Think chocolate is just for eating? Think again. Chocolate is also all about competitions too and breaking records.
Brazil secured their spot in the World Cup knockout stages with a dominant 3-0 victory over Scotland. Vinicius Jr scored twice, continuing his impressive form, while Neymar made his much-anticipated return to the national team after nearly three years. The win saw Brazil top Group C, with Matheus Cunha also contributing a goal. Scotland's hopes now rest on qualifying as one of the best third-placed teams.
Germany gave debutants Curacao a reality check, as the former champions won 7-1 to kick-start their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with a big win.
Iran face an anxious wait to see if they will progress to the World Cup knockout stage after they came from behind to hold Egypt to a 1-1 draw.
Inspired by Lamine Yamal, Spain strolled to a 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia in Group H on Sunday, where Mikel Oyarzabal restored his reputation with two goals and Luis de la Fuente's side found their groove after an underwhelming World Cup opener.
Five Indian boxers have secured podium finishes at the World Boxing Futures Cup in Bangkok, with Gunjan, Joyshree Devi, Ambekar Meetei, Chandrika Pujari, and Radhamani Longjam all advancing to the semi-finals.
Harry Kane scored twice, including a 75th-minute equaliser and a late winner against DR Congo, to guide England into the last 16 with their first World Cup comeback victory since 1990.
Nikhat Zareen, Priya, and Preeti Pawar have qualified for the semi-finals of the Asian Boxing Championships, guaranteeing India at least three medals.
Former India captain Mithali Raj has expressed concerns over the Indian women's cricket team's bowling department, citing a lack of "role clarity" ahead of crucial ICC Women's T20 World Cup matches. She believes bowling is India's weakest link, especially with Shreyanka Patil's injury and an out-of-form seam attack, while praising the batting strength led by Smriti Mandhana and Richa Ghosh.
Scotland defeated Haiti 1-0 in a World Cup Group C match, with John McGinn scoring the winning goal. This victory marks Scotland's first win in the tournament since 1990, placing them at the top of their group. Haiti, despite their pace, lacked the finishing touch.
Canada striker Cyle Larin came off the bench to grab a 1-1 draw for his side against Bosnia and Herzegovina in a frenetic Group B opener on Friday that long looked like it would end in defeat for the World Cup co-hosts.
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.
Despite the World Cup returning to their country for the first time in four decades, many in Mexico said they feel excluded, priced out of stadiums, forced to pay for expensive TV subscriptions and constrained by strict licensing rules.
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.
Julian Quinones gave hosts Mexico a dream start as he scored in the ninth minute in the FIFA World Cup 2026 opening match against South Africa.
Austria made a winning return to the World Cup after 28 years, defeating debutants Jordan 3-1 in a Group J opener. The victory was secured with a second-half own goal and a late penalty, following a tense match where Austria initially led, was equalised, and had a goal disallowed by VAR.
South Africa scored a penalty seven minutes from fulltime as they fought back to draw 1-1 with the Czechia at the World Cup on Thursday after falling behind early in the Group A clash.
Qatar celebrated their first World Cup point after a late own goal forced a 1-1 draw against Switzerland and sent the Gulf nation into jubilation on Saturday.
Brazil and Morocco played to a 1-1 draw in their World Cup Group C opening match. Morocco took an early lead through Ismael Saibari, but Vinicius Jr's brilliant goal brought Brazil level before halftime. Despite Brazil's second-half improvements, Morocco's strong defence held them to a point.
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.
Mexico defeated Ghana 2-0 in a World Cup warm-up match in Puebla, showcasing their form ahead of the tournament.
Indian boxer Preeti Pawar advances to the final of the Asian Boxing Championships, while Nikhat Zareen and Lovlina Borgohain are eliminated in the semi-finals.
India is sending a strong contingent of U-19 and U-23 boxers, including Asian Champion Vishvanath Suresh and World Boxing Futures Cup gold medallist Chandrika Bhoresh Pujari, to the Asian Boxing Championships in Jakarta. The championships will provide a crucial platform for young Indian talent to compete against the best in Asia.
Hitesh beats former world champion Okazawa, Indian boxers continue to dominate at World Cup Finals
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.
Mexico secured a narrow 1-0 victory over South Korea in a Group A football match in Guadalajara. Luis Romo scored the decisive goal following a goalkeeping error, and Mexico's defence, backed by goalkeeper Ral Rangel's late saves, held firm against South Korean pressure.
India's impressive run in the AFC Women's U17 Asian Cup concluded with a 3-0 defeat against China in the quarter-finals, ending their hopes for a historic qualification for the 2026 FIFA U17 Women's World Cup.
Six-time world champion and Olympic bronze-medallist M C Mary Kom believes Indian pugilists will secure a 'reasonably good medal haul' at the Commonwealth Games, though gold might be elusive, while expressing less certainty for the Asian Games. She also criticised the Boxing Federation of India's functioning and selection policies.
The year began on an unusually dull note with boxers absent from most international competition in the aftermath of a medal-less Olympic campaign.
Divya Deshmukh has embraced the 'confession box' at Norway Chess, highlighting its potential to enhance player clarity and viewer engagement, despite its slow adoption among Indian grandmasters.
Lionel Messi's Argentina celebrate after their come-from-behind win over England in the FIFA World Cup semi-final on Wednesday.
Following his earlier stint with India, he most recently served as National Head Coach and Technical Lead of Boxing Australia's High Performance Unit.
Two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen faced a surprising defeat at the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games trials, coinciding with widespread support among boxers for the reinstatement of the trial-based selection system.
Smriti Mandhana is more suited to lead India in the longer formats after Harmanpreet Kaur's tenure ends while the much younger Shafali Varma can be handed the reins of the T20 side following another pre-mature exit from the World Cup, former captain legendary Mithali Raj said.
India captain Suryakumar Yadav said his team has ticked almost all the boxes in the group stage, expressing satisfaction with the collective batting effort as it heads into the Super Eights of the T20 World Cup.
A new book, "Heroes: The Changemakers of Indian Sports" by journalist-author Thirumoy Banerjee, chronicles the inspiring journeys of 15 Indian athletes, including Manu Bhaker, C A Bhavani Devi, Nikhat Zareen, Aman Kumar Kadyan, and Sumit Antil. It highlights their determination, resilience, and triumphs over setbacks, offering insights into their paths to success and celebrating their unwavering spirit.
Preeti shocks world champion Huang; Arundhati, Parveen shine on international return
Indian boxers, including Asian champion Vishvanath Suresh, Ganga, Hitesh, and Tanu, delivered strong performances on day 2 of the U-23 Asian Boxing Championships in Jakarta, securing unanimous decision victories. Sagar Jakhar faced a setback with a disqualification.
The 23-year-old Jamwal registered a comprehensive unanimous decision victory over Assam's Shiva, underlining his emergence from the shadow of his senior compatriot.
Nikhat, Jaismine and four other Indian boxers march into finals
