Sports 25 October 2026

No medical helicopter, no race, so Phillip Island's last MotoGP never started

Rain and poor visibility grounded the medical helicopter at Phillip Island on Sunday, and the MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 races were all cancelled. Marc Márquez keeps a 10-point lead over Jorge Martín, who broke his wrist in Saturday's sprint. Portimão is the penultimate round.

The last MotoGP race at Phillip Island never got going. Organisers called off Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix, along with the Moto2 and Moto3 races, because rain and low visibility meant the medical helicopter could not fly.

At a circuit this remote, the helicopter is not a detail. The nearest hospital is more than 45 minutes away by road, and without air evacuation there is no racing. The start was set for 2pm local time and kept slipping while everyone waited for a break in the weather that never came. At around half past three, MotoGP confirmed the cancellation and swapped the race for a farewell lap behind the safety car, with riders stopping on the main straight to wave to fans who had sat out hours in the stands.

It was a muted ending for a venue that has been part of the sport for three decades. From 2027 the Australian Grand Prix moves to a street circuit in Adelaide.

What it does to the title race

No race meant no points, so the weekend comes down to Saturday’s sprint, and that changed plenty. Jorge Martín arrived in Australia leading the championship, fought Marc Márquez for the win and crashed at Turn 8 on lap eight. Márquez won from his brother Álex and Fabio Di Giannantonio and took over at the top: 365 points to 355. Marco Bezzecchi is third on 315.

The crash was expensive for Martín. Aprilia confirmed a non-displaced fracture at the end of the radius in his right arm, and he will not fly home to Spain for treatment, which leaves the door open to an attempt at racing in Malaysia.

Why Portimão could matter

With Australia scrubbed, four rounds and 148 points remain: Sepang (30 October to 1 November), Qatar, Portimão and Valencia. That leaves room for the title to arrive in the Algarve still undecided. It will also be one of the last seasons Portuguese fans watch on the usual channels, because MotoGP moves to DAZN in Portugal from 2027.

By Vasco Almada

Image: Tom Reynolds / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

Borja Sainz seen from behind, his name and number 17 on FC Porto's white shirt, during a European match

Sports 25 October 2026

Porto make it nine from nine in Barcelos, their best league start since 1939/40

FC Porto beat Gil Vicente 1-0 in Barcelos on matchday 9 of the Primeira Liga, Borja Sainz scoring on 64 minutes after coming into the side when Oskar Pietuszewski was hurt in the warm-up. Porto lead Benfica by eight points, with Benfica a game in hand.

Borja Sainz was not in the side Francesco Farioli picked for Barcelos. Oskar Pietuszewski felt his left thigh in the warm-up, the Spaniard took his place, and on 64 minutes he scored the only goal of Gil Vicente v FC Porto. Porto won 1-0 and still have not dropped a league point this season. Porto had the better of a goalless first half. Sainz had the first real chance on the break, and Jan Bednarek forced Lucão into a save with a header on 44 minutes.…

Vitória SC head coach Tiago Margarido in the club's press room in Guimarães

Sports 24 October 2026

Vitória SC thrash Marítimo 5-0 to end a five-game wait for a league win

Opening matchday 9 of the Primeira Liga in Guimarães, Vitória SC beat Marítimo 5-0 with two from Arnel Jakupovic (38' and 76'), a Paulo Henrique own goal (48'), Oumar Camara (60') and Yeimar Mosquera in stoppage time. Lucas Furtado kept a clean sheet on his league debut in goal.

Vitória SC beat Marítimo 5-0 in Guimarães on Friday night, in the game that opened matchday 9 of the Primeira Liga. Vitória had gone five league games without a win, and this one came with plenty to spare. The first half was hard going. The opener only arrived in the 38th minute, from an Arnel Jakupovic direct free kick. After the break it was a different evening: Paulo Henrique turned the ball into his own net on 48 minutes, Oumar Camara made it three on…

Tugadaily chart: goals scored by the five teams on 9 points after three Europa League matchdays, with Benfica top on 10

Sports 23 October 2026

Omonia 1-4 Benfica sends the Eagles top of the Europa League, while Torreense lose by the same score in Budapest

On matchday three of the league phase, Benfica won in Nicosia through Pavlidis, Aursnes, Prestianni and a Négo own goal, and lead on 9 points with a 10-2 goal record, ahead of Leverkusen on goals scored. Torreense lost 4-1 at Ferencváros and sit 28th on 3 points.

Benfica beat Omonia 4-1 in Nicosia on Thursday night and moved to the top of the Europa League league phase, three wins from three. Their opener, on 14 minutes, came without a Benfica player getting the final touch. Aursnes crossed, Echeverri's header was deflected, and defender Loïc Négo turned it into his own net. Omonia levelled on 42 through Andronikos Kakoullis, and it was 1-1 at the break.

Sports 29 September 2026

Ronaldo, Félix and Conceição miss Portugal training in Malmö two days before Denmark

The FPF says Ronaldo did specific gym work at the team hotel because the stadium lacked the equipment. Denmark v Portugal is Thursday at 19:45 Lisbon time at Parken, live on RTP1 and Sport TV 1.

Cristiano Ronaldo, João Félix and Francisco Conceição did not train with the group on Tuesday in Malmö, Sweden, two days before the game against Denmark. Portugal play in Copenhagen on Thursday at 19:45 Lisbon time, and the match page is on UEFA's site. Ronaldo walked out onto the pitch and stood by the substitutes' bench before the session began, then went to the dressing room and back to the hotel. He did not appear in the 15 minutes open to the press.…

Sports 29 September 2026

Portugal beat Norway in Oslo with goals from Félix and Ramos

Félix opened the scoring, Haaland levelled from a loose ball after a free kick, and Gonçalo Ramos won it by chipping Nyland. Portugal lead Group A4 on six points and head to Copenhagen.

Portugal won 2-1 in Oslo and now sit alone at the top of Nations League Group A4 with six points from two games. The result is on UEFA's official match page; what the scoreline doesn't tell you is that Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, watched the whole thing from the bench. Jorge Jesus made four changes to the side that beat Wales. Gonçalo Ramos, João Neves, Francisco Conceição and João Palhinha started, and Ronaldo stayed on the bench for all 90 minutes.…

FC Porto players and staff celebrate with medals behind the Supertaça Mário Saldanha trophy and a Vencedores banner at the Albufeira arena

Sports 27 September 2026

Down by ten at half-time, FC Porto came back to win basketball's Super Cup

FC Porto overturned a ten-point half-time deficit to beat Sporting 80-76 in the Supertaça Mário Saldanha in Albufeira, taking their 9th basketball title of all time.

FC Porto were ten points down at half-time. They ended the night with the basketball Super Cup. The Porto side beat Sporting 80-76 on Saturday at the Pavilhão Desportivo de Albufeira, in the 41st edition of the Supertaça Mário Saldanha. At half-time the board read Sporting 41, FC Porto 31 — a ten-point lead for the reigning Portuguese Cup holders. The national champions went in behind and came out on top.

Bar chart showing the Primeira Liga standings after matchday 7: FC Porto with 21 points, Benfica with 16, Sporting and Santa Clara with 15

Sports 25 September 2026

FC Porto beat Benfica 3-1 and end their 55-game unbeaten league run

Goals from Gabri Veiga, Froholdt and Hwang, a red card for Lenglet after 34 minutes and a seventh win in seven: FC Porto moved to 21 points, five clear of a Benfica side that had not lost a league game since the 2024/25 season.

They arrived at the clássico with a perfect record and left with it intact: FC Porto beat Benfica 3-1 on Sunday 20 September at the Estádio do Dragão, moving to 21 points in the Primeira Liga, five clear of their Lisbon rivals and six ahead of Sporting. FC Porto's official match report records the matchday 7 result, in front of 49,560 fans. For Benfica it cost more than three points. The defeat ended a 55-game unbeaten run in the league that went back to…

Sports 24 September 2026

João Félix gives Jorge Jesus a winning start as Portugal beat Wales 1-0

Félix scored after 22 minutes at Alvalade, and Wales managed a single shot all night. Portugal head to Oslo to face Norway on Sunday.

Jorge Jesus has his first win. Portugal beat Wales 1-0 at Alvalade on Thursday night in matchday one of Nations League Group A4, with João Félix scoring after 22 minutes. It was the new head coach's first competitive game, and at 72 he is the oldest man ever to take the job. The goal came from a move down the left, with Félix arriving in the middle and placing his shot past Danny Ward. Portugal had more of the initiative and the territory (12 attempts,…

Bar chart of SC Braga SAD's operating accounts in 2025/26: costs of €69.0 million, player sales of €67.3 million and operating revenue of €48.0 million

Sports 22 September 2026

Braga booked a €17.3m profit (its football operation lost money)

SC Braga's listed company closed 2025/26 with a net result of €17.315m and total income above €100m for the first time. Of the €115.682m that came in, €67.339m came from player trading, mostly the sales of Roger Fernandes, Zalazar and Banza.

SC Braga published the best set of accounts in its history on Tuesday, and reading them honestly comes down to one question: where did the money come from. The listed company closed 2025/26 with a net result of €17.315m, after a loss of roughly €11m the season before. Total income passed €100m for the first time, reaching €115.682m. EBITDA of €39.614m is the highest the company has ever recorded. Equity rose to €86.33m, another record. Of that €115.682m,…

Sports 20 September 2026

Sporting led Arouca 2-0 at the break (and gave both points away in the last ten minutes)

Gonçalo Inácio and Luis Suárez put Sporting two up inside 17 minutes at Alvalade. Zeno Debast was sent off on 54, Arouca scored on 81 and 87, and white handkerchiefs came out at full time. Rui Borges called the protest natural.

Sporting had this one won by half time and finished it being whistled at. A 2-2 draw with Arouca at Alvalade on matchday seven, 49,943 in the ground, and white handkerchiefs in the air at the end. It started as a comfortable evening. On three minutes Maxi Araújo, playing his hundredth game for the club and honoured on the pitch before kick-off, swung in a short corner and Gonçalo Inácio headed the opener. On 17, Iván Fresneda drove into the box from the…

Sports 19 September 2026

Watching the clássico from abroad? Porto host Benfica at 20:30 Lisbon time on Sunday

Round seven of the Portuguese league at the Estádio do Dragão. Porto arrive with six wins from six and two goals conceded, Benfica two points behind and fresh from a first ever win over Milan at San Siro.

Sunday, 20:30 Lisbon time, Estádio do Dragão. It is the season's first meeting between the two clubs at the top of the Portuguese league, and Benfica's own fixture list carries the date and the kick-off for the round-seven trip north. If you are reading this from Newark, Toronto, London or Paris: Lisbon and the UK and Ireland share a clock right now, so it is 20:30 there too. That makes it 21:30 across most of continental Europe, 16:30 in Rio, 15:30 on…

Sports 18 September 2026

Samuel Soares, Nuno Tavares and Fábio Silva come into Jorge Jesus's first Portugal squad

Portugal's new head coach named his 25 for the start of the Nations League title defence on Friday at the Cidade do Futebol. João Palhinha returns, and only six of the players picked are at Portuguese clubs.

Twenty-five names, and three of them had never been on a Jorge Jesus list before. Portugal's head coach named his squad at midday on Friday at the Cidade do Futebol for the first four games of the Nations League, and the arrivals that stand out are goalkeeper Samuel Soares, full-back Nuno Tavares and forward Fábio Silva. João Palhinha, left out of the most recent squads, is back in midfield. Much of the rest is the spine that went to the World Cup. Diogo…

Sports 17 September 2026

Benfica had faced Milan twice, both times in a European Cup final. At the third attempt they won

Dodi Lukébakio scored after sixteen minutes and Jakub Kaminski added a second early in the second half at San Siro. The only previous competitive meetings were the 1963 and 1990 European Cup finals, and Benfica lost both.

Benfica won 2-0 at San Siro on the opening matchday of the Europa League league phase. Dodi Lukébakio put them ahead after sixteen minutes and Jakub Kaminski, who had made the first goal, scored the second shortly after the interval. It is the first time the Portuguese club has beaten Milan in a competitive match. The two had met only twice before in a real fixture, and Benfica lost both: the 1963 European Cup final at Wembley and the 1990 final in…

Sports 16 September 2026

Benfica open their Europa League at San Siro against two of their own

Milan host Benfica at 20:00 Lisbon time on Wednesday in the first round of the league phase. Gonçalo Ramos and Diego Moreira both came through Benfica's academy, Rúben Amorim coaches the Italian side, and Sport TV 5 has it in Portugal.

Benfica begin the Europa League league phase on Wednesday, and they begin it somewhere loud. Kick-off at San Siro is 20:00 Lisbon time, an hour later locally in Milan. In Portugal the match is on Sport TV 5, which holds the rights to Portuguese clubs in European competition. The team sheet does most of the talking here, and a lot of it is in Portuguese. Gonçalo Ramos and Diego Moreira, both products of Benfica's academy, will be wearing red and black on…