Page 20 - Sports News

FIFA World Cup: Belgium's 'Golden Generation' off to underwhelming start

Seeking to avoid a repeat of its early World Cup exit in 2022, Belgium got off to an unimpressive start. Romelu Lukaku entered in the 66th minute against Egypt on Monday and the veteran striker immediately created a scoring chance that led to an equalizing own goal, but that was all Belgium could manage in a 1-1 draw. "No game's an easy game in the World Cup," coach Rudi Garcia said in French. Perhaps not, but Belgium was expected to handle an Egypt squad that has never won a World Cup game. Instead, the Red Devils were outmaneuvered in the first half, with the speed of Egypt's younger players making the Pharaohs the aggressors. "We know that we had a bad start in the match," captain Youri Tielemans said. Now the question becomes whether Belgium can make one last World Cup run with the remaining veterans from its "Golden Generation" of stars - including the 33-year-old Lukaku and two 34-year-olds in midfielder Kevin De Bruyne and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. Belgium held the top

Fifa World Cup: Iran say they were denied recovery time, ordered out of US

Iran coach described his side as "perhaps the most oppressed team at the World Cup" after players were denied recovery time and ordered to leave the US immediately following their 2-2 draw with NZ

Mexico-South Africa Fifa World Cup opener sets US English viewership record

The World Cup game between host Mexico and South Africa drew 7.1 million viewers, making it the most-watched opening match for an English-language broadcast in the United States. Mexico's 2-0 win on Thursday on Fox, Fox One and Tubi also was the most-watched English-language broadcast in any World Cup group-stage match not involving the U.S., Fox announced Monday. The previous high was in 2022, when 2.8 million viewers watched host Qatar play Ecuador. The Americans' 4-1 win over Paraguay also set an English-language U.S. record, drawing 15.9 million viewers, more than double the previous record of 7.7 million in 2022. The match had a peak audience of 18.8 million from 10:45 p.m.-11 p.m. Eastern. It also was the most-streamed English-language match for the U.S. team at 1.1 million viewers. The Mexico-South Africa match had a peak of 9.1 million viewers.

The Vozinha's story: Cape Verde's goalie who kept Spanish strikers at bay

As the final whistle blew, Vozinha broke down in tears. For Cape Verde, it was a historic World Cup arrival; for the 40-year-old keeper, the reward for a lifetime of struggle.

Odisha plans Sports Valley, stadiums in every block under ₹5,000-cr push

The state government will invest more than ₹5,000 crore in sports infrastructure, including a mega Sports Valley near Bhubaneswar and stadiums across all 314 blocks

Fifa World Cup 2026: Ayari double fires Sweden to 5-1 win over Tunisia

Yasin Ayari scored twice and Sweden showed it belonged at the 2026 World Cup, pounding Tunisia 5-1 to move atop Group F. Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres each had a goal and an assist, and Mattias Svanberg also scored for Sweden, which entered ranked 39th in the world and missed the 2022 World Cup after reaching the quarterfinals eight years ago in Russia. Omar Rekik scored for 45th-ranked Tunisia, which is playing in its seventh World Cup but has never advanced beyond the group stage. The higher-ranked teams in the group, the Netherlands and Japan, played to a 2-2 draw earlier Sunday at Arlington, Texas. Ayari bookended the scoring for the Swedes at Estadio BBVA with long-range goals in the seventh minute and in second-half stoppage time. He was muted in his celebration of the first goal, raising his hands out of respect for the country where his father was born. Isak scored his 18th international goal in the 30th minute when Gyokeres found the Liverpool striker - who was sidel

Fifa World Cup 2026 faces new controversy as referee gesture sparks outrage

Referee Shaun Evans faces scrutiny after anti-discrimination campaigners accused him of making a hand gesture linked to white supremacist groups during Germany's World Cup match vs Curacao in Houston

UEFA head Ceferin faces criticism over Fifa World Cup expansion remarks

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin was criticised Sunday by soccer governing bodies in Asia, Africa and the Caribbean for allegedly saying the expanded 48-team World Cup creates uninteresting matches. The associations of Cape Verde, Congo, Curacao, Haiti, Jordan and Uzbekistan issued a joint statement they said was in solidarity with the federations of Algeria, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia. "Football does not belong to a select group of nations. Its strength comes from its universality," the statement said. "For many countries, participation in the FIFA World Cup is not only a sporting achievement. It is a moment that inspires a generation, accelerates football development and creates memories that last a lifetime." The statement didn't cite the comment by Ceferin. He was quoted by the Slovenian websites Zurnal 24 and Dosi as remarking on the subject last Monday at a conference in Ljubljana. "We have a huge number of matches that are complete

Dhiraj's road to archery World Cup double gold built on family sacrifice

Two years ago, Dhiraj Bommadevara walked away from Paris heartbroken after narrowly missing what would have been India's first Olympic archery medal. Leading 2-0 in the recurve mixed team semifinal alongside Ankita Bhakat, Dhiraj watched the match slip away against South Korea's Kim Woojin and Lim Sihyeon. But in Antalya on Sunday, Dhiraj stood atop the podium twice after scripting one of the finest days in Indian archery. The 24-year-old defeated arch-nemesis South Korea twice en route to a historic double gold haul at the Archery World Cup Stage 3 -- first in the recurve mixed team event alongside 17-year-old Kumkum Mohod and then individually against Paris Olympics bronze medallist Lee Woo Seok. Never before had the country won two gold medals at a World Cup stage, overcoming South Korea. The journey ========= For Dhiraj, however, this triumph was about something far more personal. It was the reward for his father's unusual decision to become an archery judge to support him

Australia edge Bangladesh with 1-wicket win in 3rd ODI to avoid sweep

Opener Cooper Connoly hit his maiden century as Australia overcame a six-wicket haul by pacer Shoriful Islam for a hard-fought one-wicket victory against Bangladesh in the third cricket one-day international to avoid a clean sweep on Sunday. The hosts won the first match by 86 runs and the second game by five wickets, both on the DLS method, to register their first ODI series victory against Australia. Chasing a target of 275, Connolly batted resolutely to hit 149 off 134 balls as Australia appeared set for a victory with ease. Connolly struck 13 fours and six sixes, including three sixes in a row against pacer Taskin Ahmed in the 45th over, an over in which he scored 21 runs to leave the side needing just 9 runs off 30 balls. Shoriful returned for his last spell and took three wickets in two overs to finish with a career-best 6-48, briefly raising the prospect of a Bangladesh victory. But Connolly anchored the innings throughout to bail the side out against a vaunted Bangladesh .

India stun Olympic champions Korea twice for historic World Cup double

A fearless new generation of Indian recurve archers announced its arrival in style on Sunday as India defeated archery powerhouse South Korea twice in a single day to secure a historic double gold haul at the Archery World Cup Stage 3 here. Paris Olympian Dhiraj Bommadevara emerged the star of the campaign, first combining with 17-year-old Kumkum Mohod to stun the Olympic champions in the recurve mixed team final before overcoming Paris Olympics bronze medallist Lee Woo Seok to clinch his maiden individual World Cup gold. It was the first time India had won two gold medals at a single World Cup stage by defeating South Korea, long considered their nemesis in recurve archery. The performance helped India finish second in medals tally behind China (three gold, one bronze), while Korea were pushed to fourth spot (1-2-1). Mexico were third. The twin triumphs also underlined India's new-found resurgence in the recurve section, where has now beaten the Koreans twice in successive World .

Diallo scores in 90th minute to lift Ivory Coast past Ecuador 1-0 in WC

Amad Diallo scored in the 90th minute to lift Ivory Coast to a 1-0 victory over Ecuador in its first World Cup appearance in a dozen years. The teams combined to hit the crossbar three times before the Manchester United winger - who entered as a substitute in the 56th minute - broke through with a left-footed shot from just inside the penalty area that beat diving goalkeeper Hernan Galindez. Wilfried Singo set up the goal with a strong run down the right side. Making its fourth appearance in the World Cup and first since 2014, Ivory Coast took a step toward reaching the knockout stage for the first time. Ecuador saw its 19-game unbeaten streak end with its first loss since a 1-0 decision against Brazil on Sept. 6, 2024. Elye Wahi hit the crossbar in the 52nd minute for Ivory Coast after Ecuador's John Yeboah and Nilson Angulo did the same in the opening half. Ecuador, making its fifth World Cup appearance and looking to reach the knockout round for the second time, was playing a ..

Fifa World Cup 2026: Germany begin WC quest; Curacao make historic debut

Germany, four-time world champions, begin their campaign against World Cup debutants Curaçao, a Caribbean island of just 158,000 people and the smallest nation ever to reach football's biggest stage

India's Sports Passport: What it'll mean for football, Olympics and beyond

While discussions around overseas-origin athletes have existed for years, particularly in football, this is perhaps the first time the idea has been explored as part of a wider sports strategy.

Fifa WC 2026: Hwang inspires Korea comeback as Czechs wilt in Group A match

The result leaves the Koreans level on points with co-hosts Mexico, who defeated South Africa 2-0 in the tournament opener earlier in the day.

Rs 799 to watch Fifa World Cup on Zee5: Five things fans must know

Zee5 has introduced two dedicated subscription plans for the Fifa World Cup 2026: a quarterly Fifa World Cup 2026 + All Access pack priced at Rs 799 and an annual version costing Rs 1,699.

Six in 10 Indians plan to watch Fifa World Cup 2026: Ipsos survey

According to the Ipsos survey, 59 per cent of Indians plan to follow the Fifa World Cup 2026, placing India among the world's most engaged markets. Argentina leads global interest at 79 per cent.

Fifa's biggest payday: The economics behind Football World Cup 2026

More recent projections suggest FIFA's total revenue for the 2023-26 commercial cycle could reach $13 billion, with nearly $8.9 billion - or about two-thirds of the total - expected to come from the 2

Fifa World Cup 2026 begins in Mexico today amid growing controversies

Football World Cup 2026 opening ceremony is scheduled to begin at 10.30 pm IST today, while the opening match between Mexico and South Africa will start at 12.30 am IST on Friday.

FIFA World Cup: The beautiful game meets ugly realities before kick-off

Referees deported, players detained and fans denied entry - Football World Cup 2026 is already mired in controversies that have little to do with football.