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.
Lionel Messi is dealing with muscle fatigue in his left hamstring less than three weeks before the start of the World Cup, Inter Miami said on Monday after the Argentine forward was forced off in his final club match before the tournament.
With hot weather due and memories fresh of the scorching 2025 Club World Cup, FIFA has for the first time mandated three-minute hydration breaks in each half for all 104 matches of the World Cup starting this week in the U.S., Mexico and Canada.
Mexico have failed to progress beyond the Round of 16 for the last 32 years. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup on home soil, they hope to finally end the 'quinto partido' curse.
Since the FIFA World Cup's inaugural tournament in 1930, 22 competitions have occurred up to 2022. Interestingly only eight different countries have succeeded in claiming the famous trophy.
Victoria Mboko, a 19-year-old Canadian tennis player, defeated Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina in the Qatar Open quarter-finals, marking a significant step towards entering the WTA top 10 rankings.
World Cup fever in Argentina, home of the defending champions, has boosted sales of counterfeit jerseys and soccer trading cards, sparking protests from retailers who are already under pressure from President Javier Milei's market-opening policies.
Zee Entertainment said on Monday it had secured the rights to broadcast the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 38 other FIFA events through 2034.
Morocco, Norway, Turkey, Colombia, Mexico and Japan are among the leading dark horses for FIFA World Cup 2026, with each side possessing the talent and momentum to challenge football's traditional powers.
For Iran's team, the FIFA World Cup has been marred by fraught politics at home, the war with the US, and tensions over whether they would actually be able to set foot on US soil to play their games.
India's U17 football team is set to compete in the AFC U17 Asian Cup, starting with a challenging match against Australia. Coach Bibiano Fernandes emphasises the importance of staying organised and focused throughout the tournament.
India U17 team will look to bounce back from their defeat against Australia as they face Uzbekistan in their final Group D match of the AFC U17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026 campaign.
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup just weeks away, uncertainty over India's broadcast rights continues amid legal intervention and concerns over free-to-air access for football fans.
Bibiano Fernandes has announced the 23-member Indian squad for the AFC U-17 Asian Cup, set to begin in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on May 5. The team is currently in Doha for friendly matches before heading to Jeddah.
The Indian Under-20 men's team has been drawn into Group B alongside Uzbekistan, Syria, and Bangladesh for the AFC U-20 Asian Cup China 2027 Qualifiers, scheduled to take place in Tashkent from August 25 to September 6.
Ronald Koeman says the Netherlands have the quality to beat any team at the World Cup despite not being favourites, while injury concerns linger over Jurrien Timber and Memphis Depay.
India's football faces a setback as it receives only one play-off slot for the 2027-28 AFC Challenge League, the third tier of Asia's club structure, due to administrative issues and declining performance.
With less than a month to go, football fans have all fingers -- and toes -- crossed, notes Kanika Datta.
India is the only significant power that all parties trust, or at least do not distrust, notes former defence secretary Ajay Kumar.
India's Under-17 AFC Asian Cup campaign began with a 0-4 defeat to Australia, highlighting defensive vulnerabilities and missed opportunities.
Arsenal take on defending champions PSG in the Champions League final as Mikel Arteta's revitalised side chase their first European crown and look to complete a remarkable resurgence.
Guillermo Ochoa said he has entered his final Mexico training camp as the veteran goalkeeper closes in on a historic sixth FIFA World Cup appearance in 2026.
The official 26-man squads for FIFA World Cup 2026.
With Carlos Alcaraz out, the French Open men's singles draw is wide open. Clay-court specialists and rising stars are vying for the title at Roland Garros.
The Indian U17 men's football team lost 1-5 to the United Arab Emirates in a friendly match in Thailand.
India's Abhay Singh lost a thrilling quarterfinal match to Egypt's Karim Gawad at the Grasshopper Cup squash tournament in Zurich.
Millions of soccer fans in the world's two most populous nations may not be able to watch the World Cup that starts next month, due to a deadlock over broadcast rights in India and no official decision in China.
AFC relocates four postponed Asian Champions League Elite last-16 ties to Jeddah as single-leg matches amid Middle East tensions.
Frenchman Arthur Fils continued his run of good form since returning from an eight-month injury layoff as he overpowered Russia's higher-ranked Andrey Rublev 6-2, 7-6(2) to win the Barcelona Open, clinching his first title since 2024.
The Finalissima match between Spain and Argentina in Doha is in doubt after the Qatar Football Association suspended soccer tournaments indefinitely following U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran and retaliatory missiles fired at the Arabian Peninsula.
Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has been stranded in Qatar for over a week due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, impacting flights and travel across the region.
Italy crash out of World Cup qualification for the third straight time, losing to Bosnia on penalties, sparking outrage and calls for sweeping changes.
The escalating conflict involving the U.S. and Israel with Iran has led to widespread disruption in the world of sports, with events postponed, travel plans thrown into chaos, and athletes seeking asylum.
Italy's World Cup drought continues after a playoff loss to Bosnia, while the Czech Republic and Sweden secured their spots in the tournament with dramatic victories over Denmark and Poland, respectively.
India went down fighting 1-2 to Qatar in their second Group H encounter of the AFC Under-23 Asian Cup qualifiers, at the Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium in Doha, Qatar, on Saturday.
The final teams have qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Find out which teams have qualified and their group stage assignments.
'Was the five-day pause ever meant to hold, or was it simply another instrument of signaling, of positioning, of buying time in a war where even the pauses are tactical?' asks Prem Panicker in his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
Iran's participation in this year's World Cup has been called into question after co-hosts the United States launched joint air strikes at the country along with Israel at the weekend.
Afghanistan unit will be heading into the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka with hopes of replicating their historic performance during the 2024 edition
When everyone has footage and no one can verify it, the loudest voice wins, notes Prem Panicker who begins a daily blog on the War in the Middle East.
