Morocco's impressive rise in global football is uniquely funded by its vast phosphate reserves, with the state-owned OCP Group investing heavily in national team development. This strategic investment, driven by a royal directive, supports training academies and infrastructure, contributing to the nation's recent successes like reaching the 2022 World Cup semi-finals and hosting the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. The country's abundant phosphate resources provide a stable economic base for these ambitious sporting endeavours.
The FIFA World Cup in Vancouver has intensified concerns among locals regarding increased policing and displacement of homeless individuals and drug users. Residents report more aggressive sweeps and confiscation of belongings, despite city officials stating these are routine operations and not directly influenced by the tournament.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi plays some unreal shots with his hand-eye coordination, which makes his batting unbelievable, says former India captain and chairman of selectors Dilip Vengsarkar.
Australia spinner Nathan Lyon said on Monday he is on track to recover from a hamstring injury in time for the home Test series against Bangladesh in August.
Argentine football legend Lionel Messi has stated his intention to continue playing as long as he remains physically fit and can contribute to his team. He remained non-committal about his participation in the 2030 FIFA World Cup, stating it's too far off to consider. Messi also celebrated his 39th birthday amidst Argentina's strong performance in the FIFA World Cup 2026, where he became the all-time leading goal-scorer.
'My fans don't mind me hamming.'
Novak Djokovic confirmed that Serena Williams is hitting the gym harder than ever ahead of her eagerly awaited Wimbledon return as he led the praise for the 44-year-old American icon on Saturday.
Matthew Hayden says the European T20 Premier League can establish itself as a talent-development platform for Europe's associate nations, stressing that ETPL's strength lies in creating pathways to global franchise cricket rather than competing with the IPL.
Novak Djokovic turned his Centre Court clash against Stefanos Tsitsipas -- a player he has twice beaten in Grand Slam finals -- into an exhibition.
At 15, a talent like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi should play right through the year without being rested as it would help him learn from mistakes while gaining invaluable experience in all conditions, former India spinner L Sivaramakrishnan said on Sunday.
France arrive in Philadelphia as the World Cup's most feared attacking force, but Kylian Mbappe and coach Didier Deschamps have warned that acclaim, records and a seemingly clear path mean little if they fail to stay grounded against Paraguay in Saturday's last-16 clash.
Stephen Eustaquio scored a dramatic 92nd-minute goal to secure a 1-0 victory for Canada over South Africa, propelling the co-hosts into the World Cup last 16 for the first time. The tense match in Los Angeles saw few clear chances until Eustaquio's late strike, ending Canada's frustration and sending them to face either the Netherlands or Morocco in the quarter-finals. South Africa, despite a strong defensive effort, exited the tournament.
Morocco defeated Canada 3-0 in the World Cup last 16, with Azzedine Ounahi scoring two goals, to advance to the quarter-finals for the second consecutive time. The victory ended Canada's tournament run.
As India awaits Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's senior debut, experts urge cricket to remember the 15-year-old is still a child, highlighting the challenges of balancing extraordinary talent, growing fame and emotional well-being.
The United States' World Cup campaign took an extraordinary turn on Sunday when FIFA made the unprecedented decision to suspend Folarin Balogun's automatic red-card ban, clearing the striker to face Belgium in Monday's last-16 clash after US President Donald Trump personally urged FIFA President Gianni Infantino to review the case.
Meet Deepali Sahay, the singing sensation from Main Waapas Aaunga. Nearly two decades after being voted out of Indian Idol Season 3 and after almost losing her voice to bleeding vocal chords after hosting Season 4, she finally gets the break she deserved with a song for the ages.
New Zealand midfielder Sarpreet Singh, the first Sikh footballer to play at a FIFA World Cup, hopes his historic appearance will inspire more players of Indian and South Asian heritage to reach football's biggest stage.
Matthew Hayden cautions young cricketers against blindly copying Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's fearless batting style, backs Shubman Gill's consistency, and raises concerns over the future of bilateral ODI cricket amid the franchise boom.
''When these agents are deployed at enterprise-grade scale, your risk will not just amplify, it will mutate.' 'And the reason is because you will have ungoverned agents.'
Daniil Medvedev played down his Indian Wells semi-final win over Carlos Alcaraz, saying the Spaniard and Jannik Sinner remain on a different level from the rest of the ATP Tour.
Cristiano Ronaldo became the first player to score in six World Cups and Portugal's all-time leading marksman at the global finals with two goals in Tuesday's emphatic 5-0 Group K win over Uzbekistan in Houston.
Leading star Diljit Dosanjh anticipated a potential ban during a live stream, urging fans to watch or download it quickly. Following its removal, he posted a resilient response, stating, 'I challenge the darkness'.
Former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi asserts that India and the United States are natural partners, crucial in the geopolitical competition with China. She highlights India's pivotal role as the world's largest democracy with a young, English-speaking population, despite its "chaotic" nature. Nooyi also discusses the need for leaders to understand each other's perspectives to maintain strong bilateral ties.
India's Prachi Lohan and Sachin achieved top-25 finishes at the Asian Senior Fencing Championships in New Delhi. Japan's Kyosuke Matsuyama won gold in men's foil, while Kazakhstan's Irina Bakaldina secured gold in women's epee, marking a historic first for her country.
Amid the sea of green that washed over Mexico City after the country's World Cup victory over Ecuador on Tuesday, one shop defiantly hoisted the Ecuadorian flag and welcomed all the downtrodden fans of Mexico's opponents to a place of refuge. Welcome to the Losers Cafe, a coffee shop in the cosmopolitan neighbourhood of Condesa that is comforting fans of the losing teams.
'It is a great honour for me if someone says, 'He is like his father.' But I fear I fall short.'
Rudi Garcia's comments about Senegal's tactical structure, along with other pundit remarks, have reignited scrutiny over racially coded language in World Cup commentary, drawing criticism from scholars and anti-racism advocates who argue such language perpetuates harmful stereotypes about Black players and African teams.
Mexico coach Aguirre hails fans as driving force for victory as they beat Ecuador to break 40-year-old hoodoo.
'The real shock is going to be from a deficient monsoon.'
India's path to the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 semi-finals has become more challenging following a defeat to South Africa.
George Russell won the Austrian Grand Prix from pole position, his second victory of the season, reducing Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli's Formula One lead to 40 points.
With customers queued up and spilling onto the sidewalk at Cookieteria by Lovely, eager to grab fresh World Cup-themed conchas, baker Erika Lopez is worried about letting some down.
'Though he said a lot of things, he never once asked me to stay.' Aarti David explores love and betrayal in this short story.
Francisco Cerundolo has become only the second Argentine to reach the Queen's Club Championships final, defeating Brandon Nakashima in a tough three-set match. Despite his limited experience on grass courts, Cerundolo displayed remarkable composure and skill, setting up a final clash against Tommy Paul. This marks his first ATP 500 final appearance.
Donald Trump took the first flight on the newly refurbished Air Force One, a Boeing 747-8i previously owned by Qatar and gifted to the US presidential fleet. The jet features a new red, white, and navy blue livery, replacing the older robin's egg blue. Trump expressed excitement about the advanced security and features, noting it will serve as a "bridge" until new planes are delivered by 2028.
Stephen Eustaquio's stoppage-time winner sent Canada into the FIFA World Cup Round of 32, with coach Jesse Marsch paying an emotional tribute to the midfielder's late parents after the dramatic 1-0 win over South Africa.
Taylor Fritz continued his smooth progress at Wimbledon by mowing down fellow American Patrick Kypson 6-2, 6-2, 7-5 to make the third round on Thursday.
'I just want to say that this fake story which keeps coming up on social media about my father beating Zeenat Aman and her eye getting hurt, that's all hogwash.'
Cristiano Ronaldo silenced his critics in spectacular fashion, becoming the first player to score in six World Cups.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a significant policy shift, declaring that Israel's robust economy no longer requires American financial assistance. He also reiterated strong opposition to Palestinian statehood, affirmed an aggressive national defence strategy, warned of pre-emptive strikes against Iran, and confirmed the continued military presence in southern Lebanon.
