williamston.FENTON 27, HASLETT 20HASLETT JonQ Thomas ran for a team-best 281 yards and two touchdowns for the Vikings (0-2) in a nonleague defeat to Fenton (1-1).BIRCH RUN 31, OVID-ELSIE 21BIRCH RUN Brody Howard threw for 224 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 46 yards for the Marauders in an MMAC road defeat to Birch Run (2-0, 1-0). Joie Fabus hauled in seven receptions for 181 yards and two touchdowns and added on a team-best 87 yards rushing and a score for Ovid-Elsie (0-2, 0-1).JONESVILLE 64, LESLIE 62 (3OT)LESLIE Joel Cranmore finished with 197 yards passing and four touchdowns and 150 yards rushing with three touchdowns on 13 carries in a triple overtime defeat to Jonesville (2-0). Braydin Johnson grabbed six catches for 82 yards and two total touchdowns, Landon Craig and Tucker Newland each pulled down a receiving score and Pat Friese ran for 52 yards and a touchdown and tallied a team-best seven tackles for Leslie (1-1).FRANKENMUTH 52, ALMA 25FRANKENMUTH Penn Seeley led the Panthers with 172 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 95 yards and a touchdown in a TVC Red road defeat to Frankenmuth (1-1, 1-0). Karson Legeman pulled down seven receptions for 95 yards and a touchdown and Malachi Irvin hauled in a receiving score for Alma (0-2, 0-1).This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Greater Lansing MHSAA Week 2 football roundup: Okemos, Ithaca move to 2-0

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 03: Alberto Mendoza #15 of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets looks to pass as he is pressured by the Colorado Buffaloes during the second quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium on September 03, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty ImagesGeorgia Tech football had the worst case scenario happen as they begin their season 0-1 after a 14-13 loss to Colorado. Dating back to the Pitt game last season, Tech has won only one game.After allowing a touchdown with under a minute to go to go down 14-13, Indiana transfer quarterback Alberto Mendoza found Dalen Penson on a 42 yard crosser to put Tech in field goal range and a chance to save the game. Alas, Aidan Birrs 45 yard field goal was blocked before it had a chance to see the sky as time expired.Why was Tech in this situation? A line of scrimmage that couldnt hold its own on either side of the ball Field goal kicking that was 33% successful Mental errors creating penalties (9 for 49 yards, but three on PAT attemps)Uninspired playcalling when needing to kill clock in the redzoneTechs best moments came on special teams. Techs lone touchdown came from a 100 yard kickoff return by Rahkeem Smith to tie the game at 7-7 in the second quarter after Colorados initial score.Tech for all the hype coming in about the running back room led by Alabama/Michigan transfer Justice Haynes only managed 51 net rushing yards to Colorados 183 and averaged 1.7 yards/rush. Tech ran only 54 plays to Colorados 76.At least we have a quarterback.Alberto Mendoza completed 17 of his 23 passes for 237 yards and looked very poised both in the pocket and when scrambilng. He was sacked three times but none of those were on him. 1st QuarterColorado picked up a couple first downs on their initial drive before Tech stuffed them on a couple runs and forced a Julian Lewis incompletion on 3rd down. On Techs first drive with Alberto Mendoza at quarterback, they converted a 3rd & 4 on their first set of downs with a completion to Dalen Penson before Justice Haynes picked up two first downs on the ground. After a short yardage situation was wiped out by a illegal formation penalty and an incompletion, Aidan Birr missed a 30 yard field goal.Colorado then went three and out, but Tech gave the ball right back on their own 26 from a Jordan Allen fumble on a jet sweep. The Buffs may have had a fumble that was recovered by Tae Harris, but the play was called dead due to forward momentum. On 1st & goal from the 3, the Buffs lost a yard, then lost 7 yards on a bad snap and failed to get in the endzone on 4th & goal from the 3. 2nd QuarterTech took over at the 1 and couldnt get out of their redzone, forcing a punt by Alex Bacchetta that did not go far, giving Colorado short field at Techs 35. They converted that short field into a five yard Micah Welch touchdown for a 7-0 lead. Tech for no good reason had two offsides penalties on the PAT, but somehow Colorado opted to still kick despite having the ball inside the one yard line.Thank god that lead lasted next to no time as Rahkeem Smith returned the ensuing kickoff 100 yards to the house. Aidan Birr had to take his PAT 5 yards back because of a false start, but Tech tied it 7-7.Tech forced Colorados second punt of the game after a couple set of downs, setting up Techs first normal drive in what felt like an hour. The rest paid off as Mendoza found Allen, Kevin Roche Jr, Dalen Penson, and Isaiah Fuhrmann all for first downs. On a 3rd & 12, Mendoza extended a play with a ton of scrambling, eventually finding Allen at the four yard line. Tech wasted the short field with a false start on 1st & goal, ending up in a 22-yard Aidan Birr field goal and a 10-7 Tech lead.Three and outs both ways ended the half.3rd QuarterThe second half was putrid for all sides involved. Tech managed one good 30 yard completion to Jordan Allen but punted (and got lucky with a horrible fair catch called at the 5 yard line). Colorado was held just outside of field goal range and punted. Ethan Mackenny then got badly beat on the line to create a third down sack.4th QuarterColorado did a CPJ and took up half the quarter on 2-4 yard runs just killing Tech in the trenches. After 9 minutes and a bad snap that killed Colorados momentum, Kevin Roche Jr. saved Techs ass blocking Elliott Arnolds 38 yard field goal attempt that would have tied the game up at 10-10 with 7:35 remaining.Tech followed with the exact drive they needed, a clock burning/run heavy drive that featured a 21 yard completion to Jordan Allen, a third down conversion by Justice Haynes on a toss sweep, and a 3rd & 3 completion to Kevin Roche Jr. to put Tech in the red zone at the two minute warning. Offensive Coordinator George Godsey called very simple runs that got blown up behind the line of scrimmage, letting Colorado use their timeouts and easily hold Tech to a field goal to go up 13-7.Colorado once again took advantage of Techs leaky defense, driving easily in a minute and three seconds to take a 14-13 lead.With 35 seconds left, Tech somehow pulled out half a miracle. Mendoza hit Dalen Penson for 42 yards on first down to get Tech into field goal range. After a couple small plays, Birr had a 45 yard field goal blocked to end the game.

Week 1 of college football has already delivered its first major upset, UMass stunned Rutgers on the road 37-21 on Thursday night. The win marked their first victory since October 2024 and their first over an FBS opponent since 1978, with their win over Boston College. Now, the Minutemen who finished last year 0-12 have secured their first season-opening win since 2023. The Scarlet Knights opened up as 29.5 point favorites entering the matchup, but the Minutemen did not hold back. After a 7-7 tie entering the second quarter, the Minutemen found their footing quickly. UMass held Rutgers to a scoreless second quarter and put up 17 to enter halftime with a 24-7 lead. Entering the third quarter, UMass added another score while Rutgers struggled. While the Scarlet Knights had a late fourth quarter push with two touchdowns, it was not enough to top the Minutemen. Notably, UMass did not score more than 21 points against a single FBS opponent last year. Against Rutgers, they scored 37. Quarterback William "Pop" Watson III ended the night going 19-for-22 passing with 197 yards and three touchdowns. Running back Curtis Kimmons IV rushed for 78 yards and one touchdown, while wide receiver Elijah Faulkner added two scores and Joseph Griffin Jr. added one. After Rutgers' first touchdown in the first quarter, the offense struggled to put points on the board. Quarterback Dylan Longeran ended with 16-for-40 passing, 240 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions. Additionally, KJ Duff finished with three touchdowns and 196 receiving yards. What's also worth noting is that Rutger's additionally paid UMass 1.55 million to play on their home turf. Now, the Scarlet Knights enter the season 0-1 for the first time since 2016, when Rutgers fell to Washington in Week 1. While Rutgers finished 5-7 overall last season, its season-opening loss is a poor start just two weeks away from Big Ten competition. The Scarlet Knights turn to Boston College on the road for Week 2, before opening up Big Ten play with a home match against No. 14 USC.

Ajit Agarkar absent from key BCCI review meeting: Why did the chief selector miss it? originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.KEY TAKEAWAYS:Ajit Agarkar missed a BCCI review meeting in Mumbai, sparking rumors about his future as chief selector.BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia claimed the former Indian pacerwas overseas with a poor phone signal, denying any rift.Agarkar remains contracted until July 2027 and is expected to attend the Duleep Trophy final in Chennai on September 6.Ajit Agarkar's absence at the Mumbai review meeting was enough to spark rumorsBCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar's missing a high-level board meeting in his hometown of Mumbai was always going to set off alarms, no matter how hard the officials tried to play it down. When the chief selector vanishes from an executive review, speculations are bound to take off immediately.BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia was quick to start the damage control. He insisted that Agarkar was simply stuck overseas with terrible cell service. He also pointed out that the meeting was called on short notice, with no selection business on the table.But the timing couldn't be worse, coming right after reports that top board officials had stepped in when Agarkar's panel suggested Rohit Sharma step down from red-ball cricket.MORE:Saikia confirms Rohit is in contention for 2027 ODI WCWhy did Agarkar miss the BCCI review meeting?Whether Agarkar was genuinely off the grid or just caught in an administrative scheduling mess, the incident highlights how fragile his position looks from the outside. For now, the board insists his contract through July 2027 is safe, but he will be watched closely when he surfaces for the Duleep Trophy final in Chennai on September 6.Devajit Saikia was quick to offer a defensive explanation for why Agarkar couldn't even log on to a video call, framing the absence as a simple matter of poor logistics."Today, he was out of station, so he could not be a part of the meeting," Saikia said. "The meeting was called at very short notice, and our chairman of the selection committee, Ajit, was not in town. So he could not join the meeting, and he was in an area where he could not join online either, despite our best efforts."Saikia also tried to shut down talk that Agarkar's job was on the line. "Today, we did not have any selection meeting. There was no such discussion in todays meeting," Saikia added. "I do not want to give any fodder to the speculators."MORE:What happened in the BCCI review meeting? Everything that was discussedThe Cricket News Opinion: Agarkar has been sidelined by the board, and everyone knows itThe moment the BCCI overrode Agarkar and his selection panel over Rohit Sharma's retirement, they effectively clipped his wings. Once a chief selector is publicly seen as someone who can be overruled by board executives on major calls, his authority is shot.Asking people to believe that the most powerful selector in Indian cricket couldn't find a phone signal to join a crucial meeting in 2026 sounds like a bad excuse. It makes Agarkar look isolated, whether he actually was or not.If the BCCI wants Agarkar to run Indian selection through the 2027 World Cup, they need to let him actually select. A chief selector who gets blocked when trying to transition senior players out is just a figurehead, and until Agarkar gets the backing to make the hard calls, every meeting he misses will be read as a sign that the board is pulling the strings without him.For all the latest cricket news, opinion, and commentary, and to share your voice, head to ourFacebook,Instagram,andX (Twitter)pages

Bloomington South's volleyball team has options.Which means the Panthers' opponents do, too, when it comes to aligning their defense.On Thursday, Sept. 3, South's best choice was to set senior middle Quinn Reynolds, who had 16 kills, everything from dunks and tips high above the crowd at the net to lasers from the back row, as the undefeated Panthers swept rival North, 25-19, 25-21, 25-19 at the Cougar Den.More: Bloomington North linebacker's game speaking for itself this season"Our team, you can put the ball anywhere on the floor and trust that it's being taken care of," South coach Emma Abplanalp said. "She's a great leader on this team, they're all so supportive. They all want to win. They all want to be the best."So I think that really helps them feel confident in each other so they're able to play loose and play free and know that we're in this together."Every Clark, Lily Reinhart and Ella Alley kept the block busy when Reynolds' number wasn't called. Junior Ola Parker, the new setter with returning starter Harper Rahn, is also settling in, making thing smoother."It helps to have a team that has multiple weapons," North coach Sami Ferachi said. "You've just got to learn how to defend it. At the end of the day, everyone is just a high school girl. Everyone's got their weaknesses. "No one's playing in college right now. Everyone has room to grow, so you just have to find what those weaknesses are an expose them. And the quicker you find them the quicker you can win games. They had the upper hand tonight."And South thinks it still has more in the tank if there's a sectional rematch."We definitely didn't play our game as much as we normally do," Abplanalp said. "This game, so much hype around it. I try to treat it as normal a game as possible, but you can't help it. The crowd is full. It's loud in here."I think (North) definitely had some competitive edges to them, but I don't think we played to our full potential as well."That's something that will get tested more and more as the win streak continues for the 12-0 Panthers."I feel like we're showing everyone the hard work that we're putting in in the gym," Reynolds said. "The way we're able to take what we built on last year and continue to grow and be really successful this season."Rivalry atmosphereThe record is still perfect, but there are still flaws to work on.South's had some big wins during its run, including a five-setter (with a reverse sweep) at 3A power Northview and overpowered Brownstown Central 25-18, 25-16, 25-12, their first win over the Braves since 2022. Each win just makes the target on their backs bigger. South is 40-7 since the beginning of the 2025 season."I feel like definitely after we beat Brownstown, it was a big confidence boost to us," Reynolds said. "That was exciting for us, and I feel like we're just going to keep growing the streak. But we also need to remember the streak doesn't really matter; we just want to make sure we're really strong for sectionals."Adding to the excitement level, there seemed to be a game within a game all night as Reynolds and North junior outside Olivia Bargen (13 kills) took turns seeing who could hit the hardest screamer."I'm glad we got to see a big swing tonight," Abplanalp said. "That's the first game we've seen someone really put the ball away. But I'm really proud of our defense. Even if it wasn't a perfect up-ball, that we were scrapping and played well."Bargen is leading the Cougars in kills this year and showed why."She was determined to come in this year and be an all-around outside," Ferachi said. "She's put in the extra reps, the extra work. She's got the headspace for it. She wants to be a leader for our team. So that's 90% of the battle right there to be the outside that she is."The other 10% is what she physically capable of. We love her."South closes outThe Cougars were game all night, but South, after getting past some first-set jitters/communication issues, never let North gain much traction. North would fight and hang around, coming from down 17-10 to 22-19 in Set 1, down 20-15 to 22-21 in Set 2 and down 20-13 to 21-17 in Set 3."We want scrappy play but calm, scrappy play," Abplanalp said. "And tonight, our emotions got the best of is a little bit, a little more chaotic. But as the sets went on, we got better at controlling that."All three times, South polished off the sets, showing it has a killer instinct. Three kills in a row by Reynolds finished Set 1, kills by Clark, Reynolds and an ace by Neely Warner ended Set 2 and a block and three kills, the last by Reynolds, ended the night. "We tried to stay really calm through this," Reynolds said. "We knew coming in we had to stay calm and play our game. The energy in the gym was loud, but it was fun to feed off it."Tough sledding for NorthNorth is not focused on its 3-5 record as much as its growth over the first eight matches, which has included tough losses to Floyd Central, Brownstown, Columbus North and now South."You can't make your identity about your record," Ferachi said. "It's really fun to say that you're 12-0, but at the end of the day, you have to have the confidence in your team and the work that you're putting in and that's where we're at. Record has a story, but we know what our story is."Bargen was a presence offensively all night, but it took some time to get others involved as consistently. North opened things up for Emma Rice, who responded well off the right side, while Aubrey Grupenhoff, Hollie Northcutt, Rayne Nelson and Ashley Stegmoller got some licks in as well."Emma asked for some feedback for what shots were open, what could she do to score for us," Ferachi said. "She made adjustments and it happened. We've got very coachable people on our team."It just wasn't enough but North plans to change that by late October."None of us were dissatisfied with how hard we fought," Ferachi said. "Our response to being pushed, we were proud of how we kept going, kept attacking."This is the eighth game of our season, but we're thinking of the long game. So we're going to take what areas they exposed in our play and we're going to get better at it."This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Bloomington South volleyball stays perfect with sweep of North

Buffalo Gap won the first two sets then had to overcome a Staunton rally to win in five, 25-21, 25-21, 20-25, 23-25, 15-7, in Shenandoah District volleyball Sept. 3. Gap was led by Bailey Tribble's 15 kills, 25 digs and four aces. Avery Wheeler had 37 assists, 14 digs and three aces. Rachel Baber added 15 kills and Brailyn Green had 18 digs. Freshman Madison Botkin finished with 23 digs.Kennedy Bryant led Staunton with nine kills, four blocks and a pair of aces. Faith Lam and Brooke Davenport both had six kills in the loss. Buffalo Gap coach Elizabeth Ashby said she just told her team before the fifth set to go back to playing how they had been earlier in the match. "Being positive, playing your game," she said. "We let up a little bit on our hits and I said, 'You've just got to swing.' And we did."Fort Defiance over Alleghany 3-1 Fort Defiance got 16 kills and 14 digs from Caroline Hanger in a 25-20, 25-22, 20-25, 25-17 win over Alleghany Sept. 3 in Shenandoah District volleyball. Harper Carter had 13 kills and Livia Clinedinst finished with 12 kills in the win. Setter Alexis Miller had 48 assists and 12 digs for Fort. Abbi Bright had 14 digs and three aces, while Madison Bragg added four aces. Norah Anderson finished with 19 digs.Wilson Memorial over Rockbridge County 3-0Wilson Memorial beat Rockbridge County 25-10, 25-22, 25-17 in Shenandoah District volleyball Sept. 3. Wilson was led by Estee Irving's seven aces and six kills. Maggie Parrott had nine kills and AJ Hedrick finished with six kills. Natalee Chandler had 13 assists in the win and Bree Kindig had 17 digs. More: Who was the athlete of the week for Aug. 24-29? Vote now in our poll.Stuarts Draft over Riverheads 3-0Addyson Dameron had 17 assists, five aces and two blocks in Stuarts Draft's 25-20, 25-13, 25-17 win over Riverheads in Shenandoah District volleyball. Kylie Morland had seven kills and two blocks for Draft, while Lily May had six kills in the win. Addy Coyner added three kills, five aces and four digs. Draft got three blocks and three kills from Lyla Shifflett, and Takota Moore had two blocks, two kills and five aces. Draft's Serenity Hamric added seven digs.More: Who was Anthony Ignatiadis-Isabelle, the Waynesboro school shooter?Patrick Hite is a reporter at The News Leader. Story ideas and tips are always welcome. Connect with Patrick (he/him/his) atphite@newsleader.com, on Instagram @hitepatrick and on TikTok @patrickfhite. Subscribe to usatnewsleader.com.This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Buffalo Gap pulls out 5-set win. Volleyball scoreboard for Sept. 3.

Photo by: Greg AtkinsThe NASCAR Cup Series is officially entering championship mode.After 26 races of regular season competition, the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Chase begins Sunday at one of the toughest tracks on the schedule: Darlington Raceway. The Cook Out Southern 500 will serve as the opening race of the 10 race championship battle, putting 16 playoff drivers under the microscope from the moment the green flag flies.The race is scheduled for Sunday, September 6, at 5 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on USA Network, HBO Max, MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. The 500 mile event will be the 27th points-paying race of the season.Darlington Is the Perfect Playoff OpenerThere may not be a better place to begin the Chase than Darlington.Known as the Lady in Black and the Track Too Tough to Tame, Darlington is a 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval that forces drivers to balance speed with survival. Turns 1 and 2 feature 25 degrees of banking, while Turns 3 and 4 have 23 degrees.The unique shape of the track means drivers cannot simply find one perfect setup. Teams must find a compromise that works in both ends of the track, while tire wear and traffic can dramatically change the handling of the car throughout a long green-flag run.And then there is the wall.At Darlington, the fastest line often brings drivers dangerously close to the outside wall. A small mistake can turn a potential top five finish into a destroyed race car.That makes the Southern 500 less about simply having the fastest car and more about managing the race for 367 laps.Reddick and Hamlin Lead the FavoritesTwo drivers enter Darlington with plenty of attention surrounding them: Tyler Reddick and Denny Hamlin.Reddick already knows what it takes to win at Darlington. He won the tracks spring race, the Goodyear 400, earlier this season, giving the 23XI Racing driver tremendous confidence heading into the playoff opener. He also enters the weekend as one of the early favorites to win the Southern 500.Hamlin, meanwhile, enters the Chase as the No. 1 seed and the 2026 regular-season champion. His consistency throughout the season has made him one of the biggest championship favorites, and Darlington is a track where experience can be extremely valuable.A strong performance Sunday could immediately put Hamlin in an excellent position for the rest of the opening playoff round.Can Chase Briscoe Make History?One of the biggest storylines heading into the race is Chase Briscoe.Briscoe has won the Southern 500 in each of the last two seasons, taking the checkered flag at Darlington in both 2024 and 2025. Now, he has a chance to do something extremely rare: win the race three consecutive times.The last driver to win the Southern 500 three straight years was Jeff Gordon, who accomplished the feat four consecutive times from 1995 through 1998.Briscoe will have to overcome a loaded playoff field to make history, but his recent success at the track makes him one of the drivers nobody can afford to overlook.The Dark HorsesWhile the championship favorites will receive most of the attention, Darlington has plenty of potential dark horses.Erik Jones is an obvious name to watch. The LEGACY MOTOR CLUB driver is a two-time Darlington winner and has recorded 10 top 10 finishes in 17 career starts at the track. He also finished 10th in the spring race this season.Carson Hocevar is another driver capable of making noise. The young Spire Motorsports driver has shown plenty of speed on larger ovals this season and enters the playoffs looking to make his presence known.Ross Chastain could also be a factor. His recent performances have provided momentum heading into the Chase, and Darlington presents an opportunity for the Trackhouse Racing driver to make an early statement.38 Cars EnteredThe Southern 500 will feature a 38 car field, including all 16 Chase drivers.Two non-chartered entries are also entered: Corey Heim will drive the No. 67 Toyota for 23XI Racing, while Chad Finchum will pilot the No. 66 Ford for Garage 66.With the championship battle beginning, every driver will have a different objective. Some will be looking for a win, some will be focused on stage points, and others may simply want to survive Darlington without suffering major damage.What to ExpectExpect the Southern 500 to be a battle of patience.The race is long, the tires will wear, and the track will change throughout the afternoon and evening. Drivers who attack too aggressively early could pay for it later, while those who protect their equipment may find themselves in position to win when the race reaches its final stages.The biggest question may be whether Reddick can repeat his spring success or whether Hamlin, Briscoe or another playoff contender can steal the spotlight.One thing is certain: the road to the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series championship begins at one of the most unforgiving tracks in NASCAR.And at Darlington, surviving the Lady in Black may be just as important as winning.Prediction Denny Hamlin Extends His Chase Lead And Takes The White Flag In Darlington!