There is a renewed sense of urgency among IPL authorities  to clamp down on the use of cutting-edge technology, seemingly in an effort to counter betting and match-fixing in the world’s richest league. With only two matches to go for the 2026 edition (qualifier 2 and final), a media report says the league's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) has issued a fresh advisory to players and support staff warning against the use of smart glasses, sunglasses and goggles equipped with communication and recording technology inside restricted areas on match days.

Under the new guidelines, players and support staff must hand over any smart glasses to the security liaison officer (SLO) when they arrive at the venue. These devices must be deposited along with mobile phones, smartwatches and any other communication-capable gadgets before entering restricted team areas. Anyone found carrying or using smart glasses — such as Ray-Ban Meta or Oakley — inside the PMOA (player and match officials area) will be held to be in violation of tournament protocols.

The board has also warned that failure to deposit such devices could lead to disciplinary action and personal penalties under the IPL 2026 Minimum Standards regulations.

This comes in the wake of the BCCI cracking the whip earlier this month when IPL CEO Hemang Amin had a meeting with representatives of all 10 franchises to sensitise them about the presence of ‘unauthorised’ persons in the team bus, PMOA and hotels. ‘’A few franchises had shown laxity towards maintaining protocol and hence, we needed to revisit them,’’ BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said on that occasion.

An Indian Express report now says the ACSU, accountable for preventing spot-fixing and enforcing security protocols in the league, has informed the BCCI that several companies are actively marketing and selling smart eyewear products to players and team personnel participating in the IPL. ACSU flagged that these smart devices are capable of live-streaming, sending and receiving text messages and making audio and video calls using mobile data or Wi-Fi networks, raising concerns over unauthorised communication and potential misuse during matches.

Sources said the ACSU had specifically raised concerns about individuals attempting to loiter near dugouts and hospitality areas to initiate informal contact with players and support staff. Teams were advised to ensure that net bowlers, logistics staff, throwdown specialists and other temporary personnel remained within approved access protocols and did not carry unauthorised communication devices into sensitive areas.

The unit had also recently flagged concerns over vaping and smoking-related transgressions involving players and team members in and around restricted venues — with two high-profile offenders identified in Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag and Punjab Kings’ senior leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal.

Teams have been advised to minimise unnecessary movement around hotel perimeters and public access points, considered vulnerable from an anti-corruption surveillance perspective.

The IPL’s anti-corruption framework has evolved since the 2013 spot-fixing scandal that triggered sweeping reforms in player monitoring and tournament security. The ACSU has, over the years, expanded surveillance around team hotels, dressing rooms, practice venues and dugouts. It’s learnt that ahead of IPL 2026, players were repeatedly warned against accepting gifts, participating in undisclosed commercial engagements and engaging with unknown individuals through social media platforms or private events.

The manicured lawns of Mohun Bagan Club was teeming with members of Kolkata's footballing fraternity — players, media crew and admirers. Inside the tent of the historic club lay the mortal remains of Swapan Sadhan Bose, the club's long-serving former president popularly known as ‘Tutu’ Bose, as numerous VIPs — including new chief minister Suvendu Adhikari, politicians of all hues, and Sourav Ganguly — trooped in to pay their last respects.

Not the usual send-off reserved for a sports official even in this football-crazy city, but then the universal 'Tutu da' was no ordinary sports administrator. Kolkata has seen quite a few of this breed, including those who have wielded enormous clout in the cricket or football ecosystem of the country (Jagmohan Dalmiya, Biswanath Dutta), but Tutu was arguably the most colourful, with his appeal stretching across club loyalties to East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting fans as well.      

“It is with profound grief and deep sorrow that we inform you of the passing away of our very own Mohun Bagan Ratna Swapan Sadhan Bose. His immense contribution, unwavering dedication and lifelong service to Mohun Bagan Athletic Club will forever remain etched in our hearts,” read a Mohun Bagan AC Instagram post.

‘’His contribution to the club has been unparalleled. I have always shared a special relationship with him and the family,’’ remarked Ganguly, former India captain and now president of the Cricket Association of Bengal.

A local businessman and former Rajya Sabha member (2005-11) nominated by the Trinamool Congress, Tutu was admitted to a private hospital in Kolkata late on Monday, 11 May after he suffered a massive cardiac arrest, passing away on Tuesday.

Born on 23 January 1948 in Howrah, Tutu first got involved with Mohun Bagan in 1989-90 and was an integral part of the club in different administrative capacities all the way to April 2025, when he officially announced his retirement from all positions largely due to ill health.

He was secretary of the club from 1991-95 and then became president, a position he held until 2017. The long tenure saw Tutu mastermind a major policy change in the club's recruitment policy, which had until then desisted from signing up a single overseas footballer.

Famed Nigerian striker Chima Okorie was their first foreign professional in 1991, and Tutu's aggressive recruitment style saw the maroon-and-green mariners rope in I.M. Vijayan — one of India’s most gifted strikers — from Kerala Police, while Maidan folklore still talks about the way his team snatched the Krishanu Dey-Bikash Panji combination from archrivals East Bengal.

The emergence of the Indian Super League (ISL) and Mohun Bagan’s entry aided by the RP Sanjiv Goenka Group in 2014 ushered in the so-called era of corporatisation, which in a way also signalled the erosion of Tutu’s stature.

At the peak of his powers, Tutu’s famous pep talks to Mohun Bagan players ahead of the Kolkata derby against East Bengal was something which fired up the supporters as well. However, things will be different ahead of their clash in the Indian Super League on Sunday, 17 May, which could be a title-deciding one.

Go well, Tutu da. It will be difficult to get another one quite like you...

India’s recurve archers continued their remarkable resurgence on the global stage as Olympian Dhiraj Bommadevara and teenage prodigy Kumkum Mohod produced a fearless performance to upset Olympic champions South Korea and capture the recurve mixed team gold medal at the Archery World Cup Stage 3 in Antalya on Sunday.

The Indian pair defeated Kim Je-deok and Oh Ye-jin 5-1 (37-36, 37-36, 39-39) in a gripping final, displaying nerves of steel against one of the most decorated teams in world archery.

For 24-year-old Dhiraj and 17-year-old Kumkum, who is competing in her debut World Cup season, there was no sign of intimidation. Facing a Korean side featuring Tokyo Olympic gold medallist Kim Je-deok and Paris Olympics team gold medallist Oh Ye-jin, the Indians matched their illustrious opponents shot for shot before delivering under pressure when it mattered most.

The final began with India seizing the initiative after an uncharacteristic seven from Kim. Kumkum responded with a composed nine, while Dhiraj chipped in with an eight to keep India ahead. A dramatic score review later upgraded Kumkum’s opening arrow from nine to 10 while downgrading Kim’s first shot from nine to eight, handing India the opening set 37-36 and a 2-0 lead.

South Korea attempted to regroup in the second set, but India refused to yield. With the scores tied at 18 after the first two arrows, Kumkum produced another crucial nine, leaving Dhiraj needing a perfect 10 to secure the set. The Indian Army archer delivered in style, drilling the maximum score to seal another 37-36 win and extend India’s lead to 4-0.

With gold within touching distance, the pressure intensified in the third set. Korea came out firing, opening with two 10s, but Kumkum answered with a perfect 10 of her own while Dhiraj added a nine. Kim followed with another 10, but Oh dropped a point, leaving Korea on 39.

India needed flawless execution from their final two arrows. Kumkum rose to the occasion with a brilliant 10, and Dhiraj’s final arrow—initially scored as a nine—was upgraded to a 10 after review, securing a 39-39 tie and sealing the match 5-1.

The triumph marks the first World Cup mixed team gold medal for both archers. For Dhiraj, it was the completion of a long journey after mixed team bronze medals with Ankita Bhakat in 2024 and Bhajan Kaur in 2025. Kumkum, meanwhile, claimed her second consecutive World Cup gold after helping India’s women’s recurve team triumph in Shanghai last month.

That Shanghai victory had also featured a stunning upset of South Korea, the record 10-time Olympic champions, in the semifinals. In Antalya, India once again proved they are no longer underdogs but genuine contenders capable of challenging — and beating — the sport’s traditional powerhouse on the biggest stages.

With Dhiraj finishing the final with a perfect 10 and Kumkum once again thriving under pressure, India’s recurve revolution gathered further momentum, announcing a new era of confidence and belief in world archery.

With IANS inputs

The Delhi High Court has allowed celebrated wrestler Vinesh Phogat to participate in the upcoming Asian Games selection trials, holding that motherhood cannot become a ground for excluding female athletes and criticising the Wrestling Federation of India's (WFI) selection policy for failing to accommodate iconic sportspersons returning from maternity-related breaks.

A bench of Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia directed that Phogat be permitted to compete in the selection trials scheduled for 30 and 31 May. The court also ordered that the trials be video-recorded and monitored by independent observers nominated by the SAI (Sports Authority of India) and the IOA (Indian Olympic Association).

“The policy and the circular are clearly exclusionary in nature as it does not give any discretion to Respondent No.1 (WFI) to consider iconic players like the appellant in view of the sabbatical taken on account of her maternity leave,” the bench observed.

‘Motherhood cannot be a professional impediment’

In a significant observation on women's participation in sport, the court said pregnancy and post-partum recovery must be treated with institutional sensitivity and cannot become a basis for adverse treatment.

“Motherhood must be viewed as a natural and deeply significant aspect of life that deserves accommodation and institutional sensitivity,” the court said, adding that the law must ensure female athletes are not excluded or marginalised because of maternity-related circumstances.

The bench observed that any provision causing disadvantage to a woman on account of pregnancy or post-partum recovery would violate principles of equality and non-discrimination under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution.

It further noted that the physical challenges faced by women athletes during pregnancy and recovery are often inadequately recognised within sporting institutions.

Court criticises WFI's remarks

The High Court also took exception to remarks made by the WFI in a show-cause notice issued to Phogat on 9 May.

The federation had described her disqualification from the final of the 2024 Paris Olympics as a “national embarrassment”, a characterisation the court termed “deplorable”, “ex facie misconceived” and one that “ought to have been avoided”.

The bench observed that such remarks appeared vindictive and reflected mala fide intent on the part of the federation. It further noted that the grounds cited in the show-cause notice appeared to reopen issues that had already been settled.

Relief pending final decision

The order came on an appeal filed by Phogat against a 18 May decision of a single-judge bench that had declined to grant her immediate relief.

The High Court said that since the legality of the selection policy and show-cause notice remained under examination before the single judge, it was necessary to ensure that the proceedings did not become infructuous by preventing Phogat from participating in the trials.

The bench observed that, prima facie, the wrestler had established a strong case challenging the policy as arbitrary and discriminatory. It further noted that but for her maternity-related break and the show-cause notice, she would have been eligible to compete.

Challenge to selection policy

In her petition, Phogat challenged the WFI policy restricting participation in Asian Games trials to medal winners from specified tournaments. She argued that the qualification window substantially overlapped with her pregnancy and post-partum recovery period, effectively creating an inflexible and discriminatory barrier to participation.

Earlier this month, the WFI declared her ineligible to compete in domestic events until 26 June, citing anti-doping regulations requiring a six-month notice period for athletes returning from retirement. Despite that decision, Phogat appeared at the National Open Ranking Tournament in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh.

Phogat, one of India's most decorated wrestlers, was among the athletes who led protests in 2023 against alleged sexual harassment by former WFI president and BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) leader Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

She was also at the centre of one of the most dramatic moments of the 2024 Paris Olympics when she was disqualified from the women's 50-kg final after being found 100 grams overweight during the morning weigh-in.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 may have been branded as the ‘biggest’ of them all with 48 teams and a whopping 104 matches, but all are certainly not welcome. The rigid US visa rules — which saw a leading African referee on the panel being the latest to be denied entry — and the controversy over ticket distribution and pricing has left thousands of fans bitterly disappointed.

Close on the heels of the Iranian football team’s complaint of delays in receiving visas while its support staff, including the Iranian Football Federation chief, were denied entry came the news that FIFA had to drop Omar Artan — set to be the first Somalian referee in the showpiece — from the officials’ list.  Somalia is one of several countries on a travel ban list introduced by President Donald Trump’s administration.

In another shocking development, Iran complained on Tuesday, 9 June that FIFA has now revoked the country's share of tickets for travelling fans, which means Iranian fans cannot be present at the venues. FIFA regulations state that each federation involved in the World Cup receives 8 per cent of tickets for each of their matches to distribute to supporters.

The Iran football federation added that it had already begun selling tickets but can no longer provide them to fans, some of whom have already made travel arrangements. ''Depriving Iranian supporters of access to their lawful and official allocation of tickets is an action contrary to the spirit of governing international competitions and the principle of equality among participating countries," the statement said.

Artan, the 2025 Confederation of African Football (CAF) men’s referee of the year, was barred from entering the country at Miami International Airport and is currently in Turkey. A helpless FIFA gave in after speaking to US authorities as their statement read: ‘’FIFA can confirm that match official Omar Abdulkadir Artan will be unable to train and officiate at the FIFA World Cup 2026 after he was denied entry into the United States.’

‘’FIFA is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications, and has been informed by authorities that Mr Artan’s status will not be changed at present. In line with previous FIFA events, a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country.’’

Speaking in a statement to Reuters, Artan said despite the circumstances he was in a positive mood and focused on the next challenge. ‘’I would like to thank FIFA and CAF for all their support and I promise to keep my refereeing levels up as I concentrate on the future,’’ he said. ‘’I want to thank the football family for their messages and wish my colleagues all the best success during the World Cup and I look forward to joining them again in future competitions.’’

The world governing body has so far betrayed a weak-kneed attitude in terms of earning any kind of bandwidth from the US, leading many to question the logic of them wooing Trump with a peace award last December. FIFA’s greed to maximise profits from ticket sales — despite expanding the event by 16 teams at one go as well as the number of matches — has also faced a heavy flak as they introduced ‘variable pricing’ for the first time, whereby prices can fluctuate based on real or perceived demand.

Between October 2025 — when they threw open the ticket window — and April, FIFA hiked prices in at least one ticket category for 95 of the World Cup’s 104 matches: the average increase being 35 per cent. Media reports say that a Category 1 ticket to the final now costs $10,990, up from $6,730 back in October. Group-stage prices ranged from $140 in Category 3 for less important games to $890 in Category 1 (Colombia vs Portugal) and nearly $3,000 for the World Cup opener between Mexico and South Africa. 

Ticket prices, as of April, were more than twice that of equivalent tickets in Qatar 2022. FIFA boss Gianni Infantino had, on his part, justified the prohibitive pricing by calling the US a very special market when ‘’no one complains’’ about ticket prices “when you go to a concert or an NFL game”.

The huge backlash from fans worldwide has led FIFA to a damage control measure of alloting $60 tickets for around 1,000 supporters per match. This is, of course, a drop in the ocean as many were still left staring at prices far beyond any they’d ever seen — while FIFA continued to defend its pricing as a reflection of “existing market practice for major entertainment and sporting events” in North America.

The run-up to World Cups has often not been smooth — be it reports of human rights abuse in Qatar in 2022 or public outrage about extravagance on the eve of Rio 2014. However, when the 'Big Brother' hosts an event of this magnitude, one expects better.

It’s time for Shubman Gill & Co to reboot themselves for the classical format of the game as they take on Afghanistan, an undercooked side in Tests, in a one-off Test in Mullanpur from Saturday. The crucial No.3 spot in their batting line-up has been a musical chair of sorts and the team management is keen to find a long term solution to it.

 Ever since they wanted to look beyond Cheteshwar Pujara few years back, as many as five batters – Shubman Gill, Devdutt Padikkal, Sai Sudharsan, Karun Nair and Washington Sundar have all been tried in that position with rather modest returns. The current no.3 Sudharsan has played six tests in the No.3 position and has managed just an average of over 27.

 Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said: ‘’There’s been a lot of changes in that spot and that’s not ideal, you know. You need to look at the incumbents for that role and and maybe stick with someone. It’s a difficult position to bat in and a very important position to bat. Dev comes in with a ton of runs in domestic cricket across all the formats and obviously Sai’s been high on runs in IPL with Gujarat, so they’re both in good form.

 “Whoever plays they’ll be given a bit of a run. That’s quite difficult with one Test match now and then we don’t play a Test match for another two months, and then we play two Test matches and then you don’t play for a while. So you know, we need to factor that in. The main point around there is we want to make a decision and then trust that person to grow into the role, and ideally quickly. Where we find ourselves in the WTC table? It’s probably something we could have done better leading up to this is maybe backing someone in a different spot,” he added.

  It will also be the first time that a Test match will be played in the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh.

The FIFA Congress in Vancouver on Thursday night saw geopolitics rearing it’s head when the Palestine and Israel football officials did not shake hands despite an effort from Gianni Infantino to bring them together on stage. It sparked off an awkward moment in full gaze of the delegates at the Vancouver Convention Centre while the Iranian officials’ absence for the conclave was also brought up during their roll call.   

 Palestine Football Association (PFA) President Jibril Rajoub refused to shake hands with Basim Sheikh Suliman, the vice president of Israel’s national football governing body, despite Infantino’s appeal. Both addressed the Congress but when the FIFA boss tried to orchestrate a handshake between the two, Rajoub moved away from Suliman – protested loudly away from microphones before walking away from the stage.

 “President Rajoub, Vice President Suliman, let’s work together. Let’s work together to give hope to the children. Let’s work together for that,” Infantino said on a night he also confirmed that he would be running for re-election.

Rajoub, on his part, urged FIFA to address the Palestine Football Association’s allegations that Israel has breached anti-discrimination regulation by allowing clubs based in the West Bank settlements. He also said that PFA had knocked on the doors of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) after FIFA ruled in March not to suspend Israel over its West Bank clubs.

The PFA official also questioned whether Israel has “the right to even be part of FIFA. “From my side, I still respect and follow all the legal procedures through FIFA institutions but I think it’s time to understand that Israel should be sanctioned because of the violations of the statutes of FIFA, the human rights,” he said.

Meanwhile, Yariv Teper, acting general secretary of the Israel Football Association, said that they were willing to work with the Palestinian counterparts. “We are in the FIFA Congress,” Teper said. “Our mission is to promote football and a better future for all regions, and this is our mission.”

Earlier in the day, Infantino opened his remarks by addressing the absence of the Iranian delegation. “Let me start at the outset confirming straight away for those who maybe want to say something else, or write something else, that of course Iran will be participating at the FIFA World Cup 2026,” he said.

“And of course Iran will play in the United States of America. The reason for that is very simple, dear friends. It’s because we have to unite. We have to bring people together.”

Iranian soccer federation president Mehdi Taj and other officials had arrived at Toronto Pearson Airport on Tuesday night but were denied entry into Canada. Taj had previously served as a commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps which Canada listed as a terrorist entity in June, 2024.

Commenting on the row, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said it was her understanding that the Iranian delegation had received permission to enter Canada but it was then revoked. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada did not respond to questions about reports that Taj had been issued a temporary resident permit, which allows foreign nationals who are otherwise inadmissible to Canada to enter the country temporarily if there is a ‘compelling’ reason.

India's 'Blue Tigers', whose last international fixture was a dead rubber in an AFC Asian Cup qualifier in March, have returned to English soil after 24 years — this time for a four-nation Unity Cup at The Valley, London. Later tonight, they take on Jamaica for the semi-final while the other teams in the fray are Nigeria and Zimbabwe.

The last time the senior Indian men’s team played on English soil was in 2002, also against Jamaica, when the sides met twice in friendly matches in Watford and Wolverhampton. This time around, the invitation tournament offers the team guided by Khalid Jamil a unique opportunity to test themselves against higher-ranked opposition from the opposite ends of the globe.

The winners of the semi-finals will advance to the final on 30 May while the remaining teams will contest the third-place play-off on the same day. ‘’We have selected players who performed well in the ISL. Based on that, we will continue to build the team and whoever performs well gets selected,” the head coach said. 

The Blue Tigers arrived in London on Sunday with 17 players after the withdrawal of Mohun Bagan SG players. Goalkeeper Hrithik Tiwari joined a day later while Jamil has also called up midfielder Macarton Nickson and defender Nikhil Barla, who reached the camp on Tuesday.

Forward Edmund Lalrindika, a member of the ISL champions East Bengal, felt that the tournament represents both exposure and an important benchmark for the team’s progress. “This is a very good exposure for us and a great experience. It is an opportunity to test ourselves against higher-ranked teams. We will try our best to get positive results,’’ said Lalrindika.

The 27-year-old also called on the Indian expats to rally behind the team in London. “To all the Indian fans, I hope they come in big numbers and support us,” he said. 

Currently ranked 136th in the FIFA chart, India enter the contest as underdogs against a 71st-ranked Jamaica side that came within a game of qualifying for the upcoming World Cup. The Reggae Boyz lost to DR Congo in the qualifying play-offs in March.

“It is very good for us to be here and play in this tournament,’’ said Jamil, before adding:  ‘’Jamaica are definitely a stronger team, but we will try our best to do well. It is important for us to make a good start. We are focused on the opening match. Then we will think about the next game. We want to go step by step,’’ said Jamil.

Jamaica, however, have arrived with one of the youngest squads in the competition, carrying an average age of 22.8 years. Some experienced names in the Jamaican squad include captain and defender Damion Lowe, right-back Dexter Lembikisa, defender Joel Latibeaudiere, a member of the 2017 FIFA U17 World Cup in India in England colours and midfielder Isaac Hayden.

A berth in the FIFA World Cup may continue to be a pipe dream for India, but news of four Indian-origin players being part of different teams in the upcoming edition in North Americas hasˀ created a stir on social media.  Tahsin Mohammed, Nishan Velupillay, Sarpreet Singh and Samuel Moutoussamy are set to emulate French midfielder Vikash Dhorasoo, who appeared in the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

Tahsin, born to Malayali parents in Doha, will represent 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar, Nishan is part of the Socceroos, Sarpreet represents the Kiwis while Samuel dons the colours of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Lauding the feat of 20-year-old Tahsin and Nishan, Congress MP Dr Shashi Tharoor posted on social media: ‘’A historic moment for Indian football fans! As the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches, we will have two players of Indian heritage gracing the global stage. 19-year-old winger Tahsin Mohammed Jamshid makes history as the first player of Indian origin selected for the Qatar national team, carrying the immense pride of his family roots in Kannur, Kerala.

‘’Meanwhile, Australia’s 26-man squad features Melbourne Victory’s dynamic 25-year-old winger Nishan Velupillay, whose origins are in Tamil Nadu. Seeing the global Indian diaspora make its mark on football’s grandest platform is an absolute joy. Best of luck to both young men as they head to North America!’’

Tahsin Mohammed: Tahsin, the youngest of the lot who turns 20 on 16 June, was born in Doha to Malayali parents who moved to Qatar from Kannur in 2006. He honed his footballing skills at the Aspire Academy in Doha, becoming the first Indian-origin player to feature in the Qatar Stars League, the top-tier competition of the country. He currently plays for Al Duhail SC.

A winger, Tahsin made his international debut against Afghanistan in 2024 during the Asian qualifiers group match of the 2026 World Cup. That group also included India, then coached by Igor Stimac, and Tahsin was on the bench when Qatar beat India 2-1 via a controversial goal in Doha in June 2024.

Nishan Velupillay: Born in Melbourne to an Anglo-Indian mother and a Malaysian father of Sri Lankan Tamil descent, the 25-year-old winger Nishan is one of 17 players in the Socceroos’ 26-member squad who will be making their FIFA World Cup debut. He plays for Melbourne Victory in the Australia top-tier A-League.

He made his Australia debut in October 2024 during the 2026 World Cup qualification round, scoring in his maiden appearance as a substitute against China. Since then, Nishan has gone on to collect seven more senior caps for Australia. He has scored thrice — all his goals coming in World Cup qualifiers.

He grew up in Melbourne and attended Mazenod College in Mulgrave. He began his football journey in the youth ranks at Glen Eira FC and worked his way into the Melbourne Victory academy.

Sarpreet Singh: Sarpreet, meanwhile, even played in India during the Intercontinental Cup in 2018 in Mumbai, taking the pitch against the likes of Sunil Chhetri after making his New Zealand debut earlier that year. He was part of an Under-23 development side and provided both the assists in New Zealand’s 2–1 win against India. India won the title while NZ finished third in the four-nation tournament.

A year later, Sarpreet became the first player of Indian descent to play in Bundesliga when he made his debut for Bayern Munich. He joined the club from Australian A-League side Wellington Phoenix and came on as a substitute against Werder Bremen. Initially, the 27-year-old attacking midfielder was with Bayern’s reserve team in the third division, but his impressive performances earned him a first team debut under then-manager Hansi Flick.

Sarpreet made his first senior start for Bayern Munich on 20 June 2020 against SC Freiburg. He was part of the squad that won the Bundesliga title in the 2019–20 season.

After his stint in Germany, Sarpreet was with Uniao de Leiria in Portugal for one season before moving to Serbian SuperLiga side FK TSC in 2025. Incidentally, the 27-year-old also played for New Zealand in the 2017 and 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cups.

Samuel Moutoussamy: Samuel was born in France to a Congolese mother and Indo-Guadeloupean father of Tamil origin. Indo-Guadeloupeans are mostly descendants of indentured workers who came mostly from south India in the late 19th century.

The 29-year-old midfielder is an experienced campaigner as he is currently playing for Greek Super League club Atromitos and has earned 57 DR Congo senior national team caps after making his debut in 2019. He earlier played for FC Nantes in France and the Turkish side Ozbelsan Sivasspor.

With PTI inputs 

Who will win the 2026 FIFA World Cup, set to start in less than 10 days in the US, Canada and Mexico? While the pundits wrack their brains, Opta the supercomputer has identified Lamine Yamal’s Spain as the leading favourite on the basis of topping it’s extensive simulation model.

While La Roja, the reigning European champions, emerged as the favourite after a 16.1 per cent run of 10,000 tournaments, France, England and Argentina continue to be viewed as other major contenders. Each of the three teams surpassed the 10 per cent mark for tournament victories in the model’s projections.

The data also suggest that a maiden World Cup winner remains far from certain with just over a third of simulations producing a first-time champion. The sheer size of the 2026 World Cup means forecasting has become more complicated than ever with 48 teams creating countless possible scenarios.

Spain, however, emerged as the clear frontrunners in Opta’s modelling despite such uncertainty. If they can pull it off, the current bunch will emulate the golden generation of Spain which followed up their 2008 Euro crown with the 2010 World Cup crown.

They were the only nation more likely than not to secure a place in the quarter-finals, doing so in 52.1 per cent of simulations. Their prospects remained strong deeper into the tournament, with a 39 per cent probability of reaching the last four and a 25.6 per cent chance of appearing in the final.

The supercomputer also points to a potentially comfortable start for the Spaniards, who topped Group H in more than three quarters of simulations against opposition including Uruguay, Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde.

Spain may lead the projections, but France, England and Argentina remain firmly in contention according to Opta. France secured a 13 per cent title probability while England and Argentina followed on 11.2 per cent and 10.4 per cent respectively.

France’s path through the group stage is viewed as the most demanding among the tournament favourites with Norway, Senegal and Iraq providing stern opposition in Group I. Argentina and England are expected to dominate their groups, topping them in 73 per cent and 67.9 per cent of simulations. France managed the same feat in 60.3 per cent of projected outcomes.

The new format of the tournament will comprise of 12 groups of four countries and a record 104 matches. Teams finishing first and second in each group will secure direct passage to the knockout stages while the eight strongest third-placed sides will also advance, creating the inaugural round of 32 in World Cup history.

Indian hurdler Tejas Shirse produced a career-defining performance at the Indian Athletics Series 9 in Ludhiana on Saturday, breaking the national record in the men's 110m hurdles and comfortably achieving the Athletics Federation of India's qualification standard for the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

The 24-year-old clocked an impressive 13.27 seconds to better his previous national record of 13.41 seconds, which he had set in 2024. The timing also placed him well inside the Commonwealth Games qualification benchmark of 13.39 seconds, significantly strengthening his chances of earning a place in India's squad for the multi-sport event.

Competing in the B final, Shirse made a blistering start and established control of the race from the opening hurdles. Despite making contact with the final barrier, he maintained his rhythm and crossed the finish line well ahead of the field. Krishik M finished second in 13.55 seconds.

The performance marked a major improvement on Shirse's gold medal-winning run of 13.50 seconds at the Federation Cup in Ranchi last month and underlined his growing stature in Asian athletics. His latest effort places him among the continent's leading hurdlers this season.

The result also carries historical significance. If selected for the Commonwealth Games, Shirse would become the first Indian male athlete to compete in the 110m hurdles at the event since Siddharth Thingalaya represented the country in 2014.

While Shirse celebrated a breakthrough moment, the day proved disappointing for national 800m record holder Mohammad Afsal P. The middle-distance runner finished with a time of 1:47.00, falling short of the 1:45.00 qualification requirement and leaving his Commonwealth Games hopes hanging by a thread.

Attention later turned to the men's javelin throw competition, where several athletes were looking to achieve qualification standards amid the absence of some of India's leading names. World Championships finalist Sachin Yadav remains sidelined with an elbow injury, while two-time Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra is continuing his recovery programme.

In their absence, throwers such as Rohit Yadav, Shivam Lohakare and Kishore Kumar Jena were among those seeking to impress selectors as competition for places in the national team intensifies ahead of next year's Commonwealth Games.

With IANS inputs

The suspense over Indian football fans being able to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup live finally ended on Monday, 1 June, with Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd saying it has reached a deal with FIFA to broadcast 39 global football events, including the World Cup this year as well as the 2030 edition, along with the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The matches will air on the group's newly launched Unite8 Sports channels — Unite8 Sports 1, Unite8 Sports 1 HD, Unite8 Sports 2, and Unite8 Sports 2 HD, and will be streamed on Zee5. The deal is believed to be valued at around $35 million, though there is no mention of the amount in Zee’s official statement. FIFA had initially quoted close to $100 million for rights to the 2026 and 2030 editions combined.

“The Indian market is of strategic importance for FIFA as it displays immense potential driven by a young and passionate audience. We believe the extensive broadcast and digital distribution ecosystem of ‘Z’ coupled with their deep understanding of local viewers and multi-platform capabilities will play a pivotal role in expanding the reach of football with fans across every part of India,” FIFA chief business officer Romy Gai is quoted as saying in the statement.

The other tournaments that will air on Zee include the FIFA Men’s U-17 World Cup (2026-34), FIFA Women’s U-17 World Cup (2026-34), FIFA U-20 Men’s World Cup (2027, 2029, 2031 and 2033), FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup (2026, 2028, 2030, 2032 and 2034), FIFA Futsal Men’s World Cup (2028 and 2032), FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup (2029 and 2033), FIFA Women’s World Cup (2027) and FIFA Intercontinental Cup (2026-30).

The announcement ends months of uncertainty around the telecast of the tournament in India, the last major market for which FIFA was yet to secure broadcasting rights. It also comes just over two weeks after China’s CCTV announced a deal to broadcast the World Cup on the mainland.

The uncertainty was primarily owing to Jio Star playing hardball, pointing out that match timings were proving a dampener in garnering advertising revenue. Of the 104 matches scheduled across the USA, Canada and Mexico, nearly 90 per cent will be played between midnight and 6.00 am IST — a difficult slot for advertisers, especially with India not featuring in the tournament.