Sports Roundup: NBA Europe's $10bn Expansion, WNBA Revenue Milestone, and MLB Playoff Drama Headline Busy Week in Global Sport

From basketball's billion-dollar ambitions to a fan interference controversy that ended the Yankees' season, the sporting world delivered a series of significant developments on Wednesday and Thursday.

The NBA announced a delay to its highly anticipated European league expansion, pushing the NBA Europe launch back 12 months to 2028, according to The Guardian. The league plans to invest approximately $10 billion (£7.6 billion) over 10 years in what sources described as the sporting world's biggest-ever startup competition. A pre-qualifying competition is planned for next year to identify four temporary members who will join 16 teams – 12 permanent franchises – in the league's inaugural season. Franchise bids are reported to have already exceeded targets, with prices expected to range from $500 million to more than $1 billion for the coveted London slot. Some of Europe's biggest football clubs are understood to be among those queueing to secure a place in the ESL-style competition, The Guardian reported.

On the financial front, women's professional sport reached a landmark moment as the Golden State Valkyries became the first women's sports team to surpass $100 million in annual revenue, according to a Sportico report cited by The Guardian. The WNBA franchise, only in its second season, is now valued at $1 billion. The milestone arrives as the Valkyries pursue their first WNBA championship, currently leading the Las Vegas Aces 2-0 in the semi-finals. The achievement underscores a broader surge in commercial interest in women's sport globally.

In Major League Baseball, the Tampa Bay Rays completed a stunning 3-0 series sweep of the New York Yankees, eliminating them from the playoffs in dramatic and controversial fashion, The Guardian reported. A fan interference call downgraded what appeared to be a Yankees home run by infielder Anthony Volpe, a decision that proved pivotal. "Just hoping for the best," Volpe said after rounding the bases and waiting for officials to rule. "Crazy." Elsewhere in the playoffs, the Los Angeles Dodgers eliminated the Atlanta Braves to keep their bid for a third consecutive championship alive, while José Ramírez led the Cleveland Guardians past the Chicago White Sox to avoid a sweep, The Guardian reported.

In football, Premier League clubs are counting the cost of a gruelling international break, with a wave of injuries leaving top sides significantly depleted, according to The Guardian. Among those sidelined are Kai Havertz, Alexander Isak and Patrick Dorgu, with hamstring and muscle problems described as rife across the break. Sunderland will be without Brian Brobbey and Dan Ballard, while Bournemouth lost Alex Scott for up to two months despite England manager Thomas Tuchel insisting "there was zero risk taken from our side." Transfer speculation also intensified, with BBC Sport reporting that Real Madrid are targeting Napoli midfielder Scott McTominay and France forward Michael Olise, while Chelsea are said to be keen on Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong.

Rounding out the week's developments, England was confirmed as the host nation for the 2031 Netball World Cup – the country's fourth time hosting the event – with matches set to be held at Manchester's Co-op Live arena, BBC Sport reported. Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur's Xavi Simons enrolled at Harvard University as he continues his recovery from a long-term injury, BBC Sport added, in an unusual off-field story that highlighted the growing academic ambitions of elite athletes.