The Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) on Feb. 4-5, 2026 confirmed four on-field rule changes ahead of the NRL season opener in Las Vegas on March 1. Teams may now name six players on the interchange bench (players 14-19 inclusive) though only four may be used, with up to eight interchanges per match — a move designed to give coaches greater tactical flexibility and cover for in-game injuries. Trainers will be restricted from entering the field except in prescribed circumstances to prioritise safety and limit non-essential intrusions. An accidental in‑goal knock-on by the attacking team will no longer result in a seven-tackle set, and the tackle-count reset threshold for certain infringements has been moved closer to the 20-metre line from the current 40m mark. A separate, more controversial proposal to let the non-scoring team choose to kick or receive at restarts has been shelved for now and will be trialled later in the season in matches that do not affect finals positions.

PORTLAND, Ore. — Joel Foxwell scored 27 points and James O’Donnell added 16 as the Portland Pilots upset No. 6 Gonzaga 87-80 on Wednesday night at the Chiles Center, handing the Bulldogs their first loss in 15 games. Portland (11-14, 4-8 WCC) jumped out to an early lead and at one point led by 15, snapping Gonzaga’s 20-game series win streak and marking the Pilots’ first victory over a top-10 opponent. Gonzaga (22-2, 10-1 WCC) rallied late — Graham Ike finished with 24 points and 10 rebounds — but Portland held on when O’Donnell dunked with 23 seconds remaining to seal the win. The Pilots were listed as a 21.5-point underdog by BetMGM Sportsbook. The upset ends Gonzaga’s run of conference dominance and tightens the WCC race; Gonzaga visits Oregon State on Saturday while Portland hosts Seattle. The game also highlighted Portland’s home-court resilience after a lopsided loss at Washington State earlier in the week.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes sparked and then quelled a flurry of retirement speculation about teammate Travis Kelce after a pair of social posts on Feb. 4-5, 2026. Mahomes initially posted “Let’s go!!!!! @tkelce” with three bullseye emojis after Kelce’s viral tee shot at the Waste Management Phoenix Open pro-am, where the tight end — playing with Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka — landed a shot just feet from the pin on the iconic par-3 16th. Followers read the cryptic message as a potential hint that Kelce would return for another NFL season; Kelce’s contract expires in March 2026 and he has publicly said he is weighing whether to play on. Mahomes quickly followed up, clarifying he was “talking about” golf and re-sharing the Golf Channel clip of the shot. The initial confusion was amplified by Kelce’s high-profile relationship and engagement to pop star Taylor Swift, fueling fan theories about elopement and retirement. Media outlets and social feeds carried the back-and-forth as Kelce enjoys the offseason spotlight while his pro future remains unresolved.

Mike Macdonald has transformed the Seattle Seahawks into a defense-first Super Bowl contender in just his second season as head coach. Hired two years ago to replace Pete Carroll, the 38-year-old former Ravens defensive coordinator led Seattle to a franchise-record 14 regular-season wins in 2025 and a top-ranked defense that allowed a league-low 17.2 points per game while finishing among the NFL leaders in sacks and interceptions. The Seahawks — one of the league’s youngest rosters — have balanced youth with veteran additions such as Cooper Kupp and Ernest Jones IV. Key contributors include Leonard Williams, Devon Witherspoon, rookie safety Nick Emmanwori and offensive standouts Sam Darnold, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Kenneth Walker III. Macdonald has emphasized a culture-first, “loose and focused” approach and credits mentor John Harbaugh and staff hires such as offensive coordinator Clint Kubiak for the turnaround. ESPN has ranked Macdonald the third-best head coaching hire since 2021. Seattle sits one win from Super Bowl victory in a title game against the New England Patriots at Levi’s Stadium, with Macdonald poised to become the first head coach to win a Super Bowl as the primary defensive play-caller.

The NCAA on Feb. 5 denied the University of Mississippi’s appeal seeking a sixth year of eligibility for quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, confirming an earlier Jan. 9 denial by its athletics eligibility subcommittee. Ole Miss called the decision “indefensible,” saying Chambliss did not dress for any games in 2022 due to severe, documented medical conditions. The NCAA cited insufficient or conflicting medical documentation and argued filings indicated Chambliss had chosen non-surgical treatment in 2022. Chambliss’s legal team has filed for an injunction in Mississippi state court to reverse the NCAA’s decision; a hearing is expected on Feb. 12. The outcome will determine whether Chambliss can play in 2026 or be forced to enter the 2026 NFL Draft despite a pending, lucrative return deal contingent on his eligibility. The case is one of several high-profile eligibility disputes headed for court this month, a development the NCAA warns could undermine centralized governance of collegiate athletics if judges routinely overrule its determinations.

Jeff Stoutland, the Philadelphia Eagles' veteran offensive line coach, announced he is leaving the organisation after 13 seasons. Stoutland, 63, posted on social media that his time in Philadelphia had come to an end after helping build one of the NFL's most consistent trenches. He joined the Eagles in 2013 and remained through multiple head-coaching changes, overseeing an offensive line that produced numerous Pro Bowlers and helped deliver Super Bowl victories (including LII and LIX) and three title-game appearances. Sources say friction over schematic changes — including a reduced role as run game coordinator and limited consultation on new run concepts — and the hiring of new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion contributed to his decision; Stoutland declined an offer to remain on staff. Prominent former players including Jason Kelce paid tribute. The team thanked him for “legendary contributions.” Stoutland is expected to remain involved in football and has drawn reported interest from other teams, while Mannion prepares to assemble his own offensive staff as the Eagles overhaul their attack after an uneven 2025 season.

Norway's alpine team suffered two damaging setbacks on the eve of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics after Aleksander Aamodt Kilde confirmed he will miss the Games with lingering back problems and teammate Fredrik Moeller was airlifted to hospital following a high-speed crash in training. Kilde, 33, announced on Feb. 3–4 that he had been unable to regain full fitness after a serious crash in Wengen in 2024 that required multiple operations; he said back issues curtailed his comeback and forced him to end his season early. Moeller, 25, crashed during a downhill training run on the Stelvio slope at Bormio on Feb. 4 and was taken by helicopter to a nearby hospital in Sondalo. Team doctor Trond Floberghagen said Moeller dislocated his left shoulder and that treatment had gone well, but his participation in the Games remained uncertain. The incidents come days before the men's downhill and remove two leading contenders from Norway's expected line-up, altering the nation's medal prospects and race dynamics.

Ryan Preece captured his first NASCAR Cup Series victory on Feb. 5, 2026, winning The Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, after a race disrupted by snow, sleet and a record number of cautions. The RFK Racing driver prevailed in a 200-lap exhibition that had been postponed twice because of winter weather. NASCAR ordered a midrace stop for wet-weather Goodyear tires when sleet reduced visibility, and repeated restarts led to multiple spins and collisions. The stoppages and long delays pushed the event past Fox’s broadcast window; the final 35 laps were carried on cable. William Byron finished second, followed by Ryan Blaney and Daniel Suárez in his debut for Spire Motorsports; Denny Hamlin was fifth. Josh Berry and Austin Cindric earned final spots via last-chance qualifying. The victory gives Preece momentum heading into next week’s season-opening Daytona 500 and marks him as one of the few drivers to win The Clash before a points-paying Cup victory.

Arizona State beat Utah 71-63 in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, snapping a six-game Big 12 road losing streak and handing the Utes a ninth defeat in 10 games. Freshman Massamba Diop scored 15 points and made nine of 10 free throws as the Sun Devils converted 22 of 25 attempts (88%) from the line — their second-best mark of the season — to offset a 38.6% team shooting night. Anthony Johnson added 14 points and Maurice Odum had 13 as Arizona State (12-11, 3-7 Big 12) held Utah to 63 points. Don McHenry led the Utes with 23 points and Seydou Traore scored 16, but leading scorer Terrence Brown was limited to six points on 2-of-16 shooting. Utah fell to 9-13 (1-8 Big 12). Arizona State used seven players and improved to 7-0 when holding opponents to 70 or fewer points. The Sun Devils led by as many as 18 in the first half before Utah trimmed the margin late; Arizona State closed the game at the line.

Thomas Harley scored 2:05 into overtime as the Dallas Stars beat the Winnipeg Jets 4-3 at American Airlines Center on Feb. 3, 2026, extending Dallas' winning streak to five games. Jake Oettinger and Winnipeg's Connor Hellebuyck each made 24 saves in a matchup of top U.S. netminders ahead of the Olympic break. Jason Robertson opened the scoring and recorded his 199th career goal and a team-leading 31st this season; Nils Lundkvist and Mikko Rantanen (goal and assist) also scored for Dallas. For Winnipeg, Gabriel Vilardi and Cole Perfetti each had a goal and an assist, Mark Scheifele added two assists and Logan Stanley tied the game late in regulation on a point shot with the net empty. Matt Duchene and Miro Heiskanen each had two assists for the Stars. Dallas' 18th one-goal victory of the season ties the New York Islanders for the NHL lead in one-goal games. Both clubs head into a three-week break for the Milan-Cortina Olympics with one final regular-season tune-up this week.

Ryan Donato had two goals and two assists and Ilya Mikheyev added a goal and three assists as the Chicago Blackhawks beat the visiting San Jose Sharks 6-3 in Chicago on Monday night, snapping a five-game losing streak. Connor Bedard, Connor Murphy and Sam Rinzel also scored for Chicago and Spencer Knight made 24 saves. Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith and Shakir Mukhamadullin scored for San Jose; Celebrini finished with a goal and an assist. San Jose starter Yaroslav Askarov made six saves on 10 shots before yielding to Alex Nedeljkovic. The victory halted Chicago’s recent slide — the Blackhawks were 3-6-2 in their last 11 games — and ended an 0-for-26 power-play drought when Bedard converted a man-advantage chance, his 23rd of the season. The game was Chicago’s final home match before the Olympic break. Both teams are scheduled to be on the road Wednesday, with San Jose at Colorado and Chicago at Columbus.

Maryland Republican delegates on Feb. 5 said Democratic colleagues hung a sign outside the offices of Democratic delegates Eric Ebersole and Nick Allen that appeared to dismiss concerns about transgender athletes in women’s sports. The Maryland Freedom Caucus posted a photo of the sign, signed by the Maryland Legislative LGBTQ+ Caucus, which included statements that "trans women have no competitive advantage," that "anti-dignity policies put transgender youth at risk," and that "banning transgender youth is illegal." Ebersole and Allen released a joint statement calling their office a "safe space" and affirming support for LGBTQ+ rights. The posting came a day before the state legislature was due to vote on the Fairness in Girls’ Sports Act, a bill that would require certain school teams and facilities to be designated by biological sex — a measure similar to laws already enacted in 27 U.S. states. The sign’s claim contrasts with a 2021 British Journal of Sports Medicine study that found transgender women may retain an athletic advantage after a year of hormone therapy.

On Feb. 4, 2026 the Minnesota Timberwolves rallied from an 18-point deficit to beat the Toronto Raptors 128-126 at Scotiabank Arena. Anthony Edwards scored 30 points, with 21 coming in the second half, and his steal-and-breakaway dunk with 2:02 remaining gave Minnesota its first lead since the opening quarter. Jaden McDaniels added 19 points and Rudy Gobert finished with a double-double (12 rebounds, 10 points). Toronto was paced by Scottie Barnes (22 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists), Brandon Ingram (25) and Immanuel Quickley (23). The Raptors hit 15-of-31 from three but saw their offence stall late and committed nine turnovers in the final 24 minutes. Minnesota improved to 32-20 and snapped a 20-game losing streak in Toronto dating to 2004; Toronto fell to 30-22. The win came despite pregame reports that Edwards was listed as questionable with left-elbow soreness. Minnesota hosts New Orleans next; Toronto has the Chicago Bulls on its schedule.

KJ Lewis scored 22 points as Georgetown defeated Creighton 76-68 in a Big East matchup, handing the Bluejays a third straight loss and giving the Hoyas their fourth consecutive win. Malik Mack added 20 points and Vince(I)wuchukwu (listed as Vincent/Vince in reports) posted a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds, helping Georgetown overcome a 34.9% shooting night by the field. Georgetown converted 24 of 33 free throws, with Lewis and Mack a combined 21-for-25 from the line, while Creighton shot just 24.2% from long range (8 of 33) and committed 16 turnovers. The game featured a 12-0 Georgetown run early in the second half that established control after a tightly contested first half; the teams had met earlier in the season in an overtime contest. The victory moved Georgetown to 13-10 overall and 5-7 in Big East play, while Creighton fell to 12-11 and 6-6 in conference action.

Feb. 5 — No. 8 Houston rolled to a 79-55 Big 12 home victory over Central Florida, snapping UCF’s three-game win streak and improving the Cougars to 20-2 overall and 8-1 in conference play. Kingston Flemings led Houston with 18 points and six assists, Chris Cenac Jr. recorded a 14-point, 10-rebound double-double and Milos Uzan added 12. Houston dominated inside, outscoring UCF 42-14 in the paint and winning the rebounding battle (40-29), while forcing turnovers and producing six steals in the first half. The Cougars shot about 54-55% for the game despite going 3-for-19 from deep; UCF struggled from the floor, finishing the first half 7-of-25 and making just six 3s overall. Houston extended its home win streak and its string of 20-win seasons under coach Kelvin Sampson, while UCF missed an opportunity to bolster its NCAA resume ahead of upcoming conference matchups.

Tino Fa’asuamaleaui has ended months of speculation by committing to the Gold Coast Titans until at least the end of the 2030 season, the club confirmed in early February 2026. The Queensland Maroons front‑rower and Titans captain opted not to trigger exit clauses in a decade‑long deal that had left him able to test the market for 2027, turning down reported interest from the incoming Perth Bears and a possible return to the Melbourne Storm. Club sources and multiple media outlets reported the long‑term contract is worth roughly AU$12 million. New coach Josh Hannay, who took over after Des Hasler’s departure, has been credited by players and Fa’asuamaleaui himself for creating a reshaped culture that influenced the decision. The commitment is being billed as a major coup for the Titans, who have struggled for finals success since the player joined in 2021, and provides stability around which the club says it will build a premiership‑contending roster.

Joe Flacco and rookie Shedeur Sanders were named to the NFL Pro Bowl and took part in practices in San Francisco on Feb. 3, 2026, marking first-time selections for both quarterbacks. Flacco, 41, received a late call to join the AFC squad as a replacement after initial selections withdrew — Patriots rookie Drake Maye is unavailable because he is in Super Bowl LX, while Josh Allen and Justin Herbert are sidelined by late-season injuries. The 18-season veteran, a Super Bowl and Super Bowl MVP winner and the 2023 AP Comeback Player of the Year, told reporters he had never been selected before; Elias Sports Information Bureau said no one in league history has waited longer for a first Pro Bowl nod. Sanders earned the honor after a strong rookie campaign and was the first AFC replacement named; Bengals starter Joe Burrow was later added as another replacement. The game features 29 first-time Pro Bowlers this year. Veterans and rookies alike noted the family-friendly atmosphere, with several players bringing children to practice ahead of the AFC vs. NFC all‑star game scheduled for Tuesday evening (8 p.m. ET).

Bo Horvat scored 52 seconds into overtime as the New York Islanders edged the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-4 at UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y., on Tuesday night. The Islanders rallied from multiple deficits to snap a two-game skid and move within a point of the Penguins in the Metropolitan Division. Mathew Barzal had a goal and two assists, rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer added a goal and an assist, and Ryan Pulock also scored; Ilya Sorokin made 31 saves. For Pittsburgh, Justin Brazeau had a goal and an assist, while Anthony Mantha, Egor Chinakhov and Bryan Rust also scored; Stuart Skinner stopped 18 shots. The game was played in the Islanders’ penultimate contest before the Olympic break. In a quirky moment, a bird briefly landed on the ice behind the Penguins’ net during the game and was safely released afterward.

Bobby Hauck, the winningest coach in Big Sky Conference history, announced his immediate retirement on Feb. 4-5, 2026, saying he no longer enjoyed the job amid sweeping changes in college football. Hauck, 61, led the University of Montana Grizzlies across two stints totaling 14 seasons, compiling a 151-43 record at Montana and 166-92 in 19 seasons overall including UNLV. He guided the Grizzlies to eight Big Sky titles, 13 playoff appearances, four FCS national championship games and a 2025 run to the national semifinals after a 13-2 season. Hauck cited the post-2021 landscape — unrestricted transfers, name, image and likeness deals and recent revenue-sharing — and the growing role of agents and outside influences on players as key reasons for stepping down. Wide receivers coach Bobby Kennedy, who worked with Hauck at Washington in 2002 and has experience on staffs at Texas and other power-conference programs, will succeed him. Hauck said he does not intend to be a head coach again and expressed a desire to enjoy the next phase of his life outside the pressures of modern Division I coaching.

The International Olympic Committee has maintained its 2023 suspension of Russia and Belarus for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, barring them from competing as national delegations while permitting a limited group of Individual Neutral Athletes (AINs) to take part. For Milan-Cortina, which opens Feb. 6, the IOC has issued invitations to 13 Russian and seven Belarusian competitors across individual disciplines; team sports, including Russia’s prominent ice hockey program, remain banned. AINs will compete without flags, national anthems or national identification and must meet strict vetting criteria — including no public support for the invasion of Ukraine or ties to military or security agencies — and qualify through each sport’s normal channels. The vetting process is under scrutiny after media reporting and intelligence material suggested pro-war links for several cleared Russians, and footage of an IOC review-panel member embracing a sanctioned Russian gymnast has raised further questions. The IOC says invitations followed established review procedures; Ukraine’s Olympic Committee and other critics are calling for tighter checks.

Kirill Kaprizov scored his second goal of the game, ripping a power‑play wrist shot 3:38 into overtime to lift the Minnesota Wild to a 4-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens in Saint Paul on Feb. 3. Joel Eriksson Ek and Brock Faber also scored for Minnesota, and Filip Gustavsson made 17 saves. Quinn Hughes finished with three assists in the game, reaching 50 points for the season and extending an assist streak that initially tied the Wild franchise mark at nine. Two days later Hughes added an assist on Matt Boldy’s first‑period goal to stretch the streak to 10 straight games, setting a Wild record and an NHL record for the longest assist streak by a defenceman in his first season with a team. Over the 10‑game run he produced 16 assists and has 34 points (three goals, 31 assists) in 26 games since joining Minnesota. The Wild have won four straight and maintain momentum heading into the Olympic break, while Hughes is set to suit up for Team USA in Milan.