As the 2026 FIFA World Cup comes to the United States, Bay Area soccer clubs and supporters hope the tournament will inspire a new generation of fans and strengthen the region's thriving grassroots football culture.
Former wicketkeeper-batter Syed Kirmani revealed that he was in contention for India captaincy along with Dilip Vengsarkar ahead of the 1983 World Cup before the selection panel zeroed in on legendary Kapil Dev.
India's build-up for the Women's T20 World Cup suffered a setback after hosts England came from behind to clinch the three-match T20I series 2-1.
India defeated West Indies by 26 runs in their first Women's T20 World Cup warm-up match. Bharti Fulmali's unbeaten 56 and strong bowling performances from Shreyanka Patil and Radha Yadav secured the victory, despite a batting collapse by the West Indies.
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.
Luka Modric scored to put Croatia ahead before they edged Slovenia 2-1 in the international friendly before the World Cup.
Indian shooters Manu Bhaker and Samrat Rana won a silver medal in the 10m air pistol mixed team event at the ISSF World Cup in Munich. The duo scored 483.6 in the final, finishing behind China's Qianxun Yao and Kai Hu.
FIFA Secretary-General Mattias Grafstrom will meet Iranian FA officials in Istanbul to offer reassurance over Iran's participation in the World Cup, amidst concerns raised by recent geopolitical tensions and visa issues.
Toronto is expecting more than 300,000 visitors during the World Cup with six matches to be played in the city.
Ronald Koeman says the Netherlands have the quality to beat any team at the World Cup despite not being favourites, while injury concerns linger over Jurrien Timber and Memphis Depay.
The 2027 ICC Men's ODI World Cup is provisionally scheduled to be held from October 4 to November 21 across South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, according to a report by ESPNcricinfo.
The ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 begins in England with Australia chasing a seventh title and India targeting a historic double. England, South Africa and New Zealand add to what promises to be the most competitive edition yet.
Curacao and Cape Verde, two of the smallest nations globally, have achieved an unprecedented feat by qualifying for the FIFA World Cup.
Former spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has thrown his support behind Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma featuring in the 2027 ODI World Cup, saying their experience and presence would make India a stronger side.
South Korea's football team, coached by Hong Myung-bo, secured a 2-1 comeback victory against the Czech Republic in their World Cup Group A opener.
Pat Cummins has hinted at skipping IPL 2027 as Australia's packed schedule, including a Test series in India, the Ashes and the ODI World Cup, takes priority over franchise cricket.
The Indian women's recurve team, consisting of Deepika Kumari, Ankita Bhakat, and Kumkum Mohod, secured a dramatic shoot-off victory against China to win the gold medal at the Archery World Cup Stage 2 in Shanghai.
For the expanded 2026 tournament, FIFA has gone a step further and introduced an extra amnesty for yellow cards, effectively wiping the slate clean twice.
With less than a month to go, football fans have all fingers -- and toes -- crossed, notes Kanika Datta.
Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc remains driven by the competitive nature of cricket and hopes to extend his 16-year international career for a few more years, he said on Saturday, keeping the door open for a potential appearance at the 2027 World Cup.
India head into the Women's T20 World Cup with questions over their bowling attack, top-order form and squad balance. Harmanpreet Kaur's side will need key players to deliver if they are to challenge for another ICC title.
Multi-champions Brazil, Argentina and Germany all won their preparatory games for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Saturday, although by small margins, with former champion England and hopeful Portugal also securing victories.
Indian wushu player Aparna won a gold medal in the women's 52kg category at the 11th Sanda World Cup in Macau, defeating Vietnam's Thi Phuong Nga Ngo in the final.
India will field a 22-member shooting squad at the ISSF Rifle/Pistol World Cup in Munich from May 24 to 31, with double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker set to compete in two individual pistol events besides the mixed team competition.
Iran launched their World Cup campaign in Los Angeles amid protests by Iranian-Americans, highlighting deep divisions over Tehran's government even as Team Melli drew passionate support from fans in the stands.
Canada striker Cyle Larin came off the bench to grab a 1-1 draw for his side against Bosnia and Herzegovina in a frenetic Group B opener on Friday that long looked like it would end in defeat for the World Cup co-hosts.
The Trump administration said on Tuesday the United States had denied Somali soccer referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan entry for the World Cup because of his links to "suspected members of terror organizations".
Indian Grandmaster Nihal Sarin, representing esports and gaming content outfit S8UL, has qualified for the chess event of the upcoming Esports World Cup in Paris.
Suruchi Inder Singh won gold and Esha Singh won silver in the women's 10m air pistol at the ISSF World Cup in Munich, boosting India to the top of the medal tally.
The Democratic Republic of Congo's national team has been forced to cancel World Cup buildup events in Kinshasa due to the Ebola virus outbreak and will instead continue preparations in Belgium.
Iran's national soccer team, currently training in Tijuana, Mexico, will be able to enter the US the day before each of their three World Cup matches, the Department of Homeland Security said on Tuesday.
Iran will play their final World Cup warm-up behind closed doors in Turkey on Thursday before departing for their tournament base in Mexico on Saturday.
Extreme heat and humidity could emerge as a major challenge at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with several host cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico expected to experience soaring temperatures during the tournament.
India's Under-17 men's team faces Uzbekistan in their final AFC U-17 Asian Cup group match, with a win potentially securing qualification for the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
Sahil Jadhav, the reigning World University Games champion, secured his first Archery World Cup medal, a bronze in the compound men's event at Stage 2 in Shanghai, defeating Denmark's Martin Damsbo.
Indian bowlers spun a web around Pakistani batters to kick-off their Women's T20 World Cup campaign with a winning start in Birmingham on Sunday.
Carlo Ancelotti has extended his contract as the manager of the Brazilian national football team until the 2030 World Cup.
Several high-profile football players are facing injuries ahead of the World Cup, raising concerns about their participation in the tournament. Kylian Mbappe, Lamine Yamal, and other stars are among those sidelined, while the packed playing schedule is drawing criticism.
FIFA's Technical Study Group believes set-pieces are unlikely to dominate the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Gilberto Silva predicting tighter, transition-based football due to limited preparation time for national teams.
FIFA Secretary-General Mattias Grafstrom expressed confidence in Iran's participation in the upcoming World Cup after a meeting with Iran's FA President Mehdi Taj, despite concerns over visa issues and political tensions.
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