Here are the top sports stories and upcoming coverage plans for Reuters text service as of 7:30 p.m. GMT/ 2:30 p.m. ET. For a full schedule of news and events, go to our editorial calendar on Reuters Connect.

TOP STORIES

ALPINE SKIING-WOMEN/LIENSBERGER

Alpine skiing-Austria's Liensberger to have knee surgery after training fall

(Reuters) - Austria's 2022 Olympic slalom silver medallist Katharina Liensberger is set to miss the Milano Cortina Games after suffering a serious knee injury in a training crash.

BOXING-HEAVYWEIGHT-JOSHUA/ACCIDENT

Boxing-Nigeria police charge Joshua driver with dangerous driving over fatal collision

(Reuters) - Nigerian police said on Friday the driver of the vehicle involved in a crash that injured British former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua and killed two of his close friends was charged with causing death by dangerous driving.

OLYMPICS-2026-ICEHOCKEY/NHL

Olympics-NHL stars return to boost US, Canada ice hockey teams at Milano-Cortina Games

(Reuters) - The return of ice hockey's biggest stars to the Winter Games could spark a renaissance for the sport on the global stage, as gold-medal favourites United States and Canada handpicked top NHL talent for the Milano-Cortina Olympics.

UPCOMING

SOCCER

SOCCER-ITALY-CAG-MIL/ (PIX)

Italy - Italian Serie A - Cagliari v Milan

Cagliari play Milan in the Italian Serie A at Unipol Domus in Cagliari

2 Jan 19:45 ET / 19:45 GMT

SOCCER-ENGLAND-AVL-NFO/ (PIX)

England - English Premier League - Aston Villa v Nottingham Forest

Aston Villa play Nottingham Forest in the English Premier League at Villa Park in Birmingham

3 Jan 12:30 ET / 12:30 GMT

SOCCER-ENGLAND-BHA-BUR/ (PIX)

England - English Premier League - Brighton & Hove Albion v Burnley

Brighton & Hove Albion play Burnley in the English Premier League at American Express Stadium in Falmer, East Sussex

3 Jan 15:00 ET / 15:00 GMT

SOCCER-ENGLAND-WOL-WHU/ (PIX)

England - English Premier League - Wolverhampton Wanderers v West Ham United

Wolverhampton Wanderers play West Ham United in the English Premier League at Molineux Stadium in Wolverhampton, West Midlands

3 Jan 15:00 ET / 15:00 GMT

SOCCER-NATIONS-SEN-SDN/ (PIX)

Africa Cup of Nations - Senegal v Sudan

Senegal play Sudan at the Grand Stade de Tanger in the first round of 16 match at the Africa Cup of Nations finals

3 Jan 16:00 ET / 16:00 GMT

SOCCER-ITALY-JUV-LEC/ (PIX)

Italy - Italian Serie A - Juventus v Lecce

Juventus play Lecce in the Italian Serie A at Allianz Stadium in Torino

3 Jan 17:00 ET / 17:00 GMT

SOCCER-ENGLAND-BOU-ARS/ (PIX)

England - English Premier League - AFC Bournemouth v Arsenal

AFC Bournemouth play Arsenal in the English Premier League at Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth, Dorset

3 Jan 17:30 ET / 17:30 GMT

SOCCER-NATIONS-MLI-TUN/ (PIX)

Africa Cup of Nations - Mali v Tunisia

Mali take on Tunisia at the Stade Mohammed V in the last-16 at the Africa Cup of Nations finals in Casablanca.

3 Jan 19:00 ET / 19:00 GMT

ICEHOCKEY

ICEHOCKEY-NHL-STL-VGK/ (PIX)

NHL - St. Louis Blues v Vegas Golden Knights

2025-26 NHL Season (Regular Season) - Enterprise Center, St. Louis, Missouri

2 Jan 20:00 ET / 20:00 GMT

ICEHOCKEY-NHL-FLA-NYR/ (PIX)

NHL - Florida Panthers v New York Rangers

2025-26 NHL Season (Regular Season) - loanDepot park, Miami, Florida

3 Jan 01:00 ET / 01:00 GMT

ICEHOCKEY-NHL-VAN-SEA/ (PIX)

NHL - Vancouver Canucks v Seattle Kraken

2025-26 NHL Season (Regular Season) - Rogers Arena, Vancouver, British Columbia

3 Jan 03:30 ET / 03:30 GMT

ICEHOCKEY-NHL-ANA-MIN/ (PIX)

NHL - Anaheim Ducks v Minnesota Wild

2025-26 NHL Season (Regular Season) - Honda Center, Anaheim, California

3 Jan 03:30 ET / 03:30 GMT

ICEHOCKEY-NHL-DET-PIT/ (PIX)

NHL - Detroit Red Wings v Pittsburgh Penguins

2025-26 NHL Season (Regular Season) - Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan

3 Jan 17:00 ET / 17:00 GMT

CRICKET

CRICKET-ASHES/PREVIEW $(TV)$

Australia and England prepare for fifth Ashes test

Australia and England prepare for the fifth Ashes Test in Sydney.

3 Jan

BASKETBALL

BASKETBALL-NBA-IND-SAS/ (PIX)

NBA - Indiana Pacers v San Antonio Spurs

2025-26 NBA Season (Regular Season) - Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana

3 Jan 00:00 ET / 00:00 GMT

BASKETBALL-NBA-WAS-BKN/ (PIX)

NBA - Washington Wizards v Brooklyn Nets

2025-26 NBA Season (Regular Season) - Capital One Arena, Washington, District of Columbia

3 Jan 00:00 ET / 00:00 GMT

BASKETBALL-NBA-NYK-ATL/ (PIX)

NBA - New York Knicks v Atlanta Hawks

2025-26 NBA Season (Regular Season) - Madison Square Garden, New York, New York

3 Jan 00:30 ET / 00:30 GMT

BASKETBALL-NBA-CLE-DEN/ (PIX)

NBA - Cleveland Cavaliers v Denver Nuggets

2025-26 NBA Season (Regular Season) - Rocket Arena, Cleveland, Ohio

3 Jan 00:30 ET / 00:30 GMT

BASKETBALL-NBA-CHI-ORL/ (PIX)

NBA - Chicago Bulls v Orlando Magic

2025-26 NBA Season (Regular Season) - United Center, Chicago, Illinois

3 Jan 01:00 ET / 01:00 GMT

BASKETBALL-NBA-MIL-CHA/ (PIX)

NBA - Milwaukee Bucks v Charlotte Hornets

2025-26 NBA Season (Regular Season) - Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

3 Jan 01:00 ET / 01:00 GMT

BASKETBALL-NBA-NOP-POR/ (PIX)

NBA - New Orleans Pelicans v Portland Trail Blazers

2025-26 NBA Season (Regular Season) - Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, Louisiana

3 Jan 01:00 ET / 01:00 GMT

BASKETBALL-NBA-PHX-SAC/ (PIX)

NBA - Phoenix Suns v Sacramento Kings

2025-26 NBA Season (Regular Season) - Mortgage Matchup Center, Phoenix, Arizona

3 Jan 02:00 ET / 02:00 GMT

BASKETBALL-NBA-GSW-OKC/ (PIX)

NBA - Golden State Warriors v Oklahoma City Thunder

2025-26 NBA Season (Regular Season) - Chase Center, San Francisco, California

3 Jan 03:00 ET / 03:00 GMT

BASKETBALL-NBA-LAL-MEM/ (PIX)

NBA - Los Angeles Lakers v Memphis Grizzlies

2025-26 NBA Season (Regular Season) - Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, California

3 Jan 03:30 ET / 03:30 GMT

MOTOR-RALLY

MOTOR-RALLY-DAKAR/ (PIX) (TV)

Rallying - Dakar Rally

The Prologue of the 2026 Dakar Rally begins and finishes in Yanbu.

3 Jan 05:00 ET / 05:00 GMT