Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya highlighted India's growing global sporting stature, evidenced by the increasing number of international events the country is hosting. He announced that India is set to host 36 international events between January 2025 and June 2026, along with 9 events this year and 19 in 2027-2028. Mandaviya also spoke about government support for athletes, transparent selection processes for major events like the Commonwealth Games, and improved domestic athletic performances, citing 26 national records broken in Indian athletics recently.
Spain's national football team celebrated wildly in their dressing room after defeating France 2-0 to secure a spot in the World Cup final. The team's official social media shared a video of the joyous moments, highlighting their unity and confidence as they aim for another World Cup title.
As New Delhi prepares to host the BWF World Championships from August 17-23, 2026, five young talents - Ayush Shetty, Unnati Hooda, Alwi Farhan, Tomoka Miyazaki, and Kalyana Nalbantova - are identified as potential breakout stars capable of challenging the sport's biggest names and redefining their careers.
The National Junior (U20) Athletics Federation competition is set to begin in Tumkur, Karnataka, with young athletes vying for a spot in the Asian U20 Athletics Championships in Hong Kong.
England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford is set to face Lionel Messi for the first time in his career during Wednesday's World Cup semi-final against Argentina, an occasion he described as carrying a 'sense of history' given his long-standing admiration for the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 will conclude with a spectacular closing ceremony at New Jersey Stadium, featuring performances by global superstars like Tom Cruise, Laura Pausini, Nicole Scherzinger, Robbie Williams, and IShowSpeed. Jennifer Hudson will perform the US national anthem. The ceremony will celebrate the journey of 48 teams across three host countries and 16 cities, marking the end of a record-breaking tournament.
Harshit's fitness, Varun's longevity under scanner post hamstring injuries
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Melbourne Cricket Ground, announcing India's aspiration to host the 2036 Olympics and welcoming Chennai's role in the Big Bash League. He emphasised cricket as a strong bond between India and Australia, and both PMs unveiled a Roadmap on Sport Cooperation to deepen bilateral ties beyond cricket.
The Badminton Association of India (BAI) is implementing the new BWF 3x15 scoring format across all domestic tournaments from this month. This change aims to familiarise Indian shuttlers with the revised system before its international adoption next year, impacting all age groups and national championships.
The Italian Football Federation has appointed legendary former captain Paolo Maldini as its new Technical Director, aiming to leverage his experience to revitalise the national team's international standing after recent World Cup qualification struggles.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini will present cash awards totalling Rs 20.59 crore to 198 medal-winning athletes and international participants at a state-level function in Panchkula. The awards aim to recognise athletes who have excelled in international and national competitions, with funds directly transferred to beneficiaries' bank accounts.
The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President Sanjay Singh highlighted the significant participation of Haryana wrestlers in the National Open Ranking Tournament, countering claims of bias. However, the event was also marred by the discovery of used syringes, underscoring the ongoing doping challenges in Indian wrestling.
Former India football coach Stephen Constantine has expressed deep disappointment over the national team's current decline, criticising the All India Football Federation for its decisions, including the appointment of Khalid Jamil as coach despite his lack of international experience. Constantine, who led India to a historic FIFA ranking of 96, believes he should still be managing the team and calls for wider structural reforms in Indian football.
Senegal's football federation president, Abdoulaye Fall, has claimed the national team's doctor at the recent World Cup in North America was 'trained as a gynaecologist', raising concerns among players about medical support during their disappointing campaign. The Senegalese Association of Sports Medicine has rejected these allegations as 'unfounded and defamatory'.
South Africa international midfielder Jayden Adams, who played a key role in his country's 2026 World Cup campaign, has died at the age of 25, with no cause of death immediately provided.
An Argentine war veterans federation has urged football fans to prioritise the World Cup semi-final against England as a sporting event, rather than using it to reignite sovereignty claims over the Falkland/Malvinas Islands. They emphasised diplomacy for territorial disputes and called for respect for fallen soldiers without promoting hatred.
Iran threatened to halt its matches at the World Cup if unauthorised flags are displayed or slogans targeting the national team are chanted at stadiums, Iranian media reported, citing Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali, following criticism of the team's presence at the tournament.
The Asian Tour, DP World Tour, and PGA TOUR have announced a significant partnership extending until at least 2029. This alliance aims to enhance commercial and playing opportunities, establish pathways for Asian Tour members, and will see the DP World Tour co-sanctioning events with the Asian Tour again, marking a new era for professional golf globally and a potential setback for LIV Golf.
The Sports Authority of India (SAI) has launched three nationwide engagement initiatives, including a reel-making contest, to build momentum for Ahmedabad's bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games.
The Delhi High Court has criticised the Wrestling Federation of India for declaring Vinesh Phogat ineligible for domestic events and has asked the Centre to form an expert panel to evaluate her participation in the upcoming Asian Games selection trials.
Madhya Pradesh pole vaulter Dev Meena has broken the national record for the fifth time in two years, clearing 5.46m at the National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships. He credited his coach, Ghanshyam Yadav, for consistently pushing him to aim for national records. Meena also successfully breached the Asian Games qualifying mark and has been named in the Indian squad for the upcoming Commonwealth Games.
The Rashtriya Raksha University will host the 4th National Armwrestling and Para Armwrestling Championship from May 29 to June 2 at its Lavad campus here, officials said on Friday. The championship is jointly organized by the Armwrestling Federation of Gujarat and People's Armwrestling Federation India.
Sawan Barwal broke the national marathon record at the NN Marathon Rotterdam, clocking 2 hours 11 minutes and 58 seconds, surpassing the previous record set in 1978.
Karnataka's 14-year-old swimming sensation Dhinidhi Desinghu won her fourth gold medal, even as weightlifters continued to impress with Manipur's Bindyarani Devi smashing a National record, on a day when the tiny northeastern state rose to the top of medal tally at the National Games on Friday.
Jharkhand Sports Minister Sudivya Kumar flagged off the 135th Durand Cup 2026 trophy tour in Ranchi. The state capital is set to host seven matches of the prestigious football tournament, including six league matches and one quarter-final, starting July 26. The minister expressed hope that Jharkhand's successful hosting could lead to it hosting final matches in future years.
Indian table tennis has achieved a significant milestone with three doubles pairs entering the top 10 of the ITTF World Rankings. Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah reached World No. 2 in men's doubles, while Diya Chitale and Yashaswini Ghorpade are World No. 10 in women's doubles, and Diya Chitale and Shah are World No. 5 in mixed doubles. This marks the first time India has had three doubles pairs simultaneously in the top 10, underscoring the nation's growing strength in the sport, especially with doubles returning to the Olympics in 2028.
Asia No. 1 trap shooter Zoravar Singh Sandhu has been left out of the Indian shotgun contingent for the Asian Games, despite his World Championships bronze medal and top international scores.
Kuldeep Yadav's childhood coach, Kapil Pandey, has expressed confidence in the left-arm wrist spinner's ability to regain his place in the Indian team despite his recent exclusion from the playing XI. Pandey highlighted Kuldeep's fighting spirit, impact in previous matches, and consistent work ethic, dismissing concerns about his limited appearances and emphasising his value as a top spinner.
Forty Indian boxers face uncertainty after being omitted from the Sports Authority of India's sanction letter for the national camp, jeopardising their participation in the Commonwealth and Asian Games selection process.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to New Zealand culminated in the elevation of bilateral ties to a strategic partnership, with a focus on doubling trade and enhancing cooperation in sports and the Indo-Pacific region. Modi and his counterpart Christopher Luxon attended a sports showcase, acknowledging a century of sporting ties and discussing future collaborations, including India's preparations for the Commonwealth Games 2030. The visit also saw 18 concrete outcomes and 10 agreements signed, alongside discussions with business leaders.
Smriti Mandhana is more suited to lead India in the longer formats after Harmanpreet Kaur's tenure ends while the much younger Shafali Varma can be handed the reins of the T20 side following another pre-mature exit from the World Cup, former captain legendary Mithali Raj said.
It was left to an incensed Gen Z to show the rest of India that enough was enough, and that the time had come to shatter the fear psychosis generated by the government's authoritarian approach to protests and criticism, points out M R Narayan Swamy.
Rohit Sharma answered the retirement rumours in the best possible way - by smashing a record-breaking century at Lord's.
As the FIFA World Cup concludes, we give you a curated list of the most impressive Hindi and English shows from 2026 to fill the OTT void.
England's World Cup journey ended in heartbreak after their decision to sit back defensively against Argentina in the semi-final allowed Lionel Messi to orchestrate a stunning comeback, exposing the perils of premature defensive play, according to manager Thomas Tuchel.
The cricket world paid glorious tribute to West Indies legend Sir Garfield Sobers who died in Barbados on Friday, describing him as the benchmark of excellence and terming his death an "irreplaceable loss" for the sport.
Afghanistan A caused a major upset by eking out a four-run win over star-studded India A via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method in a rain-marred tri-nation series match in Dambulla on Thursday.
'That's not just a football victory -- that's the heartbeat of an entire nation'
The article delves into the growing friction between Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma and the selection committee head Ajit Agarkar, along with head coach Gautam Gambhir. It highlights a lack of mutual trust and differing visions for the team's future, particularly concerning Rohit's role and the integration of new talent like Yashasvi Jaiswal. The piece draws parallels to past cricketing controversies and suggests a potential end to Rohit's captaincy.
