The 2026 season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) marks a decisive shift in how women’s cricket is perceived, valued, and monetised in India. No longer positioned as an experimental or CSR-driven property, the league has entered a phase of commercial consolidation, with sponsorship spending estimated to have crossed ₹130 crore more than three times…
The L&T Mumbai Open is set to make a welcome return in 2026, with the fifth edition of the WTA 125K Series event scheduled to be held at the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA) courts in Mumbai. The qualifying rounds will be played from January 30 to February 1, followed by the main draw…
The global story of women’s football is often narrated through dominant federations and powerhouse nations, but its real evolution has been shaped by individuals who navigated its most unstable phases. Few careers reflect this transition better than that of Pamela Conti. Born in Palermo in 1982, Conti’s journey from a teenage prodigy in southern Italy…
The Bihar girls’ Under-15 team delivered one of the most dominant campaigns in the history of Indian age-group rugby, storming to the national title at the Sub Junior (U15) National Rugby Sevens Championship with a series of emphatic victories that underlined their complete superiority over the rest of the field. From the opening match to…
Assam has taken a decisive step towards strengthening India’s Olympic ambitions in Taekwondo, as two-time Olympic gold medallist Jade Jones of Great Britain leads a high-performance talent identification and development camp in Guwahati. The five-day programme, launched on Sunday at the Karmabir Nabin Chandra Bordoloi Indoor Stadium, is being conducted by the Department of Sports…
Manisha Bhanvala delivered a statement performance to spearhead Maharashtra Kesari’s emphatic 6–3 victory over Tiigers of Mumbai Dangals in Match 6 of the Pro Wrestling League 2026. Her explosive win by fall in the women’s 57kg category proved to be the defining moment of the contest, as Maharashtra registered their first win of the season…
Vedanta Kalinga Lancers extended their unbeaten run in the Men’s Hero Hockey India League 2025–26 with a hard-fought 4–1 victory in a penalty shootout against Accord Tamil Nadu Dragons after the contest ended 1–1 in regulation time at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium on Sunday. The result marked the Lancers’ sixth successive win of the season…
Pune is set to step firmly onto the global sporting map as the Bajaj Pune Grand Tour 2026, India’s first-ever UCI 2.2 category multi-stage road race, announces an expansive international broadcast partnership with JioStar and Warner Bros. Discovery. The landmark collaboration ensures live coverage of the five-day race across more than 80 territories, underlining the…
The Tata Steel Masters in Wijk Aan Zee, widely regarded as the world’s oldest running super tournament, got off to a dramatic and absorbing start despite a delayed opening caused by an environmental activists’ protest. Once play finally began, the first round delivered high-quality chess and decisive results, with Indian players firmly in the spotlight….
Pune is set to witness a landmark moment in Indian sport as the Bajaj Pune Grand Tour 2026 flags off on January 19, marking the country’s first-ever UCI 2.2 category multi-stage continental road race for men. Classified under the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) framework, the event represents India’s official entry into the global professional cycling…
A stunning late burst of goals powered Shrachi Bengal Tigers to a dramatic 3–2 comeback victory over SG Pipers in their final pool-stage match of the Men’s Hero Hockey India League at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium on Saturday. Trailing 0–2 deep into the third quarter, the Tigers struck three times in a frenetic four-minute spell…
Indian women football team endured a difficult start to their European training camp, going down 0–2 to Metalist 1925 Kharkiv in an international friendly played behind closed doors in Turkiye on Sunday. While the scoreline suggests a competitive contest for much of the match, the overall performance raised serious concerns, particularly in defence, as India…
Indian boxing icon Vijender Singh has been appointed as a member of the Asian Boxing Council, marking a significant milestone in his transition from elite athlete to international sports administrator. The appointment further strengthens India’s representation within continental boxing governance and highlights the growing influence of former athletes in shaping the sport’s future. Vijender Singh,…
Indian hurdler Madhvendra Shekhawat has opened his 2026 athletics season on a positive note, clocking 7.84 seconds in the 60m hurdles to finish second at the Corky Classic. While indoor season openers are rarely about peak performance, the timing and context of this run make it an important marker for an athlete entering a crucial…
Vedanta Kalinga Lancers continued their dominant run in the Men’s Hero Hockey India League 2025–26, securing qualification for the playoffs with a commanding 6–1 victory over SG Pipers at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium on Saturday. The emphatic win extended the Lancers’ unbeaten streak to five matches and consolidated their position at the top of the…
Indian tennis will have a notable presence in the men’s doubles draw at the 2026 Australian Open, with two pairs representing the country under very different circumstances. From a Grand Slam debut for an Indo-Thai wildcard duo to a seeded Indian pair navigating a tricky opening-round test, the draw presents both opportunity and challenge for…
Lovely Professional University’s Pooja, already an Asian champion, emerged as the centre of attention with a performance that combined dominance, confidence, and a clear statement of intent for the season ahead. In a women’s high jump competition that thinned rapidly, Pooja was left standing alone after the rest of the field bowed out at 1.72m….
The domestic athletics season is still in its early stages, but Chandigarh University’s Tanya Chaudhary has already delivered one of the standout performances of the year. Competing at the 85th National Inter-University Athletics Championship at the Swarajya Stadium in Moodubidiri on Friday, the 23-year-old hammer thrower produced a massive effort of 65.60m to win gold…
Indian cyclists will compete for vital Olympic qualification points when the country hosts its first-ever UCI 2.2 multi-stage road race, the Bajaj Pune Grand Tour, beginning on Monday. The five-day event, which runs until January 23, represents a landmark moment for Indian cycling, both in terms of international exposure and the strategic pursuit of qualification…
Beijing Olympic bronze medallist Vijender Singh has been appointed as a member of the Asian Boxing Athletes Commission, marking a significant step in India’s growing presence within the governance structure of Asian boxing. The appointment was confirmed on January 18 following a meeting of the Board of Directors of Asian Boxing, held in accordance with…
Bihar emerged champions at the 10th Sub-Junior National Rugby Sevens Championship, defeating defending champions Maharashtra in a repeat of last year’s final, while host state Odisha claimed the bronze medal after a strong finish at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar. The two-day tournament concluded on Saturday, showcasing India’s best Under-15 girls’ rugby talent in a…
The opening leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour (HWPGT) 2026 has provided an early indication of both form and intent, with Jasmine Shekar producing another composed performance to extend her lead at the top of the leaderboard. A steady even-par 70 in the second round was enough for Shekar to move two shots…
In a major boost to Assam’s sporting ecosystem, a high-performance training camp for athletes and coaches across seven disciplines has been launched in Guwahati under the initiative of the Department of Sports and Youth Welfare, Government of Assam, in collaboration with the Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS). The programme marks a significant step towards building…
Mumbai is set to wake up to one of its most iconic sporting spectacles as the 21st edition of the Tata Mumbai Marathon is flagged off from the historic Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) on January 18. A World Athletics Gold Label Race, the 2026 edition promises to be the largest and most ambitious in…
Hyderabad Toofans delivered a commanding performance to begin the Bhubaneswar leg of the Men’s Hero Hockey India League (HIL) 2025–26, registering a comprehensive 6–0 victory over Shrachi Bengal Tigers at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium on Saturday. In a display of attacking efficiency and defensive control, Zachary Wallace and Tim Brand scored hat-tricks to underline Hyderabad’s…
Vedanta Kalinga Lancers continued their commanding run in the Men’s Hero Hockey India League (HIL) 2025–26 with a comprehensive 6–1 victory over SG Pipers at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium on Saturday. Opening the Bhubaneswar leg in emphatic fashion, the table-toppers stretched their winning streak to five matches and once again underlined why they have emerged…
UP Dominators delivered a commanding response in the Pro Wrestling League 2026, registering an emphatic 7–2 victory over Tiigers of Mumbai Dangals in Match 4 at the Noida Indoor Stadium on Saturday evening. The win marked a strong comeback performance, built on tactical discipline, depth across weight categories, and standout individual displays. Two-time U20 World…
In a significant step toward strengthening grassroots ice hockey in the Indian Himalayas, Royal Enfield Social Mission supported the inaugural Himalayan Pond Hockey Championship, held at the frozen Gupuks Pond near Leh from January 9 to 16, 2026. Organised in partnership with Thin Ice Adventure, the initiative adopted a community-first approach aimed at expanding access…
Indian men’s doubles tennis enjoyed a strong week on the ATP Challenger Tour as Sriram Balaji clinched the doubles title at the Nonthaburi 2 Challenger, while fellow Indian Anirudh Chandrasekar also featured prominently, underlining the growing depth in India’s doubles contingent. At the Nonthaburi 2 ATP Challenger, the top-seeded pair of Balaji and Austria’s Neil…
The 2025–26 season of Indian football stands as one of the most turbulent yet defining periods in the sport’s modern history. Long before a ball is kicked, the campaign has already become a case study in governance under crisis, shaped by commercial collapse, legal intervention, and an urgent need to keep the professional pyramid alive….
Ranchi Royals signed off their home leg of the Men’s Hero Hockey India League (HIL) 2025–26 in emphatic fashion, registering their third consecutive victory with a commanding 4–1 win over JSW Soorma Hockey Club at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astro Turf Hockey Stadium on Friday. The result propelled the Royals to third place on…
The Indian challenge at the ITF M25 Winston-Salem, USA, got off to a disappointing start as Aryan Shah and Dhakshineswar Suresh both suffered first-round exits in the men’s singles draw on Wednesday, January 14, 2026. Entering the tournament with contrasting expectations, neither player was able to find rhythm or momentum against their respective opponents, underlining…
The Indian government’s continued commitment to elite sport was underlined this week as the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports approved ₹11.80 lakh for Neeraj Chopra’s overseas training program, reinforcing a highly individualized approach to preparing India’s biggest Olympic star for a demanding 2026 season. The funding, cleared through the Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) under…
Indian tennis enjoyed a strong day at the ITF and ATP events in Nonthaburi, Thailand, with multiple doubles teams progressing to the semifinals across both the women’s and men’s draws. While singles campaigns have often drawn the spotlight, the latest results once again underlined India’s growing depth and consistency in doubles, particularly at the Challenger…
A single medal does not redefine a sport overnight, but Alisha Subudhi’s bronze at the World Karate Federation (WKF) Series A in Tbilisi may well mark a turning point for Indian karate. For a discipline long pushed to the fringes of India’s sporting ecosystem, the 23-year-old’s podium finish has ignited belief that sustained institutional backing…
Indian shooting legend Jitu Rai believes the upcoming Shooting League of India (SLI) could mark a turning point for the sport in the country, bridging the gap between elite performance and public engagement while creating a clear pathway from grassroots talent to the international stage. Speaking on the sidelines of the launch of UP Prometheans,…
The mutual termination of José Manuel ‘Chema’ Núñez Martín, Chema Núñez’s contract with Northeast United FC on January 15, 2026 marked more than the departure of a foreign midfielder. It became a telling reflection of the shifting economic and structural realities of the Indian Super League (ISL) during the 2025–26 season, where ambition was forced…
JSW Soorma Hockey Club finally opened their account in the Hero Hockey India League (Men’s) 2026 with a composed and authoritative 3–1 win over HIL GC at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda Astro Turf Hockey Stadium in Ranchi on Thursday. Led from the front by captain Harmanpreet Singh, who scored twice, Soorma delivered a…
The Indian sports fan has evolved from a passive viewer into an active participant in a rapidly expanding ecosystem that blends culture, commerce, technology, and identity. What was once a cricket-dominated, television-led consumption pattern has transformed into a multi-sport, digital-first, data-driven economy, positioning the sports industry as one of India’s most promising growth sectors. Valued…
Badminton is on the brink of one of its most significant regulatory shifts in decades. With the Badminton World Federation (BWF) expanding the trial of the 25-second time clock system at the 2026 Indonesia Masters, the sport is moving decisively away from subjective officiating toward objective, time-based standardization. What may appear, at first glance, to…
India’s women’s singles challenge at the Yonex-Sunrise India Open 2026 came to an end on Thursday, but Malvika Bansod’s performance against China’s Han Yue offered valuable insight into where the young Indian stands in her development curve. Facing the fifth seed and one of the most consistent players on the BWF World Tour, Malvika went…
Ranchi Royals produced one of their most authoritative performances of the Men’s Hero Hockey India League 2025–26 season, dismantling SG Pipers 6–2 in Ranchi on Tuesday night, with captain Tom Boon delivering a sensational five-goal masterclass. The emphatic victory not only thrilled the home supporters but also propelled the Royals up to fourth place in…
Guwahati is set to take a significant step toward establishing itself as a high-performance sporting center, following the announcement of a new High-Performance Satellite Sports Centre by the Directorate of Sports & Youth Welfare (DSYW), Government of Assam, in partnership with the Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS). The initiative marks a decisive move to build…
The opening round of the Yonex-Sunrise India Open 2026 delivered a telling snapshot of Indian women’s singles badminton at a crossroads, where promise and transition sat side by side. While 16-year-old Tanvi Sharma announced her arrival on the big stage with a fearless performance against China’s Wang Zhi Yi, former world champion PV Sindhu endured…
The Yonex-Sunrise India Open 2026 offered Indian badminton a timely reminder of the value of experience, as HS Prannoy rolled back the clock to produce one of his most assured performances in recent times. On a day when youth and promise were on display across courts in New Delhi, it was the 33-year-old from Kerala…
The 2025 season reaffirmed Indian Athletics status as the dominant force in Asian men’s triple jump, but it also exposed structural vulnerabilities that will shape the country’s medal prospects at the 2026 Asian Games and Commonwealth Games. With Praveen Chithravel and Abdulla Aboobacker once again establishing themselves above the 17-meter benchmark, India remains well positioned…
As the Women’s Premier League, WPL continues to redefine the landscape of women’s sport in India, franchises are increasingly recognizing their power beyond performance and results. On January 17, UP Warriorz will take that responsibility forward by dedicating their WPL fixture against Mumbai Indians to advocating free, flexible, and lifelong education for girls, in partnership…
Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Women’s Premier League, WPL 2026 campaign has begun with a statement that goes beyond points on the table. The 137-run opening partnership between Smriti Mandhana and Grace Harris against UP Warriorz was not just a record stand; it was a clear indication of a franchise that has evolved tactically, emotionally, and structurally…
India’s Yuki Bhambri and Sweden’s André Göransson continued their impressive start to the 2026 ATP season by booking a place in the semifinals of the ASB Classic in Auckland, an ATP 250 event that traditionally serves as a key warm-up tournament ahead of the Australian Open. The top-seeded Indo-Swedish pair overcame a stern challenge from…
Defending champions Shrachi Bengal Tigers produced a timely statement of intent in the Hero Hockey India League 2026 (Men), registering a pulsating 5–3 victory over Accord Tamil Nadu Dragons at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda Hockey Stadium in Ranchi on Tuesday. Led by a captain’s performance from Jugraj Singh, who struck his first hat-trick…
