Here are the top sports stories and upcoming coverage plans for Reuters text service as of 7:30 p.m. GMT/2:30 p.m. ET. For a full schedule of news and events, go to our editorial calendar on Reuters Connect.

TOP STORIES

SOCCER-WORLDCUP/

Soccer-England to face Serbia in European qualifying for 2026 World Cup

ZURICH, Switzerland, Dec 13 (Reuters) - England will renew acquaintances with Serbia in Europe's2026 World Cup qualifying competition after the draw was made in Zurich on Friday, with Albania drawn in the same group, setting up a politically charged encounter between the Balkan nations.

MOTOR-FIA/

Motor racing-Rwandan president announces bid for F1 race

KIGALI, Dec 13 (Reuters) - Rwandan president Paul Kagame announced his country's bid for a Formula One race on Friday, ahead of an awards ceremony in the capital Kigali that will hand the champion's trophy to Max Verstappen for a fourth year in a row.

CRICKET-TEST-AUS-IND/

Cricket-Nostalgic Gill savours return to Gabba after 2021 heroics

Facing fierce Australian pace on a bouncy Gabba pitch is among the toughest assignments a touring batter can face but India's Shubman Gill will approach the task with a clear head in the third test starting on Saturday.

UPCOMING

ICE HOCKEY

ICEHOCKEY-NHL-CAR-OTT/ (PIX)

NHL - Carolina Hurricanes v Ottawa Senators

2024-25 NHL Season (Regular Season) - Lenovo Center, Raleigh, North Carolina

14 Dec 19:00 ET / 00:00 GMT

ICEHOCKEY-NHL-NJD-CHI/ (PIX)

NHL - New Jersey Devils v Chicago Blackhawks

2024-25 NHL Season (Regular Season) - Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey

14 Dec 13:00 ET / 18:00 GMT

ICEHOCKEY-NHL-NYR-LAK/ (PIX)

NHL - New York Rangers v Los Angeles Kings

2024-25 NHL Season (Regular Season) - Madison Square Garden, New York, New York

14 Dec 13:00 ET / 18:00 GMT

NBA

BASKETBALL-NBA-CLE-WAS/ (PIX)

NBA - Cleveland Cavaliers v Washington Wizards

2024-25 NBA Season (Regular Season) - Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, Ohio

14 Dec 19:00 ET / 00:00 GMT

BASKETBALL-NBA-PHI-IND/ (PIX)

NBA - Philadelphia 76ers v Indiana Pacers

2024-25 NBA Season (Regular Season) - Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

14 Dec 19:00 ET / 00:00 GMT

BASKETBALL-NBA-MEM-BKN/ (PIX)

NBA - Memphis Grizzlies v Brooklyn Nets

2024-25 NBA Season (Regular Season) - FedExForum, Memphis, Tennessee

14 Dec 20:00 ET / 01:00 GMT

BASKETBALL-NBA-MIN-LAL/ (PIX)

NBA - Minnesota Timberwolves v Los Angeles Lakers

2024-25 NBA Season (Regular Season) - Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota

14 Dec 20:00 ET / 01:00 GMT

BASKETBALL-NBA-CHI-CHA/ (PIX)

NBA - Chicago Bulls v Charlotte Hornets

2024-25 NBA Season (Regular Season) - United Center, Chicago, Illinois

14 Dec 20:00 ET / 01:00 GMT

BASKETBALL-NBA-DEN-LAC/ (PIX)

NBA - Denver Nuggets v Los Angeles Clippers

2024-25 NBA Season (Regular Season) - Ball Arena, Denver, Colorado

14 Dec 21:00 ET / 02:00 GMT

BASKETBALL-NBA-UTA-PHX/ (PIX)

NBA - Utah Jazz v Phoenix Suns

2024-25 NBA Season (Regular Season) - Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah

14 Dec 21:30 ET / 02:30 GMT

BASKETBALL-NBA-POR-SAS/ (PIX)

NBA - Portland Trail Blazers v San Antonio Spurs

2024-25 NBA Season (Regular Season) - Moda Center at the Rose Quarter, Portland, Oregon

14 Dec 22:00 ET / 03:00 GMT

CRICKET

CRICKET-TEST-NZL-ENG/

New Zealand v England, third test

New Zealand host England at Seddon Park in the last of three tests.

14 Dec

CRICKET-TEST-AUS-IND/

Australia v India, third test

Australia host India in at the Gabba in the the third of five tests.

14 Dec

CRICKET-T20-ZWE-AFG/

Zimbabwe v Afghanistan - 3rd T20

Zimbabwe host Afghanistan in the last of their three T20 match series at the Harare Sports Club

14 Dec 06:30 ET / 11:30 GMT

CRICKET-T20-ZAF-PAK/

Cricket - South Africa v Pakistan - T20 series

South Africa host Pakistan at the Wanderers in Johannesburg in the last of three Twenty20 internationals

14 Dec 11:00 ET / 16:00 GMT

SOCCER

SOCCER-ITALY-CAG-ATA/REPORT (PIX)

Italy - Italian Serie A - Cagliari v Atalanta

Cagliari play Atalanta in the Italian Serie A.

14 Dec 09:00 ET / 14:00 GMT

SOCCER-GERMANY-FCA-LEV/REPORT (PIX)

Germany - German Bundesliga - Augsburg v Bayer Leverkusen

Augsburg play Bayer Leverkusen in the German Bundesliga.

14 Dec 09:30 ET / 14:30 GMT

SOCCER-GERMANY-M05-FCB/REPORT (PIX)

Germany - German Bundesliga - Mainz 05 v Bayern Munich

Mainz 05 play Bayern München in the German Bundesliga.

14 Dec 09:30 ET / 14:30 GMT

SOCCER-ENGLAND-NEW-LEI/REPORT (PIX)

England - English Premier League - Newcastle United v Leicester City

Newcastle United play Leicester City in the English Premier League.

14 Dec 10:00 ET / 15:00 GMT

SOCCER-ENGLAND-ARS-EVE/REPORT (PIX)

England - English Premier League - Arsenal v Everton

Arsenal play Everton in the English Premier League.

14 Dec 10:00 ET / 15:00 GMT

SOCCER-ENGLAND-LIV-FUL/REPORT (PIX)

England - English Premier League - Liverpool v Fulham

Liverpool play Fulham in the English Premier League.

14 Dec 10:00 ET / 15:00 GMT

SOCCER-ENGLAND-WOL-IPS/REPORT (PIX)

England - English Premier League - Wolverhampton Wanderers v Ipswich Town

Wolverhampton Wanderers play Ipswich Town in the English Premier League.

14 Dec 10:00 ET / 15:00 GMT

SOCCER-SPAIN-MLL-GIR/REPORT

Spain - Spanish LaLiga - Mallorca v Girona

Mallorca play Girona in the Spanish LaLiga.

14 Dec 10:15 ET / 15:15 GMT

SOCCER-ITALY-UDI-NAP/REPORT (PIX)

Italy - Italian Serie A - Udinese v Napoli

Udinese play Napoli in the Italian Serie A.

14 Dec 12:00 ET / 17:00 GMT

SOCCER-ENGLAND-NFO-AVL/REPORT (PIX)

England - English Premier League - Nottingham Forest v Aston Villa

Nottingham Forest play Aston Villa in the English Premier League.

14 Dec 12:30 ET / 17:30 GMT

GOLF

GOLF-EUROPEAN/

European Tour - Alfred Dunhill Championship

Coverage of the Alfred Dunhill Championship from Leopard Creek Country Club in Malelane, South Africa

14 Dec 11:00 ET / 16:00 GMT