Sports

Spain produced one of the standout performances of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Tuesday, defeating tournament favourites France 2-0 to book their place in the final and end Les Bleus' bid for a third world title. The European champions delivered a disciplined and clinical display at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, with goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro securing a memorable victory. Spain will now face the winner of the second semi-final between Argentina and England in Sunday's World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. France entered the match as favourites after an impressive run through the tournament, powered by an attacking quartet featuring captain Kylian Mbappé, Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembélé, Bradley Barcola and Michael Olise. However, Spain's midfield...

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner cemented his dominance in men's tennis by successfully defending his Wimbledon title, defeating Alexander Zverev in a gripping four-set final on Centre Court on Sunday. The Italian battled back after dropping the opening set to secure a 6-7 (7/9), 7-6 (7/2), 6-3, 6-4 victory in a contest lasting three hours and 46 minutes. The triumph marks Sinner's fifth Grand Slam title and his second consecutive Wimbledon championship, further strengthening his position at the top of the ATP rankings. The 24-year-old also celebrated his 100th career match win at Grand Slam tournaments, underlining his growing reputation as one of the sport's most consistent performers on the biggest stage. After losing a closely contested first-set tiebreak, Sinner remained composed and g...

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has said the governing body is prepared to consider expanding the FIFA World Cup from 48 to 64 teams in the future, insisting that every nation should have the opportunity to dream of playing on football's biggest stage. Speaking in an interview with Swiss broadcaster Blue Sport, Infantino said the proposal for a 64-team World Cup will be discussed by FIFA's relevant committees after the 2026 tournament, which is the first edition to feature an expanded 48-team format. "The World Cup is not only for Europe and South America—it belongs to the whole world," Infantino said, adding that every country should be given the chance to aspire to qualify for football's premier competition. He argued that the overall standard of football continues to improve ac...

England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has announced that Brendon McCullum will step down as head coach of England's Test team after completing his four-year tenure, while continuing to lead the country's white-ball (ODI and T20I) sides. The decision marks the end of the influential "Bazball" era that reshaped England's approach to Test cricket. According to the ECB, McCullum's four-year stint as Test head coach has come to an end, prompting the board to appoint new leadership for the red-ball side ahead of future challenges, including preparations for the next Ashes series. ECB Chief Executive Richard Gould praised McCullum for transforming England's Test team and delivering several memorable victories, but said the time was right for a fresh direction. McCullum said he was immensely...

Argentina and England booked the final two spots in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-finals after overcoming Switzerland and Norway in the last quarter-final matches, setting up two heavyweight clashes in the tournament's final four. Defending champions Argentina defeated Switzerland 3-1 in an impressive display to keep their title defence alive. The reigning world champions will now take on England in one of the most anticipated semi-finals of the tournament. England secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Norway, with Jude Bellingham scoring both goals to send the Three Lions into the World Cup semi-finals for the fourth time in their history. Norway's only goal came in the 36th minute, but it was not enough to prevent England from advancing. England previously reached the FIFA World...

England continued their dominance over India, securing a comprehensive victory in the fourth T20I in Bristol to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series. After winning the toss, India opted to bat first but struggled against England's disciplined bowling attack. Apart from captain Shreyas Iyer, no Indian batter managed to make a significant impact. India posted 158/7 in their allotted 20 overs, with Iyer producing a fighting knock of 80 off 49 balls. For England, Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue claimed two wickets each to keep the visitors under pressure throughout the innings. Chasing 159, England made light work of the target, racing to victory in just 14 overs after losing only one wicket. Phil Salt smashed 59, while Harry Brook remained the standout performer with a...

France became the first team to qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-finals after defeating Morocco 2-0 in the tournament's opening quarter-final at Boston Stadium. After a goalless first half, France broke the deadlock in the second half with two quick goals. Captain Kylian Mbappé opened the scoring in the 60th minute, while Ousmane Dembélé doubled the lead six minutes later to seal a comfortable victory. France dominated possession and created several chances throughout the match. Mbappé was awarded a penalty in the first half after being brought down inside the box, but Morocco goalkeeper made an excellent save to deny the French captain. The second half saw relentless pressure from France, which finally paid off when Mbappé found the net before Dembélé added a superb secon...

Defending champions Argentina produced a dramatic second-half comeback to defeat Egypt 3-2 in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16, overturning a two-goal deficit to book their place in the quarter-finals. The thrilling knockout clash, played in Atlanta, United States, saw Lionel Messi inspire Argentina after a difficult first half in which Egypt looked on course for one of the biggest upsets of the tournament. Egypt took the lead through Yasser Ibrahim before Argentina was handed a golden opportunity to equalize from the penalty spot. However, captain Lionel Messi failed to convert as Egyptian goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir made a superb save to preserve his side's advantage. Egypt thought they had doubled their lead through Mostafa Ziko, but the effort was ruled out for a foul follow...

Cristiano Ronaldo's dream of winning the FIFA World Cup has officially come to an end after Portugal suffered a dramatic 1-0 defeat to Spain in the Round of 16, with the football icon confirming that this was the last World Cup of his legendary career. Spain sealed victory in stoppage time through a decisive goal from Mikel Merino, leaving Ronaldo in tears as he walked off the pitch following Portugal's elimination. Speaking to reporters after the match, the 41-year-old admitted the defeat was heartbreaking. "I'm sad that my World Cup ended this way. I gave everything I had and tried my absolute best. I leave with a clear conscience. Football is like life—you experience both victories and defeats." When asked about his future, Ronaldo confirmed that the tournament marked his ...

A major controversy has erupted in world football after the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) strongly criticized FIFA's decision to suspend the automatic one-match ban of United States striker Folarin Balogun, a move reportedly made after US President Donald Trump intervened. UEFA described FIFA's decision as "crossing a red line," warning that political interference threatens the integrity and credibility of football. In a strongly worded statement, UEFA said that an automatic suspension following a red card is not an optional disciplinary measure but a fundamental rule clearly established in football regulations. "The automatic one-match suspension after a red card requires no discretionary decision by any authority. It is a basic principle of the Laws of the Game...