Simmering civil tension and the stench of corruption threatens to sully Brazil's global soccer party when the World Cup kicks off on Thursday against a backdrop of protests, unrest and alleged political graft.
Nitesh Kumar and Thulasimathi Murugesan had little difficulty overcoming country-mates Suhas Yathiraj and Palak Kohli in the opening group stage match of badminton mixed doubles
A stoppage-time goal from Miranda gave Brazil a 1-0 win over South American rivals Argentina in a foul-strewn friendly, while Netherlands secured a 1-1 draw at neighbours Belgium.
Brazil's poster-boy striker Neymar fulfilled a nation's expectations to score twice in a 4-1 destruction of Cameroon on Monday while the Netherlands again showed their potential to win the World Cup with a third straight win.
Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho on Sunday arrived in Kolkata on a two-day visit.
Third-party ownership of footballers will become illegal in Brazil from May 1, the country's domestic governing body CBF) said in new transfer regulations published on Tuesday.
Kaka has dropped out of the Brazil squad for the Centenary Copa America due to injury and will be replaced by Paulo Henrique Ganso, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) said.
Kaka and Ronaldinho were included in the squad for Brazil's friendlies against England and Turkey next month even though they asked not to be picked for the Copa America.
Brazil have sacked manager Luiz Felipe Scolari just hours after the end of a home World Cup in which they suffered two of their worst defeats in the tournament's history, one of Brazil's leading newspapers reported on Monday.
India will be under tremendous pressure when they face an equally circumspect Australia in a battle of two out-of-form batting units in the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Perth
Photos from the opening ceremony of the FIFA World Cup.
Jose Mourinho is the darling of football, manager of the European champions and set to become Chelsea's next boss. But can the Portuguese firebrand live with the determined Russian oil magnate?
Striker Adriano was recalled by Brazil on Thursday for their World Cup qualifiers away to Argentina and at home to Chile next month. Coach Dunga included Flamengo's former Inter Milan forward, last picked in March, for the games against Argentina in Rosario on September 5 and at home to Chile in Salvador four days later.
Mexican footballer Alan Pulido has been rescued by authorities and is home, Mexican officials have said.
Brazilian soccer great Pele has collapsed with exhaustion and been forced to cancel a long-planned trip to London this weekend, the Football Writers Association (FWA) said on Friday.
News of all that transpired on and off the football field.
The match will be played at Arsenal's new Emirates Stadium on September 2.
Tele Santana, one of Brazil's greatest coaches, died aged 74 in a Belo Horizonte hospital where he had been in intensive care since March.
Franz Beckenbauer who captained the team to World Cup victory in 1974 then won the tournament again as manager in 1990, has died at the age of 78, German news agency DPA reported on Monday.
Defiant Brazil manager Dunga brushed off suggestions that early elimination from the Copa America would cost him his job on Sunday, telling reporters that he feared 'only death' and not unemployment.
As Pele readies to awaken the 'sleeping giant of football' with his presence, Rediff.com lists some lesser known facts from the legend's life. Read on and be amazed...
Images from the opening game of the FIFA World Cup, between Brazil and Croatia, at Sao Paulo.
Toure criticises players for accepting lure of China cash
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Scotland's Scott McTominay grabbed another brace of goals as they stunned a much-changed Spain side to earn a deserved 2-0 victory in their Euro 2024 qualifier.
Brazilian World Cup winner Ronaldinho will visit to Kolkata in October.
Brazil made a strong statement with a 2-1 victory over Spain in their opening Group D clash on October 7, and they would now look to build on the winning momentum.
Fred scored a last-minute equaliser to give World Cup hosts Brazil a 1-1 draw against Russia in a football friendly on Monday as the South Americans remained winless since the return of coach Luiz Felipe Scolari.
He was a pale shadow of the crowd-pleasing showman widely recognised as the heir to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as the greatest player in the world.
Through FIFA-approved vendor brands and OEM players, manufacturers from Ludhiana and Jalandhar have been exporting sports products to Brazil for the mega sporting event.
Brazil will play Argentina in two friendlies next month, one in each country, with teams picked from the domestic leagues, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) said on Wednesday.
Lights go out at Rio's Christ the Redeemer in support of Vinicius Jr
Brazil's appeal against Neymar missing their first two South American 2018 World Cup qualifiers this month has been turned down, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said on Friday.
Less than 48 hours before the month-long soccer World Cup kicks off in Brazil, President Dilma Rousseff defended the cost of hosting the tournament, vowed to punish corruption and urged her compatriots to give visiting fans a warm welcome.
Goalkeeper Gylmar, an ever present in the legendary Brazil teams that won the World Cup in 1958 and 1962, has died in Sao Paulo, aged 83.
Hertha Berlin team bus shot at by motorcyclist and penalty prompts riot police to protect referee in Brazil league match.
Brazil (Selecao) might be the most loved -- and most successful -- football team across the globe, but the Germans (Die Mannshaft), says Bikash Mohapatra, are easily the most consistent in the history of football.
Brazil failed to win for the first time in 11 games with their own lacklustre midfield as much to blame for the 0-0 draw with Mexico as the inspired goalkeeping performance of Guillermo Ochoa.
