Lionel Messi will face England for the first time in his career when Argentina meet the Three Lions in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final, ending a 20-year wait for one of football's most anticipated match-ups.
France captain Kylian Mbappe admitted his side failed both tactically and technically in their 2-0 FIFA World Cup semi-final defeat to Spain, ending their hopes of a third successive final appearance.
Algeria's coach Vladimir Petkovic attributed his team's 2-0 defeat to Switzerland and subsequent World Cup exit to costly defensive errors. He acknowledged the higher level of competition at the tournament and praised his team's overall performance, considering their return to the World Cup after 12 years and reaching the group stage a success despite the elimination.
Achraf Hakimi says he is ready to face trial after a French appeals court reportedly rejected his challenge to a rape case referral. The Morocco and PSG defender insists he will finally get the chance to tell his side of the story.
Senegal coach Pape Thiaw expressed his disappointment, calling football a "cruel game" after his team's dramatic 3-2 defeat to Belgium in the World Cup round of 32. Senegal had held a 2-0 lead until the 85th minute but conceded two late goals, followed by a controversial penalty in extra time that led to their elimination.
Defending champion Iga Swiatek eased past former world No. 1 Karolina Pliskova to reach the Wimbledon third round, while Amanda Anisimova battled back to defeat Sofia Kenin in a hard-fought all-American contest.
Prince George and Princess Charlotte continued a cherished family tradition by attending Wimbledon with their parents, Kate Middleton and Prince William. The young royals watched a key match, with Kate, a patron of the All England Club, sharing her love for tennis with her children, marking their regular presence at the prestigious tournament.
The second edition of the Kerala Cricket League (KCL) will hold its player auction on Saturday in Thiruvananthapuram. Six franchises will bid for 156 players from a shortlisted pool of 173, with veteran auctioneer Charu Sharma conducting the event. Teams have a budget of Rs 50 lakh and players are categorised by experience, with varying base prices.
DR Congo coach Sebastien Desabre expressed pride in his team's performance at the World Cup, despite their exit after a close match against England.
Former India captain Climax Lawrence has predicted Spain to lift the FIFA World Cup, praising their tactical discipline and fitness.
Canadian police have found no evidence linking Indian government officials to the 2023 killing of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, directly contradicting earlier allegations by former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that strained bilateral ties.
The BCCI will review the performances of India's players and coaching staff after the T20I series defeat to England, with head coach Gautam Gambhir's role also coming under scrutiny following back-to-back series losses.
Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa began his campaign in the Zagreb leg of the Grand Chess Tour with a victory over top seed Vincent Keymer of Germany before drawing his next two games.
Indo-Canadian golfer Sudarshan Yellamaraju has surged into a tie for sixth place at the Scottish Open, just two strokes off the lead, after a stellar second round. Amidst challenging conditions that saw top players exit, Yellamaraju's strong performance puts him in contention for his first DP World Tour win. Rory McIlroy, Tom Kim, and Jordan Smith share the lead.
Harry Kane rose to rescue England, striking twice in the span of 11 minutes as the former champions fought back from a goal down to beat a a gritty Democratic Republic of Congo 2-1 in their FIFA World Cup last-32 clash in Atlanta on Wednesday.
The 5th Bonus Asia Cup Bridge Championships are set to begin in Goa, featuring nearly 300 players from 16 countries. Defending champions India will compete across various categories, facing strong contenders like Hong Kong and Indonesia. The event, described as the "Asian Games of bridge," highlights India's growing role in the sport.
Ahead of their World Cup semi-final clash against England, Argentina fans are engaging in traditional 'cabalas' or superstitions, including freezing captain Harry Kane's name, to bring their national team good fortune on the pitch.
Seven-time Wimbledon champion Serena Williams is set to make a highly anticipated return to the tournament on Tuesday, facing Maya Joint in the first round. The 44-year-old tennis icon, who had announced her retirement in 2022, is back in competitive play this month. The day's schedule also features defending champion Iga Swiatek and other top seeds like Alexander Zverev and Elena Rybakina.
Harmanpreet Kaur was on Tuesday retained as captain of a largely predictable 15-member India squad for this year's Asian Games in Japan.
England's manager Thomas Tuchel has faced heavy criticism following their World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina, but he attributes the loss to fundamental issues like a lack of 'ball possession DNA' rather than just tactical errors, while acknowledging the unstoppable brilliance of Lionel Messi.
As the sport's popularity spread across the world, it developed its own colourful language/expressions. From clever slang to bizarre nicknames, the game's changing culture has thrown up some rather unusual turn of phrase. Here are 8 of the strangest football terms ever used.
Grandmaster Abhijeet Gupta secured the championship at the Pune International Grandmaster Round Robin Chess Tournament. International Master Aswath S finished as runner-up, achieving his final Grandmaster norm to become India's 98th Grandmaster. Kushagra Mohan took third place, while Advik Agarwal earned his second International Master norm.
India's batting coach Sitanshu Kotak has expressed strong support for veteran opener Rohit Sharma, dismissing concerns over his recent lean run in the ongoing ODI series against England. Despite Sharma's low scores in the first two matches and a challenging year with the bat, Kotak believes a player of his calibre does not feel pressure and expects him to return to form soon. England won the second ODI, levelling the series 1-1, with the decider set for Lord's.
A former FIFA referee has questioned the new VAR protocol after fresh controversy involving Argentina, warning that fan confidence in World Cup officiating has been "completely eroded."
Argentina produced a stunning comeback after falling two goals behind, scoring twice in four minutes through Cristian Romero and Lionel Messi to beat Egypt 3-2 in their last 16 clash of the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Atlanta on Tuesday.
India captain Shreyas Iyer defended leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi after his expensive 29-run over proved pivotal in India's four-wicket defeat to England in the second T20I. Iyer acknowledged the momentum shift but refused to pinpoint blame, while England's Jacob Bethell was lauded for his match-winning unbeaten 76.
India has announced its 20-member women's hockey squad for the upcoming Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. Led by Salima Tete, the team aims to secure a gold medal, which would qualify them for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The squad features a mix of experienced players and promising juniors, with minor changes from the recent FIH Nations Cup-winning team.
Former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia believes Lionel Messi needs to win the 2026 World Cup to truly equal Diego Maradona's legendary status, despite Messi's 2022 triumph. Bhutia rates Maradona higher due to his single-handed 1986 World Cup victory, while also tipping Spain as slight favourites over Argentina in the upcoming final.
Bhanu Iyer from Bengaluru tells us about the simple habits and values that helped her marriage celebrate 15 years.
Reigning Indian Super League champions East Bengal have announced the appointment of decorated Spanish coach Antonio Lopez Habas as their new head coach for the 2026-27 season. Habas, known for his successful stints in Indian football, returns to familiar territory as the club prepares to defend its maiden ISL League Shield amidst ownership uncertainties.
FIFA is expected to keep the scheduled kickoff for Mexico's World Cup Round of 16 clash against England at the Estadio Azteca despite weather concerns, as the hosts prepare to defend their formidable home record.
Jannik Sinner successfully defended his Wimbledon title, crediting intensive training after a surprising early exit from the French Open. He defeated Alexander Zverev in the final, marking his fifth major title and highlighting his dedication and resilience.
Switzerland players have heaped praise on Lionel Messi ahead of Saturday's World Cup quarter-final against Argentina, but said they have identified weaknesses in the defending champions and believe they can cause an upset.
Debutants Cape Verde have made history by qualifying for the World Cup round of 32 after a 0-0 draw with Saudi Arabia. This unexpected achievement sets up a clash with defending champions Argentina. Despite a low-quality match, Cape Verde secured second place in their group, sparking celebrations among players and fans, while Uruguay and Saudi Arabia were eliminated.
The complete schedule and all the results of FIFA World Cup 2026 in IST.
Indian-origin golfers Sudarshan Yellamaraju and Sahith Theegala made their mark on the opening day of the Genesis Scottish Open. Yellamaraju carded a two-under 68, placing him tied 27th, while Theegala finished even-par 70, tied 72nd. Rory McIlroy shares the lead with a five-under 65.
Indian-origin golfers Sudarshan Yellamaraju and Sahith Theegala made their mark on the opening day of the Genesis Scottish Open. Yellamaraju carded a two-under 68, placing him tied 27th, while Theegala finished even-par 70, tied 72nd. Rory McIlroy shares the lead with a five-under 65.
India has announced its 20-member women's hockey squad, led by Salima Tete, for the upcoming Asian Games in Japan. The team aims to secure a gold medal to qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, with minor changes to the strike force from the FIH Nations Cup winning side.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-finals are set, featuring a diverse lineup of one South American, one African, and six European teams, including defending champions Argentina and France, alongside surprise packages like Morocco and Norway, all vying for football's ultimate prize.
India's assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate has challenged the T20 team to shed its 'underachievers' tag in foreign conditions, emphasising the need for quicker adaptation to varied playing environments after recent series losses.
