Despite a population of 1.45 billion, India's football team is ranked a lowly 138th in the world and failed to qualify for next year's Asian Cup, highlighting deep-rooted systemic issues and a failure to implement reforms that keep the World Cup dream distant for fans.
Former West Bengal sports minister Aroop Biswas has been summoned by police in connection with a case related to chaos at a Lionel Messi event at Salt Lake Stadium last year. The summons follows an FIR lodged by event organiser Shatadru Dutta, accusing Biswas of black-marketing tickets, extortion, and cheating.
Since the FIFA World Cup's inaugural tournament in 1930, 23 competitions have occurred up to 2026. Interestingly, only 8 countries have succeeded in claiming the famous trophy and on Sunday, Spain added their second title.
Following a dominant group stage performance, Argentina is now preparing to face Cape Verde in the Round of 32.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-finals are set, featuring a diverse lineup of one South American, one African, and six European teams, including defending champions Argentina and France, alongside surprise packages like Morocco and Norway, all vying for football's ultimate prize.
The top 32 teams at the FIFA World Cup 2026 are now confirmed after a dramatic and exhausting group stage that came to a close on Saturday.
After the US's win in the round of 32 fixture against Bosnia and Herzegovina, which involved striker Flo Balogun being shown a red card and sent off after a tackle with an opponent, former US footballer Alexi Lalas questioned why Argentina superstar Lionel Messi escaped any notice
France captain Kylian Mbappe admitted his side failed both tactically and technically in their 2-0 FIFA World Cup semi-final defeat to Spain, ending their hopes of a third successive final appearance.
Businesses across sectors are positioning themselves to capitalise on the expected surge in demand.
Erling Haaland scored two crucial late goals to lead Norway to a stunning 2-1 victory over five-times champions Brazil in the World Cup Round of 16, securing their place in the quarter-finals. Neymar's late penalty was not enough for Brazil, who also missed an earlier spot-kick.
France head coach Didier Deschamps made World Cup history by becoming the most successful manager in terms of victories after France's dominant 3-0 win over Sweden, with Kylian Mbapp starring once again to send Les Bleus into the Round of 16.
Narendra Modi hits out at Trinamool Congress over chaos during Lionel Messi's Kolkata visit, promises boost to Bengal sports ecosystem.
Portugal and their talisman Cristiano Ronaldo were left frustrated after being held to a 1-1 draw by Group K rivals Democratic Republic of Congo in their World Cup clash in a sodden Houston.
Multi-champions Brazil, Argentina and Germany all won their preparatory games for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Saturday, although by small margins, with former champion England and hopeful Portugal also securing victories.
A former FIFA referee has questioned the new VAR protocol after fresh controversy involving Argentina, warning that fan confidence in World Cup officiating has been "completely eroded."
A record eight players aged 40 or older have been selected to play at the tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States - one more than at all the past 22 tournaments combined.
Cristiano Ronaldo, despite his prolific scoring record in six FIFA World Cups, has yet to score in a knockout stage match. As Portugal faces Croatia, the superstar aims to break this drought while also holding records for most World Cup appearances and being Portugal's all-time leading scorer in the tournament.
It's goalless at half-time in the FIFA World Cup final between Argentina and Spain in New York on Sunday.
England captain Harry Kane addressed comparisons with Norwegian striker Erling Haaland ahead of their World Cup quarter-final match, downplaying direct comparisons while praising Haaland's physical prowess and finishing. Kane emphasised his priority is team success in the World Cup over individual accolades like the Golden Boot, despite being in contention. He also spoke about equalling Wayne Rooney's cap record and received high praise from coach Thomas Tuchel.
Lamine Yamal exploded into view at 16 and became an integral part of Spain's record fourth European Championship triumph in 2024.
Lionel Messi sparked injury concerns after he left the field in the 73rd minute of Inter Miami CF's 6-4 victory over Philadelphia Union
Thousands of ecstatic supporters welcomed the Egyptian national football team home after their historic World Cup campaign, which saw them reach the last 16 for the first time, despite a heartbreaking defeat to Argentina.
Argentina's football players displayed a political banner claiming "The Falklands are Argentine" after their World Cup semi-final win against England, potentially violating FIFA's code of conduct.
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.
Former Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp shared a humorous exchange with France captain Kylian Mbappe after France's 2-0 victory over Morocco in the FIFA World Cup quarter-final, joking about Mbappe's prolific scoring and calling him a 'detector'.
France and Morocco were goalless at half-time in their World Cup quarter-final. Kylian Mbappe missed a penalty for France, whose early dominance did not translate into goals. Morocco's goalkeeper Yassine Bounou made a crucial save to deny Mbappe from the spot.
Former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia says FIFA's expanded 48-team World Cup format significantly improves India's chances of qualification while creating new opportunities for emerging football nations across Asia and beyond.
Cape Verde, a tiny island nation, has made history by advancing to the round of 32 in the FIFA World Cup.
Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni discussed his team's hard-fought 3-2 extra-time victory over Cape Verde in the World Cup last-32, emphasising the unexpected difficulty of the match despite being heavy favourites. He praised his players' resilience and character, acknowledging the physical toll and the need for improvement, while also highlighting the unique "suffering" inherent in being Argentine in football.
Former India captain Subrata Paul asserts that goalkeepers were instrumental in the success of teams at the recent FIFA World Cup, often outshining attacking players. He highlights specific goalkeepers like Vozinha, Unai Simon, Emiliano Martinez, and Thibaut Courtois for their exceptional performances and discusses the evolving role of modern goalkeepers in tactical play.
Mexico will bid to continue their remarkable World Cup run when they face England in the last 16 on Sunday, with Javier Aguirre's side standing one victory away from a first quarter-final appearance in 40 years.
Kylian Mbappe's crucial second-half penalty secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory for France over a resilient Paraguay, propelling them into the World Cup quarter-finals where they will face Morocco.
Spain's teenage winger Lamine Yamal says he has plenty of improvement left in his fledgling career with fans not yet having seen the best.
Cristiano Ronaldo's illustrious World Cup career concluded with tears after Portugal's 1-0 defeat by Spain in the round of 16, marking the end of his sixth attempt to win the coveted trophy.
Argentina and England are set to clash in a World Cup semi-final, marking their first such encounter, a match deeply rooted in decades of historical and footballing rivalry, including infamous incidents involving Antonio Rattin, Diego Maradona's 'Hand of God' goal, and the Falklands War.
The match ball from Argentina's 1986 World Cup quarterfinal against England - made famous by Diego Maradona's "Hand of God" goal - is set to go up for auction with a $2.5-million opening bid, Heritage Auctions said.
England captain Harry Kane missed a crucial opportunity against Ghana, blazing a close-range shot over the bar, which denied his side an immediate spot in the World Cup round of 32. The 0-0 draw means England must now wait to confirm their progression.
Lionel Messi faces a lawsuit in Miami alleging breach of contract and fraud after missing an Argentina friendly central to a multimillion-dollar promotional deal.
Ousmane Dembele delivered a sensational first-half hat-trick for France against Norway in their final Group I match, overshadowing the anticipated clash between Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe.
Ecuador's World Cup nightmare turned into a dream, as La Tri's once seemingly doomed campaign was resurrected against Germany in a remarkable conclusion to Group E on Thursday.
