The MLB postseason is reaching an important stage, while the NFL prepares for another Sunday of action on October 18, 2026. With a place in the World Series at stake and a full slate of football games ahead, fans will have plenty to follow. One of the day’s biggest questions is whether Tampa Bay can respond as its American League Championship Series against Cleveland continues.

The Tampa Bay Rays and Cleveland Guardians are scheduled to meet in Game 5 of the ALCS, with Cleveland entering the weekend holding a 2-1 series lead. That advantage puts the Guardians in a stronger position, while Tampa Bay will be looking to fight back.

Meanwhile, the NFL’s international matchup in London will kick off a day of football that continues across the United States, culminating in an evening primetime game.

But baseball and football won’t be the only attractions on Sunday’s sports calendar. NASCAR and NHRA will bring motorsports action, while tennis and golf will feature tournament finals and final-round coverage.

Here’s a look at Sunday’s events, their start times, and where to watch them.

MLB

The MLB postseason will continue on Sunday, October 18, with Game 5 of the American League Championship Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cleveland Guardians.

The Rays will visit the Guardians at 5:00 PM ET. Fans can watch the matchup on TBS and truTV, both of which are listed for the game.

With the American League championship series reaching another important stage, the matchup will be one of the day’s major baseball events. Fans will be watching closely as the two teams continue their battle for a place in the World Series.

NFL

Sunday’s NFL schedule will begin with an international matchup before moving into a full afternoon of games across the United States.

At 9:30 AM ET, the Houston Texans will face the Jacksonville Jaguars in London. The game will be broadcast on NFL Network.

The 1:00 PM ET window will feature several matchups, with regional coverage split between CBS and FOX. CBS will carry the New York Jets at the New England Patriots, the Carolina Panthers at the Philadelphia Eagles, or the Pittsburgh Steelers at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, depending on the viewer’s region.

FOX will provide regional coverage of the Chicago Bears at the Atlanta Falcons, the Baltimore Ravens at the Cleveland Browns, the Tennessee Titans at the Indianapolis Colts, or the New Orleans Saints at the New York Giants.

The afternoon schedule will continue at 4:05 PM ET, when the Arizona Cardinals visit the Los Angeles Rams. FOX will broadcast the game.

At 4:25 PM ET, CBS will carry regional coverage of either the Los Angeles Chargers at the Kansas City Chiefs or the Buffalo Bills at the Las Vegas Raiders.

The day will conclude with Sunday Night Football, as the Dallas Cowboys visit the Green Bay Packers at 8:20 PM ET. The matchup will air on NBC and Peacock.

With games scheduled from morning through primetime, NFL fans will have plenty of opportunities to follow the action throughout Sunday.

Motorsports

Motorsports fans will have two major events to follow on Sunday, October 18, with NASCAR’s Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway and NHRA coverage from Texas Motorplex.

The NASCAR Cup Series will head to Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, Arizona, for the Freeway Insurance 500 – The Chase. The race is scheduled for 3:00 PM ET and will be broadcast on USA Network.

NHRA fans can also tune in for coverage from Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Texas. FS1 will air qualifying coverage at 2:00 PM ET, followed by the Texas NHRA FallNationals at 4:00 PM ET. Both broadcasts are listed as taped coverage, so the television times may differ from the actual times of the on-track action.

The two NHRA broadcasts will give drag-racing fans an additional option alongside the NASCAR Cup Series race.

Tennis

Tennis fans will have several events to follow on Sunday, with coverage beginning early in the morning and continuing into the late-night hours.

At 4:30 AM ET, Tennis Channel will provide coverage of the Shanghai Masters ATP finals and Wuhan Open WTA finals. Additional coverage of the same tournaments is scheduled for 6:00 AM ET.

The finals will bring championship tennis to the early-morning schedule for U.S. viewers. Fans should check the tournaments’ official order of play for the exact match sequence and start times.

Later in the day, Tennis Channel will turn its attention to early-round action from several other tournaments

Coverage of these early rounds will continue at 6:00 AM ET on Monday, October 19, giving viewers another opportunity to follow the international tennis schedule.

Golf

Golf fans will have two events to follow on Sunday, October 18, with final-round coverage from the DP World India Championship and the PGA Tour Champions’ SAS Championship.

The DP World India Championship will conclude at New Delhi Golf Club in New Delhi, India. Coverage of the final round is scheduled for 4:00 AM ET on GOLF Channel. The tournament’s final round will determine the champion after several days of competition.

Later, the PGA Tour Champions circuit will feature the final round of the SAS Championship at Prestonwood Country Club in Cary, North Carolina. Coverage is scheduled for 2:00 PM ET on GOLF Channel.

Both tournaments will give golf fans a chance to follow the closing stages of competition, with the India event taking place early in the morning for U.S. viewers and the SAS Championship providing afternoon coverage.

NHL

The NHL will feature two matchups on Sunday, October 18, giving hockey fans a pair of games to follow during the evening.

At 6:00 PM ET, the Columbus Blue Jackets will visit the Minnesota Wild. The game will be available through the listed team broadcast options, including CBJ NHL, MIN NHL, CBJHN, and Wild+.

Later, the Carolina Hurricanes will face the Calgary Flames at 8:00 PM ET. The listed broadcast options include CAR NHL and HHN. Viewers should check their local listings and regional streaming availability before the games begin.

That’s it for Sunday’s sports schedule! Which games are you planning to watch?