Saturday
Football
8am (all times BST)Matchday live
John Brewin, Rob Smyth and Barry Glendenning have all the buildup to Saturday’s football action. They’ll spin through the headlines from overnight as well as previewing England’s World Cup qualifier in Birmingham and full programmes in Leagues One and Two, with team news and breaking stories. As the Women’s Super League gets under way, our correspondent Suzanne Wrack will answer readers’ queries in a Q&A from 11am. Send your thoughts and questions to matchday.live@theguardian.com
Women’s Super League
1.30pm Arsenal v London City Lionesses
Rob Smyth helms our live blog for the day’s WSL clash. Newly promoted London City, funded by wealthy American owner Michele Kang and the first fully independent side to play in the WSL, are determined to make an impact in the top flight, signalling their intent with Friday’s world-record signing of the France international Grace Geyoro from Paris St-Germain for £1.43m. The 28-year-old is the Lionesses’ 16th permanent signing of a busy summer. Other recruits include the England forward Nikita Parris, Netherlands midfielder Daniëlle van de Donk and Italy defender Elena Linari. Suzanne Wrack reports from the Emirates Stadium as they take on the Champions League winners.
Formula One
2pmItalian Grand Prix qualifying
Lando Norris’s DNF in Zandvoort puts him behind Oscar Piastri in the battle for the title. With McLaren the class of field, reliability problems for his Australian teammate could be the British driver’s only route back into the world championship fight. Norris has been cast 34 points adrift of Piastri with nine rounds remaining after he retired from last weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix with engine failure. Norris was on course to finish second to Piastri in Zandvoort before his engine blew in the closing stages. Piastri has won seven times, two more than Norris, but the Englishman is the only one of the McLaren drivers to have had a race derailed by technical gremlins this season. Billy Munday provides lap-by-lap coverage of what is certain to be a competitive qualifying session. Giles Richards reports from the Italian circuit.
Women’s Rugby World Cup
5pmEngland v Australia live
The Red Roses will secure top spot in Pool A by avoiding defeat to the Wallaroos and are targeting another ruthless display to underline their status as tournament favourites. England, who began the competition by beating the United States 69-7 and are already assured a quarter-final place, have the chance to equal their record unbeaten run with a 30th successive victory. That streak dates back to the 2021 World Cup final defeat to New Zealand. England have beaten Australia in all seven of their previous meetings, most recently a 42-7 victory in October 2023. Niall McVeigh helms our live blog, with Sarah Rendell and Andy Bull reporting from the Brighton & Hove Albion Stadium.
World Cup qualifying
5pmEngland v Andorra live
Thomas Tuchel’s Three Lions host Andorra at Villa Park before facing Serbia three days later in Belgrade. The Group K leaders have a maximum nine points so far, having picked up wins over Albania, Latvia and Andorra in Tuchel’s first three games. The campaign’s remaining fixtures are in October and November with England looking to secure a place at next year’s World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada. Barry Glendenning helms our live blog, while our expert team of David Hytner, Barney Ronay and Jacob Steinberg providing reports and analysis.
US Open tennis
9pmWomen’s singles final live
Amanda Anisimova takes on the world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the New York showpiece as she seeks a maiden major crown. It is eight weeks since the American was humiliated in her first Wimbledon final, losing 6-0, 6-0 to Iga Swiatek, but she has shrugged off the setback impressively and will now try to beat Sabalenka again in what will be a repeat of the semi-final at SW19. Sabalenka , meanwhile, will face an American in the final for a third straight year. The three-times grand slam champion is bidding to win her first major this season after defeats in the Australian and French Open finals. Katy Murrells picks up the action from NYC, with Tumaini Carayol reporting from Flushing Meadows.
Sunday
Football
8amMatchday live
John Brewin is your host as we look forward to Sunday’s key football action. Our unmissable live countdown will bring you all the build up to the key WSL lunchtime fixtures we are covering – Tottenham v West Ham and Liverpool v Everton – as well as Northern Ireland’s World Cup qualifier against Germany. There’s sure to be some wash-up from England’s qualifier against Andorra too – and not forgetting our review of the Spanish transfer window, delivered by the inimitable Sid Lowe.
Cricket
11amEngland v South Africa live
Two defeats in three days at the hands of South Africa – a hammering at Headingley followed by a five-run defeat at Lord’s – mean England have lost the Metro Bank One-Day International series with a game to play. The hosts have been caught cold, barrelling into the series a matter of hours after the conclusion of The Hundred, which itself followed sharply on the heels of a fiercely contested five-Test tussle against India. A case of fixture overload? Joe Root, Ben Duckett, captain Harry Brook and Jamie Smith have been ever present during a draining summer, while Jofra Archer has also played across all three formats. They have all been stood down for the T20 trip to Ireland this month but, with a hotly anticipated Ashes tour just a couple of months away, there are still markers to lay down. Tanya Aldred and James Wallace helm our over-by-over coverage of the third ODI, with Simon Burnton reporting from Southampton.
Women’s football
12pm WSL clockwatch
Billy Munday will be flagging up the day’s WSL action, with team news and all the latest breaking stories. There’s certain to be a buzz around the grounds as England’s players begin a new domestic season after winning Euro 2025 in a glorious summer for the women’s game. Nineteen of the 23-woman Lionesses squad feature in the WSL this season. We’ll be reporting from Tottenham v West Ham and Liverpool v Everton, as well as keeping a close eye on Manchester United v Leicester and Brighton v Aston Villa, all noon kick-offs.
Formula One
2pmItalian GP live
Lewis Hamilton heads into Sunday’s race in Ferrari’s backyard a week after he crashed out in Zandvoort and still awaits his first podium for the Scuderia. The 40-year-old’s hopes of a strong result at Monza have also been hit after he received a five-place grid penalty for a yellow flag infringement before last Sunday’s race. Hamilton is 42 points behind Charles Leclerc in the world championship and has been out-qualified by his teammate 10 times so far – and beaten him in only two of the 15 races – since he made the switch from Mercedes to the Italian legends. So there’s plenty resting on his Italian Grand Prix debut in red. Tom Bassam has lap-by-lap updates, with Giles Richards reporting from Monza.
Women’s Rugby World Cup
4.45pmFrance v South Africa live
Daniel Gallan offers minute-by-minute coverage the big clash between France, ranked four in the world, and South Africa at Franklin’s Gardens. He will also provide updates from New Zealand v Ireland, with Sarah Rendell in Brighton to report on the group decider. Elsewhere
Japan face Spain in York and Italy meet Brazil. By the end of the day, the quarter-final lineups will be settled.
Tennis
7pmMen’s singles final live
Daniel Harris helms our live blog of the men’s showpiece, with Tumaini Carayol reporting from Flushing Meadows.
