Yesterday, today and tomorrow in sport: Champions League, Australian Open, NBA and NHL – what to follow Jan 21–23

Yesterday, January 21, 2026, sport again had that kind of day when everything feels connected: one result changes how you look at the table, one injury changes the rotation plan, and one tie-break or a last-minute basket changes the season’s story. For a fan, it’s not only “who won”, but also “what happens next”: who’s on a run, who’s sliding into a crisis, and where opportunities open up to catch up.

Today, January 22, 2026, that effect spills into the schedule and priorities. European football is entering a dense rhythm, the NBA and NHL have a night where fatigue and travel show as much as talent, and the Australian Open keeps doing what Grand Slams do best: testing nerves, body, and depth of game from set to set. If you follow sport regularly, today is a day for selection: you can’t watch everything, but you can choose smartly.

Tomorrow, January 23, 2026, brings a new wave of triggers: a new NBA round, the continuation of the Australian Open, the start of major winter events, and the continuation of global sports caravans. And here’s the key thing for the audience: the point isn’t predicting “what will happen”, but understanding “what could change the picture” if it happens.

The biggest risks in this mini-cycle are the classic ones: rotations due to a congested schedule, fragile player statuses for those who are “under load”, and the psychological moment after tight losses. The biggest opportunities are just as familiar: catch momentum at the right moment, exploit an opponent’s fatigue, and head into the weekend with the feeling that the trend is on your side.

Yesterday: what happened and why you should care

UEFA Champions League: results that change the feeling of “who is really ready”

On Wednesday, January 21, 2026, Champions League matches were played that brought back an old truth: at the top of Europe, it’s not necessarily the “prettiest football” that wins, but the team that manages rhythm and mistakes better. According to the event summary and results in The Guardian’s live coverage, there were both routine wins and matches decided in the details, with clear signs that January form isn’t just a passing episode, but often the prologue to the spring story. That matters because fans usually react to one result, while the season often reacts to a sequence: two good nights in a row can open the path to a calmer schedule and more rotation, while two bad ones in a short span can trigger panic and pressure on the coach.

For the audience, the practical consequence of nights like these is that the “map of expectations” changes. When you see a team that wins and whose game plan looks repeatable, it’s easier to believe it can survive a tough draw as well. Conversely, when a team wins with obvious cracks, the fan gets an uncomfortable question: is this a win that hides a problem, or a win that builds character. And that’s exactly why the Champions League is interesting at this stage: not because it gives final answers, but because it reveals who has a stable playing identity. (Source)

Australian Open: a day when nerves were worth as much as strokes

Day 4 at the Australian Open, January 21, 2026, was a textbook example of how a Grand Slam “eats” even the most prepared if their concentration drops for 10 minutes. According to The Guardian’s reporting, a number of seeded players went through matches that were anything but calm, with interruptions and rhythm changes that in Melbourne are always a factor, not an excuse. Days like these matter to a fan because they don’t only say who got through, but how: a player who advances after an “ugly-won” match often gets a mental injection, while a player who constantly needs ideal conditions usually pays the price in the second week.

For the wider audience, this is also a reminder of how to follow a tournament smartly: you don’t chase only “big names”, you look for signals. Is someone stable on the second serve, how do they respond after losing a set, how quickly do they regain depth of shot after a break. If you want a practical compass for what follows, it’s best to track the official schedule and changes via the tournament’s and tours’ official channels, because start times can shift. (Source, Details)

NBA: two games, two messages about form and confidence

On the NBA night of January 21, 2026, you got two games that are more useful to a fan than a bare “W” or “L”. According to ESPN’s box scores, Atlanta beat Memphis 124:122, and Detroit defeated New Orleans 112:104. In the first case, a tight finish and key possessions in the last minutes are often the best litmus test: a team that has a clear decision hierarchy in such situations is usually more stable when March and April arrive. In the second case, games against teams from the lower part of the standings aren’t glamorous, but they’re a “must” for teams that want to hold position calmly: that’s where continuity is built, and continuity is the currency of the regular season.

What does that mean for you as a fan today? First, that trends aren’t just a feeling: a streak of wins or losses usually spills into minutes, rotation, and shot distribution. Second, that nights like this are remembered when the playoff talk arrives: “can they close a game” and “can they win when they aren’t brilliant” often matters more than one flashy win over a big opponent. (Source, Details)

NHL: a game that reminds you hockey is won even when you’re on the edge of defeat

If you love the NHL for chaos and comebacks, January 21, 2026, had exactly that. According to the official NHL report, the Utah Mammoth came back against the Philadelphia Flyers and won 5:4 after overtime, with a game-winning goal in OT. Games like that aren’t just a highlight for social media: they often change the locker-room atmosphere. A team that “steals” games it should have lost usually gains extra confidence in its character, and across the season that turns into points you go looking for in April.

For a fan, it’s practical to look at how the comeback happened: was it a random streak, or a sign the team has a plan when it presses. In the NHL, where winning and losing streaks are common, nights like this often make the difference between “we’re in the hunt” and “we’re late and chasing”. (Source, Details)

EuroLeague: Virtus – Fenerbahçe and a lesson in how important it is to play the second half

In elite basketball, one quarter often decides everything, and on January 21, 2026, you could see it in Bologna. According to the official EuroLeague game center, Fenerbahçe beat Virtus 85:80. The margin itself isn’t huge, but the message is clear: in the EuroLeague, “survival” is often the result of decision quality when energy drops. For a fan, that’s an important signal because this league punishes even the slightest drop in focus, and the schedule is such that you don’t have time for long slumps.

The practical consequence is simple: if your team loses games like this, it will be hard to dig out against even stronger opponents when the road-trip stretch arrives. If it wins them, you collect victories that later bring home-court advantage or at least a calmer path to the playoffs. In this part of the season, that’s often the difference between “everything is open” and “we have to chase”. (Source)

Tour Down Under: the road season has started, and the tempo will rise day by day

Cycling is a sport where the season is often felt before it is “seen” on the table, because form and team hierarchy are built gradually. According to the official Tour Down Under schedule, on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, Stage 1 of the men’s race was ridden, after the prologue the day before. For a fan, that means what matters most is now starting: fighting for position, controlling the break, and the first serious tests for sprinters and those targeting the general classification.

A practical thing for the audience is to watch how teams assign roles. Who works for the sprint, who saves the leader, who “shows themselves” early in the season to earn status. Tour Down Under isn’t the biggest race of the year, but it often gives the first clues who will look powerful in the spring. (Official document)

Formula E: an off-track move that shows where the sport is heading

Not all sports news is tied to a result, and sometimes those are precisely the ones that matter long-term. According to a MotorsportWeek report, Formula E announced it has received B Corp certification, which signals the direction in which the series wants to build its identity. For a fan, that’s not “the table”, but it is context: sponsors, organization, and perception of the competition often depend on how a sport manages its values.

Practically speaking, announcements like this usually mean two things: a more stable story for partners and a stronger position in the fight for audience attention. In an era in which the sports calendar is suffocating with events, differentiation beyond the track itself becomes part of the game. (Source, Details)

Today: what it means for your day

Schedule and key games of the day

Today, January 22, 2026, the biggest “global window” is football in Europe, because the league phase of the UEFA Europa League is on the schedule. According to UEFA’s official list of matches, a full block of fixtures is played tonight, and days like these are ideal for a fan who likes to track the wider picture: not only their club, but also who is pushing toward qualification and who is entering the panic zone. The logic is similar in the NBA: according to ESPN’s schedule for January 22, 2026, you have eight games, including attractive matchups that often become the “story of the night” due to rivalries or stars.

In tennis, the Australian Open enters a phase in which the audience usually splits into two groups: those who follow the favorites and those who hunt for “new stories”. For the most accurate schedule, court changes, and start times, it’s best to follow the tour’s official order of play, because the plan can shift due to match duration. In cycling, the Tour Down Under continues with Stage 2, according to the race’s official schedule, which is an opportunity to see whether teams start to play more aggressively or still “hold back”. (Source, Details)

• Practical consequence: if you follow the Europa League, tonight “pressure” is formed for the next round and qualification scenarios.
• What to watch: in the NBA, watch games that are part of a road trip run or a back-to-back; rotations often decide there.
• What you can do right now: pick 2 to 3 events for the evening and follow them with intent, instead of bouncing between everything.

Injuries, suspensions, and possible rotations

At this point in the season, the most common trap for a fan is believing an impression instead of information. Player statuses change, and “rumors” about absences often start before official confirmations. The safest approach is to stick to official competition or club sources, or at least verifiable box scores and official match pages with updated information.

In the NBA and NHL, it’s especially important to follow the broader schedule picture: fatigue, travel, and game rhythm are often just as important as individual form. In Europe, especially on Europa League nights, coaches sometimes balance between the continental match and the domestic league, which can change a fan’s expectations of the starting lineup. That’s why it’s most useful to watch the trend: how many minutes each player gets over the last 3 to 5 appearances and where the coach “rests” someone.

• Practical consequence: rotations can change the quality of pressing, defense, and crunch-time execution, even when the “names” look the same.
• What to watch: official box scores and game pages often have the fastest status updates.
• What you can do right now: before tip-off, check the competition’s official site or the match center.

Tables and scenarios: who needs what

If you love sport for the tables, today is a good day to look at “what is realistic” instead of “what would be nice”. In the NBA, according to StatMuse, at this moment the conference tops stand out, and the differences in wins and losses aren’t just a number: they determine how calm you are over the next two weeks. A team holding the top can afford tactical experiments and a more cautious approach, while a team chasing has to play “every night”. (Source)

In the Europa League, today’s games are typically the ones you later recognize as turning points. When the league phase is in full swing, it’s not the same to lose an “expected” game and to lose against a direct competitor. For a fan, the best mental model is simple: every night is a small investment in calm or in stress. And that’s exactly why tonight it’s worth watching not only the result, but also how the team looks when it has to “squeeze”.

• Practical consequence: a win against a direct competitor often counts double, because it changes both the table and the psychology.
• What to watch: watch performance in the last 15 minutes; that’s where you most often see whether the coach’s ideas are “real”.
• What you can do right now: set a tracking goal: follow the team in transition or in set-piece defense, not only the attack.

Where to follow: streaming and official schedules

On a global sports day, the biggest problem isn’t a lack of content, but an excess. Tennis is a good example: the tournament runs all day and it’s easy to get lost if you don’t have a plan. That’s why it’s useful to rely on the official order of play and the tournament’s official schedule first, and only then look for the broadcast that suits you. For audiences in different countries, broadcast rules vary, but the reliable path to the schedule is always the same: the competition’s official website or the official tour. (Source, Details)

If you follow golf, today also begins a tournament rhythm where tee times and groups often determine how you’ll watch. For The American Express, the PGA Tour publishes official tee times, which is the best base for planning your viewing without guessing. (Source)

• Practical consequence: with the schedule in hand, you follow sport as an event, not as random scrolling.
• What to watch: for tournaments and big nights, start times change—check the latest update before it begins.
• What you can do right now: save the official schedule pages and match centers; that’s the fastest filter from the noise.

Tomorrow: what can change the situation

• The NBA brings a new round on January 23, with a set of matchups that test continuity after the previous night. (Source)
• The Hawks play the Suns on January 23, so we’ll see whether yesterday’s win was the start of a streak. (Details)
• The Rockets visit the Pistons on January 23, an ideal test of whether Detroit can hold its standard against a more serious opponent. (Source)
• The Nuggets and Bucks meet on January 23, a game that often reveals who controls tempo and rebounding better. (Details)
• The Australian Open moves into a new program day on January 23, and the schedule is tracked via the official order of play. (Source)
• X Games Aspen starts on January 23 and runs through the 25th, giving extreme-sports fans three peak days. (Source)
• Tour Down Under has Stage 3 on January 23, an opportunity for the first serious shifts in the race’s dynamics. (Official document)
• The American Express enters a new competitive day on January 23, and tee times remain the best guide for following. (Source)
• Four Continents figure skating continues its program in Beijing on January 23, important for form ahead of the Olympic Games. (Source)
• If you follow the NHL, January 23 brings a new set of games that often break weekly streaks of form and fatigue. (Source)
• In cycling, the day after a stage is often more important than the stage itself, because you see who recovers and who cracks. (Details)
• For fans who love winter sports, tomorrow is the start of a weekend in which attention will shift toward Aspen events. (Details)

In brief

• If you care about the Champions League, yesterday’s matches are a test of stability, not only form, and that carries into spring.
• If you follow the Australian Open, watch how favorites get through tough moments—this is where you see who has a “second plan”.
• If you root for the Hawks, the win in Memphis is useful only if tomorrow against the Suns they confirm the trend.
• If you root for the Pistons, wins like these over weaker teams are necessary, but the real test is tomorrow’s opponent.
• If you love the NHL, comeback games like Utah – Flyers create momentum that often turns into a points streak.
• If you follow the EuroLeague, tight away wins are the currency of the playoffs, and home losses quickly come back in the table.
• If you love cycling, Tour Down Under is a chance to see who takes roles early and who becomes a leader later.
• If you’re a fan of winter spectacles, tomorrow X Games begin and it’s worth catching the early days—this is when the weekend tone is set.
• If you follow golf, tee times are the best tool to follow smartly, without wandering and missing key groups.