Cup 2026

• Australia's CommBank Joeys secured qualification for the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026 with a 4-0 victory over India at the AFC U17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026. • India's subsequent loss to Uzbekistan overnight confirmed Australia's advancement under coach Carl Veart. • This achievement marks a significant milestone for Australian youth football, earning a spot in the global tournament.

• Colombian singer Shakira unveiled 'Dai Dai', the official song for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, on Thursday, May 8, 2026. • The track features upbeat rhythms blending Latin and global influences, aimed at uniting fans ahead of the tournament hosted by USA, Canada, and Mexico. • This marks Shakira's return to World Cup anthems since her iconic 'Waka Waka' in 2010, expected to boost international hype.

• Pakistan's men's hockey team secured a 5-4 victory over China in their opening match of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers, held in Islamabad. • Sufyan Khan scored first in the 8th minute with a drag flick for pure pace, giving Pakistan the lead after dominating the high-paced opening quarter. • The win came after Pakistan threatened to pull away at halftime but held on in a hard-fought contest, showcasing strong opportunity creation.

• Shakira announced a new collaboration with Afrobeats star Burna Boy titled 'Dai Dai' for the FIFA World Cup 2026, teasing it from New York. • The track is positioned as an official tie-in for the global soccer tournament set for 2026 across multiple host countries including the United States. • This marks Shakira's return to high-profile music projects following her past World Cup performances, blending pop with Afrobeats influences.

• Kulletira Kodava family defeated Cheppudira 3-1 in the final of the Kodava Family Chenanda Cup on Saturday at Napoklu, Madikeri, securing their fourth title. • Roshan Lokesh equalized in the 44th minute, followed by Avanish Mandappa's goal in the 48th and Shubham's decisive strike in the 57th minute. • The victory celebrates Kodava hockey tradition in Karnataka's Coorg region, highlighting family-based regional sporting heritage often underreported outside India.

The earnings from the tournament in the US, Mexico and Canada will make it the most lucrative competition in the history of sport, even if some of the 48 competing countries say they are struggling to make ends meetA World Cup that Fifa’s president, Gianni Infantino, billed at the draw last December as “the greatest event that humanity has ever seen” will certainly be the most lucrative competition in sporting history.Fifa has spent the last few years upgrading its revenue projections, with the most recent financial report stating that the world governing body will make $13bn (£9.6bn) from the four-year cycle culminating in this summer’s tournament, almost $9bn of which will be brought in this year. Continue reading...

Special envoy to Donald Trump suggested the idea‘Firstly not possible … secondly not appropriate’The Italian sports minister, Andrea Abodi, has described a proposal for his country to replace Iran at the World Cup as “not appropriate”, rejecting any idea that the Azzurri will be granted a last-minute berth at this summer’s tournament.On Wednesday it emerged that Paolo Zampolli, a special envoy to Donald Trump, had suggested Italy should be fast-tracked to the World Cup despite their shock defeat by Bosnia & Herzegovina in last month’s playoffs. Zampolli proposed the four-time winners Italy replace Iran and said they would “have the pedigree to justify their inclusion”. But Abodi said that football’s showpiece tournament should remain meritocratic. Continue reading...