Sports

FIFA is in discussions with national associations to increase prize money for all 48 teams participating in the 2026 World Cup, football’s global governing body said on Sunday. The proposal must be approved at Tuesday’s FIFA Council meeting being held ahead of the 76th FIFA Congress in Vancouver. In December, FIFA said prize money for this year’s World Cup would ...

Eberechi Eze fired Arsenal back to the top of the Premier League on Saturday as relegation-threatened Tottenham won for the first time in 2026 to give themselves renewed hope. The Gunners were nine points clear of Manchester City just two weeks ago before defeats against Bournemouth and City allowed their rivals to edge ahead of them. Saturday’s home game against ...

Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes expressed hope that he and his teammates can help crown Cristiano Ronaldo’s international career by winning the 2026 World Cup. The 41-year-old Ronaldo is set to appear in a record sixth World Cup in June, a tournament expected to be the final major chapter of the forward’s career. “Wrapping up all this last World Cup with ...

Italian authorities have firmly dismissed a proposal that Italy could take Iran’s place in the upcoming FIFA World Cup, calling the idea both unfeasible and inappropriate. Officials in Italy responded after Paolo Zampolli reportedly suggested to Donald Trump and Gianni Infantino that Italy could step in if Iran withdrew from the tournament. Zampolli described the idea as a contingency plan ...

Bangladesh women’s kabaddi team got off to a winning start in the Asian Beach Games, registering an easy 51-34 victory over Thailand in their opening match in Sanya, China today. Placed in Group B alongside Thailand, Chinese Taipei and Nepal, Bangladesh dominated the first half, taking a comfortable 26-16 lead as the women in red and green impressed with their ...

Mitchell Marsh is trying to put a disappointing Twenty20 World Cup campaign behind him, but the Australian all-rounder concedes he has yet to hit his stride in the ​Indian Premier League with the Lucknow Super Giants in urgent need of some ‌inspiration. Marsh delivered a stellar performance in the IPL last year, scoring 627 runs at an average of 48.23, ...

Real Madrid have been crowned European champions at youth level after defeating Club Brugge in the UEFA Youth League final on Monday. Madrid won 4-2 in a penalty shootout after the match ended 1-1 in regulation time at the Stade de la Tuiliere in Lausanne, Switzerland. Goalkeeper Javier Navarro played a decisive role in the shootout, saving penalties from Naim ...

Leandro Paredes converted a first-half penalty to hand Boca Juniors a 1-0 away win over River Plate in Sunday’s Argentine Superclasico, snapping their ‌bitter rivals’ nine-match unbeaten run across all competitions. It also marked River’s first defeat under coach Eduardo Coudet, leaving them second in Group B of the Apertura standings on 26 points, while Boca Juniors climbed to ⁠third ...

Virgil van Dijk scored a last-gasp winner against Everton on Sunday as Liverpool strengthened their push for a Champions League spot next season ahead of a Premier League summit meeting between Manchester City and Arsenal. On a pivotal day in the English top division, fourth-placed Aston Villa squandered a two-goal lead against Sunderland but scored in stoppage time to win ...

Pakistan has announced a 16-member Test squad for the upcoming two-match series against Bangladesh, scheduled to begin in Dhaka on May 8, featuring four uncapped players and a new red-ball coaching setup. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) included Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Azan Awais and Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, all set to make their Test debuts. Fazal is a left-handed opener with ...