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Sport, explained.

One question about the week in sport, answered in a few minutes. For fans who watch, but never had it explained.

A groundsman mows the empty pitch at Camp Nou, below seats spelling Més que un club.

Football

What makes El Clásico the biggest rivalry in football?

Barcelona against Real Madrid carries a century of politics and money onto the pitch, between two clubs still owned by their fans.

18 Oct 2026 · 3 min read

Cars climb the hill to Turn 1 at the Circuit of the Americas, with a Texas flag in the foreground.

F1

How did F1's new cars change racing?

Half the power now comes from a battery that can run dry mid-straight. And a 20-year-old is close to the title.

18 Oct 2026 · 2 min read

An illustration of a running track with lanes around a green infield.

Para sport

How does para sport keep competition fair?

Every para athlete competes in a class. How those classes work, and why every T11 runner races in total darkness.

18 Oct 2026 · 2 min read

A shuttlecock resting on top of a badminton net, looking along the net.

Badminton

Why do top shuttlers lose in round one?

Sindhu and Lakshya both went out early in Denmark. The way badminton's tour works makes that less shocking than it looks.

18 Oct 2026 · 2 min read

An empty cricket ground in Dharamshala with mountains behind and covers on the pitch.

Cricket

Why are India's stars playing the Ranji Trophy?

Test players are back in domestic cricket because of a rule. And the trophy is named after a man who played for England.

18 Oct 2026 · 2 min read

Players on a football pitch at night under a single floodlight.

Football

How did a champion club end up with zero points?

Diamond Harbour won their way into the ISL, then never played a game. Their story explains what promotion really costs in Indian football.

18 Oct 2026 · 2 min read