'Our biggest opportunity lies with the younger age-group teams.' 'If you look at the senior national team, our chances are about 50-50.' 'The gap becomes smaller as you move down the age groups.' 'At the Under-20 level, it's closer to 60-40.' 'By the Under-17 level, it's around 80-20. That's where I feel we have our best chance.'
Divya Deshmukh of India outclassed Bulgaria's Beloslava Krasteva to clinch the title in the World Junior Girls' chess championship
Teenager Pritam Kendre won a gold medal in the men's 10m air rifle at the ISSF Junior World Championship in Suhl, Germany, contributing to India's growing medal tally of 11, including five golds. India also secured a bronze in the women's 25m pistol team event, showcasing strong performances from its young shooting contingent.
World Junior C'ships: Gnana Dattu, Bhavya-Vishakha reach quarters; Tanvi, Unnati also advance
Miloslav "Curby" Urbanec, a Czech music promoter, has transformed his three-storey house in Bukovka into a vibrant shrine dedicated to the Argentine national football team, featuring sky-blue and white paint, a Lionel Messi mural, and a Diego Maradona statue, all stemming from a childhood passion ignited by the 1978 World Cup.
Indian shuttlers Tanvi Sharma, Unnati Hooda and Rakshitha Sree Ramraj overcame some anxious moments to advance to the pre-quarterfinals of the BWF World Junior Championships, in Guwahati, on Wednesday.
Badminton legend Saina Nehwal has lauded PV Sindhu's significantly improved attacking game, stating that her Japan Open Super 750 victory demonstrates her enduring championship quality and potential for more titles, despite recent injury challenges.
India T20 vice-captain Tilak Varma stated that his batting approach is dictated by conditions and match situations, especially after the team's struggles with early wickets in the UK and Ireland. He emphasised the responsibility of playing for the country and adapting to overseas conditions after extensive play in Asia.
The United States men's national team secured a dominant 4-1 victory over Paraguay in their World Cup Group D opener, with Folarin Balogun scoring two goals and Giovanni Reyna adding another.
'Many of the players I played alongside like Harmanpreet Singh, Mandeep Singh, Krishan Pathak are doing very well today. Somewhere, there is regret that I could not do that.'
Shreyas Iyer leads a young Indian squad in a three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe, aiming for a crucial series win after recent defeats and facing selection dilemmas, particularly concerning the batting order and all-rounders.
Indian para swimmer Tejas Nandakumar has been ruled out of the upcoming Glasgow Commonwealth Games due to a classification issue. His entry, initially accepted, was later rejected by organisers after a validation process by World Para Athletics, citing his R-2025 class status as ineligible for the G2026 competition.
The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) is undertaking a significant restructuring of its national hockey programme following a dismal performance in the FIH Pro League, where the team failed to win any matches, including two losses to India. The PHF plans to hire foreign coaches and trainers from countries like Australia, Netherlands, or Germany to develop players at all levels and modernise the sport in Pakistan.
Brazilian football legend Neymar Jr. has announced his retirement from international football following Brazil's shocking 2-1 defeat to Norway in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16. The 34-year-old forward, Brazil's all-time leading scorer, confirmed his decision after the match, marking the end of a celebrated career with the national team.
Indian tennis legend Leander Paes has been appointed Player Ambassador of the Asian Tennis Federation (ATF). In this role, Paes will work to promote tennis across Asia, mentor young players, support grassroots development, and represent the federation at international events, aiming to inspire the next generation of athletes.
Indian Grandmaster Iniyan Pa has won the Masters category of the Global Chess Festival, dominating the tournament from start to finish. The 24-year-old national champion secured the title in his debut appearance, earning a prize purse of Rs 8 lakh. Nithin Babu and Madhvendra Pratap Sharma also triumphed in the Challenger and Junior Master categories, respectively, qualifying for next year's Masters event.
Brazil's World Cup campaign ended with a 2-1 defeat to Norway as Carlo Ancelotti's gamble on experienced stars backfired, exposing deeper structural issues and leaving the five-time champions facing a long road back to the summit of world football.
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.
Indian shooters Palak and Mukesh Nelavalli won a gold medal and broke the world record in the 10m air pistol mixed team competition at the ISSF World Cup in Granada, Spain.
The official 26-man squads for FIFA World Cup 2026.
Carlo Ancelotti has recalled Neymar to Brazil's squad for next month's FIFA World Cup, backing the veteran forward's fitness and experience despite his injury-disrupted recent years.
Renowned Indian shooting coach and former Asian Games gold medallist Jaspal Rana has passed away at 49 after a medical procedure following illness during a flight from the ISSF World Cup.
Two-time Olympic medallist P V Sindhu and reigning men's doubles champion Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will headline the Indian badminton squad at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
The teenager, trained under coach Abhinav Sinha at the Chance2Sports Foundation in Pune, defeated players older and more experienced than her throughout the competition. Sharing how she prepared mentally for the challenge, Anika credited her planning and composure.
Brazilian football star Neymar Jr. shares his emotional response to being included in the FIFA World Cup squad, expressing gratitude for the support he received during his journey.
Jaspal Rana, the acclaimed Indian shooter and high-performance coach, has passed away at 49. Known for mentoring Olympic medallists like Manu Bhaker and other young talents, Rana's contributions significantly shaped Indian shooting. He was a Dronacharya Award recipient.
Grigor Dimitrov, the veteran Bulgarian stylist, defeated rising Czech star Jacub Mensik at Wimbledon, overcoming past injury fears. Dimitrov, who had suffered multiple Grand Slam withdrawals due to injury, showcased a masterclass performance, drawing inspiration from Roger Federer's style, to advance to the third round. He expressed his determination to push limits and compete at the highest level despite his history of injuries.
A new study projects that by 2100, only 38% of the world's population will reside in large cities, a significant reduction from previous estimates. This revised projection is based on a newly discovered urban life cycle, where the growth rate of large cities slows down as countries become more urbanised, contrasting with the rapid growth seen in less urbanised regions. The research highlights the importance of understanding these dynamics for future infrastructure and climate adaptation planning.
Oman will replace Pakistan in the FIH Men's Junior World after the latter withdraw from the tournament to be held in Chennai and Madurai from November 28 till December 10, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) confirmed on Wednesday.
British wildcard Arthur Fery, ranked 114th in the world, has made a remarkable run to the Wimbledon semi-finals, defeating ninth seed Flavio Cobolli and setting up a clash with French Open champion Alexander Zverev.
In one of the biggest upsets ever seen at the World Cup, Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill saved the efforts of Kai Havertz and Nick Woltemade before Jonathan Tah fired over the bar, paving the way for Jose Canale to blast home the decisive spot kick.
PV Sindhu secured a straight-game victory at the Singapore Open, while Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty also advanced. Other Indian shuttlers faced setbacks in the tournament.
Kidambi Srikanth ended his impressive run with a runner-up finish at the US Open Super 300 badminton tournament after going down fighting in three games to Chinese Taipei's Su Li-yang.
Neymar missed Brazil's first two games of the FIFA 2026 World Cup and his likely to play against Scotland on Thursday.
Germany beat Spain in shoot-out to win eighth FIH Junior WC title
The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has announced the selection criteria for the 2026 World Athletics U20 Championships, which will be held in Eugene, USA. Athletes will be selected based on their performance in three domestic competitions, including the Indian Athletics Series and the National Junior Federation Competition.
Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra's foundation has partnered with the Indian Olympic Association to launch an anti-doping education campaign for athletes, addressing the issue of quick success and contaminated supplements.
Former India goalkeeper PR Sreejesh has publicly criticised Hockey India's decision to remove him as junior men's team coach after a successful 17-month tenure, questioning the organisation's preference for foreign coaches.
Haryana Sports Minister Gaurav Gautam announced that the state has appointed 33 sportspersons to coaching positions within the last month. These new coaches are expected to play a crucial role in identifying and nurturing grassroots talent to prepare athletes for future international competitions, including the 2036 Olympics. The state also highlighted its sports policy, which includes job reservations for outstanding sportspersons.
Tenth seed Karolina Muchova snuffed out the Wimbledon hopes of friend and 2024 champion Barbora Krejcikova on Sunday, winning 7-5, 5-7, 6-3 in a tight battle for Czech supremacy and a place in the quarterfinals. The 32-year-old Pegula said beforehand she had expected the 18-year-old Jovic to come at her hard and so it proved, but after a scrappy first set, she won 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 to reach the quarterfinal and equal her best Wimbledon run.
