Where to watch Little League Softball World Series: Full TV schedule, channels, live streams for 2026 LLSWS originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.Back for the 52nd time, the 2026 Little League Softball World Series is about to bring a week of thrilling and cutthroat competition to Greenville, North Carolina.Following the rigorous regional qualifying tournaments, only 12 teams remain in the running for this year's title eight from the U.S. and four international. The squads will be split up into either the Orange or Purple bracket, setting up 21 matchups before the coveted championship game.Last year, Pennsylvania's West Suburban Little League claimed the title, though the reigning champs did not qualify this time around. Instead there are squads representing Kentucky, New Jersey, Connecticut, North Carolina, Washington, Florida, Texas, California, Japan, Canada, Italy and Puerto Rico.Be sure to tune in for this youth sports spectacle.Here's everything you need to know about the 2026 Little League Softball World Series, including TV channel and streaming options for the youth tournament.Where to watch Little League Softball World SeriesTV channel: ABC, ESPN, ESPN2Live stream:fuboThe entire 2026 Little League Softball World Series will be broadcast across ESPN's networks, with the majority of games shown on ESPN2 and ESPN, and the championship on ABC. See the full game schedule below.Cord-cutters or those without cable can also stream the tournament onfubo, which offers a free trial for all new users.Little League Softball World Series schedule 2026The 2026 Little League Softball World Series begins on Sunday, Aug. 2, and concludes with the championship game on Sunday, Aug. 9. Games will be played at Stallings Stadium at Elm Street Park in Greenville, North Carolina.See below for a complete schedule.Sunday, Aug. 2GameRegionMatchupTime (ET)WatchGame 1PurpleNorthwest vs. Southeast10 a.m.ESPN2, fuboGame 2OrangeMid-Atlantic vs. Asia-Pacific1 p.m.ESPN2, fuboGame 3OrangeWest vs. Central4 p.m.ESPN2, fuboGame 4PurpleCanada vs. North Carolina7 p.m.ESPN2, fuboMonday, Aug. 3GameRegionMatchupTime (ET)WatchGame 5OrangeWinner of Game 2 vs. Latin America10 a.m.ESPN2, fuboGame 6PurpleWinner of Game 1 vs. Europe-Africa1 p.m.ESPN2, fuboGame 7PurpleWinner of Game 4 vs. Southwest4 p.m.ESPN2, fuboGame 8OrangeWinner of Game 3 vs. New England7 p.m.ESPN2, fuboTuesday, Aug. 4GameRegionMatchupTime (ET)WatchGame 9PurpleLoser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 710 a.m.ESPN2, fuboGame 10OrangeLoser of Game 2 vs. Loser of Game 81 p.m.ESPN2, fuboGame 11OrangeLoser of Game 3 vs. Loser of Game 54 p.m.ESPN2, fuboGame 12PurpleLoser of Game 4 vs. Loser of Game 67 p.m.ESPN2, fuboWednesday, Aug. 5GameRegionMatchupTime (ET)WatchGame 13OrangeWinner of Game 10 vs. Winner of Game 1110 a.m.ESPN2, fuboGame 14PurpleWinner of Game 9 vs. Winner of Game 121 p.m.ESPN2, fuboThursday, Aug. 6GameRegionMatchupTime (ET)WatchGame 15PurpleWinner of Game 6 vs. Winner of Game 71 p.m.ESPN, fuboGame 16OrangeWinner of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 85 p.m.ESPN, fuboFriday, Aug. 7GameRegionMatchupTime (ET)WatchGame 17PurpleLoser of Game 15 vs. Winner of Game 143 p.m.ESPN2, fuboGame 18OrangeLoser of Game 16 vs. Winner of Game 136 p.m.ESPN2, fuboSaturday, Aug. 8GameRegionMatchupTime (ET)WatchGame 19 (Orange championship)OrangeWinner of Game 16 vs. Winner of Game 183 p.m.ESPN2, fuboGame 20 (Purple championship)PurpleWinner of Game 15 vs. Winner of Game 176 p.m.ESPN, fuboSunday, Aug. 9GameRegionMatchupTime (ET)WatchGame 21 (Third place game)Loser of Game 19 vs. Loser of Game 2010 a.m.ESPN, fuboGame 22 (Little League Softball World Series Championship)Winner of Game 19 vs. Winner of Game 203 p.m.ABC, fuboLittle League Softball World Series teams 2026The 12-team field for the 2026 Little League Softball World Series includes eight teams from the U.S. and four international teams. They're divided into two brackets: purple and orange.Here's a look at each bracket.Purple BracketRegionTeamLocationNorthwestSnohomish LLSnohomish, WashingtonSoutheastLake Mary LLLake Mary, FloridaNorth Carolina (Host)Johnston County LLClayton, North CarolinaCanadaOn Field LLS LLRepentigny, QuebecEurope-AfricaEmilia Romagna LLBologna, ItalySouthwestGreater Helotes LLHelotes, TexasOrange BracketRegionTeamLocationMid-AtlanticToms River LLToms River, New JerseyAsia-PacificKinki Softball LLSang, JapanWestLive Oak LLLive Oak, CaliforniaCentralDaviess County LLOwensboro, KentuckyLatin AmericaGuayama Softball LLGuayama, Puerto RicoNew EnglandBristol Girls Softball LLBristol, Connecticut

WNBA trade deadline tracker: Live rumors, news, updates before 2026 deadline originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The WNBA is heading into the home stretch, as the trade deadline signals the final months of the regular season.With the WNBA playoff picture pretty clear-cut, given that there is a significant gap between the eighth and ninth teams in the standings, many of the trade deadline moves could be more for playoff positioning with eyes on the postseason run.The question becomes which teams at the top of the standings feel good about their playoff-caliber rosters, and which ones feel as though they need to add upgrades. Additionally, a team like the Golden State Valkyries may aim to be aggressive in their first season of contention.A few big names, however, could be on the move because they are playing on expiring contracts, with Kelsey Plum and even Napheesa Collier set to hit free agency after the season. Of course, there could also be some surprise players on the move that might change the race for a WNBA championship.The Sporting News is tracking rumors and updates from the WNBA trade deadline. Follow along for full updates.MORE: 9 WNBA players most likely to be tradedWNBA trade deadline tracker 2026: Live news, updates, and rumorsTempo acquire Aneesah Morrow from SunDate: July 31Source: Alexa PhilippouThe Sun are trading second-year forward Aneesah Morrow to the Toronto Tempo for a 2028 second-round pick and the rights to Maria Kilundikova. Morrow was the No. 7 pick in last year's draft and is coming off back-to-back 21-point games after her return from injury.Liberty's Aneesah Morrow talks 'cool off'Date: July 30Source: Madeline KenneyThe Liberty discussed trading for second-year Sun forward Aneesah Morrow, Madeline Kenney reports, but those talks have since "cooled off." Morrow recently returned from injury and is averaging 11.6 points per game for Connecticut.Sparks 'asking for the world' in Kelsey Plum talksDate: July 30Source: Ramona ShelburneWith Kelsey Plum a pending free agent, the Sparks are "asking for the world" in trade talks, Ramona Shelburne reports. Plum, averaging close to 24 points per game, isn't expected to re-sign with L.A., making a trade likely at the deadline.Tempo willing to trade future first-round picks in dealDate: July 28Source: Annie CostabileThe expansion Toronto team has reportedly sent both the Sun and the Sparks offers including first-round picks for a young post player. With the Tempo in the bottom five in the WNBA standings, any deal is more likely to include the 2028 first-round pick than in 2027.Mercury 'could target' Wings F Alanna SmithDate: July 28Source: Annie CostabileAccording to Costabile, the disappointing Mercury may look to take on the next 2.5 years of Smith's deal in order to land the forward. Smith is the reigning Defensive Player of the Year who is averaging just 3.8 points per game in a down year and may need a change of scenery halfway through her first season in Dallas.Kelsey Plum not expected to re-sign with SparksDate: July 28Source: Annie CostabilePlum's status as a rental means she is expected to be on the move, especially since she doesn't seem to want to return to Los Angeles next year. The 31-year-old is averaging a career-high 23.9 points and 6.4 rebounds so far this year and has made five straight All-Star games.WNBA trades by teamAtlanta DreamChicago SkyConnecticut SunDallas WingsGolden State ValkyriesIndiana FeverLas Vegas AcesLos Angeles SparksMinnesota LynxNew York LibertyPhoenix MercuryPortland FireSeattle StormToronto TempoWashington Mystics

Alexandra Eala is bidding for her first WTA Tour title [Getty Images]Alexandra Eala continued her strong season with an impressive victory over Naomi Osaka to reach the Washington Open final.The Filipina beat Japan's four-time major champion Osaka 6-4 6-2 to set up a final against world number three Jessica Pegula.Eala began the year outside the world's top 50 but will now rise to a career high of 24th in the rankings.The 21-year-old has registered six wins over top-10 players this season, including ending Iga Swiatek's Wimbledon title defence in July.Eala became the first singles player from the Philippines to reach the fourth round of a major in the Open era with her Wimbledon run, and has developed a passionate fanbase.In Washington, Eala beat second seed Elina Svitolina and 2025 champion Leylah Fernandez before sweeping past Osaka as she bids for a first WTA Tour title.American Pegula described Eala as "the future of the tour" before their final on Sunday.Dog walk and expletive text - key findings in Vondrousova anti-doping caseNorrie beaten by Shapovalov in Los Cabos semi-finalPegula won their previous meeting, a tight three-set match in the Miami Open semi-finals last year.However, Eala has improved since then, notably on her serve. She won 71% of first-serve points against Osaka, and dropped only four points behind her second."I'm more well-rounded [now]. I'm physically a little bit better," Eala said."I played really well, had a great mentality and stayed locked in until the end."Pegula came back from 5-2 down in the first set to beat Russia's Diana Shnaider 7-5 6-4 and reach a second Washington final.In the men's tournament, third seed Taylor Fritz will face rising Spanish star Rafael Jodar in the final.World number 10 Fritz hit 13 aces to beat fellow American Brandon Nakashima 6-3 3-6 6-3.Jodar - who will break into the world's top 20 after starting the year ranked 165th - beat Chile's Alejandro Tabilo 6-7 (6-8) 6-4 6-4.Live scores, results and order of playGet tennis news sent straight to your phone

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Getty ImagesKansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid has provided an update on star QB Patrick Mahomes recovery from a torn ACL amid training camp.Training camp for the 2026-27 NFL season is fully underway, and the Chiefs are looking to reclaim their lost crown.Coach Reids streak of 10-straight Playoff appearances came to an end last season after the Chiefs lost Patrick Mahomes to a torn ACL in December, but the QB is practicing at training camp.Andy Reid has good news for Chiefs fans worried about Patrick Mahomes injuryCoach Reid spoke to ESPNs Dan Graziano after practice on Saturday and discussed Mahomes injury status, highlighting that Mahomes looks sharp and like himself on the field despite still recovering.Hes doing a great job. Hes really doing everything that he normally does, and doing it well. Were happy with that; we know hes still progressing through it, but he sure looks sharp out here.Reid refused to confirm Mahomes status for the start of the season, with questions over his Week 1 return target mounting.I dont know about that. Ive got to see how that goes. Im listening to the doctors.The Chiefs are hoping to return to the Playoffs and potentially compete for another Super Bowl next season, with Mahomes playing being inextricably linked to their chances of success.Photo by David Eulitt/Getty ImagesThe Chiefs open their NFL season on September 14, by which time nine months will have passed since Mahomes tore his knee. This is a completely reasonable time period for a return, so KC will remain cautiously optimistic.With next season potentially being star TE Travis Kelces final one, there is pressure for a fitting goodbye to a franchise legend.The Chiefs have the longest odds for a Super Bowl ever in the Mahomes era, with the LA Rams, Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens, and Seattle Seahawks all considered bigger favorites for the title.Read more:Travis and Jason Kelce are the seventh-highest-paid podcasters of 2026Im joking Isaac Rochell gives Justin Herbert a new nickname after engagement to Madison BeerWhat John Harbaugh told Cam Skattebo about his dumb backflip in private Giants conversation

Lois Toulson and Maisie Bond won gold by just 1.86 points [Getty Images]Great Britain won golds in the women's synchronised 10m diving and artistic swimming mixed duet at the European Aquatics Championships in Paris.Maisie Bond and Lois Toulson achieved a score of 300.06 to clinch the women's 10m - just ahead of second-placed Germany (298.20) and Ukraine (286.20) in third."We came into these championships wanting to win and knowing it was possible," said Toulson. "We'd been training really hard and looking good I think."That was a [personal best] for us. To be able to do that and get a gold medal - we're really proud."In the mixed duet, Isabelle Thorpe and Ranjuo Tomblin narrowly claimed their first European title in the event.The pair won with a score of 258.2383 as they beat Spain by just 0.2650 to take victory, with Italy (255.1641) in third."It's incredible. I'm really happy and to have done it with Ranjuo is incredible." said Olympic silver medallist Thorpe. "We didn't have the most smooth sailing preparation due to injury, but it's good we have been able to come through it and be on top."Tomblin, who defended his title in the men's solo technical event on Friday, added: "Today is more special because I get to do it with Izzy, so it's incredible." In the men's 1m springboard diving final, Jack Laugher claimed silver with a score of 418.25 and fellow Briton Jordan Houlden took bronze with 410.30 as they finished behind winner Germany Moritz Linus Wesemann (431.45).

Josko Gvardiol signed a new five-year deal at Manchester City last week [Getty Images]New manager Enzo Maresca is a "perfect one" for Manchester City, says defender Josko Gvardiol.The Italian has been given the perhaps unenviable task of taking over from the legendary Pep Guardiola, who stepped down at the end of last season after a trophy-laden decade in charge.Maresca signed a three-year deal to succeed the Spaniard, having previously won the Championship title with Leicester and the Club World Cup with Chelsea.The 46-year-old took charge of City for the first time in Saturday's friendly defeat on penalties by Inter Milan in Hong Kong."The level is that high and he has been chosen with reason as the manager," said Gvardiol. "I think he has a quality, has some new ideas and also we need to see what we are going to do [with] the style of [play], the football we are going to play and the tactics."I think he is a perfect one, but of course, it takes time. It's something totally new, it's not easy to change the manager, so we will take time."It's our job to help him as much as possible and also to listen to try to adapt as quick as possible."I met him, we spoke a little bit about my injury [and] also how we played, how I played before with Pep, and that's it, more or less."McAidoo 'the kind of winger I love' - MarescaMan City staying in world's 'best hotel' on pre-season tourPlayers could feel Guardiola exit was comingGvardiol missed five months of last season after sustaining a broken bone in his right leg in January, before returning to play twice in May.There had been speculation throughout the campaign that Guardiola could leave and signs pointed at an exit, before the manager finally confirmed his decision in the last week of the season."Some would say he could have told us earlier, some would say not," said Gvardiol. "I think it was perfect timing because it can affect you mentally if he would have said it earlier."We knew at some point he has to tell us. He has been here for 10 years and it is time to rest a little bit and retire. We could feel it."[The 2024-25 season] he was in between, about to leave, then he stayed - great because it was another season to try to win something. Two seasons ago we struggled, 13 games without winning."Unfortunately it was time [for him] to go but who knows with him, maybe after six months when he gets the energy back."Dias to become the new captain?Gvardiol played all four games at this summer's World Cup as Croatia suffered an agonising last-32 defeat by Portugal, seeing a late equaliser ruled out by the video assistant referee.City team-mate Ruben Dias featured for Portugal in that game, while midfielder Rodri captained Spain to World Cup glory.Both players are candidates to take the armband at City following the departure of Bernardo Silva, who left to join Real Madrid upon the expiry of his contract, while experienced defender John Stones has joined Inter on a free.Gvardiol, meanwhile, will extend his stay at Etihad Stadium after signing a new five-year deal last week.Asked about the club's leadership group, Gvardiol said: "It's difficult to tell you about this but we need to see."Ruben is one of the leaders in our team and he is probably going to be on the top now - maybe the most important one."He will need some guys who have been here for a longer time. So if that's on me, I will take responsibility."

Williams' Carlos Sainz has weighed up post-F1 life by revealing ambitions to compete in the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Spaniard is the latest in a growing list of F1 drivers to express interest in competing in endurance racing, particularly after Max Verstappen's recent exploits at the Nurburgring.Although ending in heartbreak, Verstappen, racing for his own Verstappen Racing team, made his 24-hour debut at the Nordschleife in May after a series of NLS races throughout 2025 and 2026. At the very top of his non-F1 bucket list, Verstappen has repeatedly expressed a desire to race at the Le Mans 24 Hours.Having already won Le Mans in 2018 and 2019, Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso recently raised the idea of returning alongside Verstappento the legendary circuit, while reigning world champion Lando Norris has also hinted at a future Le Mans run with McLaren, as the papaya team prepare for their hypercar debut in 2027.Sainz weighs up future Le Mans runPhoto: Race PicturesPhoto: Race PicturesNorris' former McLaren teammate Sainz is now the latest driver to reveal such an ambition, discussing where he sees himself in 10 to 15 years' time with current teammate Alex Albon. Despite scoring two podiums in 2025 with Williams, the Grove team have fallen behind under new regulations, adding to speculation surrounding Sainz's shorter term F1 future.Speaking on Williams' Team Torque podcast, 31-year-old Sainz said:"I see myself competing in some other category," and when asked by Albon whether he had a 'checklist' of goals, he quickly replied: "I really want to do Le Mans."While Sainz said his goal would be to compete in the elite hypercar category, he also raised the idea of putting together a fun GT3 team full of friends. He said: "If you put together a good GT3 team that I know I would have fun with, I could have fun with that."The former Ferrari driver explained that he would relish the opportunity to enjoy racing from a different perspective, away from the responsibilities and pressure of being a modern F1 driver. He added: "I think in the end, it is about enjoying motorsport from a different position from the one we are in today."Now we have a responsibility, we have pressure and we have a team to stand up for and deliver results, but in the future we could just do it for ourselves."Motorsport for pure enjoyment, which I actually think is the coolest sport to do, drive a car as fast as you can around a circuit, and do it with your friends and compare yourself. And maybe teach some of your friends."Calls grow for harsher Sainz penalty after Hungarian GP incidentPhoto: Race PicturesPhoto: Race PicturesMeanwhile, former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner believes Sainz deserved a harsher penalty than the reduced five-second sanction he received during the Hungarian GP after ruining the race of then leader Oscar Piastri as a back-marker.Speaking on the Red Flags podcast, Steiner argued that the FIA should have handed Sainz a standard 10-second penalty, insisting the blue flag system failure should not have been treated as a mitigating circumstance because the blue flags were still being shown.He said: "Nothing would have changed anyway. So just make a point, you know, that you don't do that under whatever software glitch or whatever it is. It's blue flag, they are out there. Get 10 seconds as normally. Don't try mitigating circumstances. Who cares about mitigating circumstances. It was clearly blue flag and 10 seconds. It's standard, and he should have gotten that, and nothing would have changed anyway."

Photo by Nigel French/PA Images via Getty ImagesIn just a few weeks time, Barcelona and the rest of La Ligas teams return to domestic action, in what seems to have been the blink of an eye after the end of the World Cup.With scarcely any time for those players who went deep into the tournament to recover before playing again, its all systems go, whether they like it or not.As was seen in the pre-season friendly at Birmingham, many of those players who might be considered fringe or squad players arent yet up to speed in terms of being able to cover the usual starters on a reasonably regular basis, and that in itself presents a problem.Perhaps in 2026/27, more than any other recent campaign, Hansi Flick is going to have to rely heavily on rotation options, and if those options arent anywhere close to being up to speed in terms of whats required, depending on the opposition, the Catalans could get a rude awakening.The summer has already been dominated by the Julian Alvarez saga, too. Not for the first time have the club spent a large part of the summer window going after a player whose club are determined not to sell.Atletico Madrid were left smarting by the Argentinians apparent request to move to Barcelona, and have dug their heels in, at least to this point.Though any deal isnt quite dead in the water, it would appear that Atletico are going to make things as difficult as possible for Barca to hire the player in good time.All the while the Alvarez chase is a live one, of course, it means the club arent going after anyone else, and unless Joan Laporta gives up on the deal shortly, it doesnt really give the club, and particularly Flick, the right amount of time to be able to identify a target, negotiate with him and his club, and be able to sign and integrate the player in the first-team set-up before the season starts in earnest.Then theres the small issue of being without Frenkie de Jong for an as-yet-unspecified amount of time.The Dutchmans problem, which occurred in the World Cup, threatens to derail his entire season, and de Jongs great engine, box-to-box running and eye for goal, will be sorely missed.Aside from those two issues, there hasnt really been too much for Culers to get excited about in the transfer market either.Though the highly-rated duo, Karim Adeyemi and Hamza Abdelkarim, have joined, for example, playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world is going to test them to the limit, and the question that supporters will be asking is are they up to the task?Things can change in the blink of an eye, of course, and when Flick gets the likes of Anthony Gordon et al out on the training pitch, and the squad start getting some rhythm, things will hopefully start looking up.Right now, however, it doesnt look too good.

Veteran defender targeted by Barcelona valued at 80 million by La Liga outfitIt is no secret that Barcelona are in the market for defensive reinforcements, just as much as they are keen on bringing in a new centre-forward.The club have already been linked with a move for a few top centre-backs across Europe, including Alessandro Bastoni and Aymeric Laporte.The Laporte option is particularly interesting as the former Man City defender has already built a formidable pairing alongside Pau Cubarsi and could be a natural addition to the team.Athletic Club value Laporte at 80 millionLaporte has already proven alongside Cubarsi. (Photo by Mattia Ozbot/Getty Images)However, any move for the veteran defender is unlikely to come cheap, with Athletic Club valuing Laporte at his 80 million release clause, reports Diario AS.Barcelona sporting director Deco was among those who inquired about the centre-backs situation during the World Cup, even watching him play live on several occasions, starting with Spains round-of-16 clash in Dallas. The response from Athletics hierarchy, though, was emphatic, with the Basque club pointing firmly to his release clause and showing no willingness to negotiate a lower fee.Laportes stock has soared following an outstanding tournament, during which his understanding alongside Cubarsi was central to Spain conceding just one goal en route to World Cup glory. His performances silenced the critics who had questioned his inclusion in the squad, and at 32, he now has a two-year contract remaining at Athletic, the club he fought so hard to rejoin last summer after his spell at Al-Nassr.Real Madrid have also been credited with interest, though it was Deco who made the concrete enquiry, only to be met with the same firm response.Why Barcelona are unlikely to pursueReal Madrid are also interested in Cubarsi. (Photo by Diego Souto/Getty Images)Beyond the significant valuation, there are further reasons to believe Barcelona will not push ahead with a move for Laporte.Previous reports have indicated that Barcelona have no desire to enter into any negotiation with Athletic following the Nico Williams saga, which severely damaged the relationship between the two clubs. That bitter episode has left little appetite at Camp Nou for another complicated dealing with the Basque side.Combined with Hansi Flicks satisfaction with his current defensive options, it appears increasingly unlikely that Barcelona will make a genuine push for Laporte, despite his obvious quality and proven partnership with Cubarsi.

Stock up for Skubal, but down for the game as a whole