Football: Premier League

Last season Arsenal and Manchester City occupied the top two spots from Week 2 till the very end, but they didn’t meet until February. This campaign will see a much earlier test of Arsenal’s title credentials when they meet the champions at the start of October, a match that’s live on Sky Sports. After City convincingly did the double over the Gunners last term, we imagine Mikel Arteta – like everyone else – is working on a way to stop Erling Haaland. Tune in to see if he’s successful.

Other highlights this month include a resurgent Spurs against a new-look Liverpool, both of whom got off to a flyer, and derbies in both north and west London. Nottingham Forest, whose performances so far suggest they may be maturing into a side of genuine Premier League quality, are featured three times.

Newcastle United v Brentford

Saturday 16 September, 5pm, Sky Sports Premier League/HD (CH 502/512)

Bournemouth v Chelsea

Sunday 17 September, 1pm, Sky Sports Premier League/HD (CH 502/512)

Everton v Arsenal

Sunday 17 September, 4pm, Sky Sports Premier League/HD (CH 502/512)

Nottingham Forest v Burnley

Monday 18 September, 6.30pm, Sky Sports Premier League/HD (CH 502/512)

Brentford v Everton

Saturday 23 September, 5pm, Sky Sports Premier League/HD (CH 502/512)

Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur

Sunday 24 September, 1pm, Sky Sports Premier League/HD (CH 502/512)

Sheffield United v Newcastle United

Sunday 24 September, 4pm, Sky Sports Premier League/HD (CH 502/512)

Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool

Saturday 30 September, 5pm, Sky Sports Premier League/HD (CH 502/512)

Nottingham Forest v Brentford

Sunday 1 October, 1pm, Sky Sports Premier League/HD (CH 502/512)

Fulham v Chelsea

Monday 2 October, 7pm, Sky Sports Premier League/HD (CH 502/512)

Crystal Palace v Nottingham Forest

Saturday 7 October, 5pm, Sky Sports Premier League/HD (CH 502/512)

Brighton & Hove Albion v Liverpool

Sunday 8 October, 1pm, Sky Sports Premier League/HD (CH 502/512)

Arsenal v Manchester City

Sunday 8 October, 4pm, Sky Sports Premier League/HD (CH 502/512)

Football: Scottish Premiership

Rangers visit both St Johnstone and St Mirren this month, which is the sort of thing to make us stop and think: we don’t remember either of those saints from RE classes. Turns out St Johnstone are named for St John’s Town, an old name for Perth, and St Mirren is a Scottish saint usually called St Mirin, the patron saint of Paisley. Mick Beale’s side will be aiming to pick up six points on the road to keep up with Celtic, whose game at Livingston is also on Sky Sports.

St Johnstone v Rangers

Saturday 16 September, 12pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 503/513)

Livingston v Celtic

Saturday 23 September, 12pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 503/513)

St Mirren v Rangers

Sunday 8 October, 11am, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 503/513)

Football: Women’s Super League

After the highs and lows of a World Cup in which England finished runners-up, the domestic season is back. Members of the Lionesses squad including Millie Bright and Lauren James are expected to turn out for Chelsea’s opener at Stamford Bridge, along with Aussie hero Sam Kerr. Although Tottenham’s England striker Beth England won’t recover from surgery in time, impressive Jamaica keeper Rebecca Spencer should be between the sticks for Spurs.

Tottenham will be looking to improve on a disappointing 2022/23 season under new coach Robert Vilahamn – but they could hardly have a more demanding start than a visit to the champions.

Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur

Sunday 2 October, 4.30pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 503/513)

Football: EFL Championship

Some call it the toughest league in the world and you can certainly get the opportunity to judge that thanks to Sky Sports’ extensive coverage of the Championship, with more than 30 live games over the coming months including two full midweek programmes. At this stage of the campaign it’s proving as delightfully unpredictable as ever: Preston surged unexpectedly to the top of the table early on, followed closely by promoted Ipswich, while last season’s play-off semi-finalists Middlesbrough were in last place after five games.

Picks for the month ahead include pace-setters PNE against pre-season favourites Leicester on 4 October, the south Wales derby – a rare Saturday night game – on 16 September, and the Wear-Tees derby on 7 October as Boro look to pull themselves out of trouble.

Southampton v Leicester City

Friday 15 September, 7.30pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 503/513)

Cardiff City v Swansea City

Saturday 16 September, 7.30pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 503/513)

Millwall v Leeds United

Sunday 17 September, 11.30am, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 503/513)

Sheffield Wednesday v Middlesbrough

Tuesday 19 September, 7.30pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 503/513)

Preston North End v Birmingham City

Tuesday 19 September, 7.40pm, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 508/518)

Bristol City v Plymouth Argyle

Tuesday 19 September, 7.40pm, Sky Sports Red Button

Cardiff City v Coventry City

Tuesday 19 September, 7.40pm, Sky Sports Red Button

Queens Park Rangers v Swansea City

Tuesday 19 September, 7.40pm, Sky Sports Red Button

Southampton v Ipswich Town

Tuesday 19 September, 7.40pm, Sky Sports Red Button

Norwich City v Leicester City

Wednesday 20 September, 7.30pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 503/513)

Blackburn Rovers v Sunderland

Wednesday 20 September, 7.40pm, Sky Sports Red Button

Huddersfield Town v Stoke City

Wednesday 20 September, 7.40pm, Sky Sports Red Button

Hull City v Leeds United

Wednesday 20 September, 7.40pm, Sky Sports Red Button

Millwall v Rotherham United

Wednesday 20 September, 7.40pm, Sky Sports Red Button

Watford v West Bromwich Albion

Wednesday 20 September, 7.40pm, Sky Sports Red Button

Birmingham City v Queens Park Rangers

Friday 22 September, 7.30pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 503/513)

Stoke City v Hull City

Sunday 24 September, 11.30am, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 503/513)

Coventry City v Huddersfield Town

Monday 25 September, 7.30pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 503/513)

Southampton v Leeds United

Saturday 30 September, 12pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 503/513)

Blackburn Rovers v Leicester City

Sunday 1 October, 11.30am, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 503/513)

Stoke City v Southampton

Tuesday 3 October, 7.30pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 503/513)

Birmingham City v Huddersfield Town

Tuesday 3 October, 7.40pm, Sky Sports Red Button

Ipswich Town v Hull City

Tuesday 3 October, 7.40pm, Sky Sports Red Button

Middlesbrough v Cardiff City

Tuesday 3 October, 7.40pm, Sky Sports Red Button

Plymouth Argyle v Millwall

Tuesday 3 October, 7.40pm, Sky Sports Red Button

West Bromwich Albion v Sheffield Wednesday

Tuesday 3 October, 7.55pm, Sky Sports Red Button

Rotherham United v Bristol City

Wednesday 4 October, 7.30pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 503/513)

Coventry City v Blackburn Rovers

Wednesday 4 October, 7.40pm, Sky Sports Red Button

Leeds United v Queens Park Rangers

Wednesday 4 October, 7.40pm, Sky Sports Red Button

Leicester City v Preston North End

Wednesday 4 October, 7.40pm, Sky Sports Red Button

Sunderland v Watford

Wednesday 4 October, 7.40pm, Sky Sports Red Button

Swansea City v Norwich City

Wednesday 4 October, 7.40pm, Sky Sports Red Button

Birmingham City v West Bromwich Albion

Friday 6 October, 7.30pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 503/513)

Sunderland v Middlesbrough

Saturday 7 October, 12pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 503/513)

Football: EFL League One

Burton helped Cambridge escape relegation on last season’s final day by keeping out rivals MK Dons while Cambridge scored a vital win over Forest Green. Now the two meet at the Pirelli Stadium with the visitors – at the time of writing – in a much improved position, while Albion are the ones worryingly close to the bottom. Can Mark Bonner’s Cambridge sustain a play-off push this year?

Burton Albion v Cambridge United

Monday 9 October, 7.30pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 503/513)

Football: EFL Cup 3rd Round

The European-qualified Premier League teams join the competition in this round and straight away there’s a huge clash between two of them, as Carabao-hungry Man City (six trophies in eight years from 2014-21) visit St James’ Park. We wouldn’t expect either Eddie Howe or Pep Guardiola to start a full-strength side at this stage, so it’ll be a fascinating insight into which of these two enriched clubs has the greater depth. The night before, there’s another all-Prem clash as holders Man Utd host Crystal Palace.

Manchester United v Crystal Palace

Tuesday 26 September, 7pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 503/513)

Newcastle United v Manchester City

Wednesday 27 September, 7pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 503/513)

Football: Scottish Women’s Premier League

Glasgow City are the 16-time winners of the SWPL (out of 21 seasons) and the reigning champions – but they certainly didn’t have it all their own way in 2022/23, when they were pushed all the way by both Celtic and Rangers before decisive wins in May took them to the title. This season it’s Celtic that have made the best start with five wins in five, so this clash at the Excelsior Stadium, as early as it is, could be crucial. Hoops forward Amy Gallacher has been banging in the goals.

Celtic v Glasgow City

Thursday 5 October, 7.30pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 503/513)

Football: Bundesliga

One England star departs the Bundesliga, another arrives. Jude Bellingham left Dortmund for Madrid in the summer and now it’s the turn of his national skipper Harry Kane to light up the league, which he’s doing with relish. He’ll be aiming to lead Bayern to their 12th consecutive title so, as ever, it’s down to everyone else to step up and stop them.

Bayer Leverkusen, managed by former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso, could be best placed to do that after a good start. You can see how ready they are to challenge when they visit the Allianz Arena on 15 September. Promoted Darmstadt and Heidenheim are also featured this month so you can check out their top-flight credentials.

Bayern Munich v Bayer Leverkusen

Friday 15 September, 7.20pm, Sky Sports Mix/HD (CH 520/510)

Bochum v Eintracht Frankfurt

Saturday 16 September, 5.20pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 503/513)

Heidenheim v Werder Bremen

Sunday 17 September, 2.20pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 503/513)

Darmstadt v Borussia Mönchengladbach

Sunday 17 September, 4.20pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 503/513)

Stuttgart v Darmstadt

Friday 22 September, 7.20pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 503/513)

Werder Bremen v Köln

Saturday 23 September, 5.20pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 503/513)

Bayer Leverkusen v Heidenheim

Sunday 24 September, 2.20pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 503/513)

Eintracht Frankfurt v Freiburg

Sunday 24 September, 4.20pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 503/513)

Hoffenheim v Borussia Dortmund

Friday 29 September, 7.20pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 503/513)

RB Leipzig v Bayern Munich

Saturday 30 September, 5.20pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 503/513)

Darmstadt v Werder Bremen

Sunday 1 October, 2.20pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 503/513)

Freiburg v Augsburg

Sunday 1 October, 4.20pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 503/513)

Cricket: Internationals

The English white-ball summer comes to an end with the final men’s ODIs against New Zealand and Ireland and the last women’s match against Sri Lanka. With Australia and South Africa’s men in September action on Sky Sports too, there’s a chance to see four of the favourites for a little upcoming tournament you can read about below…

England v New Zealand: 3rd Men’s ODI

Wednesday 13 September, 12pm, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

England v Sri Lanka: 3rd Women’s ODI

Thursday 14 September, 12pm, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

South Africa v Australia: 4th Men’s ODI

Friday 15 September, 11.30am, Sky Sports Mix/HD (CH 520/510)

England v New Zealand: 4th Men’s ODI

Friday 15 September, 12pm, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

South Africa v Australia: 5th Men’s ODI

Sunday 17 September, 8.30am, Sky Sports Mix/HD (CH 520/510)

England v Ireland: 1st Men’s ODI

Wednesday 20 September, 12pm, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

England v Ireland: 2nd Men’s ODI

Saturday 23 September, 10.30am, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

England v Ireland: 3rd Men’s ODI

Tuesday 26 September, 12pm, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Cricket: ICC World Cup

…yep, after those eight matches in September, England and New Zealand meet again in the opening game of the men’s World Cup. It’s also, of course, a repeat of the previous final that England won so memorably at Lord’s in 2019, and the Black Caps will be determined both to avenge that defeat and to lay down an early marker for the rest of the competition.

The format is a 10-team league in which everyone plays each other, with the top four progressing to the semi-finals. In the previous three World Cups, the winner has been one of the host nations, so India will be confident. But England have some of the best white-ball players in the world (including the returning Ben Stokes) as well as a brilliant captain in Jos Buttler, and they will be gunning to be the first non-subcontinent team to win there since Australia did it in 1987.

The final is on 19 November in Ahmedabad and every match is live on Sky Sports. 

England v New Zealand

Thursday 5 October, 9am, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Pakistan v Netherlands

Friday 6 October, 9am, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Afghanistan v Bangladesh

Saturday 7 October, 5.30am, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

South Africa v Sri Lanka

Saturday 7 October, 9am, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Australia v India

Sunday 8 October, 9am, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

New Zealand v Netherlands

Monday 9 October, 9am, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Bangladesh v England

Tuesday 10 October, 5.30am, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Pakistan v Sri Lanka

Tuesday 10 October, 9am, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Bangladesh v England

Wednesday 11 October, 9am, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Golf

It’s a feast of international team competition this month as the Solheim Cup and Ryder Cup take place on consecutive weekends. First up, Suzann Pettersen leads her Europe team in Andalucía as they aim for a third straight win over their American rivals, who are captained this time around by Stacy Lewis. England’s Georgia Hall and Charley Hull are expected to play prominent roles for Europe, while France’s Céline Boutier is the form player having shot up the world rankings and won the Evian Championship in recent months.

Zach Johnson and England’s Luke Donald are the captains in this year’s Ryder Cup, which is being staged at the Marco Simone Club near Rome. As always, when you look at the players’ world rankings and records the US look intimidating, but the Europeans usually raise their game when the tournament tees off – especially on their own side of the Atlantic, where they’re unbeaten since 1997. Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm are more than a match for any American, while newcomer Ludvig Åberg is a wildcard.

DP European Tour: BMW PGA Championship

From Thursday 14 September, 8.30am, Sky Sports Golf/HD (CH 515/505)

PGA Tour: Fortinet Championship

From Thursday 14 September, 11pm, Sky Sports Golf/HD (CH 515/505)

DP European Tour: French Open

From Thursday 21 September, 12.30pm, Sky Sports Golf/HD (CH 515/505) + Sky Sports Mix/HD (CH 520/510)

Solheim Cup

From Friday 22 September, 6am, Sky Sports Golf/HD (CH 515/505)

Ryder Cup

From Friday 29 September, 6am, Sky Sports Golf/HD (CH 515/505)

Motorsport: Formula One

“Dominant” barely describes the supremacy of the Red Bull cars this season: they’ve won every single Grand Prix, from Bahrain in March to Italy at the start of September. Max Verstappen, who’s claimed 12 of those 14 chequered flags, could win the drivers’ championship in Japan – although it’s unlikely, because that would mean his team-mate Sergio Pérez failing to score a point at Singapore and Suzuka.

It’s far more likely, though, that Red Bull will win the manufacturers’ title before September ends. Tune in for more dazzling displays on the track from one of the greatest teams in the sport’s history.

Singapore Grand Prix: Practice 1

Friday 15 September, 10am, Sky Sports F1^®/HD (CH 516/506)

Singapore Grand Prix: Practice 2

Friday 15 September, 1.45pm, Sky Sports F1^®/HD (CH 516/506)

Singapore Grand Prix: Practice 3

Saturday 16 September, 10.15am, Sky Sports F1^®/HD (CH 516/506)

Singapore Grand Prix: Qualifying

Saturday 16 September, 1pm, Sky Sports F1^®/HD (CH 516/506)

Singapore Grand Prix: Race

Sunday 17 September, 11.30am, Sky Sports F1^®/HD (CH 516/506)

Japanese Grand Prix: Practice 1

Friday 22 September, 3am, Sky Sports F1^®/HD (CH 516/506)

Japanese Grand Prix: Practice 2

Friday 22 September, 6.45am, Sky Sports F1^®/HD (CH 516/506)

Japanese Grand Prix: Practice 3

Saturday 23 September, 3.15am, Sky Sports F1^®/HD (CH 516/506)

Japanese Grand Prix: Qualifying

Saturday 23 September, 6am, Sky Sports F1^®/HD (CH 516/506)

Japanese Grand Prix: Race

Sunday 24 September, 4.30am, Sky Sports F1^®/HD (CH 516/506)

Qatar Grand Prix: Practice 1

Friday 6 October, 2.30pm, Sky Sports F1^®/HD (CH 516/506)

Qatar Grand Prix: Qualifying

Friday 6 October, 6pm, Sky Sports F1^®/HD (CH 516/506)

Qatar Grand Prix: Sprint Shoot-out

Saturday 7 October, 2pm, Sky Sports F1^®/HD (CH 516/506)

Qatar Grand Prix: Sprint Race

Saturday 7 October, 6.30pm, Sky Sports F1^®/HD (CH 516/506)

Qatar Grand Prix: Race

Sunday 8 October, 6pm, Sky Sports F1^®/HD (CH 516/506)

American Football: NFL

British viewers who started following the NFL in the 1980s when it was first televised here probably think of the San Francisco 49ers as a big team. They won five Super Bowls between 1981 and 1995, and featured superstars like Joe Montana and Jerry Rice in their line-up. But they then spent years in the doldrums with little success. Now, though, they’re very much back, having reached the NFC Championship game in three of the past four seasons. Could this be the year they go all the way?

It would be a great story for quarterback Brock Purdy, who was the final pick in the NFL’s 2022 draft, a status that traditionally gives a player the nickname “Mr Irrelevant”. After he was promoted to the starting line-up last year thanks to injuries, he drove the 49ers to the play-offs, earned a first-string spot this year and got himself a new nickname: yes, “Mr Relevant”. Genius.

You can see Purdy and his team in action against the Giants and the Cowboys this month, part of Sky Sports’ extensive coverage which includes Sunday triple-headers as well as Monday night games.

Minnesota Vikings @ Philadelphia Eagles

Friday 15 September, 12am, Sky Sports Action/HD (CH 517/507)

Kansas City Chiefs @ Jacksonville Jaguars

Sunday 17 September, 5pm, Sky Sports Action/HD (CH 517/507)

Dallas Cowboys @ New York Jets

Sunday 17 September, 9.15pm, Sky Sports Action/HD (CH 517/507)

Miami Dolphins @ New England Patriots

Monday 18 September, 1.20am, Sky Sports Action/HD (CH 517/507)

New Orleans Saints @ Carolina Panthers

Tuesday 19 September, 12am, Sky Sports Mix/HD (CH 520/510)

Cleveland Browns @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Tuesday 19 September, 1am, Sky Sports Action/HD (CH 517/507)

New York Giants @ San Francisco 49ers

Friday 22 September, 12am, Sky Sports Action/HD (CH 517/507)

New England Patriots @ New York Jets

Sunday 24 September, 5pm, Sky Sports Action/HD (CH 517/507)

Chicago Bears @ Kansas City Chiefs

Sunday 24 September, 9.15pm, Sky Sports Action/HD (CH 517/507)

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Las Vegas Raiders

Monday 25 September, 1.20am, Sky Sports Action/HD (CH 517/507)

Philadelphia Eagles @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tuesday 26 September, 12am, Sky Sports Action/HD (CH 517/507)

Los Angeles Rams @ Cincinnati Bengals

Tuesday 26 September, 1am, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508) + Sky Sports Mix/HD (CH 520/510)

Detroit Lions @ Green Bay Packers

Friday 29 September, 12am, Sky Sports Action/HD (CH 517/507)

Sunday Games TBC

Sunday 1 October, from 5pm, Sky Sports Action/HD (CH 517/507)

Kansas City Chiefs @ New York Jets

Monday 2 October, 1.20am, Sky Sports Action/HD (CH 517/507)

Seattle Seahawks @ New York Giants

Tuesday 3 October, 1.15am, Sky Sports Action/HD (CH 517/507)

Chicago Bears @ Washington Commanders

Friday 6 October, 1am, Sky Sports Action/HD (CH 517/507)

Sunday Games TBC

Sunday 8 October, from 5pm, Sky Sports Action/HD (CH 517/507)

Dallas Cowboys @ San Francisco 49ers

Monday 9 October, 1.20am, Sky Sports Action/HD (CH 517/507)

Green Bay Packers @ Las Vegas Raiders

Tuesday 10 October, 1am, Sky Sports Action/HD (CH 517/507)

Rugby League: Super League XXVIII

We’re at the business end of a season that has thrown up a few surprises. Catalans and promoted Leigh have already secured their play-off places after strong campaigns, while St Helens and Leeds haven’t been able to replicate the storming success of recent years (although Saints recovered to progress to the play-offs).

With two qualification places up for grabs ahead of the penultimate round of matches, Warrington’s home tie against St Helens and the clash between Hull KR and Salford are real crunch games. The final crucial fixtures will be on Sky Sports on 21 and 22 September, with the play-offs starting the following weekend.

Warrington Wolves v St Helens

Friday 15 September, 7.30pm, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Catalans Dragons v Leeds Rhinos

Saturday 16 September, 4.45pm, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Hull Kingston Rovers v Salford Red Devils

Saturday 16 September, 7pm, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Game TBC

Thursday 21 September, 7.30pm, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Game TBC

Friday 22 September, 7.30pm, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Eliminator 1

Friday 29 September, 7.30pm, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Eliminator 2

Saturday 30 September, Sky Sports

Semi-final 1

Friday 6 October, Sky Sports

Semi-final 2

Saturday 7 October, Sky Sports

Grand Final

Saturday 14 October, 5pm, Sky Sports

Rugby League: Women’s Super League

The rugby league strongholds of Wigan, St Helens and Leeds will be represented in the final four of the Women’s Super League – but it’s York Valkyrie who have led the way all season and claimed the League Leaders’ Shield. Last year they topped the table but lost the Grand Final to the Rhinos, so they’ll be determined to put that right in 2023. Led by England star Carrie Roberts and France captain Elisa Akpa, the Valkyrie are a match for anyone. Although Leeds did hold them to a 12-12 draw last time they met…

Semi-final: York Valkyrie v Wigan Warriors

Saturday 23 September, 3pm, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Semi-final: St Helens v Leeds Rhinos 

Saturday 23 September, 5.45pm, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Final

Sunday 8 October (TBC), Sky Sports

Rugby League: NRL Men’s

The Panthers and Broncos, who took the top two places in the table, booked their places in the preliminary finals with ease as they elbowed aside the Warriors and Storm respectively. Those latter two get another chance to progress in a home game, the Warriors against Newcastle Knights in Auckland and the Storm against Sydney Roosters at Melbourne’s AAMI Park.

After surging into the top eight at the last, could the Roosters ride a wave of momentum into the Grand Final? If they can see off the Storm, they’ll have to get past defending champs Penrith too…

Semi-final: Melbourne Storm v Sydney Roosters

Friday 15 September, 10.50am, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Semi-final: New Zealand Warriors v Newcastle Knights

Saturday 16 September, 10.50am, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Preliminary Final: Penrith Panthers v Melbourne Storm or Sydney Roosters

Friday 22 September, 10.50am, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Preliminary Final: Brisbane Broncos v New Zealand Warriors or Newcastle Knights

Saturday 23 September, 10.50am, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Final

Sunday 1 October, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Rugby League: NRL Women’s Premiership

With six wins in their first seven games and a huge three-figure points difference, Sydney Roosters, led by their impressive backs Jessica Sergis, Isabelle Kelly and Jayme Fressard, have been the team to beat this season. And their closest rivals Newcastle did just that in the penultimate round of league fixtures, scoring a 20-4 victory at the McDonald Jones Stadium to go top of the NRLW table.

It seems likely that these two will contest the Grand Final on 1 October – but the Raiders, Broncos and Titans will be pulling out all the stops to prevent that. You can see every team’s final regular-season game on Sky Sports, with the concluding match in Canberra, where the fourth and final play-off place will almost certainly be decided.

Wests Tigers v Newcastle Knights

Thursday 14 September, 10.45am, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Sydney Roosters v North Queensland Cowboys

Saturday 16 September, 4.05am, Sky Sports Mix/HD (CH 520/510)

St George-Illawarra Dragons v Brisbane Broncos

Saturday 16 September, 6.10am, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Parramatta Eels v Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks

Sunday 17 September, 4.05am, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Canberra Raiders v Gold Coast Titans

Sunday 17 September, 6.10am, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Semi-finals

Sunday 24 September, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Final

Sunday 1 October, 6.50am, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Rugby Union: New Zealand National Provincial Championship

What do you enjoy at eight in the morning? Porridge? Eggs? Kippers? Hitting snooze and going back to sleep? Well, how about a bit of top-quality rugby union? That’s what you’ll get from New Zealand’s national league in these 8am kick-offs. Champions Wellington have been the stand-out team once again, scoring tries for fun and maintaining their spot at the top of the table.

This month you can watch some of their rivals strive to catch them, including a big clash between Taranaki and Auckland – two of the season’s most consistent teams – at New Plymouth’s Yarrow Stadium.

Counties Manukau v Canterbury

Wednesday 13 September, 8am, Sky Sports Mix/HD (CH 520/510)

Hawkes Bay v Manawatu

Friday 15 September, 8am, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Otago v Taranaki

Saturday 16 September, 8am, Sky Sports Mix/HD (CH 520/510)

Northland v Bay Of Plenty

Friday 22 September, 8am, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Taranaki v Auckland

Saturday 23 September, 8.05am, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Southland v Bay Of Plenty

Wednesday 27 September, 8am, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Auckland v Northland

Friday 29 September, 8am, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Boxing

The IBF world featherweight title is on the line in Corpus Christi, Texas, when champ Luis Alberto Lopez takes on challenger Joet Gonzalez. On his nation’s Independence Day, Mexico’s Lopez will be extra fired up to see off his American opponent and retain the belt he claimed from Josh Warrington in Leeds last year.

On the final day of the month, attention turns to east London’s venerated York Hall for a mouthwatering lightweight bout between Britain’s unbeaten Caroline Dubois and Mexican veteran Magali Rodriguez. Still just 22, Dubois is tipped to rise through the ranks and challenge the likes of Katie Taylor and Mikaela Mayer. This will be a tough test of her credentials.

Luis Alberto Lopez v Joet Gonzalez

Saturday 16 September, 12am, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Caroline Dubois v Magali Rodriguez

Saturday 30 September, 7pm, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Netball: Internationals

Both New Zealand and England had successful but ultimately disappointing World Cup campaigns in Cape Town this summer. The Silver Ferns made the semi-finals but ultimately missed out on a medal, losing the third-place play-off to Jamaica; the Roses beat Australia for the first time at a World Cup in the group stage, but couldn’t overcome them again in the final.

This month New Zealand host a three-match series against England, with games in Christchurch, Porirua and Hamilton. World Cup heroes such as shooters Helen Housby and Eleanor Cardwell will be getting a well-earned rest, with coach Jess Thirlby picking an experimental squad to travel. It does include one name that’s familiar to English sports fans, though: Alicia Scholes, daughter of footballer Paul, has been called up.

New Zealand v England

Sunday 24 September, 4am, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508) + Sky Sports Mix/HD (CH 520/510)

New Zealand v England

Wednesday 27 September, 7.30am, Sky Sports Mix/HD (CH 520/510)

New Zealand v England

Saturday 30 September, 7am, Sky Sports

Basketball: BBL

A new British basketball season is upon us and, in a change to last year’s Friday fixtures, the live Sky Sports games can now be seen on Thursday nights. London Lions dominated last season: not only did they claim the BBL championship title with victory over Leicester in May’s play-off final, they won a massive 32 of their 36 regular-season games. Two of their four defeats, however, were against Bristol, and the Flyers have an early chance to get one over on the Lions again this term.

With eight teams out of 10 progressing to the play-offs, all will be full of hope at this stage. Surrey Scorchers were one of the two who missed out last year but there’s always cause for optimism at the start of a new campaign. They face the Gladiators in Glasgow in a live game in October.

Newcastle Eagles v Sheffield Sharks

Thursday 14 September, 7.30pm, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508) + Sky Sports Mix/HD (CH 520/510)

London Lions v Caledonia Gladiators

Thursday 21 September, 7.30pm, Sky Sports Mix/HD (CH 520/510)

London Lions v Bristol Flyers

Thursday 28 September, 7.30pm, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508) + Sky Sports Mix/HD (CH 520/510)

Caledonia Gladiators v Surrey Scorchers

Thursday 5 October, 7.30pm, Sky Sports

Basketball: WNBA

New York Liberty, with assist queen Courtney Vandersloot, and Connecticut Sun, where Alyssa Thomas has been grabbing 10 rebounds per game, have been among the most impressive teams in this WNBA season – but Las Vegas Aces are far and away the championship favourites. Averaging over 90 points per game, they’ve lost just six times all season, and power forward A’ja Wilson is the league’s undoubted star having topped the fan poll for inclusion in the 2023 All-Star Game.

Can anyone stop the Aces – who, like EFL Championship club Birmingham City, are co-owned by retired NFL star Tom Brady – from retaining the trophy? Find out with live coverage on Sky Sports.

Play-offs: Minnesota Lynx @ Connecticut Sun

Thursday 14 September, 1am, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508) + Sky Sports Mix/HD (CH 520/510)

Play-offs: Atlanta Dream @ Dallas Wings

Saturday 16 September, 2.30am, Sky Sports Mix/HD (CH 520/510)

Play-offs: Chicago Sky @ Las Vegas Aces

Sunday 17 September, 8pm, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Play-offs: Game TBC

Wednesday 20 September, 1am, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508) + Sky Sports Mix/HD (CH 520/510)

Play-offs: Connecticut Sun @ Minnesota Lynx

Thursday 21 September, 1am, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508) + Sky Sports Mix/HD (CH 520/510)

Semi-finals

From Sunday 24 September, 8pm, Sky Sports

Finals

From Sunday 8 October, 8pm, Sky Sports

Pool: US Open

Francisco Sánchez Ruíz is the holder of one of the most prestigious titles in pool, which the Spanish player won at Harrah’s Resort in Atlantic City last year. The tournament returns to the same venue for the 2023 iteration, and you can see the exciting closing stages on Sky Sports on the final weekend of September.

Day 5

Friday 29 September, 3pm + 9pm, Sky Sports Mix/HD (CH 520/510)

Day 6

Saturday 30 September, 3pm + 9.30pm, Sky Sports Mix/HD (CH 520/510)

Watch on the go

Virgin TV customers who subscribe to Sky Sports can watch on the go with the Sky Sports app. Not only will you be able to take your Sky packages with you, but you get in-depth sports coverage, as well as exclusive videos and interviews. On iPad and Android tablets you can also access Sky Sports’ cutting-edge second-screen functions. Download from the Apple app store for iPad or iPhone, or from Google Play.

Upgrade to Sky Sports now

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