Omar Artan and FIFA chief Gianni Infantino During a press conference on Wednesday before the opening match of the expanded 48-team World Cup, FIFA President Gianni Infantino addressed the case of Somali referee Omar Artan. Artan was set to become the first Somali official to work at a World Cup. However, he was denied entry…
The 2026 FIFA World Cup (Getty Images) The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be the largest tournament in football history, featuring 48 teams, 104 matches and three host nations. It will also be the most lucrative. FIFA has approved a record financial package worth $871 million for the tournament in the United States, Canada and…
India’s Hardik Pandya (PTI Photo) TimesofIndia.com in Mullanpur: Hardik Pandya is set to miss the upcoming three-ODI series against Afghanistan due to a low-grade quadricep sprain. It is understood that the premier all-rounder was at peak fitness and had been training hard at the BCCI Centre of Excellence since June 2. He was supposed to…
India’s Rishabh Pant (AP Photo) Rishabh Pant‘s impact on Indian Test cricket is beyond dispute. Over the years, the wicketkeeper-batter has built a reputation as one of India’s premier match-winners, producing game-changing knocks in challenging circumstances and often shifting momentum through his attacking style. With eight Test centuries from 50 appearances, Pant has become one…
Shubhi Gupta (Special Arrangements) NEW DELHI: Imagine it is your first international chess tournament on your own. Your parents have burned a hole in their pockets to take you to the scenic country of Uzbekistan. There, you are supposed to play the toughest of opponents from across the globe. You reach the venue, and you…
Jemimah Rodrigues (AP Photo) India batter Jemimah Rodrigues has revealed how a timely message from cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar helped her stay grounded after one of the biggest moments of her career.Rodrigues played a match-winning unbeaten 127 against Australia in the Women’s ODI World Cup semifinal last year, helping India beat the dominant side and…
Referee Omar Artan, center, of Somalia (AP Photo) Somalian referee Omar Artan received an emotional welcome on Wednesday after returning to Mogadishu, days after being denied entry into the United States despite being selected to officiate at the FIFA World Cup.Artan had been on course to make history as the first referee from Somalia to…
NEW DELHI: For years, football fans have tried all sorts of ways to predict World Cup winners. Some trusted expert opinions, others believed in superstitions, and many still remember Paul the Octopus, who became famous for correctly predicting match results during the 2010 World Cup.Now, a group of statisticians has used artificial intelligence to make…
India’s women shone at the Australian Open Super 500 badminton tournament on Wednesday, with PV Sindhu leading the charge and teenager Tanvi Sharma registering a notable win to reach the second round.Sindhu, Tanvi Sharma, Malvika Bansod, Isharani Baruah and Tanya Hemanth all advanced to the women’s singles round of 16. However, it was a disappointing…
TimesofIndia.com in Mohali: Day after getting a green signal from the Centre of Excellence (CoE), Rohit Sharma looked in fine touch during India’s optional training session at the IS Bindra PCA Stadium in Mohali on Wednesday.Rohit Sharma was the first to step out of the team bus, and security officials and Punjab Police personnel took…
