Indian football team head coach Khalid Jamil has strongly defended his decision to drop several established players for upcoming high-profile friendlies against Brazil, Uruguay, and Panama. Jamil stated that selections were based purely on merit and performance, part of a long-term strategy to build a team for the 2027 Asian Cup qualification. He also praised former captain Sunil Chhetri but ruled out his return.
Carlos Alcaraz will partner Serena Williams in the U.S. Open mixed doubles, adding a blockbuster pairing to Serena's competitive return at Flushing Meadows.
Yogasana, the ancient Indian practice, is aiming to become a global sport and secure a place in the 2036 Olympics, with India hoping to host the Games in Ahmedabad. The sport has already been included in this year's Asian Games as a demonstration sport and is eyeing the 2030 Commonwealth Games. World Yogasana is working to meet the IOC's requirements for recognition, focusing on expanding its global reach and adhering to anti-doping standards.
The KSLTA World Tennis Junior J30 tournament is set to host a strong field of India's leading junior players and international youngsters in Bengaluru, offering them a crucial platform to earn ITF Junior ranking points and gain international experience.
The International Olympic Committee has provisionally lifted its ban on the Russian Olympic Committee, which was imposed in 2023. This decision opens the door for Russian athletes to return to international competitions, including the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, though the use of national symbols remains undecided.
Barcelona have signed Gabriel Jesus from Arsenal on a three-year deal, strengthening their attack while speculation continues over Julian Alvarez amid Atletico Madrid's reluctance to sell.
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya highlights the transformative role of sports in shaping young minds and fostering community spirit at a documentary screening.
Vidarsa K Vinod, a 27-year-old shooter from Kerala, has secured a spot in India's Asian Games squad for the 10m Air Rifle and 50m Rifle 3 Positions events, overcoming significant financial hurdles and training setbacks through resilience and family support.
The Global Chess League's halfway stage saw significant upsets and dramatic finishes, with Triveni Continental Kings defeating table-toppers Alpine APL Pipers. Ganges Grandmasters secured a crucial win against PBG Alaskan Knights due to a last-second time violation, while CheQ Mumba Masters maintained their strong performance. These results have intensified the competition for the top two positions.
Indian squash player Anahat Singh was defeated by Malaysia's Sivasangari Subramaniam in the women's quarterfinals of the London Squash Classic. Despite her loss, the reigning world junior champion had previously overcome a higher-ranked opponent to reach this stage and is now preparing for upcoming tournaments, including the Qatar Classic and the Asian Games.
Hissi Besra, a promising young golfer, secured the US Kids India (North) title in the Girls 11-12 section with an outstanding round of 5-under 67. The tournament also saw strong performances from other junior golfers like Nihal Cheema, Rayirth Jain, and Drona Singh Dhull, showcasing emerging talent in Indian junior golf.
Veteran Indian shuttler HS Prannoy, along with compatriots Sanskar Saraswat, Tanvi Sharma, Malvika Bansod, Isharani Baruah, Mansi Singh, Rakshitha Sree Santhosh Ramraj, and the mixed doubles pair of Vimalraj Annadurai and Shreya Balaji, have all advanced to the quarterfinals of the Vietnam Open Super 100 badminton tournament. Notable wins include Prannoy's three-game victory and Tanvi Sharma setting up an all-Indian clash with Malvika Bansod.
Ganges Grandmasters, led by Ian Nepomniachtchi, defeated defending champions Alpine APL Pipers to win their first Global Chess League title. Nepomniachtchi's crucial win against Magnus Carlsen in the final, coupled with Stavroula Tsolakidou's performance, sealed the victory. FYERS American Gambits secured third place in the tournament.
Former Asian Games gold medallist Ronjan Sodhi believes India's ambitious target of 30-40 medals at the 2036 Olympics is a 'distant prospect', citing significant delays in talent identification, scouting, and critical infrastructure improvements.
Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma has called for the state to become a hub for Indian futsal, producing players capable of leading the national team to the FIFA Futsal World Cup. Speaking at a felicitation for Tlangnuam Futsal Club, he emphasised nurturing talent for international success and highlighted government investment in sports infrastructure.
India's U20 football team, the Blue Colts, is set to kick off their AFC U20 Asian Cup China 2027 Qualifiers campaign against Syria in Tashkent. This opening match is crucial as India aims to secure their first-ever win against Syria and qualify for the Asian Cup for the first time since 2006, navigating a tough group that also includes Uzbekistan and Bangladesh.
Lionel Messi scored four goals and provided an assist, leading Inter Miami to a dominant 7-1 victory over CF Montreal, snapping their five-game winless streak and topping the MLS scoring charts.
Om Semwal and Nirupama Dubey have been named the top seeds for the men's and women's categories, respectively, at the upcoming 49th Bombay Gymkhana Maharashtra State Open Squash Tournament in Mumbai. The tournament will also feature other prominent players like Rahul Baitha, Akanksha Salunkhe, Vedant Patel, Ayaan Vaziralli, Aadya Budhia, and Rathika Suthanthira Seelan.
Four-time Formula One world champion Max Verstappen has signed a contract extension with Red Bull Racing until the end of 2030, ending speculation about his future. Despite recent performance clauses and links to other teams, Verstappen expressed his commitment to Red Bull, citing the team as a "second family."
Ashish Yadav, a 19-year-old javelin thrower, won a silver medal at the World Under-20 championships, becoming the second Indian after Neeraj Chopra to achieve this feat. Despite his sporting success and significant improvement in performance through systematic training in Hisar, Yadav continues to search for a job to support his family, highlighting the financial challenges faced by many aspiring athletes.
The national record in the men's 100m race was broken twice within minutes at the National Senior Athletics Federation Competition. Ancy Sojan won the women's long jump with a meet record, and Seema achieved the Commonwealth Games qualification mark in the women's discus throw.
Salesforce has entered a multi-year partnership with FIDE, becoming the title sponsor for the 2026 and 2028 World Championship Matches and the 2027 Women's World Championship Match, and integrating its AI solutions to enhance FIDE's operations, player rankings, and fan engagement.
The Indian women's cricket team secured their eighth Women's Asia Cup title, defeating Sri Lanka by 72 runs in the final, a triumph that has garnered widespread congratulations from top Indian leaders.
Local tennis sensation Shreeniti Chowdhury secured both the girls' singles and doubles titles at the KSLTA World Tennis Junior J30 Bengaluru. The 15-year-old defeated Aahida Singh in the singles final and partnered Riddhi Shinde for the doubles win. In the boys' category, Fazal Ali Meer won the singles, while Chukka Lakshya Vardhan and Parthiv Nallagundla took the doubles title.
East Zone skipper Ishan Kishan has lauded veteran pacer Mohammed Shami's unwavering hunger and motivation to make a comeback to the Indian cricket team. Shami's impressive performance in the Duleep Trophy semifinal, where he took five wickets, has convinced Kishan that age is just a number when it comes to the 36-year-old's drive to succeed.
Top Indian javelin thrower Sachin Yadav has undergone elbow surgery, forcing him to miss the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest, despite being in a qualifying spot. He is currently undergoing rehabilitation and hopes to return next season.
Ibrahim Mbaye, the 18-year-old Senegal forward, has completed a permanent transfer from Paris St Germain to Premier League club Aston Villa.
Lamine Yamal has made Champions League glory his primary target, aiming to help Barcelona end their 11-year European drought while embracing greater leadership responsibility.
India is set to face South Korea in the second round of the 2026 Davis Cup Qualifiers in Seoul, aiming to secure a spot in the Final 8 for the first time under the current format. The team, featuring top players like Sumit Nagal and Yuki Bhambri, seeks to end a long wait for a maiden title, building on the legacy of Indian tennis legends.
India's para-archers, led by Paralympics champion Harvinder Singh and world No. 1 Sheetal Devi, concluded their World Archery Para Series Stage III campaign with an impressive haul of two gold and four bronze medals. Sheetal Devi secured an individual gold in a dramatic shoot-off and a bronze in the mixed team event, while Harvinder Singh and Bhawna won gold in the recurve mixed team. India also claimed additional bronze medals in individual and mixed team categories.
Bengaluru is set to host a FIDE-rated Rapid Chess tournament featuring up to 1000 players, serving as a prelude to Season 4 of the Tech Mahindra Global Chess League (GCL). The tournament offers a Rs 4 lakh prize purse and a chance for participants to experience the build-up to the GCL, which will feature top chess stars like Magnus Carlsen and Viswanathan Anand.
Seven-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz has spoken about the "intrusive thoughts" he experienced during his nearly five-month layoff due to a wrist injury. Ahead of his U.S. Open title defence, the Spaniard revealed the mental challenges of not knowing his return date, especially after missing major tournaments. He is now set to compete, though his rival Jannik Sinner has withdrawn.
World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen has offered his perspective on the upcoming World Chess Championship, where D Gukesh will face Javokhir Sindarov. Carlsen believes Gukesh should view the challenge as an opportunity to gain rather than a burden to defend, despite considering Sindarov the favourite. He also shared insights into the psychological aspects of the game and his personal preference for rapid chess over classical formats.
The Delhi High Court has sought WFI's response on Vinesh Phogat's plea to participate in the September 14 selection trials for the 2026 World Championship.
World No. 4 badminton player Anders Antonsen has called for the India Open tournament to be moved from its traditional January-February slot due to severe winter pollution in New Delhi. He described the conditions as "insane" and "not pleasant to play in," causing a burning sensation and poor visibility. Antonsen believes the current time of year is much better for hosting such events.
FYERS American Gambits defeated Triveni Continental Kings to retain their top position in the Global Chess League standings, ahead of Alpine APL Pipers. Other matches saw Ganges Grandmasters secure a dominant win over Continental Kings, while Mumba Masters suffered two defeats, including a loss to PBG Alaskan Knights. The Gambits, Pipers, and Grandmasters have all won four matches, with Gambits having played one more round.
Fifth-seeded Mirra Andreeva fought back from a set down to defeat Anastasia Potapova 5-7, 6-4, 6-3, reaching her first US Open quarterfinal after Potapova's injury.
Vidarsa K Vinod, a 27-year-old rifle shooter from Kozhikode, has secured a spot in the Indian squad for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. Her path from an NCC introduction to elite competition was marked by financial struggles, training with borrowed equipment, and overcoming setbacks like the COVID-19 pandemic. With crucial support from her family, husband, and the National Centre of Excellence, she now aims to become the World No. 1 in her sport.
Liverpool have officially signed France international Bradley Barcola from European champions Paris St Germain on a long-term contract, with British media reporting the deal to be worth around $162 million.
The Madhya Pradesh government has announced a cash reward of Rs 25 lakh each and government jobs for athletes Yamini and Ajay Babu. Both athletes won silver medals in judo and weightlifting, respectively, at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, bringing pride to the state and the country.
