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The Denver Broncos beat the New England Patriots 20-18 in a dramatic AFC Championship game and will face the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50.

Defending champions New England scored a touchdown with 12 seconds remaining but failed with a two-point conversion that would have levelled the scores.

Quarterback Cam Newton led Carolina to a 49-15 win over the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC Championship game.

The Super Bowl takes place in San Francisco on 7 February.

A reminder of the big news from the athletic world today.

Adidas, the IAAF's biggest sponsor, has told athletics' world governing body it is to terminate their sponsorship deal four years early.

The sportswear giant informed the IAAF of its decision - understood to be a direct result of the doping scandal sweeping the sport - last week.

Sources have told the BBC the move will result in tens of millions of dollars in lost income to the IAAF.

It is sure to come as a major blow for embattled president Lord Coe.

This is starting to get messy. Nick Compton is the third man to go.

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This would be a bit of a shocker..

The Daily Mail, external claims Chelsea midfielder Ramires is on the verge of a £25m switch to Chinese Super League side Jiangsu Suning.

Watch this space.

A Question of Sport Teaser

The answer to the teaser we posed earlier is in...

Peyton Manning is up against the Panthers in his fourth Super Bowl, name the three other teams he's faced.

The answers... Chicago Bears, New Orleans Saints and Seattle Seahawks.

Plenty of views coming in from you about Dylan Hartley's appointment as England skipper.

Chris Lawton: Only people happy about Hartley as captain can be Northampton fans. Appalling choice, he's a liability and will cost England.

David Hanson: Proven coach picks a proven leader! No more 'nice' England - time they played with grit/determination led by DH & a solid pack. 

Rubyshakes: Martin Johnson's disciplinary record was far from unblemished. It didn't do him much harm. 🏉🏆

If you thought relations between England's top clubs and the national team was sometimes a bit strained, think again.

Romanian champions Steaua Bucharest are refusing to release players for the national team's winter training camp and unofficial friendly games in a blow to the country's preparations for this year's European Championship.

"Steaua's decision is not fair play," said Romania coach Anghel Iordanescu.

"We have to respect the national team, who will compete at the European championship."

Oh dear. Another one bites the dust

Alastair Cook has been caught and bowled by Morkel for five and England aren't just wobbling now, they're rocking.

It's 8-2 and they need 382 to win. At this stage, that looks mighty unlikely.

Good job the series is already won.

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From the team made up of African students in Portsmouth, the Shakespearean rapper who helped turn his life around through football, how Jan found Walking Football after a bad injury, and Marcus, who gathered a team together at the very last minute.  

More than 35,000 people took part in the FA People's Cup first round at 120 different centres at the weekend.  

You will be able to watch a special highlights programme featuring the best of the first-round action and stories on the red button on Saturday, 30 January at13:00 GMT - straight after Football Focus.  

Bad news from the Test match if you are an England fan.

Alex Hales has gone already. The England opener scored one off just seven balls to leave his team - chasing 382 to win - in a bit of a pickle on 2-1.

Nick Compton joins Alastair Cook at the crease. Let's hope he can do better.

Stoke City

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A final word from Mark Hughes, who says defender Geoff Cameron is still unavailable.

"He was better today but won't be ready for the game tomorrow," says Hughes, who adds: "He may be back in time for the weekend though, he has settled down a little bit."

Hughes confirms Bojan is OK too and with that he's off.

All eyes on Anfield tomorrow now. Should be a good game and we will, of course, have live text commentary on the BBC Sport website.

Ladies and gentleman we have a contest on our hands.

No alarms so far for England, who are 2-0 after 2.4 overs.

Stoke City

Back to Stoke, where Mark Hughes is still waxing lyrical.

The Potters gaffer says he is well aware of the threat Liverpool pose, though at least the fact the Reds shipped four goals at Norwich on Saturday gives him hope.

"If you are going by defences at the weekend then there were mistakes from both Norwich and Liverpool to be honest," Hughes said.

"They have a real threat though and it will be a big test for us. We know where we stand though, we have to win - so in that regard it is simple for us."

He added: "Hopefully come 10pm tomorrow night we will be in the final of this competition for the first time in 40-odd years, and I will be reminding the players of that before kick-off."

Dylan Hartley finishes off the news conference: "I don't even know some of the young kids in the squad. First time I met them was today. It's about getting a team mentality and making bonds.

"Chris Robshaw offered me his hand. He said congratulations and if there is anything you need, I am here for you. That is testament to Chris. He is a great guy and he is one oft he guys I can turn to if I need help."

How he will do? Only time will tell.

More from new England skipper Dylan Hartley: "What is in the past is in the past. I am just looking ahead and looking forward to getting stuck in. 

"We can look back all we want but this is about looking forward and that's what we'll do.

"I am confident in terms of captaining the side. I've done it for six seasons at Northampton. I feel I am prepared for the job and in any team now it's not just about the captain, it's about the group of players, and I am confident in those around me."

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England head coach Eddie Jones on the appointment of Dylan Hartley as captain: "The biggest risk is not to take a risk. We need to get back to what others fear about England and that is forward play. 

"We need to get back that English style of play, strong scrum, driving maul, and Dylan has been successful s a player. 

"He has been a  successful captain at Northampton. He has experience and the players will follow him."

More from new England captain Dylan Hartley:

"Eddie and I had a chat a few weeks ago. he told me to play rugby and play well. 

"Last night I got a call to come for a meeting. he asked if I wanted to do the job put his hand out - and I might have snapped his hand off. I am so excited.

"As a player whenever I've had problems in past, you reset your targets and make goals. I always said to msyelf I'd get back in an England shirt and here I am. I always had faith I'd be back."