India officially launched its bid to host the centenary edition of the Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad in 2030, presenting a vibrant cultural showcase at the Glasgow closing ceremony that blended ancient philosophy, contemporary artistry, and cultural grandeur.
Following her Commonwealth Games 2026 gold medal win, Indian boxer Preeti Pawar reflected on the learning experience that the event gave her ahead of the Asian Games this year and the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, the boxing culture in her hometown Bhiwani, known as 'Mini Cuba' for producing world-class talent and the fulfillment of her baklava promise after her medal win in Glasgow.
Indian boxers Preeti Pawar (54kg) and Priya Ghanghas (60kg) have secured at least two bronze medals for the nation at the Commonwealth Games by advancing to the semifinals of their respective categories. Preeti dominated her quarterfinal bout with a unanimous 5-0 decision, while Priya overcame a tough challenge from local favourite Niamh Mitchell with a 4-1 split decision.
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.
Lionel Messi said Argentina's World Cup final defeat by Spain had left "immense" pain but praised his team for reaching a second successive final and thanked supporters for uniting behind the national side.
AC Milan midfielder Luka Modric has signed a contract extension, committing his future to the Serie A club until June 2027. The 40-year-old Croatian international, who joined Milan last year, has made 37 appearances and scored two goals.
The end of coach Didier Deschamps' Midas-like reign turned into a Tantalus torment as France suffered a comprehensive World Cup semi-final defeat by Spain before losing 6-4 to England in a wild third-place playoff, but those disappointments will not tarnish his legacy.
Six-time world champion and Olympic bronze-medallist M C Mary Kom believes Indian pugilists will secure a 'reasonably good medal haul' at the Commonwealth Games, though gold might be elusive, while expressing less certainty for the Asian Games. She also criticised the Boxing Federation of India's functioning and selection policies.
Spain's Rodri claimed the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player, Unai Simon won the Golden Glove, and Pau Cubarsi was named the Best Young Player, leaving Lionel Messi without another personal honour despite his impressive World Cup performance.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu extended their congratulations to Indian athletes Neeraj Chopra, Yash Vir Singh, Yamini Maurya, and Tejaswin Shankar for their medal-winning performances at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026, praising their dedication and historic achievements.
Top-seeded Indian Anahat Singh has advanced to the women's quarterfinals of the World Squash Junior Individual Championships after defeating Malaysian Doyce Ye San Lee. Meanwhile, her compatriot Aryaveer Dewan was eliminated in the men's round of 16.
Indian gymnasts Tapan Mohanty and Yogeshwar Singh have successfully qualified for the men's all-around final at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. While they secured individual berths, the Indian men's team finished seventh in the overall competition, with Canada, England, and Australia taking the top three spots.
Former AC Milan and Italy defender Franco Baresi, one of the most recognisable players of the golden era of Italian football in the 1980s and 1990s, has died at the age of 66, his former club said on Friday.
India's boxing contingent had a stellar day at the Commonwealth Games, securing five more semifinal berths and bringing the total to nine. This achievement surpasses India's previous medal tally in boxing from Birmingham 2022, guaranteeing at least nine medals for the nation.
Eleven-year-old Indian racing prodigy Atiqa Mir demonstrated exceptional talent by securing pole position in the Champions of the Future Academy Program Round 3 in Viterbo, Italy, out-qualifying two Mercedes F1 junior drivers.
Former India hockey captain Viren Rasquinha has publicly questioned Hockey India's decision to switch the national team's jersey colour to orange, arguing that the team's identity and legacy have always been associated with blue.
Julien Alfred became the third-fastest woman in 200m history with a 21.51-second win, while Emmanuel Wanyonyi broke a 27-year-old world record in the rarely contested 1,000m at the Monaco Diamond League.
India has ascended to the No. 1 position in the ICC Men's T20I Team Rankings, surpassing England, following their dominant 2-0 series lead against Zimbabwe. Key performances from batters Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma, alongside strong bowling, secured the series victory and the top ranking.
Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 in a dramatic World Cup final after extra time, preventing Argentina from staging another of their characteristic comebacks. Lionel Messi, who had been instrumental in previous matches, was effectively neutralised by the Spanish defence, leaving Argentina without an answer and unable to register a shot on target for much of the game.
The Indian sub-junior men's hockey team secured the gold medal at the FIH Youth Hockey5s Asian Championship by defeating arch-rivals Pakistan 3-1. This victory also ensured their qualification for the inaugural FIH Youth Hockey5s World Cup. The Indian women's team also earned a silver medal, and Hockey India announced cash rewards for both squads.
The 16th Hockey India Junior Men National Championship is set to begin in Coimbatore, featuring 30 teams across three divisions. The tournament includes a promotion and relegation system, adding competitive intensity as teams vie for the national title and advancement between divisions.
The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) is in advanced negotiations to bring its national football team to Kolkata, India, for a friendly match in early October, marking a significant event for the region's large Brazilian fan base.
Indian boxers delivered a flawless performance at the Commonwealth Games, with four more pugilists - Ankush Yadav, Sakshi Chaudhary, Arundhati Choudhary, and Sachin Siwach - advancing to the semifinals. This brings the total number of Indian boxers in the semifinals to nine, ensuring a minimum of nine bronze medals for the country.
Seasoned shuttler HS Prannoy and rising star Unnati Hooda will lead the Indian contingent at the Taipei Open Super 300 badminton tournament. Both players are looking for consistent performances, with Prannoy facing Japan's Minoru Koga and Unnati taking on a qualifier. Several other Indian players, including Tharun Mannepalli, M Manjunath, S Dayanand, Kiran George, Devika Sihag, Tasnim Mir, and others in doubles, are also set to compete.
Reigning champions U Mumba secured their first victory of Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) Season 7, defeating unbeaten Dabang Delhi TTC 8-7 in a thrilling encounter. Anusha Kutumbale was the hero, winning a dramatic Golden Point decider in the final women's singles match. Meanwhile, in the UTT Juniors competition, Dempo Goa Challengers became the first team to reach the semifinals, and HVR Kolkata ThunderBlades strengthened their playoff bid.
Raja Muthupandi completed a remarkable comeback from a career-threatening elbow injury to win Commonwealth Games 2026 silver, dedicating the medal to his parents and coach while vowing to return stronger.
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu has reached her first final in over two years at the Japan Open. Her opponent, Tokyo Olympics champion Chen Yufei of China, retired midway through their women's singles semifinal due to a hamstring injury. Sindhu was leading 21-19, 15-10 when Chen was forced to pull out. Sindhu will now face the winner of the second semifinal between Japan's Akane Yamaguchi and Indonesia's Putri Kusuma Wardani.
India is relying heavily on its boxing, weightlifting, and athletics contingents to maintain its two-decade streak of top-five finishes at the Commonwealth Games, which opens in Glasgow.
Having won silver in Birmingham in 2022, 27-year-old Murali Sreeshankar added another medal to his collection at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games after producing a best leap of 8.09 metres, capping an emotional comeback from the career-threatening knee injury that had nearly derailed his career.
The political drama 'Article 370' was the biggest winner at the 72nd National Film Awards, securing the best feature film honour, with its lead star Yami Gautam named best actress. Mammootty and Kartik Aaryan shared the best actor award for 'Bramayugam' and 'Chandu Champion' respectively.
Indian boxers Vishvanath Suresh (50kg) and Ganga (55kg) secured gold medals at the Asian U-19 and U-23 Boxing Championships in Jakarta. The U-23 men's team delivered two golds and one silver, while U-19 boxers earned two silver medals, showcasing a strong overall performance.
The third week of the Esports World Cup 2026 concluded in Paris, seeing Razvan "RvPLegend" Puiu win in EA FC 26, Virtus.pro dominate PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS, and Team Vision secure the Teamfight Tactics title. The event featured significant prize pools and impacted the Club Championship standings.
England's FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign concluded with a semi-final defeat to Argentina. Star midfielder Jude Bellingham expressed gratitude to supporters for their unwavering backing and called for the unity shown during the tournament to continue. Bellingham was England's top scorer, playing a crucial role in their journey to the semi-finals.
UEFA's member associations have unanimously voted to boycott the World Cup and other FIFA competitions in protest against FIFA's plan to sell stakes to external investors in a subsidiary managing its tournaments.
The Oval in London has been confirmed as the venue for the 2027 ICC World Test Championship Final, scheduled from June 9-13. This marks the second time The Oval will host the final, having previously done so in 2023. Nine teams are currently competing in the ongoing WTC cycle, with Australia leading the standings, followed by South Africa and New Zealand, as the race intensifies with crucial upcoming series.
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's spin great Ravichandran Ashwin suggested Mahendra Singh Dhoni as the ideal successor for Stephen Fleming as CSK's head coach.
Spain defender Aymeric Laporte has questioned some refereeing decisions involving Argentina ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 final, saying aggressive play should not go unpunished.
Former Indian boxing coach Mohammed Ali Qamar believes the country's women's boxing squad for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games is one of its best ever, with each of the seven members capable of securing a medal, though he cautioned that draws would be crucial.
