The 2. Bundesliga continues to be the only competitive German football on offer, and Saturday delivers one of the fiercest derbies in the country — the Frankenderby.

Greuther Fürth vs. 1. FC Nürnberg (Saturday, 13:00 CET) is more than a football match — it is a city divided. Fürth and Nuremberg sit just eleven kilometres apart, and the rivalry runs deeper than most outsiders realise. Bragging rights, local pride, and the entire Franconia region will be watching. Both teams had mixed opening weekends, making this a chance to set the tone early with a derby win that carries emotional weight far beyond three points.

The evening match brings another clash of tradition: 1. FC Kaiserslautern vs. Karlsruher SC (Saturday, 20:30 CET). Two clubs with proud Bundesliga histories, massive fanbases, and genuine promotion ambitions. The Betzenberg will be rocking under the floodlights — and after Karlsruhe edged Bielefeld 2-1 last week, they arrive with early confidence.

Sunday closes the matchday with the most scrutinised fixture: Hannover 96 vs. VfL Wolfsburg (13:30 CET). Wolfsburg, relegated from the Bundesliga with a squad that should be far too good for this level, were held to a goalless draw by Kaiserslautern on the opening weekend. The pressure is already building — anything less than immediate dominance will raise serious questions. Hannover, with a vocal home crowd and a chip on their shoulder, will make life uncomfortable.

Three weeks until Bayern defend the Bundesliga title. Until then, the second tier owns German football — and it is not wasting the spotlight.

Fürth vs. Nürnberg (Frankenderby): Saturday, 15 August at 13:00 CET
Kaiserslautern vs. Karlsruhe: Saturday, 15 August at 20:30 CET
Hannover vs. Wolfsburg: Sunday, 16 August at 13:30 CET

Spanish football returns this weekend as La Liga kicks off its new season — but this is an opening weekend with an asterisk. The FIFA World Cup in the United States and Canada concluded just weeks ago, and Spain's triumph has created a scheduling ripple that reshapes the entire first matchday.

Teams who had players in the World Cup semi-finals were given the option to postpone their openers, and almost every major club took it. Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid will all sit out this weekend. Barça and Real Madrid's first matches have been pushed back to midweek August 25-27, meaning their seasons won't begin until Matchday 2 on the weekend of August 22-23. The only exception? Celta Vigo, who chose to play despite having World Cup players, facing Osasuna on Sunday.

That leaves the opening weekend to the league's undercard — and it is richer than it looks. Alavés vs. Getafe (Saturday, 19:30 CET) opens the season, followed by Rayo Vallecano vs. Sevilla and fixtures featuring all three promoted clubs: Racing Santander, Deportivo La Coruña, and Málaga, who return to the top flight with some of the most passionate fanbases in Spain.

Without the giants, this is the smaller clubs' chance to grab headlines and early points before the heavyweights arrive. La Liga's depth has never been questioned — and this weekend, it gets the stage to itself.

Alavés vs. Getafe: Saturday, 15 August at 19:30 CET
Celta Vigo vs. Osasuna: Sunday, 16 August
Full Matchday 1: Saturday 15 – Sunday 16 August (selected fixtures, big clubs postponed)

The Cincinnati Open main draw is underway, and this weekend delivers the opening rounds of one of the most stacked ATP Masters 1000 events on the calendar. With the US Open just eight days away, every match in Mason, Ohio carries stakes beyond the tournament itself — form, fitness, and confidence are all on the line.

For DACH fans, the focus is singular: Alexander Zverev. Germany's No. 1 won this title in 2021 and has been one of the most consistent hard-court players in the world this season. Seeded among the top contenders, Zverev's opening matches this weekend will be closely watched — not just for the result, but for signs of sharpness ahead of New York.

Novak Djokovic, the three-time Cincinnati champion, continues his hard-court reset after the shock of Roland-Garros. At 39, the Serbian legend is running out of chances to prove that his stunning third-round loss to teenager João Fonseca in Paris was an anomaly. Cincinnati is the kind of structured, elite-level event where Djokovic has historically thrived — but the whispers about his age and form are louder than ever.

The women's draw is equally compelling, with the WTA 1000 event running alongside the men's tournament. The hard-court swing is tennis at its fastest and most explosive — and this weekend's early rounds will reveal who is ready for the sprint to the US Open.

Early Main Draw Rounds: Thursday 13 – Sunday 16 August · Evening sessions from 1:00 AM CET

The UFC returns to Philadelphia for the first time since 2019 with a championship doubleheader that headlines one of the most stacked cards of the year.

In the main event, Islam Makhachev (28-1) defends the UFC Welterweight Championship against No. 1 contender Ian Machado Garry. Makhachev, the most dominant grappler in the sport, has been virtually unstoppable since moving up to 170 pounds — and his first welterweight title defence against the flashy Irish-Brazilian striker promises a fascinating clash of styles. Can Machado Garry's speed and power keep the fight standing, or will Makhachev drag him into the suffocating wrestling exchanges that have broken everyone before him?

The co-main features Mackenzie Dern making her first defence of the UFC Women's Strawweight Championship against No. 5 contender Gillian Robertson. Two of the best grapplers in women's MMA — a jiu-jitsu battle on the grandest stage.

With 13 fights on the card and the main card starting at 3:00 AM CET on Sunday morning, it is a late night for European fans — but championship fights rarely disappoint.

UFC 330 – Main Card: Saturday, 15 August at 3:00 AM CET (Sunday morning) · Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia