When Robert Roelofsen and RFYC’s Zehal Shibu and Vanlalthazuala Fanai signed professional contracts with Tokyo 23 FC, it did not register as a headline-grabbing transfer in global football terms. A Japanese sixth-tier club rarely commands attention outside its domestic ecosystem. But to view this move purely through the lens of league hierarchy is to misunderstand…
When Neeraj Chopra and Jan Železný mutually agreed to end their coaching partnership in January 2026, the announcement naturally drew attention across the athletics world. A collaboration between India’s greatest-ever javelin thrower and the most successful exponent the event has known was always going to be closely scrutinised. Yet, rather than signalling uncertainty, the decision…
Indian table tennis player Manav Thakkar produced a gritty and encouraging performance before bowing out in the Round of 16 against World No.5 Truls Moregard of Sweden, losing 1–3 in a closely contested encounter on Friday evening. Ranked 34 in the world, Thakkar pushed the higher-ranked Moregard for long stretches, particularly in a dramatic fourth…
The women’s singles semi-final at the Malaysia Open 2026 promises a fascinating clash of styles and storylines as Pusarla Venkata Sindhu vs Wang Zhiyi as she takes on world No.2 Wang Zhiyi at the Axiata Arena, Kuala Lumpur. It is a matchup that has grown into one of the most compelling rivalries on the BWF…
For Rounak Chouhan, 2025 marked a significant turning point in his badminton journey. A strong run through the international circuit, highlighted by an international title and a semi-final appearance at the Odisha Masters, underlined a season where progress was not only visible on the scoreboard but also in the way he approached matches mentally and…
The Tata Mumbai Marathon (TMM) is set to return for its 21st edition on Sunday, January 18, 2026, with record-breaking participation and a growing legacy that extends far beyond race day. Promoted by Procam International, the World Athletics Gold Label Race has already confirmed over 69,100 participants, including more than 65,400 on-ground runners and over…
The fourth edition of the Women’s Premier League, WPL begins on January 9, 2026, with defending champions Mumbai Indians taking on Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. On paper, it is a blockbuster opening fixture. In reality, it is also a statement of intent. WPL 2026 is not just another…
Indian sport has spent the last decade upgrading its visible infrastructure: stadiums, high-performance centers, athlete support systems, and international exposure. Yet, behind these tangible gains lies a quieter but far more consequential reform now taking shape: the professionalization of sports administration. The proposed National Multi-Level Competency and Curriculum Framework for Sports Administrators aims to address…
The confirmation of David Timor’s departure from FC Goa on January 7, 2026, may read like a routine mid-season squad update, but in reality it is anything but Indian football. The mutual parting of ways between the Spanish midfielder and the club is a sharp reflection of the administrative and commercial turmoil that has gripped…
The Indian professional tennis circuit moves swiftly from the hills of Bengaluru to the humid coast of Chennai as the ITF M25 International Tennis Tournament gets underway at the SDAT Tennis Stadium, Nungambakkam, from January 12 to 18. Coming on the heels of the ATP Challenger 125 Bengaluru Open, the Chennai M25 represents a vital…
Indian table tennis witnessed a defining moment on Thursday night in Doha as Manav Thakkar produced a performance of grit, composure, and tactical clarity to defeat France’s Simon Gauzy at the WTT Champions event. Ranked World No.34, Thakkar came from behind to knock out the World No. 17 Frenchman in a pulsating five-game encounter, winning…
PV Sindhu’s 2026 season has begun with authority, confidence, and a sense of purpose that has been missing for a while at the very top tier of the BWF Tour. Her straight-games demolition of Japan’s Tomoka Miyazaki at the Malaysia Open Super 1000 was not just another early-round win it was a performance that underlined…
The 2025–26 season of the Women’s Hockey India League (HIL) has marked a decisive step forward in the professionalisation of women’s hockey in India. With a compact yet intensely competitive format, the league has become a testing ground where international tactical standards meet the rapidly maturing Indian domestic system. Amid this landscape, one performance stood…
Indian athletics finds itself on the verge of another major breakthrough this time, in one of its most technically demanding events: the men’s 400m hurdles. Two Indian hurdlers, Yashas Palaksha and Ruchit Mori have run sub-50 seconds in the same season, establishing a new era of competitive excellence. Their performances in 2025 have reignited talk…
The formal retirement of Subedar Jinson Johnson on January 7, 2026, brings to a close one of the most transformative chapters in Indian athletics. To measure the scale of his contribution, medals and records alone are not enough. Johnson’s career represents a structural shift in Indian middle-distance running, one that moved the discipline from decades…
In a sporting ecosystem still adjusting to structural change, Mumbai Indians continue to lead quietly but decisively. One of the most striking aspects of their WPL setup is not tactical or technical but cultural: an all-female coaching group operating at the highest level of franchise cricket. Head coach Lisa Keightley addressed the significance of this…
The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has quietly carried out one of the most far-reaching regulatory overhauls in modern chess with the ratification of the 2026–27 World Championship cycle rules. While the changes may appear technical on the surface, their implications are profound. Together, they fundamentally reshape how players qualify for the Candidates Tournament, how tournaments…
PV Sindhu began her 2026 season on a positive note, storming into the Round of 16 at the BWF Super 1000 Malaysia Open with a hard-fought straight-games victory over Chinese Taipei’s Sung Shuo Yun. The former world champion prevailed 21-13, 22-20 in a match that tested both her physical readiness and mental resolve, especially in…
The merger of I-League 2 and I-League 3 into a single, 40-team zonal competition for the 2025–26 season marks one of the most consequential structural decisions in Indian football in recent years. Born out of administrative necessity rather than long-term planning, the move nevertheless offers a rare opportunity to stabilise and rethink the country’s fragile…
The 22nd Asian Men’s Handball Championship, scheduled from January 15 to 29, 2026 in Kuwait, represents a defining moment for Indian handball. Beyond its status as Asia’s premier men’s competition, the tournament doubles as the continental qualification pathway for the 2027 IHF Men’s Handball World Championship in Germany, raising the competitive and strategic stakes for…
The Tata Steel Chess India Rapid and Blitz 2026 marks another defining chapter in India’s rise as a global powerhouse in elite chess. Scheduled from January 7 to 11 at the Dhono Dhanyo Auditorium in Kolkata, the eighth edition of the tournament brings together a rare blend of legacy, youth, and international excellence, reinforcing its…
Over the last decade, Odisha has quietly rewritten the script on how sport is imagined, funded, and governed in India. What began as an ambitious effort to host international events has evolved into a long-term, athlete-first sports model that is now being cited as a blueprint not just nationally, but globally. Today, Odisha is no…
The emergence of Inter Kashi FC has already altered the footballing map of India. Now, with the announcement of a ₹60 crore AFC-compliant stadium project in Varanasi, the club is taking a decisive step from being a travelling professional outfit to becoming a deeply rooted institutional force. More than just a construction project, this stadium…
The global chess circuit has increasingly become a high-stakes professional ecosystem, where elite performance is now rewarded not just with prestige, but with significant prize money, while Gukesh Dommaraju was placed at 17th. A look at the latest prize earnings table from major events over the season offers a telling snapshot of where the world’s…
Indian women’s tennis received a timely boost at the ITF $60,000 Nonthaburi tournament, where India No.1 Sahaja Yamalapalli produced one of the most significant wins of her professional career. Fighting back from a set and a break down, Yamalapalli defeated former world No.96 Chloe Paquet of France 3–6, 6–4, 6–4 in the first round, announcing…
Indian badminton witnessed one of its most eye-catching moments of the early 2026 season as 20-year-old Ayush Shetty pulled off a stunning first-round victory over Olympic bronze medallist and home favourite Lee Zii Jia at the Malaysia Open Super 1000. Playing with remarkable composure on one of the sport’s biggest stages, Shetty defeated the Malaysian…
The Petronas Malaysia Open 2026 is more than just the first tournament of the BWF World Tour calendar. As a Super 1000 event, it sets the competitive tone for the season, tests off-season preparation, and immediately exposes gaps between ambition and readiness. For India, the Kuala Lumpur opener represents a delicate balance between rebuilding momentum,…
The return of the Pro Wrestling League (PWL) in 2026 marks a significant reset for professional wrestling in India. After a gap of six years following the 2019 season, the league has been reintroduced with a revised structure, new ownership groups, and a sharper focus on long-term sustainability rather than short-term spectacle. Operating under a…
The rise of Neeraj Chopra from a promising teenager in Haryana to an Olympic and world champion is often narrated as an individual sporting miracle. In reality, it is equally the story of a carefully built, long-term partnership with JSW Sports one that has fundamentally reshaped how elite Olympic athletes are supported in India. Since…
Indian athletics reached a quiet but defining inflection point in January 2026 when Neeraj Chopra formally ended his decade-long professional association with JSW Sports and transitioned into an athlete-managed model through the launch of Vel Sports. While the headlines may frame it as the end of a partnership, in reality, it marks the next phase…
In the Hockey India League (HIL), this symbolism has been especially powerful. From its launch in 2013 to its revival in the mid-2020s, the identity of the league’s first goal-scorers has mirrored the league’s institutional health, tactical evolution, and broader ambitions for Indian hockey. In every sporting league, the first goal of a season carries…
Borja Herrera did not leave Indian football quietly. When the FC Goa captain described the situation around the Indian Super League (ISL) as “untenable,” it was not the language of a disgruntled footballer chasing a better contract. It was the verdict of a seasoned professional who had spent years buying into the league’s promise and…
Indian women’s hockey is in the middle of a generational transition, and few players embody that shift as clearly as Sakshi Rana. Still in her teens, the forward from Sonipat, Haryana has already moved seamlessly from age-group dominance to senior international impact, carving out a reputation as one of the most exciting attacking prospects in…
The first day of the Hockey India League (HIL) men’s competition should have been a celebration. The league once seen as the commercial and cultural heartbeat of Indian hockey was expected to rekindle memories, revive fan interest, and remind the country of a sport that has given it Olympic glory and global respect. Instead, the…
Fresh off a strong showing at the 68th National Shooting Championships in Bhopal, Indian shooter Niraj Kumar believes Indian shooting is entering a phase that Shooting League of India could redefine how the sport is perceived, followed, and supported in the country. The World Cup gold medallist clinched the silver medal in the men’s 50m…
When Tata Steel Chess India confirmed that reigning World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju would not feature in the 2026 Rapid and Blitz event in Kolkata, the announcement landed like a quiet shock. Just weeks earlier, the tournament had been framed around a historic narrative: the first official India-based clash between Viswanathan Anand and the youngest world…
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) confirmed on Saturday that the Indian Super League (ISL) 2025–26 season will be conducted, bringing a measure of clarity to a competition that has been clouded by uncertainty for months. The federation also stated that the official dates for the season will be announced next week, with a proposed…
The Pro Wrestling League 2026 auction unfolded as a marathon spectacle on January 3, delivering everything fans and franchises expect from Indian wrestling’s premier franchise league record-breaking bids, intense last-minute bidding wars, tactical errors, surprise bargains and a clear statement of intent from teams looking to dominate the upcoming season. By the time Akash was…
The WTT Youth Contender 2026 in Vadodara delivered a morning of high drama and youthful resilience as Vivaan Dave and Naisha Rewaskar produced a remarkable comeback to defeat top seeds Aditya Das and Ankolika Chakraborty, booking their place in the U-15 mixed doubles final at the SAMA Indoor Sports Complex on Saturday. In a contest…
The Pro Wrestling League auction on January 3, 2026, delivered another defining moment when Antim Panghal, India’s young Olympic wrestler in the 53kg category, entered the fray. What followed was a dramatic bidding war that underlined her growing stature in Indian wrestling and reaffirmed her position as one of the most valuable female athletes in…
The Pro Wrestling League initial auction on January 3, 2026, revolved around one name more than any other Aman Sehrawat. When the Olympic bronze medallist in the 57 kg category entered the bidding arena, the tone of the auction shifted instantly. What followed was a fierce bidding war that underlined not just Aman’s growing stature…
The trajectory of the Indian women’s hockey team since the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, held in 2021, has been one of sharp highs, deep uncertainty, and repeated structural resets. What began as a historic breakthrough a fourth-place finish that redefined global perceptions of Indian women’s hockey soon evolved into a five-year period marked by coaching…
The Global Athletics ecosystem in 2026 marks a decisive shift in how elite competition is structured, marketed, and sustained. Traditionally viewed as an “interim” year between the Olympic Games and World Athletics Championships, 2026 has been reimagined by World Athletics as a high-impact season designed to maintain visibility, athlete earnings, and competitive relevance. At the…
The fourth season of the Women’s Premier League in 2026 represents a defining moment for the UP Warriorz franchise. What began as an ambitious entrant in the inaugural 2023 season has, over the next two campaigns, struggled to establish consistency or a clear identity. After finishing fourth in 2024 and bottom of the table in…
After months of anticipation, the stage is finally set for the return of elite domestic hockey as the Men’s Hero Hockey India League (HIL) begins on Saturday, January 3, at the iconic Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium in Egmore, Chennai. The second edition of the revived league promises nearly a month of high-intensity action, global stars,…
The second edition of the WTT Youth Contenders in India got off to a dramatic start at the SAMA Indoor Stadium on Friday, with Vatsal Duklan and Hansini Mathan producing the biggest upsets of the opening day to storm into the quarterfinals of the U-17 boys’ and girls’ singles events respectively. In a competition that…
Indian football enters 2026 in a state of deep uncertainty, shaped less by on-field failures and more by an administrative vacuum that has left professional players fighting for career survival. With the Indian Super League (ISL) stalled, contracts expiring, and no clarity from the All India Football Federation (AIFF), the message for Indian footballers has…
Pickleball’s rise in India is no longer a lifestyle trend; it is fast becoming a structured commercial opportunity reshaping the country’s recreational sports infrastructure. What began as a niche racquet sport has evolved into one of the fastest-growing asset classes within the pay-and-play ecosystem, driven by low entry barriers, high utilization potential, and strong urban…
Indian sports ambitions have never been more clearly articulated. With a stated goal of becoming a top-ten sporting nation by 2036 and a serious push to host the Olympic Games, the country has invested heavily in infrastructure, athlete support systems, and high-performance programmes. Yet beneath the surface of this progress lies a structural weakness that…
The 2026 FIDE Candidates Tournament and Women’s Candidates Tournament, scheduled from March 28 to April 16, 2026 in Cyprus, mark a defining moment in the modern evolution of world chess. More than just a qualification event, the Candidates now stand as a ruthless test of form, endurance, and adaptability, shaped by structural reforms that have…
