REUTERS SPORTS SCHEDULE AT 6:30 p.m. GMT/2:30 p.m. ET

Here are the top sports stories and upcoming coverage plans for Reuters text service as of 6:30 p.m. GMT/2:30 p.m. ET. For a full schedule of news and events, go to our editorial calendar on Reuters Connect https://www.reutersconnect.com/planning. TOP STORIES

BRITAIN-USA-SWIMMER/ U.S. woman crosses Channel four times in record-breaking swim

LONDON - U.S. endurance swimmer Sarah Thomas has become the first person to swim across the English Channel four times without stopping, refuelling only on a liquid formula during her 54-hour feat. FOOTBALL-NFL-PIT-MIA-FITZPATRICK-TRAD/

Steelers acquire DB Fitzpatrick from Dolphins for draft picks Minkah Fitzpatrick got his wish, and the Miami Dolphins landed another first-round pick in a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Tuesday.

SOCCER-CHAMPIONS-SHK-MCI/PREVIEW Manchester City blow as Stones ruled out of Shakhtar clash

Sept 17 - Manchester City's defensive woes deepened ahead of their opening Champions League clash away to Shakhtar Donetsk as centre back John Stones was ruled out with a muscle injury. UPCOMING

SOCCER SOCCER-CHAMPIONS-NAP-LIV/REPORT (PIX) (TV)

Soccer - Champions League - Napoli v Liverpool Napoli face holders Liverpool in Champions League Group E.

The wire will also include details of the group's other match between Salzburg and Genk. 17 Sep 15:00 ET / 19:00 GMT

SOCCER-CHAMPIONS-SLB-RBL/REPORT (PIX) Soccer - Champions League - Benfica v RB Leipzig

Benfica host RB Leipzig in their opening match in Champions League Group G. 17 Sep 15:00 ET / 19:00 GMT

SOCCER-CHAMPIONS-AJA-LIL/REPORT (PIX) Soccer - Champions League - Ajax Amsterdam v Lille

Last season's semifinalists Ajax Amsterdam have again come through the preliminary rounds to qualify for the group phase where they take on last season's Ligue 1 runners-up. 17 Sep 15:00 ET / 19:00 GMT

SOCCER-CHAMPIONS-CHE-VAL/REPORT (PIX) Soccer - Champions League - Chelsea v Valencia

Chelsea host Valencia in the Champions League. 17 Sep 15:00 ET / 19:00 GMT

SOCCER-CHAMPIONS-DOR-FCB/REPORT (PIX) (TV) Soccer - Champions League - Borussia Dortmund v FC Barcelona

Borussia Dortmund play Barcelona in the Champions League. 17 Sep 15:00 ET / 19:00 GMT

SOCCER-CHAMPIONS-BRU-GAL/REPORT (PIX) Soccer - Champions League - Club Brugge v Galatasaray

Club Brugge take on Galatasaray in the Champions League 18 Sep 12:55 ET / 16:55 GMT

SOCCER-CHAMPIONS-OLY-TOT/REPORT (PIX) Soccer - Champions League - Olympiacos v Tottenham Hotspur

Last season's runners-up Tottenham Hotspur begin their campaign in Athens 18 Sep 12:55 ET / 16:55 GMT

TENNIS TENNIS-PANPACIFIC/

Tennis - WTA Premier - Pan Pacific Open Action from round two of the Pan Pacific Open - a WTA Premier event in Osaka.

18 Sep 22:00 ET / 02:00 GMT RUGBY

RUGBY-UNION-WORLDCUP-NZL-ZAF/ (TV) Rugby Union - Rugby World Cup - New Zealand v South Africa -South Africa Team Announcement

South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus announces team to face New Zealand in opening Rugby World Cup Pool B game in Yokohama. 18 Sep 22:00 ET / 02:00 GMT

RUGBY-UNION-WORLDCUP-AUS/WELCOME (TV) Rugby Union - Rugby World Cup - Australia team's official welcoming ceremony

Australian team are officially welcomed to the Rugby World Cup. Sep 18

RUGBY-UNION-WORLDCUP-JPN-RUS/ (PIX) (TV) Rugby Union - Rugby World Cup - Japan v Russia - Japan team announcement

Rugby World Cup hosts Japan and coach Jamie Joseph name team to face Russia in the opening game of the tournament at the Tokyo Stadium. 18 Sep 00:00 ET / 04:00 GMT

RUGBY-UNION-WORLDCUP-JPN-RUS/ Rugby Union - Rugby World Cup - After 10 years of waiting, hosts Japan ready to face Russia in World Cup opener

With the weight of an expectant nation on their shoulders and with World Rugby desperate for the host nation to do well in the first Rugby World Cup in Asia, Japan head into their tournament opener on Friday under arguably more pressure than any other team. 18 Sep 02:00 ET / 06:00 GMT

RUGBY UNION-WORLDCUP/BREAKDOWN Rugby union - Rugby World Cup - Focus on safety set to transform the breakdown

World Rugby's commitment to improving player safety is likely to have major ramifications for how the breakdown is refereed at the World Cup - the problem though is that nobody knows exactly what they will be. 18 Sep 05:30 ET / 09:30 GMT

CRICKET CRICKET-T20-IND-ZAF/

Cricket - India v South Africa - Second Twenty20 international India and South Africa play the second Twenty20 international at Mohali.

Sep 18 NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE

FOOTBALL-NFL-NOTEBOOK NFL notebook - Field Level Media

Wrapping up the day in NFL news and notes. Expect by 20:15 ET / 00:15 GMT

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