Neymar has suggested he may have played his final match for Brazil following their 2-1 defeat to Norway in the World Cup round of 16, a result that eliminated the five-time champions. The emotional 34-year-old scored a penalty but indicated his international career might be over, marking Brazil's worst World Cup performance since 1990.
Argentina's dark blue away jersey holds significant historical and superstitious value for the team, particularly in World Cup encounters against England. The team will wear this kit in their upcoming semi-final, hoping to replicate past successes from 1986 and 1998, where the blue jersey was worn during famous victories over England. Both coaches acknowledge the role of superstition in high-level sports, though Argentina's coach downplays the specific jersey choice. The jersey also features cultural motifs.
Cape Verde head into the biggest match in their football history full of belief, with coach Pedro Leitao Brito insisting his side will play "with courage" against defending champions Argentina in the FIFA World Cup Round of 32.
The Indian mixed trap teams had a disappointing performance at the ISSF Shotgun World Cup in Lonato, Italy, failing to qualify for medal matches. Despite this, the Indian contingent concluded the event with one gold medal, placing them joint third in the medal table alongside Australia. Italy topped the table with two golds.
Defending Wimbledon champion Jannik Sinner secured a relatively straightforward victory against Nuno Borges in the second round, winning 7-6(4), 7-6(2), 6-4.
Argentina captain Lionel Messi inspired a dramatic comeback victory over Egypt in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16, prompting teammate Julian Alvarez to hail him as "the best player in the world and in history." Despite missing a penalty, Messi scored a crucial equaliser, leading Argentina to a 3-2 win and a quarter-final clash with Switzerland, keeping their title defence hopes alive.
Paris St Germain defeated Bayern Munich 5-4 in a thrilling Champions League semi-final first leg, setting a record for goals scored at this stage of the competition. PSG came from behind to lead 5-2 before Bayern fought back, leaving the tie finely poised for the return leg in Munich.
England captain Harry Kane has dismissed suggestions of a rift between manager Thomas Tuchel and midfielder Jude Bellingham, stating that media scrutiny had exaggerated a brief post-match exchange following their World Cup quarter-final victory over Norway.
Concerns over Canadian wildfire smoke impacting air quality and player health for the World Cup final in New York are easing, with forecasts predicting significant rain and a cold front to clear the haze before Sunday's match, though hot and hazy conditions could still pose risks.
Alireza Firouzja has established a dominant lead in the Croatian leg of the Grand Chess Tour after a stellar performance in the blitz section, accumulating 20 points.
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.
Argentina staged a dramatic comeback, scoring two late goals to defeat England 2-1 in the World Cup semi-final, with Lionel Messi orchestrating the turnaround after England had taken the lead.
Second seed Elena Rybakina was defeated by Elise Mertens in the third round of Wimbledon, ending her bid for a second Grand Slam title this year and the world number one ranking. Mertens dominated after winning the first set tiebreak, securing a 7-6(4) 6-1 victory.
India's challenging UK tour threw up another obstacle on Saturday when a traffic jam delayed their arrival at Southampton for the fifth and final Twenty20 International against England, which the hosts won by 56 runs.
Guided by Indian table tennis legend Sharath Kamal, the duo have established themselves among the world's elite through a series of impressive performances on the WTT circuit.
Assam's 17-year-old Ricky Phukan rode to Kedarnath and back with only his bicycle, a tent and his pet dog Paa, turning a gruelling four-month journey into a campaign for animal welfare.
Jannik Sinner's Wimbledon title defence gathered pace on Friday as the world number one swept aside American Jenson Brooksby 6-4 6-3 6-4 to enter the fourth round and reinforce his status as the man to beat at the All England Club.
Indian rally duo Naveen Puligilla and Musa Sherif secured a comfortable victory in the ARC3 class and an impressive fourth overall finish at the 2026 Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally, moving up to second in the ARC3 championship standings.
Spain's young football star Lamine Yamal, celebrating his 19th birthday, spoke about football's power to foster integration and unity ahead of the World Cup semi-final against France, while also sharing light-hearted moments about his family and personal milestones.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has announced that the governing body will discuss expanding the World Cup to 64 teams for the 2030 edition, following the already planned increase to 48 teams in 2026. Infantino believes a larger tournament encourages smaller nations and highlights the success of previous expansions, with the 2030 event already set to be hosted across six nations on three continents.
Britain's Arthur Fery became only the fourth wildcard to reach the men's singles semifinals at a Grand Slam as his dream Wimbledon run continued with a 6-4, 7-6(4), 6-0 victory over Italian ninth seed Flavio Cobolli on Wednesday.
R V S Mani, former Under Secretary of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, has alleged that drug trafficking was a regular practice by Pakistani cricket teams and delegations visiting India, linking it to the 2006 doping scandal involving Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif, and even the death of coach Bob Woolmer.
India is sending a strong contingent of U-19 and U-23 boxers, including Asian Champion Vishvanath Suresh and World Boxing Futures Cup gold medallist Chandrika Bhoresh Pujari, to the Asian Boxing Championships in Jakarta. The championships will provide a crucial platform for young Indian talent to compete against the best in Asia.
Serena Williams returns to Wimbledon for the first time since 2022, with fans eagerly awaiting the seven-time champion's comeback as she faces Australian teenager Maya Joint in a blockbuster first-round clash.
Novak Djokovic pranked an unsuspecting ball girl by crying out in pain as she followed his orders to cut off some black tape from his right shoulder with a pair of scissors.
Paraguay's President Santiago Pena declared a national holiday to celebrate the country's stunning 4-3 penalty shootout victory over four-time world champions Germany in the World Cup round of 16.
England defeated South Africa by 40 runs in the semi-final at The Oval, securing their place in the Women's T20 World Cup final against Australia. Captain Nat Sciver-Brunt's 75 runs and a crucial partnership with Heather Knight were key to their victory.
Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa began his Zagreb Grand Chess Tour campaign with an aggressive victory over top seed Vincent Keymer, showcasing a masterclass performance. While Praggnanandhaa holds a strong position, World Champion D Gukesh experienced mixed results, and Firouzja Alireza currently leads the tournament.
Al-Ahli, despite playing with ten men, secured a 1-0 victory over Machida Zelvia in extra time to retain their Asian Champions League Elite title at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium.
The complete schedule and all the results of FIFA World Cup 2026 in IST.
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.
Spanish football coach Manolo Marquez has criticised the expansion of the FIFA World Cup, arguing it compromises quality and that countries like India should prioritise grassroots development over relying on increased qualification slots. He also highlighted the impact of naturalised players on international competition, citing his experience with the Indian team.
World number one pair Henry Patten and Harri Heliovaara successfully defended their Wimbledon men's doubles title, defeating Mate Pavic and Marcelo Arevalo in two tie-break sets. This marks their second Wimbledon victory and third major title together, highlighting their dominance in men's doubles.
India's recurve mixed pair of Dhiraj Bommadevara and Kirti Sharma lost 3-5 to Italy, missing out on the bronze medal at the Archery World Cup Stage 4 in Madrid. Kirti Sharma also failed to secure a medal in the individual recurve section, resulting in India's recurve archers returning empty-handed from the event. The overall campaign concluded with two medals (one silver, one bronze) from the compound section.
Pundits and former players have raised concerns over the Indian cricket team's batting performance following consecutive T20 series defeats against England and Ireland. Experts like Dinesh Karthik, Sunil Gavaskar, and Harsha Bhogle, along with captain Shreyas Iyer, point to issues with adapting to conditions and a lack of rhythm in the middle order, suggesting these losses could be a crucial wake-up call for the team.
Erling Haaland scored two crucial late goals to lead Norway to a stunning 2-1 victory over five-times champions Brazil in the World Cup Round of 16, securing their place in the quarter-finals. Neymar's late penalty was not enough for Brazil, who also missed an earlier spot-kick.
The Durand Cup football tournament will feature 24 teams, including seven debutants, across five cities from July 25 to August 23. Kolkata remains the primary hub, hosting the final, while Ranchi, Imphal, Shillong, and Guwahati will also host matches, bringing together a diverse mix of Indian and overseas teams.
Atletico Madrid and Arsenal played to a 1-1 draw in their Champions League semi-final first leg, with both goals coming from penalties. Julian Alvarez equalised for Atletico after Viktor Gyokeres had given Arsenal the lead.
Serena Williams' unexpected return to Wimbledon after a four-year absence is set to be the dominant storyline of the women's singles draw. Despite her age and time away from competitive singles, her presence adds significant intrigue to a tournament already featuring top contenders like Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, and rising star Mirra Andreeva. Her comeback has generated immense buzz, with experts debating her potential impact on the wide-open field.
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.
