Former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia says FIFA's expanded 48-team World Cup format significantly improves India's chances of qualification while creating new opportunities for emerging football nations across Asia and beyond.
A football commentator has been stripped of his World Cup credentials by FIFA after an expletive-laden tirade against the organisation and match officials during Paraguay's 1-0 victory over Turkey when Miguel Almiron was sent off.
Australia secured their spot in the World Cup's round of 32 after a 0-0 draw against Paraguay. The Socceroos finished second in Group D and will face the second-placed team from Group G. Paraguay now faces an anxious wait to see if they qualify as one of the best third-placed teams.
Indian spin bowler Manav Suthar achieved his maiden five-wicket haul for Warwickshire against Somerset in the English County Championship.
Lionel Messi led Argentina to a dominant 3-0 victory over Iceland in a FIFA World Cup 2026 warm-up friendly, scoring a penalty and contributing to another goal after recovering from muscle fatigue.
Argentine football legend Lionel Messi has stated his intention to continue playing as long as he remains physically fit and can contribute to his team. He remained non-committal about his participation in the 2030 FIFA World Cup, stating it's too far off to consider. Messi also celebrated his 39th birthday amidst Argentina's strong performance in the FIFA World Cup 2026, where he became the all-time leading goal-scorer.
Josh Little, Mark Adair, Paul Stirling, Curtis Campher, Barry McCarthy and Jordan Neill have been ruled out of the two-match T20 series against India with injuries.
Harjai Milkha Singh and Krish Chawla led India to victory in the boy's team event at the APGC Junior Golf Championship in Colombo, finishing one shot ahead of South Korea and Thailand. Harjai also secured a runner-up finish in the individual category.
England has announced a 17-member T20I squad, including uncapped all-rounder James Coles, to face India in a five-match series starting next month.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed to have targeted and destroyed hangars of F-35 fighter jets and struck 21 American air and naval bases across West Asia and the Gulf region, including the US Army's command and control centre at the Al-Azraq base in Jordan and the US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain.
New Zealand took complete command of the second Test against England as Henry Nicholls struck a masterful century in a big partnership with Rachin Ravindra to stretch their lead to 352 on day three at the Oval on Friday.
Austria coach Ralf Rangnick praised Lionel Messi's exceptional scoring ability after his team's 2-0 loss to Argentina, where Messi netted twice. However, Rangnick expressed frustration over Argentina's first goal, believing a foul on Xaver Schlager was overlooked. Despite the defeat, Rangnick was largely satisfied with his team's performance and their World Cup campaign.
Captain Ben Stokes and speedster Gus Atkinson will return to the side for the third Test against New Zealand in Nottingham following conclusion of a disciplinary hearing.
England captain Ben Stokes and bowler Gus Atkinson have both been left out of the second Test against New Zealand starting next week following an investigation into an incident in a London nightclub, the ECB said on Wednesday.
England played out a 0-0 draw against Ghana in their second World Cup Group L match, a result that leaves both teams well-positioned for the next phase. Despite England dominating possession, Ghana's strong defensive strategy frustrated their attacking efforts, leading to a goalless stalemate.
Lionel Messi is poised to further cement his legendary status as Argentina faces Austria in a crucial FIFA World Cup Group J match. Following a record-breaking hat-trick against Algeria, Messi is on the verge of equalling or surpassing several all-time World Cup records, including consecutive goals, total goals, and match victories. The football world watches as he leads Argentina against a formidable Austrian side.
The 2026 World Cup has witnessed an unusual number of own goals in its opening 10 days, with seven already recorded, making it the second-highest tally in tournament history. The United States has benefited from two such incidents. This trend is notable given the tournament's expansion and could surpass the 2018 record of 12 own goals. Several players from different nations have contributed to this statistic, highlighting a peculiar aspect of the early matches.
New Zealand pace bowler Matt Henry ran through England's tail to give his side a 253-run victory in the second Test at The Oval to level the series at 1-1 on Sunday.
Caleb Yirenkyi scored a stoppage-time winner to earn Ghana a 1-0 win over Panama in a chilly and lively World Cup game in which the African side were forced to play the second half without starting goalkeeper Lawrence Ati Zigi on Wednesday.
Argentina start their bid for back-to-back World Cups on Tuesday with a side full of familiar faces from Qatar 2022, facing an Algerian team buoyed by warm-up wins and featuring a 20-year-old rising star nicknamed after Diego Maradona.
Glenn Phillips completed his maiden Test century as New Zealand punished a wayward England attack to pile on the runs on the second day of the second Test at the Oval in London on Thursday.
England begin their World Cup campaign against Croatia in Arlington, Texas on Wednesday, a heavyweight Group L opener that could set the tone for both teams' tournament ambitions.
New Zealand battled back to end an absorbing first day of the second Test on 291 for seven after England's new-look pace attack held sway early on at The Oval on Wednesday.
Hours after warning that the United States could strike Iran "very hard tonight", President Donald Trump announced to halt planned military action, despite earlier threats to target Kharg Island and other key Iranian oil facilities.
Lionel Messi earned a spot in the World Cup history books with a hat-trick that saw Argentina begin the defence of their title with an emphatic 3-0 victory over Algeria in their Group J opener at Kansas City Stadium, Missouri, on Tuesday.
England manager Thomas Tuchel made several bold selection calls for the World Cup, leaving out Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and Harry Maguire while recalling Ivan Toney and backing a new-look squad built on chemistry and trust.
Harry Kane struck twice while Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford delivered the knockout blows as England survived a back-and-forth battle to beat Croatia 4-2 on Wednesday and launch their World Cup campaign in a heavyweight clash that lived up to its billing.
The naming of rape-accused Col (Retd) Tarsem Singh Warraich for an overseas assignment has yet again brought the Equestrian Federation of India (EFI) under the scanner, even as the Sports Ministry, in an unrelated development, has issued a show-cause notice to the federation over prolonged governance and compliance failures.
Akshay Bhatia, an Indian-origin golfer, surged up the leaderboard with a 5-under 65 at the Charles Schwab Challenge, while Sahith Theegala slipped. Sudarshan Yellamaraju missed the cut. Jordan Smith leads the tournament.
A day after Guardiola's final game in charge after a trophy-laden decade, thousands lined the streets in searing 31 degrees Celsius heat and clouds of sky-blue confetti, climbing street lights and crowding every vantage point for a glimpse of the Spaniard who had defined an era.
Women, leadership and serious style were the Valentine's Day theme at the NMACC in Mumbai as Isha Ambani hosted Queen Rania of Joran for a special roundtable on 'Celebration of Women Leadership in India.'
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has lauded India as a 'huge power' with a strong affinity for Israel, highlighting the growing partnership between the two nations despite global delegitimisation efforts against the Jewish state.
Lionel Messi will lead defending champions Argentina at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after coach Lionel Scaloni named a 26-man squad featuring 17 players from the 2022 title-winning team.
Each of these photographs tells a powerful story through the universal language of food!
Ahead of his new film Main Vaapas Aaunga, we rank all of Imtiaz Ali's romantic dramas from his under-rated debut in Socha Na Tha to his passion project, Amar Singh Chamkila.
In a lengthy post on Truth Social, Trump said negotiations with Iran were 'proceeding nicely' and argued that several Muslim and Arab nations should formally recognise Israel and join the Abraham Accords once a deal is reached.
The official 26-man squads for FIFA World Cup 2026.
Donald Trump asked countries involved in the peace talks with Iran to sign on to the Abraham Accords, which deal with establishing diplomatic, economic and security ties between Israel and Arab nations.
Priyanka Chopra and Orlando Bloom are confirmed to lead Reset, an upcoming survival thriller directed by Matt Smukler, promising a gripping tale of mystery and deceit.
The Indian Under-20 men's team has been drawn into Group B alongside Uzbekistan, Syria, and Bangladesh for the AFC U-20 Asian Cup China 2027 Qualifiers, scheduled to take place in Tashkent from August 25 to September 6.
