India's top badminton players, including the men's doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, singles stars Lakshya Sen, P V Sindhu, and rising talent Ayush Shetty, are set to compete at the USD 950,000 Japan Open Super 750 tournament. The event marks a crucial stage for many Indian shuttlers to make significant runs on the BWF World Tour.
Japan's national football team, the Samurai Blue, faces Brazil in a crucial World Cup last-32 match. This encounter holds deep significance due to Brazil's profound influence on Japanese professional football, particularly through the J-League and the presence of numerous Brazilian players and coaches over the decades. Despite past successes against Brazil, including a recent friendly win, this World Cup clash represents a major test for Japan's ambitions.
Japan's coach Hajime Moriyasu expressed confidence ahead of their World Cup last-32 clash against Brazil in Houston, stating his team will not be pushovers. He cited their previous 3-2 victory over Brazil as proof of their progress and readiness to challenge the five-time champions. Japan secured their spot by finishing second in Group F after a 1-1 draw with Sweden, a result Moriyasu strategically preserved. He also highlighted the significance of Japan's advancement for Asian football and the growth of the sport in his country.
Sweden and Japan played out a 1-1 draw in their World Cup Group F match, with Anthony Elanga scoring for Sweden and Daizen Maeda for Japan. The result ensures both teams progress to the knockout rounds, with Japan finishing second and Sweden securing a spot as one of the best third-placed teams.
South Korea and Japan secured gold medals in the men's sabre and women's foil team events, respectively, at the Asian Senior Fencing Championships. Indian teams, despite facing strong competition, demonstrated grit and finished 10th overall, showing promising developmental strides for the future of Indian fencing.
Brazil's coach Carlo Ancelotti credited patience and a tactical change at halftime for their 2-1 victory over Japan in Houston, securing a spot in the World Cup last 16.
Brazil's World Cup Round of 32 meeting with Japan on Monday comes with the chance for revenge for Carlo Ancelotti's squad and a test of how far he has taken his team since a Tokyo collapse early in his tenure.
Coach Carlo Ancelotti is hopeful he will have Neymar available for more minutes in Monday's World Cup round of 32 fixture against Japan in Houston, and believes his Brazil side are ready for anything in what will be a tough knockout fixture.
Carlo Ancelotti has spent weeks warning that grit and resilience would decide a long, complicated World Cup. On this evidence, Brazil have been listening -- even if, for much of the match against Japan, they seemed determined to test the theory to destruction.
Japan's fans once again captured the world's admiration after clearing thrash from the stands following their Group F match against the Netherlands on Sunday.
Pakistan's hockey team faced embarrassment in a five-a-side match against India in Muscat when umpires penalised them for fielding six players instead of five. This led to India scoring 8 goals. The incident has prompted the Pakistan Hockey Federation President to demand an explanation, recalling a similar blunder in the 2022 Asia Cup that cost them a World Cup qualification.
Five-times champions Brazil came back strongly from a one goal deficit to beat Japan 2-1 in their FIFA World Cup Round of 32 clash at the Houston Stadium on Monday.
Japan delivered a commanding 4-0 win over Tunisia in the World Cup's 1,000th match on Saturday to move to the brink of the knockout stages, while the North Africans were eliminated after a second successive defeat in Group F.
India's national Pokemon UNITE team achieved a remarkable runner-up position at the AESF-sanctioned Pokemon UNITE Asia International Tournament in Bangkok, showcasing strong strategic play and resilience against 11 national teams from across Asia.
Shiho Kuwaki of Japan defeated Germany's Esther Henseleit in a two-hole playoff to win the 2026 AIG Women's Open, marking the second consecutive Japanese victory in the tournament. Indian golfers Diksha Dagar and Aditi Ashok, however, failed to make the cut.
Japan captain Wataru Endo has withdrawn from the World Cup squad due to injury in a blow for the Samurai Blue, with the midfielder also announcing his retirement from international football.
Despite not winning a medal at the recently-concluded Asian Senior Fencing Championships, India's men's foil team secured direct qualification for the upcoming Asian Games, marking a significant step forward for the sport in the country. The event, hosted in India for the first time, provided valuable experience and highlighted the growing competitiveness of Indian fencers against top Asian nations.
Anthony Elanga's equaliser helped Sweden qualify for the World Cup's round of 32 following a 1-1 draw with Japan, but while his teammates were celebrating the result, the striker collapsed on the ground in frustration thinking they had not qualified.
All India junior ranking medallists Tanvi Patri and Abhinav Garg will spearhead the Indian contingent at the Badminton Asia Junior (U-19) championships in Yatsushiro, Japan, from June 26 to July 5. The Badminton Association of India (BAI) is confident of a strong performance and multiple medals from the squad, which includes direct selections and players chosen through trials.
India's junior men's artistic gymnastics team achieved a historic bronze medal at the Asian Championships held in Zunyi, China. The team, comprising Harschit Damodaran, Nishad Narvane, SK Nabigh Ali, Akshat Bajaj, and Mohammed Zaid Ansari, scored 224.493 points, finishing behind gold medallists China and silver medallists Japan.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has acknowledged the possibility of expanding the World Cup to 64 teams, a move that could significantly alter the sport's economics and logistics, despite opposition from major confederations like UEFA and AFC.
Indian skeet shooter Maheshwari Chauhan, who narrowly missed a medal at the Paris Olympics, is now leveraging that experience to prepare for the upcoming Asian Games in Japan. She finished fourth in the mixed team skeet event and is currently part of a national preparatory camp.
David Beckham has tipped Japan as a dark horse for the 2026 FIFA World Cup while backing England to end their 60-year wait for glory. The former captain also highlighted France, Spain, Argentina and Brazil as title contenders.
India's U17 women's team faces a tough challenge against Japan in the AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup after an initial defeat to Australia. Coach Pamela Conti emphasises the need for a focused and perfect match to compete against the formidable Japanese side.
India's women's football team suffered a heavy 0-11 defeat against Japan in their second group match of the AFC Women's Asian Cup. Despite the loss, India still has a chance to qualify for the quarter-finals if they beat Chinese Taipei in their final group match.
The Delhi High Court has reserved its verdict on petitions filed by riders Anush Agarwalla and Sudipti Hajela, who challenged their exclusion from India's dressage team for the upcoming Asian Games. The athletes appealed a single judge's earlier decision that upheld the Equestrian Federation of India's selection process. The court heard arguments from all parties, including the EFI, which maintained that the best riders were selected and opposed external interference.
India's men's hockey team has announced its 20-member squad for the upcoming Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, featuring one change with midfielder Raj Kumar Pal replacing Aditya Arjun Lalage. Led by Harmanpreet Singh, the team aims for gold and direct qualification for the LA 2028 Olympics.
The Indian women's hockey team defeated Japan 2-1 in the FIH Nations Cup, with goals from captain Salima Tete and Lalremsiami, securing their place in the semifinals. This victory marks their second win in Pool A, qualifying them for the next year's FIH Pro League.
India has announced its 20-member women's hockey squad, led by Salima Tete, for the upcoming Asian Games in Japan. The team aims to secure a gold medal to qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, with minor changes to the strike force from the FIH Nations Cup winning side.
India's men's cricket team, along with Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, has secured direct entry into the knockout stage of the 2026 Asian Games, with preliminary rounds set for other nations.
The Indian women's hockey team defeated Japan 2-1 in the FIH Nations Cup, with goals from captain Salima Tete and Lalremsiami, securing their place in the semifinals and qualifying for next year's FIH Pro League.
Fifteen-year-old Chilean Jaime 'Craime' Bustos has become the youngest-ever Esports World Cup champion, winning the Street Fighter 6 title. Representing Team Falcons, Craime defeated Japan's Hibiki in the final, securing USD 250,000 and a spot in Capcom Cup 13. Other championships were also decided, with Team Falcons maintaining their lead in the Club Championship standings.
India's VALORANT esports team has successfully qualified for the Esports Nations Cup (ENC) 2026 main event in Riyadh, emerging as one of two teams from the Asia regional qualifiers. The team, led by Sagnik Roy, overcame tough competition, including a crucial victory against Hong Kong, to secure their spot in the global tournament featuring a USD 1.5 million prize pool.
India's Senior B and Men's A bridge teams have successfully advanced to the semifinals of the fifth Asia Cup Bridge Championship, held in Panaji. The Senior B team topped the Swiss league, while the Men's A team secured a third-place finish, setting the stage for Friday's knockout rounds.
The Indian Golf Union has announced a six-member team for the upcoming Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, featuring experienced players like Aditi Ashok and Yuvraj Sandhu, with high hopes for podium finishes given India's strong history in the sport at the Games.
India's senior bridge teams, both A and B, have made an impressive start at the fifth Asia Cup Bridge Championship in Goa, positioning themselves among the top contenders after the opening day. While the senior teams excelled, the women's teams faced a challenging start.
The Delhi High Court has upheld the Equestrian Federation of India's (EFI) selection process for the Asian Games dressage team, dismissing petitions from riders Anush Agarwalla and Sudipti Hajela. The court found no arbitrariness or procedural impropriety, reinforcing the principle that judicial interference in expert selection bodies is limited. Challenges regarding Minimum Eligibility Requirements (MERs), criteria interpretation, and bias were all rejected.
The Indian U20 women's national football team is set to compete in the AFC U20 Women's Asian Cup Thailand 2026, starting with a match against Japan. This marks India's return to the tournament after two decades, with the team aiming for World Cup qualification.
Neeraj Chopra will compete in the Asian Games in Japan in September-October in his bid to defend the title.
'Being World No. 2 will give us good confidence when we compete at the Asian Games.'
