Sports Express | August 28, 2026 Champions League draw: PSG to face Man City and Barcelona

1. Champions League draw revealed: PSG to face Man City and Barcelona

Source：Sportsnet

The Champions League completed its main-phase draw for the 2026-27 season in Monaco on Thursday, setting the matchups for all 36 teams. Two-time defending champion Paris Saint-Germain will host Manchester City and travel to Barcelona, per Sportsnet. PSG has won its last three visits to Barcelona.

Real Madrid will host Inter Milan and make two trips to London, facing Arsenal and Shakhtar Donetsk. Arsenal will host Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Sabah, and travel to Bayern Munich. Bayern also has a road game against Manchester United.

The Champions League welcomes four debutants this season: Italy's Como (coached by Cesc Fabregas), Austria's LASK, Norway's Viking and Azerbaijan's Sabah, which was founded only in 2017. Each team will face eight opponents (four home, four away), with the first round set for Sept. 8-10 and the league phase concluding on Jan. 27.

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2. NFL cancels the Pro Bowl

Source：TSN

The NFL has confirmed it is ending its all-star game, the Pro Bowl, per TSN. The annual event was traditionally played the week before the Super Bowl. NFL executive vice president Peter O'Reilly said all-star games across leagues have long been fraught and haven't represented the sport's very best.

The Pro Bowl was first held after the 1950 season at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, began traveling in 1972, settled at Honolulu's Aloha Stadium in 1980 and moved to Orlando in 2016. In 2023, the actual game was replaced by "Pro Bowl Games," a series of skills challenges and flag football.

Going forward, 88 players will still receive Pro Bowl honours. Since it is now only a designation, no alternates will be needed. The league also plans an in-person gathering in Los Angeles to celebrate the honourees.

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3. Goodell: NFL weighing punishment for 49ers owner York after arrest

Source：TSN

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Wednesday at the owners' meetings in Atlanta that the league is reviewing whether San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York will be punished under the personal conduct policy after he was caught in a prostitution sting in Ohio.

York was arrested at a mobile home park by the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force after police said he was attempting to pay $160 for sex. He was released on a $5,000 bond and ultimately pleaded no contest to disorderly conduct and possessing criminal tools, receiving one day in jail (credited) and a $1,150 fine.

York filed for divorce from his wife Danielle in May. Historically, the late Colts owner Jim Irsay was suspended six games and fined $500,000 after a DUI guilty plea, while Patriots owner Robert Kraft was investigated but not punished after a 2019 arrest.

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4. Packers RB Jacobs charged with two misdemeanors

Source：TSN

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs was charged Thursday with misdemeanor battery and misdemeanor criminal damage to property, according to Wisconsin court records reported by TSN. The charges came more than three months after his arrest following an alleged domestic violence incident near Green Bay.

According to the criminal complaint, a woman identified as Jacobs' girlfriend told police she became upset after seeing him talking to other women, and Jacobs grabbed her arm during a physical struggle; later, as she tried to leave the garage, he threw her to the ground and she struck her head.

Jacobs' lawyers said the district attorney chose to file misdemeanor charges that do not include domestic violence. The NFL is conducting its own investigation and could suspend him. Jacobs is scheduled for an initial court appearance on Nov. 17.

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5. Jets goalie Hellebuyck publicly confirms trade request

Source：Sportsnet

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck publicly confirmed his long-rumoured trade request Thursday in a statement released through agent Ray Petkau, per Sportsnet. He said he first made the request "several months ago" and felt it was important to confirm it publicly with training camp approaching.

Hellebuyck is a three-time Vezina Trophy winner, taking the honour in back-to-back seasons in 2023-24 and 2024-25, and also won the Hart Memorial Trophy as league MVP. The 33-year-old backstopped Team USA to Olympic gold earlier this year.

He is under contract through 2030-31 at $8.5 million a year, with a full no-movement clause for one more season. Sportsnet listed several potential landing spots, including the Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils, Vegas Golden Knights and reigning champion Carolina Hurricanes.

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6. Tour Championship: Min Woo Lee leads after Round 1, McIlroy trails

Source：USA Today

The PGA Tour's season-ending Tour Championship opened Thursday at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, per USA Today. Min Woo Lee was the biggest winner in Round 1, leading with a 62; Rory McIlroy led a group of stars who couldn't capitalize on the low-scoring conditions.

Lee made eight birdies and played the final 13 holes alone after playing partner J.J. Spaun withdrew with a shoulder injury. Collin Morikawa was the day's best putter, while Viktor Hovland sat two shots back of Lee.

McIlroy finished five shots behind the leader. Spaun, the 2025 U.S. Open champion, lasted just five holes before withdrawing with a shoulder injury, missing out on a share of the $40 million purse.

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7. Canada's tennis stars learn US Open draws

Source：Sportsnet

The U.S. Open draw was revealed Thursday, per Sportsnet. Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime, the third seed in men's singles, will face world No. 85 Rinky Hijikata of Australia in the first round.

Auger-Aliassime could face Russia's Karen Khachanov in the second round. He reached the U.S. Open semifinals last year, losing to world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who is out this year due to injury.

Denis Shapovalov, ranked No. 47, will face Serbia's Miomir Kecmanovic, against whom he is 5-0 in his career. On the women's side, No. 31 seed Leylah Fernandez faces China's Zhang Shuai in the first round.

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8. Canada wins first volleyball continental title, eyes Olympic berth

Source：Sportsnet

Canada's women's volleyball team beat the United States 3-2 (25-23, 25-23, 20-25, 18-25, 15-10) in Wednesday's final in the Dominican Republic to win its first NORCECA continental championship, per Sportsnet.

By finishing in the top four, Canada reached the 2028 Olympic qualifier, held Friday and Saturday in the Dominican Republic, where a spot in the Los Angeles Olympics is at stake. Canada faces Puerto Rico on Friday, while the Dominican Republic meets Cuba.

Canada has not qualified for the Olympics since 1996. Anna Smrek led Canada with 20 points, and libero Kacey Jost was named tournament MVP.

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9. De Grasse finishes third in 200m at Zurich Diamond League

Source：TSN

Canadian sprint star Andre De Grasse finished third in the men's 200 metres Thursday at the Diamond League meet in Zurich, per TSN. The 2020 Olympic champion from Markham, Ont., crossed in 20.03 seconds.

American Kenny Bednarek won in a world-leading 19.62 seconds, with South Africa's Sinesipho Dambile second in 19.82.

De Grasse, 31, was part of Canada's silver-medal 4x100 relay team at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow earlier this month. The Zurich meet was the final stop on the Diamond League circuit before next month's final in Brussels.

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10. Raptors announce date to retire Kyle Lowry's jersey

Source：CP24

The Toronto Raptors announced they will retire Kyle Lowry's No. 7 jersey in January 2027, honouring "the face of the most successful era" in franchise history, per CP24.

Lowry's number will be raised to the rafters at Scotiabank Arena following the Raptors' game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday, Jan. 10. The Philadelphia native spent nine seasons with Toronto and helped lead the club to their first NBA Championship in 2019.

Lowry will become the second player in Raptors history to have his number retired, joining Vince Carter, whose No. 15 was retired in November 2024. He remains the franchise's all-time leader in assists, steals and three-point field goals.

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