ABC SPORT Daily

Iran's AFC Asian Cup is over, but the on field part of their story feels insignificant in the context of the players' broader situation. Confusion and fear surround the players who have been described as "wartime traitors" by powerful figures in the Middle East nation. Chaotic scenes outside their last game have underlined the concerns. Who is responsible for their safety and what fate awaits them once they leave Australia? We unpack a story that is towering over the soccer tournament. Featured: Amanda Shalala, senior reporter, ABC Sport.To catch up on everything that's making sports headlines recently, listen to more episodes of ABC Sport Daily,' hosted by Patrick Stack on ABC listen or wherever you get your podcasts, and get in touch with them on social media via @abc_sport. In the episodes we will cover big sporting personalities and all sports, including cricket, soccer, F1, NBA, AFL, AFLW to NRLW & NRL news, to covering competitions like the Olympics, the World Cup, The Ashes, Grand Prix and Grand Finals and more. Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

Danielle Scott is an Olympic silver medallist. At her fourth Winter Games the aerial skier finally won that elusive Olympic medal. The weight of expectation was so much that she told her family and friends to stay home. We talk to her about that decision, what the reunion was like and the secret behind Australia's most successful Winter Olympic team in history. Featured: Danielle Scott, Olympic silver medallist. Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

The Formula 1 season gets underway in Melbourne this weekend and with a huge raft of changes to the cars it's safe to say we can expect the unexpected. How quickly each team adapts to the sport's new era will shape the 2026 season. Importantly, can Oscar Piastri become the first Australian driver to win their home Grand Prix in 46 years? Plus who to look out for as the Paralympic Winter Games get underway in Milano-Cortina.Featured: Mick Doyle, ABC SPORT. Elizabeth Wright, ABC SPORT.Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

Opening Round of the AFL gets underway on Thursday night and fans of every club are all still hopeful that their team could make a run at the finals in season 2026. Will St Kilda's expensive off-season pay dividends? Which of the players who moved clubs will have the biggest impact and which set of fans might want to temper their expectations? We preview the 2026 AFL Season. Featured: Corbin Middlemas, ABC SPORT. Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

Dennis Cometti has been the soundtrack to so many of Australia's great sporting moments, and today the record stopped. From Australian Rules to Olympic triumphs to Test match cricket, Dennis was as intelligent as he was entertaining. We remember the giant of the industry that was Dennis Cometti, and the legacy he will leave. Featured: Clint Wheeldon, ABC SPORT. Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

The Iranian women's football team lost 3-0 on Monday night in the Women's Asian Cup, but for many Iranians the fact they made it onto the park was a win in itself. The conflict in the Middle East has caused all kinds of chaos across the globe, and these women are tasked with not only trying to win games of football, but with representing a nation currently in turmoil on the international stage. Ahead of their match-up against the Matildas, many at the Asian Cup are wrapping their arms around this group. Featured: Emma Kemp, senior sports writer, Nine Newspapers. Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

Some things are just meant to be, like Sam Kerr and scoring goals in Perth. The Matildas got their Women's Asian Cup campaign underway with a 1-0 win over the Philippines. A victory to get things started in coach Joe Montemurro's first tournament in charge is a box ticked, but the national side struggled at times to create and then capitalise on their opportunities. How will the Tillies reflect on this match and should fans be concerned about a slow start?Featured: Alicia Ferguson, former Matilda. Clare Wheeler, Matildas' midfielder.  Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

His teammates love him, but opposition players? Not so much. Toby Greene is the AFL's anti-hero and that's just the way he likes it. But that doesn't mean being the bad guy doesn't come at a cost. In this interview, Greene explains the toll it takes on his family, talks leadership, and why he wasn't scared by Adam Kingsley's viral spray in a new documentary series. Featured: Toby Greene, GWS Giants captain.Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

The NRL season is kicking off in Vegas this weekend and there are plenty of threads to pull ahead of the 2026 season getting underway. Can the Broncos find and harness the magic of last season or will the premiership go to their heads? Will back-to-back Grand Final losses make or break the Storm and do the Panthers rise again? Plus there's always a dark horse so who might it be in season 2026?Featured: Nick Campton, ABC SPORT. Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

Kyah Simon has won Australia the Asian Cup. She was the first Indigenous Aussie woman to score at a World Cup. The first to 100 caps. And yet she's still finding herself on the receiving end of racism. Simon is fighting back and joins us to explain how, before pulling apart some huge storylines ahead of the Asian Cup. Featured: Kyah Simon, Matildas legend.Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

As Tennis Australia, Craig Tiley has presided over immense moments of success and immense moments of controversy. Having transformed the Australian Open and TA into world leaders, he's heading for the USA. He tells us why and talks regrets, stress and more. Featured: Craig Tiley, CEO, Tennis Australia.Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

All summer, it felt as though Cricket Australia was warming up fans to the idea of selling part of the BBL. This hypothetical sale might deliver rivers of gold, but other nations are getting a sense of the immediate realities. Teams have been re-named to reflect the Indian parent side, Pakistani players have been blacklisted, these are just some examples that are giving key stakeholders pause. Featured: Peter Lalor, cricket writer and podcaster, Cricket Et Al. Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

The Olympic Winter Games are officially closed and the baton has been passed to France, but before we look forward to that we reflect on what was a record-breaking six-medal haul from Australia. Plus as is often the way at these events, there were stories of resilience, heartbreak and a little bit of humour; we look back at some of our favourites.Featured: Simon Smale, ABC SPORT.Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

Alysa Liu retired from figure skating four years ago, aged 16, saying she'd lost herself in competition. Fast-forward to the 2026 Olympic Winter Games and she's back with a gold medal around her neck but perhaps more importantly, she did it her way. Team USA had high expectations for their figure skating team in Milan and not everyone could live up to them, so how might the joy of Liu's gold change the way the sport deals with its athletes?Featured: Caroline Price, journalist, Forbes. Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

Danielle Scott has won World Cups and medalled at World Championships but was missing one thing - an Olympic medal. In her fourth Winter Games she finally stood on an Olympic podium, adding a sixth medal to an already record-breaking Australian tally. We speak to her former teammate and coach about how hard Danielle has worked and what this might mean for her. Plus there's a new sport at these Games and it's chaotic. Featured: David Morris, Olympic silver medallist. Simon Smale, ABC SPORT. Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

Did you see the cheating scandal in the curling and think to yourself 'I should watch that' but then have no idea what's happening on the ice? You're not alone, so ahead of the men's and women's finals we have an explainer. Plus, Mela Stalker is an Olympic finalist and in her debut Winter Games has been enjoying everything the experience has to offer, including the tiramisu in the athletes village.Featured: Andrew Swain, Australian curler. Mela Stalker, Olympic finalist. Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

American slalom skier Mikaela Shiffrin is one of the sport's best, but when it comes to performing at the Olympic Games in recent times she's succumbed to the pressure. With one event to go in her program, can she overcome her nerves? Plus a missed opportunity for Australia to increase its record medal tally and we speak to a very proud father. Featured: Matt Futterman, senior sports writer, The Athletic. Erin Marsicovetere, ABC SPORT. Michael Fordham, father of Olympian Rosie Fordham.Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

The Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics have been Australia's most successful ever with five medals so far and three won by the moguls team. Cooper Woods won the first of those medals and he talks to us about what makes that group so special. Plus, we re-live other medal moments like Jakara Anthony's redemption and Scotty James' heartbreaking, history making silver in the half-pipe. Featured: Cooper Woods, Olympic gold medallist. Simon Smale, ABC SPORT. Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

Moguls skier Cooper Woods has won Australia's first medal at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games, and it's gold! He had to overcome injury, form and arguably the GOAT of men's moguls skiing to stand on the top step of the podium. We speak to 3-time Olympian Torah Bright about what gold means to the team and preview the medal chances in the men's half pipe. Plus we unpack a controversial disqualification in the skeleton. Featured: Torah Bright, Olympian, Stan Sport. Simon Smale, ABC SPORT. Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

Reigning Olympic champion Jakara Anthony finished last in the moguls super-final in her pursuit to become the first Australian to defend a Winter Olympic title. In more positive news, Scotty James looks locked in as he chases an elusive Olympic gold in the snowboard half pipe. The men's ice hockey is underway and this year is well worth watching, the NHL players are back. Featured: Simon Smale, ABC SPORT. Arpon Basu, NHL writer, The Athletic. Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

A Norwegian bronze medallist has admitted to cheating... on his girlfriend. The biathlete has used his post-race interview to try and win back his ex-partner. Meanwhile, American athletes are using their platform to amplify their political views. Plus, Australia's flag bearers hit the moguls course for the first time with eyes on bringing in the nation's first medal. Featured: Simon Smale, ABC SPORT. Joshua Robinson, The Wall Street Journal. Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

Australians Tess Coady and Mela Stalker both finished in the top 10 of the snowboard Big Air, but neither could crack into the medals. Both competitors have eyes on their favoured events later in the Games, so what confidence can they take out of this final? Plus, Australia have returned to an event for the first time since 2014. Featured: Sami Kennedy, three time Winter Olympian and Stan Sport expert. Andrew McGarry, ABC SPORT. Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

Lindsey Vonn went into her fifth and final Olympic Winter Games without an ACL, but with her typical determination to compete. While that attitude may have gotten her to the top of her sport, it might also have been her undoing. Plus, medal chances for an Australian on debut and her three-time-Olympic teammate. Featured: Matt Futterman, senior sports writer, The Athletic. Erin Marsicovetere, ABC SPORT. Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

Australia's best medal haul at a Winter Olympics is four, back in Beijing in 2022. The 53-strong team sent to Milano-Cortina could be the group to better that result. Can Scotty James complete his Olympic medal set and finally win gold? Can 16-year-old Indra Brown earn a podium on her Olympic debut? Will Jakara Anthony defend her title in the moguls? Your guide to what could be a generational Winter Olympics for Australia. Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

As Seattle gears up for New England, this is a Super Bowl rich with storylines. There's a revenge arc, a redemption arc, an Australian thread and a half time show controversy. There's a lot to unpack, strap in. Featured: Laurie Horesh, NFL reporter, ESPN.  Featured: Laurie Horesh, NFL reporter, ESPN.  Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

A 43-word social media post from the Pakistan government has been enough to rock cricket across the globe. Gideon Haigh explains why Pakistan won't play India at the T20 World Cup, how it will cost the sport in a myriad of ways, and what comes next. Featured: Gideon Haigh, writer, Cricket Et Al. Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

Pre-season is generally when we wonder if our footy team is going to get it right this year, but the same question might apply for the AFL's head office. The code has big-name recruits incoming as they tackle a myriad of challenges. Featured: Michael Warner, senior AFL journalist, Herald Sun. Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

As Carlos Alcaraz sipped on champagne and plotted kangaroo tattoos as a way to mark his AO crown, the tennis industry was grappling with magnitude of what the 22-year-old achieved. A kind of tennis evolution that has delivered revolution. Novak Djokovic might have lost the match, but perhaps won something else he's long craved. Featured: Wally Masur, former Davis Cup Captain.Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

Aryna Sabalenka is "pissed", is she right to be? We speak to Roger Rasheed about that as well as the conclusion to the "behind the scenes camera" dramas. Then Sophie Molineux talks to us about winning the Australian captaincy and how she spoke to those who missed out on the role. Featured: Sophie Molineux, Australia cricket captain. Roger Rasheed, elite tennis coach.Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

In a world where the house always wins, what happens when you beat the house? We're talking to a professional sports gambler who has been blacklisted for winning. He breaks down the lengths pro-punters have to go to keep winning as gambling companies try to shut them down. Featured: Dan Rosenheck, data journalist, The Economist.Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

Alex de Minaur and Carlos Alcaraz identified the exact same problem for the Australian after his AO defeat to the world number one. The question now is whether the world number six will risk going backwards to try and make the jump into the top tier of the sport. Featured: Josh Eagle, ex-Davis Cup coach.Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

Each summer, tennis fans descend on Melbourne Park for the Australian Open but this year has looked a little different. Tennis Australia has engaged a number of social media influencers to create content to promote the tournament, resulting in much of what people see online being less about the actual sport and more about what's happening off-court. A record number of people have come through the gates but fan frustration has raised questions about whether attendees are there for the tennis or just to be SEEN at the tennis. Featured: Marnie Vinall, ABC SPORT. Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

Was Naomi Osaka out of line with her behaviour during her round two match? What about her behaviour afterwards? We pull apart that conversation ahead of the Grand Slam winner's clash with Australian Maddy Inglis. PLUS, Phil Waugh joins us to discuss Angus Crichton's defection from the NRL to rugby. Featured: Charlie Eccleshare, tennis writer, The Athletic. Phil Waugh, CEO, Rugby Australia. Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

One of the best things about the Winter Olympics is the relatively sudden arrival of new prodigies. In the next month, you're probably going to hear a lot about 15-year-old Aussie ski sensation Indra Brown. We're breaking down this immense talent ahead of her likely games debut to understand how she rose so fast and what her Olympic medal chances are. Featured: Simon Smale, Olympics reporter, ABC Sport. Featured: Simon Smale, Olympics reporter, ABC Sport.Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

Steve Waugh considers himself a cricketing traditionalist, so what does it tell us that this Test and ODI great is now a co-owner of the newly launched European T20 Premier League? We ask Waugh why the world needs another T20 league and how his Amsterdam Flames might find fans. Then the ex-Aussie skipper reviews the Ashes, which he argues was a 'disappointing' series, before assessing the efforts of the selection panel.Featured: Steve Waugh, ex-Australia captain, co-owner Amsterdam Flames.Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

Player protests, two fuming coaches, a controversial penalty, a botched Panenka, ball boys harassing a substitute goalkeeper, and the riot police. Did we mention a sixteen minute delay of game? The African Cup of Nations final between Senegal and Morocco has to go down as the most insane major tournament final in the history of football. Featured: Pokuah Frimpong, football reporter, ABC Sport.Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

He's wearing eye blacks, spraying punters, smashing sixes and finding a fidgety flow state, so is Steve Smith the key to the BBL finals? We preview the Sixers, Scorchers, Hurricanes and Stars as the BBL finals series readies for launch. Featured: Brett Sprigg, BBL commentator, ABC Sport.  Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

Michael Dickson had dreams of playing for the Sydney Swans and came through the academy at the same time as Isaac Heeney and Callum Mills. He has more than realised a sports dream, just not the one he initially envisaged. When Super Bowl favourites the Seattle takes on bitter rivals San Francisco in the NFL playoffs this weekend, Dickson will be central to the Seahawks chances. He joins us to talk about his decade long career in the NFL. Featured: Michael Dickson, punter, Seattle Seahawks. Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

Alex de Minaur has been playing the Australian Open for a decade now, so is this the year he breaks through? Wally Masur dissects a rough draw for the Demon. While Alicia Molik helps us understand who might pull Australia's female contingent out of the rather big shadow that still remains post Ash Barty's retirement. Featured: Wally Masur, ex-Davis Cup Captain. Alicia Molik, ex Billie Jean King Cup Captain. Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

The last time he was at Melbourne Park Novak Djokovic was booed off the court in the latest chapter in a complex relationship with Australian tennis fans. A year on and a lot has and hasn't happened for Novak on and off the court. We explain how what's happened for him in the last year might inform what we see in Australia and across the world from the GOAT in 2026. Featured: Matt Futterman, tennis writer, New York Times. Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

When five time major champion Brooks Koepka quit LIV to return to the PGA it shook up the world of golf. Australian fans wondered whether Cam Smith might follow suit. He's been emphatic in his position, but questions still abound. Featured: Jimmy Emmanuel, golf writer and commentator.Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

Ellyse Perry first saw Alyssa Healy playing cricket when the pair were nine years old. A quarter of a century on Healy has announced she's retiring from the game the pair dominated together across three formats for more than two decades. Perry joins us to break down the impact the Australian skipper has had on cricket and how her departure will shape the game. Featured: Elysse Perry, Australian cricket great.Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

The ABC spoke to more than 150 elite athletes to get an understanding of their experience with sport and the testimonies don't paint a rosy picture. Underpaid, underappreciated, overworked, lacking support. Online abuse, in-person mistreatment, racism, sexism… the picture isn't pretty… understanding it is pretty important. Featured: Amanda Shalala, senior journalist, ABC Sport. Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

If you've woken from an Ashes induced cricket stupor and you need to get across the NFL playoffs, we are here for you. The enigmatic Aaron Rodgers going strong in his forties. The dreamboat QB Josh Allen trying to make things right for Buffalo. Australian Super Bowl champ Jordan Mailata attempting to go back to back. All the American football storylines in one place. Featured: Phil Murphy, NFL reporter, ESPN. Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

Pre-summer Brendon McCullum suggest it would be the "series of our lives". With the Ashes wrapped, what's the epitaph for this edition? Starc shone, Carey excelled and Head humbled the English attack as Bazball was buried. There were minimal contributions from Cummins, Hazelwood and Lyon, while Jacob Bethell announced his arrival. We pull apart the big series lessons and cast forward to the Test campaigns ahead. Featured: Ben Cameron, cricket commentator, ABC Sport. Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

When a player is as consistently excellent as Steve Smith, you can be inoculated to that quality. It might be doubly so when the batter in question is as unconventional as Smith. His Sydney hundred might be remembered more for his ticks than then manner of the runs scored. Today, Dean Bilton joins us to unpack the perfect imperfection of the Ashes best since Bradman. Featured: Dean Bilton, cricket writer, ABC Sport. Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

Manchester United spent more than 400-million pounds in fourteen months to try and support the Ruben Amorim vision... only to decide it was the wrong course of action. Craig Foster unpacks the latest chapter of a once mighty empire now stuck in a doom loop. Featured: Craig Foster, ex-Australia footballer and Stan Sport analyst.Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

At times, Thanasi Kokkinakis has wondered if his career was dead and buried. Now with a deceased man's achilles tendon holding his shoulder in place, the 29-year-old is rediscovering the joy of of competition alongside old friend Nick Kyrgios. There was a time when the pair might have thought a second-tier doubles competition was beneath them. Now, the duo are savouring every opportunity. Featured: John Millman, ex-ATP veteran. Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

The Socceroos' 2005 World Cup qualifier win over Uruguay is arguably Australia's greatest sports moment. Mark Schwarzer was at the centre of it and has just been named to Sports Australia's Hall of Fame. The goalkeeper gives us some vivid recollections from his playing days before expanding on the challenges this generation is facing. The double-edged sword of the creation of the A-League, the changing face of the game and much more.  Featured: Mark Schwarzer, Socceroos legend. Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

In 2024, young Australian Dyson Daniels was in the second year of his NBA career and struggling to make a mark. He had a nagging sense he wasn't quite being true to himself. A trade from New Orleans to Atlanta has coincided with a meteoric rise. The 22-year-old opens up in an expansive interview. Featured: Dyson Daniels, Atlanta Hawks.Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

In this interview from the archives, Molly Picklum calls in from Fiji to talk about partying in a wetsuit, the big names who reached out to congratulate her, how she steeled herself after an early stumble in the final, how she wants to dominate the sport for years to come and tequila. If you want to hear what it sounds like for a 22-year-old surfer to realise her dream in Hawaii, then this is the episode for you. Try and listen to this without smiling. Featured: Molly Picklum, surfing world champion.Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter