As FIFA kicks off its first expanded Club World Cup in the United States with an eye-watering $1 billion prize pool, fans may be disappointed by the absence of some of football's biggest names. While the tournament promises action and global attention, several superstars won’t be gracing the American pitches due to club ineligibility or personal setbacks. Among the most notable absentees is Cristiano Ronald

Ricky Ponting, head coach of Punjab Kings, left team co-owner Preity Zinta speechless with a candid response during their conversation at the end of IPL 2025. Despite Punjab Kings falling short in the final against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Ponting was widely praised for leading the team to a historic season. In a relaxed sit-down with Zinta, the Bollywood actress and cricket franchise co-owner posed a question that fans have often wondered: how does a fier

Sports presenter Sanjana Ganesan, wife of Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, recently opened up about the lighter side of their relationship and how her husband often playfully disrupts her professional composure during interviews. Speaking on the ‘Moment of Silence’ podcast, Sanjana shared candid moments from their personal and professional lives, including a memorable post-match interview after India’s T20 World Cup win over South Africa

West Indies white-ball skipper Shai Hope has been recalled to the national Test squad for the upcoming three-match series against Australia, beginning June 25 in Bridgetown. The announcement came on Tuesday as part of a 16-member squad named for the 2025–27 ICC World Test Championship cycle. Hope, who last played Test cricket in 2021, returns on the back of consistent performances in limited-overs formats. The

Barbora Krejcikova's preparations for defending her Wimbledon crown took a major blow as she suffered a surprise first-round exit at the Queen’s Club in London on Tuesday. The 29-year-old Czech star was beaten 6-4, 6-3 by Slovakia's Rebecca Sramkova in a stunning upset that casts doubt on her grass-court form heading into the 2025 Championships. Krejcikova, currently ranked world number 17, claimed her

Elavenil Valarivan, one of India’s top rifle shooters, secured the bronze medal in the women's 10m air rifle event at the ISSF World Cup 2025 in Munich, despite holding a strong lead in the early stages of the final. The 25-year-old shot an overall score of 231.2 to finish behind 18-year-old Chinese sensation Wang Zifei, who took gold with a commanding 252.7, and South Korea’s Kwon Eunji, who secured silver with 252.6.

FIFA’s newly expanded Club World Cup kicks off this weekend in the United States, featuring 32 elite football teams and a staggering $1 billion in total prize money. But as the glitzy competition begins, questions loom about its long-term impact on players, domestic leagues, and the global football ecosystem. With top European clubs like PSG, Real Madrid, Chelsea, and Manchester City participating, the tournament offers a payday of up to $125 million for

The revamped FIFA Club World Cup begins this weekend in the United States, featuring 32 top football clubs from around the world. Europe leads with 12 teams, followed by South America’s six, while Asia, Africa, and the CONCACAF region each send four teams. Oceania and the host nation each add one team, completing a truly global lineup. Teams qualify through two main routes: winning their continental championshi

Carlos Alcaraz described it as “destiny” after equalling Rafael Nadal’s Grand Slam tally at the exact same age following his remarkable comeback win over Jannik Sinner in the French Open 2025 final. The 22-year-old Spaniard, who turned 22 years, 1 month, and 3 days old on the day of his fifth major title, matched Nadal’s record when the legendary left-hander clinched his fifth Slam at Wimbledon 2008. Alcaraz now joins Nadal as the only

Carlos Alcaraz solidified his legacy on clay after defeating World No. 1 Jannik Sinner in a titanic five-set battle to win the French Open 2025, marking one of the greatest finals in tennis history. In a match that lasted 5 hours and 29 minutes, Alcaraz overcame a two-set deficit to win 4–6, 6–7 (4), 6–4, 7–6 (3), 7–6 (10-2), becoming the ninth man in the Open Era to come back from two sets down in a Grand Slam final.

Coco Gauff's historic victory at the French Open 2025 was momentarily clouded by post-match controversy, as Aryna Sabalenka’s emotional reaction drew widespread criticism. Following her three-set loss in the final (7-6, 2-6, 4-6), Sabalenka suggested her defeat was more due to her own unforced errors than Gauff's performance. The top-seeded Belarusian made over 70 unforced errors during the match and admitted that she struggled mentally and emoti

The battle for the 2025 Norway Chess title is reaching a thrilling conclusion, with India's D Gukesh and Norway’s Magnus Carlsen leading the tournament going into the final round. Carlsen currently tops the table with 15 points after a comeback win against Fabiano Caruana in Round 9, while Gukesh trails by just half a point at 14.5, having defeated China’s Wei Yi with white pieces. The six-player doub

Pleasanton is revving up for a weekend packed with horsepower and high-flying tricks as Main Street transforms into a hub of automotive and stunt excitement. On Saturday, June 7, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., over 200 classic and hot rod cars will line Main Street for the annual Hot Rod Row, part of the city’s First Weekends on Main celebration. Main Street will be closed to all vehicle traffic starting Friday at 4 p

Spain’s new generation delivered a statement performance as they edged past France 5-4 in a pulsating UEFA Nations League semifinal in Stuttgart on Thursday. The attacking duo of Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams was electric, combining for three goals and an assist to put La Roja in Sunday’s final against Cristiano Ronaldo-led Portugal. Seventeen-year-old Yamal scored twice and won a penalty, while Williams

World No. 2 Coco Gauff has powered her way into the 2025 French Open final, setting up a high-voltage clash with top seed Aryna Sabalenka. In a dominant semifinal performance on Thursday, the 20-year-old American dismantled French wildcard Lois Boisson 6-1, 6-2 to book her place in the Roland Garros title match. This marks the first French Open final between the top two women’s players in the world in over a de

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are reportedly considering their first major sacking after finishing a disappointing seventh in IPL 2025 equalling their worst-ever performance. Despite a bold ₹27 crore bid for star player Rishabh Pant, the franchise failed to gain momentum, and according to a Cricbuzz report, mentor Zaheer Khan could be the first casualty of a disappointing campaign. While Rishabh Pant endured a ni

As Indian cricket transitions into a new era, Shubman Gill is set to lead the national Test side for the first time in the upcoming five-match series against England, starting June 20 at Headingley. With the recent retirements of stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, all eyes are now on the 25-year-old opener, who will take charge of a young and evolving Indian squad. Ahead of the high-profile tour, Gill opened up about the leadership challenge and the uncer

Legendary chess grandmaster Susan Polgar has praised Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his continued encouragement of Indian chess, following teenage prodigy D Gukesh’s sensational win over world no. 1 Magnus Carlsen at the Norway Chess 2025 tournament. Polgar, who has played a key role in mentoring young Indian chess talents over the years, reshared PM Modi’s congratulatory post on Gukesh’s

With the official launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 taking place across various global regions such as Japan and Australia on June 5, final retail units have started making their way into the hands of consumers and reviewers in the United States. While no early review units were distributed by Nintendo prior to release, the final product has now reached customers through standard retail channels. The limited window between hardware arrival and the midnight US East Coast launch has made it diffi

Hundreds of students from Elizabeth came together this week with an ambitious goal—setting two Guinness World Records by forming enormous human shapes related to soccer. The gathering took place at Williams Field, where students, coordinated in black and white clothing, joined forces to form what they hope will be officially recognized as the world’s largest human soccer ball. The event was a powerful demonstration of community, school pride, and youthful enthusiasm. S