Sports
India vs Pakistan: Sangram Singh Eyes Asia Champion Title In High-Voltage Clash Against Abid Ali
Indian wrestling legend and undefeated mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Sangram Singh is set for one of the biggest contests of his combat sports career as he takes on Pakistan’s Abid Ali for the prestigious STRIKE Asia Champion Title in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on July 19. The much-anticipated India versus Pakistan showdown is scheduled to begin at approximately 6:30-7:00 PM IST.
The title fight has generated significant anticipation across the combat sports fraternity, with the winner set to be crowned the STRIKE Asia Champion. The contest also marks another important milestone in Sangram’s remarkable transition from professional wrestling to mixed martial arts.
A two-time Commonwealth Heavyweight Wrestling Champion and one of India’s most decorated wrestlers, Sangram has enjoyed a flawless start to his professional MMA career. He announced himself on the global stage by defeating Pakistan’s Ali Raza Nasir in just 90 seconds on his MMA debut in Georgia before registering impressive victories over Tunisia’s Hakim Trabelsi in the Netherlands and France’s Florian Coudier in Argentina. His triumph in Argentina also made him the first Indian to win a professional MMA bout on Argentine soil, extending his unbeaten professional record to 3-0.
Beyond his achievements inside the cage, Sangram continues to play an influential role in promoting sports and fitness in India. He serves as a Fit India Icon under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and has also been appointed Brand Ambassador for the Swachh Bharat Campaign by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. His international MMA campaign has received support from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports as part of its efforts to promote fitness and showcase Indian athletes on the global stage.
Speaking ahead of the championship bout, Sangram Singh said, “Every time I step into the cage, I don’t just fight for myself; I fight for 140 crore Indians. India versus Pakistan is always special, irrespective of the sport, and I fully understand the emotions attached to this contest. I have trained with complete discipline and respect for my opponent, but once the cage closes, my only mission will be to ensure that the Indian flag flies high. I believe fitness, dedication and mental strength are the biggest weapons any athlete can possess.”
The upcoming bout is expected to be one of the most talked-about India-Pakistan contests in combat sports this year, with fans eagerly awaiting another memorable performance from the unbeaten Indian. Victory on Sunday would not only see Sangram lift the STRIKE Asia Champion Title but also further cement his growing legacy in mixed martial arts after an illustrious wrestling career.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a press release)
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Sports
India vs England Live Score, 3rd ODI: All eyes on Rohit Sharma as India, England gear up for Lord’s series decider
Speculation over Rohit’s future has dominated the build-up to the match. However, the BCCI has made it clear that the Lord’s ODI will not be the veteran opener’s final international appearance.
Even so, Rohit will be eager to silence his critics after struggling in the first two matches of the series.
Rohit looks to rediscover his touch
At his best, Rohit is known for his effortless pull shots against pace and his ability to dominate spin. But the 39-year-old has looked far from his fluent self so far, leading to fresh debates over whether he can continue until the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa.
The two-paced surface in Cardiff did not help his cause as he played nine consecutive dot balls before getting out.
A better batting wicket at the “Home of Cricket” could give Rohit the ideal opportunity to produce a trademark innings.
As India’s former captain, Rohit has often set the tone by attacking in the powerplay. His biggest challenge on Sunday will be handling the pace and bounce of Jofra Archer in the opening overs.
Gill, Kohli key to India’s batting
Current captain Shubman Gill has looked in fine touch with the bat and will be hoping to convert his start into a big hundred after throwing away his wicket in Cardiff.
While Rohit has struggled, Virat Kohli has continued to dominate the ODI format. He looked set for another century in the second ODI before falling to Archer, triggering a middle-order collapse that proved costly for India.
India will hope to avoid repeating those mistakes in the series decider.
KL Rahul’s availability also remains a talking point after Ishan Kishan replaced him in the previous game due to illness. Kishan, like several other Indian batters, found it difficult against England’s short-ball tactics.
Shreyas Iyer has been one of India’s positives in the middle order, especially with his confident batting against leg-spinner Adil Rashid.
Squads
England: Harry Brook (captain), Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Jacob Bethell, James Coles, Will Jacks, Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Tom Banton, Jos Buttler, Jofra Archer, Saqib Mahmood, Adil Rashid, Josh Tongue.
India: Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (vice-captain), KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, Gurnoor Brar, Prince Yadav, Harsh Dubey.
Sports
“Medals Very Important For Country To Glorify Its Name”: Swimmer Sajan Prakash Ahead Of CWG 2026
India’s senior swimmer Sajan Prakash said striking a balance between chasing personal best timings and winning medals is essential, stressing that while personal milestones reflect an athlete’s progress, medals bring glory to the country on the world stage. The 2026 Commonwealth Games will get underway with the Opening Ceremony on July 23 in Glasgow. The multi-sport event will be held over 11 days across four existing venues before concluding on August 2. The swimming events will be held from July 24 to July 29.
Ahead of the multi-sport event, Sajan, speaking in an interview, lauded the Sports Authority of India (SAI), saying personal best performances and medals complement each other.
“Personal best is always knowing that you have progressed. In training, a lot of times, that will replicate in the competition. And medals are very important for the country to glorify its name on the world stage. So both go hand in hand,” Sajan told reporters.
The 32-year-old Olympian also spoke about the responsibility of representing India as one of the country’s senior swimmers ahead of the Commonwealth Games, saying the responsibility remains the same irrespective of seniority, though experience brings added accountability.
“I’ve always been responsible when representing the country, irrespective of whether I’m a senior or not. But definitely, yes, I should know what to talk about, when to talk and how to talk to the media and everyone else. That is one. And my performance needs to be on point on the day of the race because there are many things that can spoil that, but I need to be much more prepared months before and days before. So definitely, yes, I have the weight on my shoulders to take it forward,” he told reporters.
For those unversed, Prakash scripted history for Indian swimming by becoming the country’s first swimmer to earn direct qualification for the Olympic Games through the qualifying standard, according to Olympics.com.
Sajan secured his place at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics after producing a historic performance in the men’s 200m butterfly at the 2021 Sette Colli Trophy in Rome. He clocked 1:56.38, setting a new national record and going below the Olympic Qualification Time (OQT) of 1:56.48 to seal a direct Olympic berth.
The achievement marked a watershed moment for Indian swimming, as no Indian swimmer had previously qualified for the Olympics by meeting the OQT, according to Olympics.com.
Tokyo 2020 was Sajan’s second Olympic appearance after making his debut at the Rio 2016 Games. While his Rio participation came through the universality quota, his qualification for Tokyo was earned on merit through the Olympic qualifying standard, making him the first Indian swimmer to achieve the feat.
At the Tokyo Olympics, Sajan also became the first Indian swimmer to compete in two editions of the Olympic Games, further cementing his place in Indian swimming history.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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The end of the 2026 World Cup is nigh, with Sunday’s final unmissable.
Every single game from the competition has been available to watch on free-to-air TV for UK viewers., with the BBC and ITV sharing coverage right through to the decider.
The time difference has provided a challenge for European audiences, with some games kicking off in the early hours – though their were kinder start times for the semi-finals, and it will be the same for the final.
Here’s how you can watch the final game of the 2026 World Cup:
World Cup 2026 TV schedule, UK
Finals
Saturday 18 July
Third-place play-off: France 4-6 England
Sunday 19 July
Final: Spain vs Argentina – 8pm BST – BBC and ITV / STV
Semi-finals
Tuesday 14 July
Wednesday 15 July
England 1-2 Argentina (Semi-final)
Quarter-finals
Thursday 9 July
France 2-0 Morocco (Quarter-final)
Friday 10 July
Spain 2-1 Belgium (Quarter-final)
Saturday 11 July
Norway 1-2 England A.E.T. (Quarter-final)
Sunday 12 July
Argentina 3-1 Switzerland A.E.T. (Quarter-final)
Last-16
Saturday 4 July
Canada 0-3 Morocco (Round of 16)
Paraguay 0-1 France (Round of 16)
Sunday 5 July
Brazil 1-2 Norway (Round of 16)
Monday 6 July
Mexico 2-3 England (Round of 16)
Portugal 0-1 Spain (Round of 16)
Tuesday 7 July
Argentina 3-2 Egypt (Round of 16)
Switzerland 0-0 (4-3 pens) Colombia (Round of 16)
Round-of-32
Sunday 28 June
South Africa 0-1 Canada (Round of 32)
Monday 29 June
Brazil 2-1 Japan (Round of 32)
Germany 1-1 (3-4 pens) Paraguay (Round of 32)
Tuesday 30 June
Netherlands 1-1 (2-3 pens) Morocco (Round of 32)
Ivory Coast 1-2 Norway (Round of 32)
France 3-0 Sweden (Round of 32)
Wednesday 1 July
Mexico 2-0 Ecuador (Round of 32)
England 2-1 DR Congo (Round of 32)
Belgium 3-2 Senegal A.E.T. (Round of 32)
Thursday 2 July
USA 2-0 Bosnia and Herzegovina (Round of 32)
Spain 3-0 Austria (Round of 32)
Friday 3 July
Portugal 2-1 Croatia (Round of 32)
Switzerland 2-0 Algeria (Round of 32)
Australia 1-1 (2-4 pens) Egypt (Round of 32)
Argentina 3-2 Cape Verde A.E.T. (Round of 32)
Saturday 4 July
Colombia 1-0 Ghana (Round of 32)
Group stage results
Thursday 11 June
Mexico 2-0 South Africa (Group A)
Friday 12 June
South Korea 2-1 Czech Republic (Group A)
Canada 1-1 Bosnia-Herzegovina (Group B)
Saturday 13 June
Qatar 1-1 Switzerland (Group B)
Sunday 14 June
Australia 2-0 Turkey (Group D)
Netherlands 2-2 Japan (Group F)
Monday 15 June
Ivory Coast 1-0 Ecuador (Group E)
Spain 0-0 Cape Verde (Group H)
Saudi Arabia 1-1 Uruguay (Group H)
Tuesday 16 June
Iran 2-2 New Zealand (Group G)
Wednesday 17 June
Argentina 3-0 Algeria (Group J)
Portugal 1-1 DR Congo (Group K)
Thursday 18 June
Uzbekistan 1-3 Colombia (Group K)
Czech Republic 1-1 South Africa (Group A)
Switzerland 4-1 Bosnia-Herzegovina (Group B)
Friday 19 June
Mexico 1-0 South Korea (Group A)
Scotland 0-1 Morocco (Group C)
Saturday 20 June
Netherlands 5-1 Sweden (Group F)
Germany 2-1 Ivory Coast (Group E)
Sunday 21 June
Spain 4-0 Saudi Arabia (Group H)
Uruguay 2-2 Cape Verde (Group H)
Monday 22 June
New Zealand 1-3 Egypt (Group G)
Argentina 2-0 Austria (Group J)
Tuesday 23 June
Portugal 5-0 Uzbekistan (Group K)
Wednesday 24 June
Colombia 1-0 DR Congo (Group K)
Bosnia-Herzegovina 3-1 Qatar (Group B)
Switzerland 2-1 Canada (Group B)
Thursday 25 June
Czech Republic 0-3 Mexico (Group A)
South Africa 1-0 South Korea (Group A)
Curacao 0-2 Ivory Coast (Group E)
Friday 26 June
Tunisia 1-3 Netherlands (Group F)
Paraguay 0-0 Australia (Group D)
Saturday 27 June
Cape Verde 0-0 Saudi Arabia (Group H)
New Zealand 1-5 Belgium (Group G)
Sunday 28 June
Colombia 0-0 Portugal (Group K)
Yamal or Messi? With just a few hours to go before kick-off in the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, we took to the streets of New York to ask fans which of the two players they prefer
July 18, 2026; Miami Gardens, Florida, U.S.; France’s Kylian Mbappe in action with England’s Marc Guehi. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images France didn’t get the win but Kylian Mbappe got the record on Saturday. For now.
The French star became the all-time leading goal scorer in World Cup history with 22 after his second goal of his club’s third-place match against England in Miami Gardens, Fla.
Despite Mbappe’s efforts, France lost 6-4 as their attempted comeback from a 4-0 halftime deficit fell short.
Mbappe scored goals in the 48th and 66th minutes to move one ahead of Argentina great Lionel Messi.
“I’m just trying to help my team score every time,” Mbappe said after the match. “It’s for sure that when you score that many goals in the World Cup, it elevates you to certain levels but I would have liked to not be the top scorer in history and play tomorrow’s (championship) match.
“So, I think it’s good for legacy and when we stop (playing) to say that I was one of those players. But today, it’s not the first thing crossing my mind.”
Mbappe also has 10 goals in this World Cup, two ahead of Messi in the competition for the Golden Boot. Messi’s squad meets Spain in Sunday’s final in East Rutherford, N.J., meaning the Argentine star has a chance to surpass both marks Mbappe set.
Mbappe is the first player with 10 goals in a World Cup since West Germany’s Gerd Muller in 1970.
–Field Level Media
Welcome to our Who am I? game.
The rules are simple. Each day there’s a new footballer and the challenge is to guess who they are in as few attempts as possible.
After each wrong guess you unlock a new clue. Guess the answer after as few clues as possible to score more points.
Three is a good score, four or five points is exceptional.
So take part and return for more tomorrow.
Today’s player and clues set by BBC Sport’s Adam Millington.
After more quizzes? Go to our dedicated Football Quizzes and Sports Quizzes pages and sign up for notifications to get the latest quizzes sent straight to your device.
Bukayo Saka scores a hat-trick as England beat France 6-4 in a thriller to record their best men’s World Cup finish since 1966.
The 2026 World Cup final will take place on Sunday at MetLife Stadium, and it will be one of the most memorable of all time. Luis de la Fuente’s Spain, probably the best team of the tournament after beating France in the semifinal, will meet Argentina and Lionel Messi in what might become his last ever game at the World Cup. Spain have won the World Cup only once, lifting the trophy in 2010, and they will be appearing in just their second final on Sunday. Argentina, meanwhile, are three-time world champions, having triumphed in 1978 with Mario Kempes, 1986 under Diego Armando Maradona’s inspiration, and most recently in 2022. A victory on Sunday would see La Albiceleste become only the third nation in history to retain the World Cup, following Italy (1934 and 1938) and Brazil (1958 and 1962). Here’s what you need to know:
How to watch Spain vs. Argentina
Date: Sunday, July 15 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
Location: MetLife Stadium — East Rutherford, N.J.
TV: FOX (Eng), Telemundo (Spa) | Live stream: Fubo (Try for free)
Odds: Spain +125; Draw +200; Argentina +254
The iconic photo
You’ve probably seen it by now, but back in 2007, then-Barcelona prodigy Lionel Messi posed for a photoshoot where he was bathing a little baby. The Argentina superstar will see that baby again. Five months old at the time, it was Spain’s rising superstar Lamine Yamal. On Sunday, nearly two decades later, they’ll face each other in the 2026 World Cup final at MetLife Stadium between Spain and Argentina. A game that will not only determine the new world champions but can potentially also decide who is going to be the 2026 Ballon d’Or winner between Messi and Yamal. But first, how did Messi and Yamal end up together in that photoshoot?
It all began in the fall of 2007, when Diario Sport, the Catalan newspaper, partnered with UNICEF, one of Barcelona’s longtime charitable partners, to produce a calendar for 2008, a format that was especially popular across Europe at the time. The idea was to shoot pictures of the first team with kids from the Barcelona area. To make it happen, UNICEF created a contest in the Rocafonda neighborhood in the Spanish city of Mataró, close to Barcelona, and the parents of Yamal participated and were selected to be part of it.
“Back then, nobody could imagine that this baby would be who he is now and you could not have known that Messi would become who he became, either,” Joan Monfort, then a freelance photographer for the Associated Press, told The Athletic in a 2024 interview.
“We are talking about 2007. Messi was only beginning at Barca then. Destiny plays an important role in these things. Messi is a pretty introverted guy, he’s shy. He was coming out of the locker room and suddenly he finds himself in another locker room with a plastic tub full of water and a baby in it. It was complicated. He didn’t even know how to hold him at first. At the start, there was not much interaction. It was difficult for all of them. But, bit by bit, it started to happen and in the end, it’s a pretty good photo.”
The picture became viral again in 2024 when the father of Yamal, Mounir Nasraoui, shared it again on his social media, telling the story and comparing his son with the Argentinian legend. Even UNICEF chimed in on social media on Thursday, posting the picture and saying, “Yes, those photos you’ve seen are real. More than 18 years ago, a baby named Lamine Yamal and his mom, Sheila, met Lionel Messi at a UNICEF fundraising photoshoot. Today, their achievements on the pitch inspire millions. Off the pitch, both Messi and Lamine Yamal use their voices.”
Trump to attend the final
U.S. president Donald Trump is expected to present the World Cup trophy to the winners of the tournament but has not attended any of the 102 World Cup games so far, missing the United States matches as well. However, his increasingly close relationship with FIFA President Gianni Infantino has come under intense media scrutiny, particularly after FIFA lifted Folarin Balogun’s red card suspension ahead of the round of 16 clash against Belgium. A decision that, according to Trump himself, was made following his personal request. Mauricio Pochettino‘s side lost 4-1 against Belgium and were knocked out by the Red Devils.
Spain vs. Argentina predicted starting lineups
Spain: Unai Simon; Pedro Porro, Pau Cubarsí, Aymeric Laporte, Marc Cucurella; Rodri, Fabián Ruiz, Álex Baena; Dani Olmo, Mikel Oyarzabal, Lamine Yamal.
Argentina: Emiliano Martínez; Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martínez, Facundo Medina; Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernández, Thiago Almada; Lionel Messi, Julian Alvarez.
Spain vs. Argentina pick, prediction
Spain have looked like the better and more complete team throughout the tournament, but Argentina’s recent performances have been nothing short of outstanding. The magic shows up again. Pick: Argentina 2, Spain 1
Golazo 48 Nations: Follow the World Cup all summer long
Golazo 48 Nations is your all-access destination for the World Cup, with wall-to-wall coverage across the CBS Sports Golazo Network. From the first whistle to the final recap, the entire Golazo crew will guide fans through every moment of the tournament.
Each day begins with Morning Footy, setting the stage with the latest news, storylines, and previews ahead of kickoff. From there, Golazo Matchday and Golazo Matchnight deliver reaction and analysis as the action unfolds. Fans can also tune in for coverage of USMNT matches with the Call It What You Want team, as well as reaction to other marquee matchups.
The day wraps with Scoreline, a comprehensive nightly recap of every result, moment, and storyline from across the tournament. Altogether, the Golazo Network will deliver up to 12 hours of programming each matchday, available across the Golazo Network and its YouTube channel.
Sports
A’s rebound and rout Nationals 15-1 to stop 10-game skid as Ginn takes no-hitter into 7th inning
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — J.T. Ginn took a no-hitter into the seventh inning and the Athletics routed the Washington Nationals 15-1 to end their 10-game losing streak Saturday night.
Jacob Wilson, Tyler Soderstrom and Carlos Cortes homered to help the A’s bounce back 24 hours after a 23-4 loss to Washington, their most lopsided defeat in more than 70 years.
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Ginn (8-6) allowed one hit in 6 1/3 scoreless innings. He struck out seven and walked three.
The 27-year-old right-hander retired 19 of the first 22 batters he faced and lost his bid for a no-hitter when Keibert Ruiz lined a clean single to center field with one out in the seventh.
After that, Ginn was pulled by manager Mark Kotsay and received a standing ovation.
Ruiz also singled in the ninth and scored on Jorbit Vivas‘ sacrifice fly. Vivas, an infielder, pitched for the Nationals for the second consecutive night. He worked the eighth inning and allowed one run, one hit, one walk and a hit batter.
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Wilson and Soderstrom each scored three times. They both homered off starter Zack Littell (7-7), who gave up eight runs, eight hits and four walks in six innings.
Wilson and Jeff McNeil each had three of the Athletics’ 13 hits.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
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