Apple Sports app stepped up its game in two ways Tuesday, Apple said — with an update bringing customizable widgets to iPhone, iPad and Mac users, and an expansion to eight new countries in Europe.
And the timing should work well for many sports fans. The enhancements arrive just as NFL and college football kicks into high gear stateside and soccer season rolls on in Europe, site of the expansion.
Apple Sports app widgets bring scores to home screen
The big-deal feature of this Apple Sports app update comes with the introduction of widgets that allow fans to customize their device home screens with real-time sports information. The widgets work seamlessly across Apple’s ecosystem, giving users access to live scores and upcoming schedules on iPhone, iPad and Mac platforms.
So users can choose between two widget configurations to match their preferences:
- The “My Teams” view focuses on favorited teams, displaying scores and upcoming schedules for followed clubs.
- Alternatively, the “League” view provides comprehensive coverage of entire leagues, showing scores and schedules for every team in a competition.
Apple designed the widget system with flexibility in mind. Fans can customize widgets differently on each device and add as many as they want without restrictions. For example, a user could have Premier League widgets on their iPhone while tracking NBA scores on their Mac, creating a personalized sports information hub across their Apple devices.
Enhanced live activities and scheduling
In addition, Apple Sports built on the existing Live Activities feature that delivers real-time updates to iPhone Lock Screens and Apple Watch. The app now allows users to schedule Live Activities in advance for upcoming events.
This proactive approach ensures fans never miss important games, even when they’re not actively checking the app.
International expansion brings global coverage
Apple Sports is now available in eight additional countries: Austria, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Spain. The expansion significantly broadens the app’s global reach.
The international rollout coincides with expanded league coverage, particularly for European soccer. New competitions include Germany’s 2. Bundesliga, France’s Ligue 2, Spain’s Segunda División, Italy’s Serie B and Portugal’s Primeira Liga. This enhanced coverage ensures fans in newly supported countries can follow their local leagues alongside international competitions.
The updates position Apple Sports as an increasingly comprehensive sports tracking solution within Apple’s ecosystem, offering free access to live scores and schedules across multiple platforms and countries.
Download from: App store
Source: Apple
David Snow, an expert on Apple hardware and software, writes on a variety of technological and cultural topics for Cult of Mac. They include Apple news, technology buying guides, and features about computer setups and Apple TV shows and movies.
With 30 years of experience covering technology and other subjects, he has written and edited for numerous print and online publications, including CMP Media, TechTV.com, CNET, Wired News, Red Herring magazine, Law.com, The National Law Journal and Law Technology News magazine. Among other roles, he served as executive editor of the Law.com network of websites and editorial director, technology, for ALM Media.
Snow graduated with a B.A. from Syracuse University with majors in magazine journalism and psychology. While there, he worked as a reporter for The Daily Orange newspaper and associate editor of Equal Time magazine.
Founder of the blog At the Waterline, he can be reached on X (formerly Twitter) via @atthewaterline and on Mastodon via @dsnow.
