Kansas was one of the first Midwestern states to sanction girls’ flag football as a varsity high school sport. Now, girls across the state have their first chance to compete under the lights.

After a successful summer hosting Algeria during the World Cup, KU’s athletics department has been hustling to get ready for the Union Jack Classic. It's the first-ever college football game at the legendary Wembley Stadium, and required shipping equipment and band instruments over on a boat.

Running back MicahJo Barnett had trouble breathing after scoring a touchdown during Saturday's game, when it was 97 degrees in Liberty, Missouri. He died a short time later at the hospital.

Rylan Reece, 16, died on the first day of practice at tiny Pawnee Heights High School. He was the fifth Kansas football player to die during conditioning since 2018.

Public funds from city and state sources would contribute 60% of the cost for the Crown Center stadium, possibly through tax-exempt bonds. The Royals will have "no obligation to repay or otherwise support payment of” those bonds, leaving the city to cover any shortfalls.

The 17-year-old student died on the first day of practice at Pawnee Heights High School in western Kansas. He is the fifth football player to die in Kansas since 2018.

Kansas City could approve a deal with the Royals within the next two weeks. But the public still doesn’t know where the $600 million will come from or whether the city was successful in negotiating community benefits.

Kansas City's World Cup co-hosting duties didn’t just impact the state on an economic level — local and professional soccer clubs across the state felt the energy from the global tournament, too.

A recent analysis by ValuePenguin found the estimated number of pickleball-related injuries treated in U.S. emergency rooms nearly quadrupled between 2018 and 2025, with falls, slips and trips accounting for nearly 65,000 ER visits nationwide.

A city council committee pushed back discussions on bonds and lease agreements for a downtown Royals stadium. Critics say that still isn’t enough time to learn about the financing deal, and have turned in thousands of signatures to force a public vote.

Since 2018, four college and one high school linemen have died in Kansas from heat-related illnesses. So far this summer, high school linemen in Arkansas and Louisiana have been severely sickened by exertional heat stroke.

The total amount wagered in June was $258.3 million, a 0.8% increase from May. Almost all sports bets were made on mobile betting sites, accounting for 99.5% of all money wagered.