Category: Sports

New season tips off with electrifying matchups and fresh rivalries 

Johannesburg, 22 October 2025: The wait is over as the NBA 2025-26 regular season tips off this week, promising another exciting year of basketball action on ESPN (DStv 218, StarTimes 248) across Africa and on the ESPN linear channel on Disney+ in South Africa. With new stars rising, familiar rivalries reigniting and championship ambitions at an all-time high, fans across the continent can look forward to a nail-biting season ahead, with exhilarating games every week.

The season ahead

Reigning champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, enter the new campaign with confidence hoping to become the first team to win a back-to-back championship since the Golden State Warriors in 2018. Challengers like the Denver Nuggets, Milwaukee Bucks and the Warriors will be eager to make their own mark, while new talents continue to inject energy and excitement into the game. 

Every matchup promises to keep fans on the edge of their seats as teams battle to secure their place in the post-season. ESPN Africa will broadcast three live games every week with additional repeats during regular programming hours, ensuring that fans never miss the big moments. From buzzer beaters to game-winning performances, the season will be packed with must-watch action that brings fans closer to the heart of the sport.

Basketball and beyond

The return of the NBA adds to an already impressive lineup of world-class sporting entertainment on the ESPN channels. Viewers can continue to enjoy a wide range of sports, including soccer, baseball, rugby, American football and more from the world’s most prestigious leagues.

ESPN is the world’s leading multinational, multimedia sports entertainment entity featuring the broadest portfolio of multimedia sports assets. The home of American sports, ESPN showcases the very best live and studio sports programming coming out of the US as well as key international sporting leagues. NBA (National Basketball Association), NFL (National Football League), NHL (National Hockey League), MLB (Major League Baseball), MLR (Major League Rugby), NCAA Collegiate Sports and the latest from live football leagues including the Dutch Eredivisie, the English Football League, the Turkish Super Lig, The Saudi Pro League, the German DFB Pokal, the NWSL (National Women’s Soccer League), the UEFA Women’s Championship and the Scottish Premier League. 

ESPN is available on MultiChoice’s DStv, on StarTimes across Africa and on Disney+ in South Africa.

For updates regarding basketball and other American sports, fans can connect to @ESPNAfrica on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or visit https://www.espn.com/. 

• A fresh new look focusing on vibrant colours for the adidas Predator, F50, F50 SPARKFUSION and COPA
• Worn by all adidas players from this weekend, with vibrant orange, blue and white colour updates for each boot
• The adidas Coral Blaze pack is available today from selected adidas retail stores and www.adidas.co.za/soccer-shoes

South Africa, September 23^rd – adidas Predator 25, F50, F50 SPARKFUSION and COPA PURE III make a fresh new reappearance for the early months of the European season, and the culmination of the MLS regular season, with three new colourways – one for each footwear franchise

Predator players Jude Bellingham, Aitana Bonmati, Grace Clinton, Pedri and Alessia Russo will join F50 pace-setters Florian Wirtz, Bradley Barcola, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Mary Fowler and Linda Caicedo in the new pack, alongside Trinity Rodman and Vicky Lopez in the F50 SPARKFUSION, rounded out by Declan Rice, Fikayo Tomori and more in COPA Pure III.

The pack is united in bold orange, blue and white colourway – evoking a sense of energy and speed for all franchises. Predator is on target with an orange upper, blue fold-over tongue and three stripes in white. The F50 lands in a deep orange upper with the three stripes in blue, while the F50 SPARKFUSION – adidas’ boot for female ballers – takes to the pitch in a light orange and white colourway. The collection is rounded off with the COPA PURE III, which comes with a classic white upper with vibrant orange detailing on the heel counter.  

The adidas Coral Blaze pack is available to purchase now from selected retail stores andadidas.co.za.

[Johannesburg, 28 August 2025] Former Liverpool striker David Ngog believes Alexander Isak would be a great addition to Liverpool’s attack.

Ngog, who made 94 appearances for Liverpool and famously scored a winning goal against Manchester United, shared his insights in an exclusive interview with Showmax Premier League.

“I would love to see Isak at Liverpool,” said Ngog.

“I think it could be a good match. He has good movement and technique; a real complete striker. I believe Liverpool is a bit short on the bench offensively, so it could be a good signing.”

“The only factor is that he plays in the same position as Hugo Ekitiké, who is doing well so far. However, Liverpool can use both as the season is long.”

Ngog was speaking to Showmax Premier League ahead of this Sunday’s mega clash between Liverpool and Arsenal, which will be shown live on Showmax Premier League on Sunday, August 31, at 17:30.

Looking ahead to the upcoming game, Ngog shared his thoughts on the highly anticipated match-up.

“For sure, they will be tested against Arsenal. Arsenal is one of the top teams in Europe at the moment and is very ambitious. They have won their first two games as well and have built a team to win the Premier League.”

Despite Arsenal’s strong start, Ngog believes Liverpool has a slight edge.

“I think that Liverpool, playing at home, has a slight advantage. Also, they won the Premier League last season, so they can build on that. Arsenal still has everything to prove, so it will be a very interesting game.”

His prediction for this weekend’s thriller?

“My score prediction will be 2-1 to Liverpool. I am not being partial, but I believe Liverpool can win.”

Reflecting on Liverpool’s start to the season under new manager Arne Slot, Ngog expressed his admiration.

“I think the start of the season is good, considering the expectations people had from last year.”

“It’s never easy to follow up a successful season. They have shown mental strength in critical situations.”

“Arne Slot impresses me, as it’s not easy to come and succeed after Jurgen Klopp’s reign. But he came with humility and hard work. I’m happy it’s working well for him and Liverpool FC.”

When asked about Liverpool’s title-winning potential, Ngog remained cautious.

“I think they are title contenders. When you look at Arsenal, Manchester City, and maybe Chelsea, it will be a close race. The Premier League is a long way to go, so I believe it’s too early to say.”

Ngog also reflected on his time at Liverpool and what it was like to face Arsenal in the past.

“It was a fantastic feeling; the jersey, the fans, and the stadium were amazing.”

“The pressure was always on. No matter who you play, you have to win and perform, especially against a big team like Arsenal.”

“I always liked playing against Arsenal because the game is open. They don’t keep 11 players in the back; they try to play offensively and enjoy the game, so it was nice.”

Finally, Ngog offered his opinion on Hugo Ekitiké, a current French talent.

“Ekitiké is a great talent from France. He showed his talent at Reims, had a slightly more difficult time in Paris, but was still okay, and then in the Bundesliga, he made a huge impact.”

“I think he is doing well for Liverpool – a lot of mobility, good with the ball, and a good finisher. He can improve his physicality, but that will come.”

How can fans get Showmax Premier League on their phones? 

Sign up for the Showmax Premier League mobile plan for R99 p/m at www.showmax.com for all the Premier League action and more.

• South African, Sibusiso Kubheka triumphantly broke the 6-hour 100km barrier, in an astonishing 5:59:20
• ‘Chasing 100′ explored what’s possible when the fastest endurance athletes are combined with the latest adidas innovations, including the Adizero Evo Prime X shoe
• The five competing athletes wore specially designed adidas footwear and apparel, precision engineered and custom tailored to each athlete to enable more speed

South Africa, Tuesday 26^th August 2025: Today, Sibusiso Kubheka became the first person to complete a 100km run in under six hours, in a unique running event powered by adidas, exploring what’s possible when the fastest athletes on the planet are combined with the latest speed-focused innovations.

Taking place at the iconic Nardò Ring in Southern Italy and with the competing athletes wearing precision-engineered adidas footwear and state-of-the-art apparel designed to enable more speed, Kubheka shaved an astonishing 6 minutes and 15 seconds off the previous fastest time of 06:05:35 – etching his name in the history books.

Alasdhair Willis, Chief Creative Officer at adidas, said: “Chasing 100 is the story of our deep-rooted drive to go faster. An opportunity to see what’s possible when we work at speed, break new boundaries in design, and test new possibilities in footwear and apparel. Kubheka’s history-defining performance – achieving something no one has ever come close to – is an immense achievement that we are incredibly proud of. This is true testament to the power of combining adidas Innovation with the very best of athletic prowess to push the limits of human capability forwards.”

Built for and alongside each of the five athletes taking part – previous 100km world record holder Aleksandr Sorokin (Lithuania), Jo Fukuda (Japan), Charlie Lawrence (USA), Ketema Negasa (Ethiopia), and Sibusiso Kubheka (South Africa) – adidas developed bespoke head-to-toe footwear and apparel with the latest in speed and cooling innovation, including:

• Adizero Evo Prime X – Tailored individually to each runner, the Adizero Evo Prime X has been precision-engineered for one purpose: speed. Every element – from the ultra-responsive midsole to the precision-fit upper – is designed to help maximise running economy and unlock personal bests. Born from relentless testing, feedback and refinement between athletes and product experts, each pair was tailored to its runner. The stack height is calibrated to the forces each athlete generates, providing optimal responsive cushioning, while the stiffening structure is composed of materials tuned to individual biomechanics.
• Ultracharge – An innovation many years in the making, the athletes’ race day shoes benefitted from adidas’ brand new Ultracharge technology. Entering the high-pressure vessel five days prior to the race, air bubbles are pumped into the empty gaps of the shoes’ midsole foam. As the pressure increases there is an improvement in the energy return of the shoes.
• CLIMACOOL Pre-Cooling & Per-Cooling System – Before the race, athletes used a combination of cooling and insulating technology to enhance thermal regulation. Combining a cooling vest and a CLIMACOOL insulating fan jacket – as worn by the AMG Formula 1 team – this minimized athletes’ core temperature and heart rate in the first hour of performance, supporting overall endurance. During the race, each athlete had their own set of cooling necks, swapped out and refreshed. Created by adidas specifically for this attempt, the cooling neck is ergonomically moulded to the main arteries and veins for maximum cooling.
• Clima 3D singlet – The Clima 3D singlet features a newly developed CLIMACOOL 3D embossed material technology, body-mapped to areas with the highest skin contact and sweat production for improved airflow, accelerated sweat evaporation and enhanced cooling. The new CLIMACOOL 3D technology will be available in 2026.
• TechFit short tight – Complementing the Clima 3D singlet, the TechFit short tights feature stiffening bands strategically placed for each athlete’s body composition which stabilizes the hips to support running economy and endurance performance under fatigue. The new TechFit technology will be available in 2026.

Speaking of the history-making performance, new 100km record breaker Sibusiso Kubheka said: “I’m so proud of my performance out there today. Breaking this record and becoming the first person to run 100km in under 6 hours was not easy – but thanks to adidas’ partnership, belief and bespoke technologies, we made it happen. When we combine the best athletes, the right preparation and sports Innovation, anything is possible.”

Meanwhile, Charlie Lawrence and Aleksandr Sorokin both beat the current fastest time (held by Sorokin himself). The results were:

1. Sibusiso Kubheka, 5:59:20
2. Charlie Lawrence, 6:03:47  
3. Aleksandr Sorokin, 6:04:10

This remarkable set of athlete performances are part of Chasing, a new adidas intention to push the limits of human performance through bold challenges, breakthrough technology and athlete-led innovation.