September sports watch guide: NFL kickoff, Kiffin vs. Ole Miss, WNBA and MLB playoffs

“ Summer has come and passed .” That’s a bummer for just about everyone, save for pumpkin spice lobbyists and Richard Gere . Fear not, though — we’re about to hit the coolest stretch of the sports calendar.

September is full of worthwhile watches. NFL and college football officially kick off. Men’s and women’s soccer leagues ramp up. MLB and the WNBA reach their respective playoffs. There’s U.S. Open tennis and Presidents Cup golf; the chill of an NHL puck drop and the heat of the Spanish Grand Prix. “Chad Powers” is back under center, lest we forget.

This is The Athletic ’s comprehensive guide to sports in September. For the sake of time and space, we weren’t able to cover everything  for the month to come. But we did our best to properly celebrate such a vast slate. All times are ET, and all channel listings are for U.S. viewers.

You can watch live sports on Fubo ( Stream Free Now ).

September 2026 sports schedule

‘Untold Raygun: Breaking Badly’

Sept. 1 on Netflix

This latest installment of the “Untold” documentary series centers on Rachael Gunn, the Australian breakdancer who competed in her newly recognized Olympic sport. Memes and misnomers ensued.

Women’s volleyball Big Ten/SEC Challenge

Sept. 1-6 on B1G+, Big Ten Network, ESPN2, Fox, FS1, SECN+, SEC Network

All 18 Big Ten and 16 SEC programs are in this inaugural interconference clash. The finale is a Fox doubleheader at Wrigley Field , with Kentucky facing Penn State and Nebraska playing Missouri.

‘Chad Powers’ Season 2 premiere

Sept. 3 on Hulu

Glen Powell is the titular catfish quarterback of the South Georgia Catfish. Eli Manning, producer and founder of the original bit , had a cameo in the first season. All six episodes drop simultaneously.

‘On Campus: Game of the Week’ series premiere

Sept. 4 on Netflix

It’s Netflix’s spin on the “College GameDay” concept, with two students leading the camera across campus sites and tailgate shenanigans each week. Thankfully, there’s no Pat McAfee in this one.

Women’s Super League opener

Sept. 4, 2 p.m. on Paramount+

The season starts with the London City Lionesses hosting Manchester United. The league has expanded to 14 clubs after the promotion of Birmingham City, Charlton Athletic and Crystal Palace. Three-time WSL Golden Boot winner Khadija Shaw suits up for defending champion Manchester City, which welcomes Birmingham on Sept. 6.

FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026

Sept. 4-13 on TNT, truTV and HBO Max

The 20th FIBA Women’s World Cup is commemorated in Berlin. Team USA is stacked with stars like Paige Bueckers, Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. The U.S. is going for a fifth straight championship; it starts group play with China, Czechia and Italy.

Wisconsin vs. Notre Dame (Shamrock Series)

Sept. 6, 7:30 p.m. on NBC

Heisman Trophy hype machine CJ Carr leads the No. 4 Fighting Irish into historic Lambeau Field. The Badgers counter with fleet quarterback Colton Joseph, who transferred from Old Dominion. Wisconsin fans have the in-state advantage here, but Notre Dame always travels well.

Leagues Cup final

Sept. 6 on Apple TV

This MLS and Liga MX crossover comes down to four Mexican clubs. The winners of Toluca versus León and América versus Monterrey play for the title. Each of the top three finishers qualify for the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup, and the victor goes straight into the round of 16.

Men’s Champions League: League Phase Matchday 1

Sept. 8-10 on Paramount+

As always, the UCL field is loaded to the brim. French titan Paris Saint-Germain bids for a three-peat with Ousmane Dembélé. Declan Rice and EPL champion Arsenal embark on a redemption tour . Bundesliga club Bayern Munich has Harry Kane , and La Liga’s Barcelona has Lamine Yamal. Soccer’s great gauntlet never disappoints.

New England Patriots at Seattle Seahawks

Sept. 9, 8:20 p.m. on NBC

The NFL kicks off its new season with a rematch of last season’s Super Bowl. Drake Maye and the Pats visit Sam Darnold and the 12s on “Sunday Night Football,” which is on a Wednesday this time. Sure. New England arrives after the A.J. Brown trade and the Mike Vrabel saga ; Seattle raises a second banner as team ownership changes over.

Women’s Pro Baseball League playoffs

Sept. 9-22 on the ESPN app

All four WPBL teams — the Boston Hunters, Los Angeles Queens, New York Heights and San Francisco Firebells — make the first postseason. It’s a best-of-three semifinals and a best-of-five championship series. Among the notable names are No. 1 pick Kelsie Whitmore and former Little League standout Mo’ne Davis.

San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams

Sept. 10, 8:35 p.m. on Netflix

Division rivals and Super Bowl aspirants begin their 2026 campaigns at Melbourne Cricket Ground. This Netflix exclusive marks the NFL’s regular-season debut in Australia. New Rams pass rusher Myles Garrett pairs with the unretired Aaron Donald , while Niners running back Christian McCaffrey adds star wattage on the other sideline. Head coaches Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan are two of the league’s top play callers .

Solheim Cup

Sept. 11-13 on Golf Channel

Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands hosts this women’s tourney between the U.S. and Europe. Angela Stanford captains the American side, while Swedish mainstay Anna Nordqvist leads the Europeans. The first two days are foursomes and four-ball matches; the third day shifts to singles.

U.S. Open singles finals

Sept. 12-13 on ABC and ESPN

Tennis takes Queens, N.Y., for the last Grand Slam of the season. Defending men’s champion Carlos Alcaraz returns from a wrist injury and now seeks his fourth major championship in two years. On the women’s side, Aryna Sabalenka tries to conquer the tournament for a third consecutive time. The women’s final on Sept. 12 starts at 4 p.m. on ESPN, while the men’s final is the following day at 2 p.m. on ABC.

Ohio State at Texas

Sept. 12, 7:30 p.m. on ABC

We’ve got a top-five powerhouse headliner, with “College GameDay” on campus in Austin. Quarterb...

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