England manager Thomas Tuchel believes they are in good shape heading into the FIFA World Cup and can "dare to dream" about lifting the trophy.
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.
England begin their World Cup campaign against Croatia in Arlington, Texas on Wednesday, a heavyweight Group L opener that could set the tone for both teams' tournament ambitions.
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.
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu was defeated by world No. 1 An Se Young at the Indonesia Open, marking her tenth consecutive loss to the Korean. Meanwhile, the Indian men's doubles pair of Hariharan Amsakarunan and MR Arjun caused a significant upset, advancing to their first-ever BWF World Tour Super 1000 quarterfinals.
Thomas Cup final: India vs Indonesia
Germany's 2-1 defeat to Ecuador in the World Cup knockout stage sparked a disagreement between coach Julian Nagelsmann and players Joshua Kimmich and Deniz Undav. While the players felt Ecuador 'wanted it more', Nagelsmann strongly rejected this assessment, urging the team to learn and improve for their next match.
India had won the mixed team gold at 2018 CWG for the first time and Chirag feels they can repeat the performance this year too.
The challenge for manager Thomas Tuchel has a tough task in a tricky group with Croatia, Ghana and Panama, while ensuring reliance on Harry Kane does not become over-dependence by encouraging tactical flexibility.
US president Donald Trump in recent weeks has renewed threats to make Canada the 51st US state, and said he might not renew the trilateral trade agreement between the US, Canada and Mexico -- the co-hosts of this year's World Cup.
Germany secured a spot in the World Cup knockout stage after a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory against Ivory Coast.
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.
England manager Thomas Tuchel praised his side's "pure mentality and heart" after the 10-man Three Lions survived a thrilling 3-2 win over Mexico at the Azteca Stadium to book a FIFA World Cup quarter-final against Norway.
Argentina staged a dramatic comeback, scoring two late goals to defeat England 2-1 in the World Cup semi-final, with Lionel Messi orchestrating the turnaround after England had taken the lead.
Former Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp has apologised to Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann for a comment regarding the team's lineup ahead of their 7-1 World Cup Group E opening victory over Curacao on Sunday after it triggered a furore back home.
Lionel Messi is aiming for the Golden Boot and a record third Golden Ball at the World Cup final against Spain.
England midfielder Jordan Henderson has publicly defended teammate Jude Bellingham, highlighting his crucial role and 'X-factor' for the team despite media scrutiny. Henderson also discussed his own controversial selection for his fourth World Cup and the challenge of facing Luka Modric.
France and England, reeling from World Cup semi-final defeats, will compete in the third-place playoff. The match marks Didier Deschamps' final game as France coach and offers Kylian Mbappe a chance to pursue the Golden Boot and the tournament's all-time scoring record. Both teams are expected to rotate their squads.
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.
Harry Kane struck twice while Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford delivered the knockout blows as England survived a back-and-forth battle to beat Croatia 4-2 on Wednesday and launch their World Cup campaign in a heavyweight clash that lived up to its billing.
'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.'
Harry Maguire was left shocked after being omitted from England's World Cup squad by Thomas Tuchel, while Phil Foden and Cole Palmer were also reportedly dropped ahead of Friday's announcement.
Defending champions India's hopes of entering the Thomas Cup knockout stage as group topper were dashed by a clinical Indonesia who emerged 4-1 winners in their final pool match in Chengdu on Wednesday.
Ajay Jayaram led India to a 5-0 whitewash of hosts Macau in the Thomas Cup, but it was a losing start for the Indian women's team, which lost 2-3 to Malaysia, in the Uber Cup Asia Zone tournament on Tuesday.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Pan American Health Organization and the World Health Organization have all described the risk of Ebola to World Cup host countries as low, citing measles, COVID-19 and influenza -- which spread when large crowds gather -- as the most likely threats.
The celebration of this historic feat was not yet over when Indian shuttlers scripted yet another jaw-dropping show in Birmingham, returning with six medals, including three golds, a silver and two bronze medals in August.
Former India coach Stephen Constantine shares his views on Lionel Messi, ranking him below Pele, Maradona, and Ronaldinho due to his reliance on teammates for defensive work. He also predicts Spain will win the upcoming final against Argentina, despite acknowledging Argentina's experience and Messi's match-winning ability. Constantine further discusses England's semi-final exit and criticises hydration breaks and refereeing controversies.
'You can't just have one single player who is individually doing well and be able to win the World Championship or the Olympics.' 'In the Thomas Cup, you need a group of players performing at the same time at their highest level.' 'So that shows how difficult it is, and what a great achievement that is for a country like India to be able to win it.'
England manager Thomas Tuchel made several bold selection calls for the World Cup, leaving out Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and Harry Maguire while recalling Ivan Toney and backing a new-look squad built on chemistry and trust.
Lionel Messi's Argentina take on Jude Bellingham's England in a blockbuster FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final, reviving one of football's greatest rivalries with a place in the final on the line.
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.
Jude Bellingham's stellar performance, including a goal and an assist for Harry Kane, propelled England to a 2-0 victory over Panama. This win secured England's top position in Group L of the World Cup, allowing them to avoid a difficult knockout phase route. The match saw England dominate possession and overcome a flat first half, with Kane also breaking Gary Lineker's World Cup goal record for England.
Indian badminton team created history on Sunday as they lifted the Thomas Cup trophy for the very first time.
Tokyo Olympian B Sai Praneeth will lock horns with Japan's Koki Watanabe, while Sourabh Verma faces France's Toma Junior Popov.
DR Congo coach Sebastien Desabre expressed pride in his team's performance at the World Cup, despite their exit after a close match against England.
Belgium's dressing room erupted in celebration after their dramatic 3-2 comeback win over Senegal, with match-winner Youri Tielemans leading the festivities.
Alexis MacAllister has puts Argentina ahead in the10th minute.
Defending champions India sailed to the knockout stage of the Thomas Cup with a 5-0 rout of England.
Becomes youngest England player to score a goal and assist in a World Cup match
The official 26-man squads for FIFA World Cup 2026.
