Spain shuts down for the biggest domestic fixture in world football as Atlético Madrid host Real Madrid at the Metropolitano on Sunday. Los Blancos arrive in near-perfect form, winning six of their seven matches across all competitions with their only blemish a 1-0 defeat to Real Betis — and a stoppage-time habit that has already produced two 90th-minute-or-later winners this season, most recently through Carlos Espí in a 3-2 thriller at Elche. Atlético, meanwhile, have bounced back from back-to-back losses to Athletic Bilbao and Liverpool with wins over Real Sociedad and Osasuna, though Diego Simeone's preparations have been dealt a blow with Julián Álvarez ruled out through a muscle strain. Real Madrid currently sit second in the table, with Atlético fourth — the most competitively poised this fixture has looked in years.

In England, one of the weekend's most emotional subplots unfolds at the Vitality Stadium, where Bournemouth host Liverpool — the first return of head coach Andoni Iraola to the club he guided for three seasons before taking the Anfield job in the summer. Liverpool remain unbeaten through four games and will look to continue their strong start against a Bournemouth side missing the man who built their recent identity.

Germany offers a classic top-of-the-table clash as VfB Stuttgart travel to Borussia Dortmund on Saturday — two of the Bundesliga's most in-form attacking sides going head-to-head in what promises to be one of the highest-scoring fixtures of the weekend given both teams' attacking output so far this season.

Stuttgart vs. Borussia Dortmund: Saturday, 19 September, 18:30 CEST · MHPArena
Bournemouth vs. Liverpool: Sunday, 20 September, 15:00 CEST · Vitality Stadium
Atlético Madrid vs. Real Madrid: Sunday, 20 September, 16:15 CEST · Riyadh Air Metropolitano

Week 2 got underway on Thursday with a shootout in Buffalo, the Bills rallying from behind to beat the Lions 41-31. Sunday brings a massive 12-game slate, headlined by an AFC showdown between two of last year's best teams as the Jacksonville Jaguars travel to the Denver Broncos. Elsewhere, five divisional rivalries feature prominently, including Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears and Washington Commanders at Dallas Cowboys, while the Pittsburgh Steelers visit the New England Patriots and the Houston Texans host the Cincinnati Bengals.

Sunday Night Football brings a genuine AFC heavyweight clash as Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs host Jonathan Taylor and the Indianapolis Colts. The week then closes out with an NFC battle on Monday Night Football, as the New York Giants — fresh off a Sunday Night Football win in Week 1 — travel to face Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams in their first home game back from the Melbourne opener.

Jaguars at Broncos: Sunday, 20 September, early window
Colts at Chiefs: Sunday, 20 September, 02:20 CEST (night of 21 September)
Giants at Rams: Monday, 21 September, 02:15 CEST (night of 22 September)

The Deutsche Eishockey Liga's 33rd season is underway, and it opened with maximum symbolism. Three-time defending and 12-time overall champions Eisbären Berlin kicked off the campaign on Thursday at the Uber Arena with a home fixture against the Straubing Tigers — the very side that eliminated them at the quarter-final stage two seasons ago before Berlin's remarkable run to a third straight title last spring.

The remaining thirteen clubs entered the fray on Friday, headlined by a rematch of last season's semi-final as EHC Red Bull München hosted Adler Mannheim, the eventual runners-up. There was also a heart-warming story in the Rhineland, where newly promoted Krefeld Pinguine returned to the DEL for the first time in years at home to Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven — a reunion for Krefeld head coach Thomas Popiesch with his former club.

The opening weekend saves its best for last: Matchday 2 on Sunday serves up a direct rematch of last season's grand final, as Adler Mannheim host Eisbären Berlin at 14:00 — Berlin's first real measuring-stick test of the new campaign against the side they beat 4-1 in the series to claim the title. With the German national team preparing for the 2027 World Championship on home soil in Mannheim and Düsseldorf, this opening round carries extra significance for German hockey as a whole.

Eisbären Berlin vs. Straubing Tigers: Thursday, 17 September, 19:30 CEST · Uber Arena, Berlin
EHC Red Bull München vs. Adler Mannheim: Friday, 18 September, 19:30 CEST
Adler Mannheim vs. Eisbären Berlin: Sunday, 20 September, 14:00 CEST · SAP Arena, Mannheim