It is only the second time a tournament run by world football's governing body FIFA has featured as many as 48 teams.
A 22-year-old woman in Chhattisgarh refused to marry her groom after he arrived heavily intoxicated at their wedding ceremony, leading to a scuffle. Her decision, made despite a prior warning to the groom about his drinking, has been widely praised and led to her felicitation by local police for taking a stand against alcohol addiction. The groom's family has agreed to compensate the bride's family for wedding expenses.
Brazil have lodged a formal complaint with FIFA over the disallowing of a Vinicius Jr goal during their 3-0 FIFA World Cup 2026 group-stage victory over Scotland, with the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) also requesting that Mexican referee Cesar Ramos no longer officiate the team's matches.
India's senior bridge teams, both A and B, have made an impressive start at the fifth Asia Cup Bridge Championship in Goa, positioning themselves among the top contenders after the opening day. While the senior teams excelled, the women's teams faced a challenging start.
The Indian junior women's hockey team, led by Khaidem Shileima Chanu, will undertake an exposure tour of the United Kingdom from July 5 to 14. Under new coach Tim White, the 24-member squad will play seven matches against teams from Scotland, the United States, England, and Belgium, aiming to fine-tune strategies for upcoming international competitions like the Junior Asia Cup.
'Heroes get private chartered planes while we don't even make as much money. Unfortunately, that discrimination still exits.'
India captain Harmanpreet Kaur has become the first cricketer, male or female, to play 200 T20 Internationals, achieving this milestone during a World Cup clash against South Africa.
Bengal and Delhi Capitals cricketer Abishek Porel is facing a police complaint from a woman who alleges he engaged in a sexual relationship under the false promise of marriage, and subjected her to assault and criminal intimidation. Porel has strongly denied all allegations, and police have begun an investigation.
Although the front seat in my car will miss his presence, the echoes he left behind will remain for long. K R Nayar mourns legendary cricket writer Qamar Ahmed.
Shafali Verma believes that keeping the game plan simple is the best way for India to get the better of Australia in their must-win Women's T20 World Cup clash at Lord's on Sunday.
Indian Seniors have taken the lead in their section at the 5th Asia Cup Bridge Championship in Panaji, while China has shown strong dominance across other categories. India's "A" and "B" teams are also in contention for a podium finish, with the tournament progressing towards the semifinal rounds.
India's men's volleyball team achieved an unbeaten run to the AVC Men's Volleyball Cup semi-finals, propelling them to World No. 42. Head coach Dragan Mihailovic attributes this success to discipline and a structured system but stresses the need for consistent international exposure, longer national camps, and a robust development pathway to sustain and build upon this momentum, especially amidst administrative uncertainty in Indian volleyball.
Iran's players say adversity has united Team Melli after a resilient 0-0 draw against Belgium kept their World Cup knockout hopes alive. A win over Egypt could secure a historic first-ever place in the last 32.
Ben Stokes is back as England captain and insists his focus is firmly on the series-deciding Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge, after a turbulent fortnight off the field.
The Pakistan women's cricket team is reportedly facing significant internal disagreements and a tense environment during the Women's T20 World Cup in England. Amidst a winless streak, reports highlight clashes between team mentor Wahab Riaz and captain Fatima Sana over selection and disciplinary matters, alongside broader issues of team groupings and coaching frustrations. This mirrors past problems in Pakistani cricket, exacerbated by frequent coaching changes.
England have suffered a theft of training equipment ahead of their arrival in Kansas City, local police said, after a vehicle transporting the gear to their World Cup base was broken into.
New Zealand took control of the third Test at Trent Bridge with Tom Latham and Devon Conway setting a record partnership for the Kiwis against England on Thursday.
South Africa will look to bounce after a 2-0 loss to co-hosts Mexico in their opening FIFA World Cup match.
Portugal's football team faces Uzbekistan in their next World Cup match, needing a significant improvement in their attacking performance after a disappointing 1-1 draw with DR Congo.
Cristiano Ronaldo silenced his critics in spectacular fashion, becoming the first player to score in six World Cups.
Bosnia and Herzegovina kept their World Cup hopes alive thanks to a stunning goal from teenager Kerim Alajbegovic, which powered them towards a tense 3-1 win over Qatar on Wednesday and secured third place in Group B to eliminate their opponents.
'It's something a 95 year old and a 5 year old can both fully enjoy. There are not many films like that today.'
India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak discussed the potential debut of 15-year-old sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi ahead of the T20 series opener against Ireland. While acknowledging Sooryavanshi's talent, Kotak emphasised that a player scoring runs should not be benched to accommodate a new talent, highlighting the challenge of team selection with abundant talent in Indian cricket. He also touched upon captain Shreyas Iyer's leadership and the BCCI's system for nurturing young players.
Suryansh Shedge's India call-up may have come as a "lucky break", but the young all-rounder has been urged to treat it as a learning opportunity by soaking in everything inside a dressing room full of experienced players and young leaders.
In a touching tribute on Father's Day, Professor Asim Kumar Mukherjee pens a touching tribute to the most amazing man he has ever known -- his father, Bimal Kumar Mukherjee.
Police in Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh, have registered a case against multiple individuals after a video emerged showing two youths allegedly assaulted and forced to chant "Jai Shri Ram" over a dispute related to making a social media reel. The incident, which occurred on June 4, involved seven accused who stopped, abused, and beat the victims, Aftab and Zeeshan, near Sahib Bandagi Ashram.
Police in Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh, have registered a case against multiple individuals after a video emerged showing two youths allegedly assaulted and forced to chant "Jai Shri Ram" over a dispute related to making a social media reel. The incident, which occurred on June 4, involved seven accused who stopped, abused, and beat the victims, Aftab and Zeeshan, near Sahib Bandagi Ashram.
Teenage shooter Anvii Rathord won a bronze medal in the women's 10m air rifle at the ISSF Junior World Championship in Suhl, Germany. However, India's campaign was marred by a team disqualification due to a breach of equipment stiffness standards by Shambhavi Shravan Kshirsagar. Despite this setback, India continues to lead the medal tally. The championship also saw another Indian shooter, Vanshika Chaudhary, miss a potential gold due to a costly error.
In a deadly twist to what would have been a dream wedding, police on Tuesday said 26-year-old Ketan, who died while on a trek on June 18, was allegedly pushed into the gorge by his fiancee Siya (20) and her lover Chetan (22).
Pune police have revealed that Ketan Agarwal's fiancee, Siya Goyal, and her lover, Chetan Chaudhary, exchanged 2,004 calls and spent 238 hours on the phone in the six months leading up to Agarwal's alleged murder at Lohagad Fort, suggesting extensive planning for the crime.
Portugal defender Diogo Dalot has defended Cristiano Ronaldo and insisted the squad remains united despite criticism following their World Cup draw with DR Congo, claiming some people are actively hoping Portugal fail.
At the Iran-Belgium FIFA World Cup match, least one attendee wearing a pre-revolutionary flag shirt was detained for trying to run onto the pitch and Iranian player Alireza Jahanbakhsh said after the match that he doesn't want to keep focusing on the challenging situations faced by his team.
England coach Thomas Tuchel confirmed Bukayo Saka is fully fit and available for the World Cup clash against Ghana, while also voicing concerns that FIFA's mandatory hydration breaks are disrupting the flow and identity of football.
West Bengal CID officials visited the state Assembly as part of their ongoing investigation into the alleged forgery of MLAs' signatures for the appointment of the leader of opposition, seeking a crucial party resolution document.
'It's not OK to get physical on the field, whatever the provocation'.
A 22-year-old Agniveer, Jasanpreet Singh, who had been missing for three days, was discovered dead by hanging in a vacant barrack at the Sikh Light Infantry Regimental Centre in Fatehgarh. Preliminary investigations suggest suicide, with the barrack found bolted from the inside. Authorities are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding his death.
Two juveniles have been apprehended in northwest Delhi's Jahangirpuri area for allegedly stabbing a man. The victim, identified as Love, sustained stab injuries and was admitted to a hospital. Police have registered a case and are investigating the motive behind the attack.
Leg-spinner Zeeshan Ansari has been fast-tracked into the India A team for the two unofficial Tests against Sri Lanka A later this month.
Curacao goalkeeper Eloy Room made 15 saves in the 0-0 draw with Ecuador -- the most in a 90-minute match in the World Cup history.
Goalless Turkey were ousted from the FIFA World Cup 2026 after losses to Australia and Paraguay in Group D, thwarted by poor finishing and a staunch opposition defence.
