The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has announced the invitation of 62 players to the camp of the Golden Eaglets ahead of this year’s WAFU B U17 Championship.
Head Coach Uwejamomere Eboboritse has called up five goalkeepers, 24 defenders, 20 midfielders and 13 forwards for the screening and training programme in Abuja.
The invited players have been asked to report to camp as Eboboritse, alongside his assistants Kalli Mohammed Kachalla and Abdullahi Isa, begin preparations for the regional competition.
Advertisement
Nigeria will be hoping to build another strong Golden Eaglets side, having won the FIFA U17 World Cup a record five times.
The 2026 WAFU B U17 Championship is scheduled to take place in October.
Goalkeepers: Emmanuel Dada (Beyond Limits FA), Enabodje Jackson Akpobome (Dosu Joseph FA), Mutiu Adenle Adedayo (Seamoriow FA), Usama Salisu (Ranchers Bees FC), Johnny Kelvin (KMK Football Academy).
Advertisement
Defenders: Daniel Agunzi (Imperial FA), Michael Ogwuche (Triple 44 Academy), Chinedu Destiny (Supreme Kings FC), Isa Jamiu (Inspire FA), Ifechukwu Nweke (Benin City Sports Academy), Nabil Shehu (Sports Supply FA), Augustine David (Right2Win FA), Abdullahi Muhammad (Ahzuba FC), Auwal Fahad (Derby FA), Ahuchaogu Chinenye Goodluck (Supreme Kings FC), Chinedu Nchoje (Gbagada FC), Ekwueme Chidubem (Giant Brillars FC), Tochukwu Muoneme (Rangers International FC), Eke Kingsley (Supreme Kings FC), Mubarak Dayyatu (Mahanaim FC), Abdulrazak Ibrahim (Breakthrough FA), Davidson Chukwuemeka (Golden Generation FA), Isah Kasim Ladan (Mavlon FC 24), Hussaini Saeed (AS Roma Academy).
Midfielders: Paul Emmanuel Akpan (Solo Wanderers FC), Goodness Ukwubile (Turf Arena FA), Japhet Vincent (Mees Palace FA), Chinedu Divine Mbachu (Sporting Lagos), Sochima Joshua Emeka (Multilife Saver FC), Anifowose Faruq Olayanju (Jaguar Sports FA), Mansur Sanusi (Beyond Limits FA), Adegbola Alameen Oladimeji (Stormers FC), Abdullahi Jamiu Afolabi (Smart City FC), Salisu Abdulsamad (B Angel FA), Oluwole Akinyele (Breeding Professionals FA), Abubakar Fuhaad (Stormers FC), Abdulrazak Abubakar (Simoiben Academy), Michael Ekundayo (Vinod Academy), Otugo Akachukwu (P. Sports FA), Abdulmalik Babatunde (Adoration Football Academy), Nwobodo Chinoso (Mavlon FC), Abdulsalam Fuhad (Cart FC Academy), Benedict Samuel (Ikon Allah Football Academy), Benjamin Benedict Boloni (Dreamline Football Academy).
Forwards: Barnabas Chichi (Transformers FA), Ayinde Basit (Ikorodu City FA), Igboenobe Columbus (Forster FA), Yusuf Isa Alo (Footwork FA), Raheem Lateef (Inspire FA), Abuchi Lawrence (Sporting Lagos), Abas Sani (Kubarachi FC), Israel Asuquo Ayo (Kon Academy), Usoro Godswill (Sporting Supreme FC), Usman Kachalla (Desert Fox FC), Muhammad Auwal (Kano Pillars FC), Mahmud Ahmed (Beyond Limits FA), Anreki Peter Samuel (Strikers Hub FA), Fasiu Mubarak (Sporting Supreme FC), Abdullahi Suleiman Ibrahim (Ikon Allah Football Academy), Shaibu Umar Faruk (Palmville College Lagos), Bello Ibrahim (Palmville College Lagos), Aliyu Abah Muhammed (Lobi Stars Feeders).
Infantino was forced to abandon his plans – namely to sell stakes in the World Cup and other Fifa tournaments to private investors – after public uproar last week, with Uefa confirming a boycott of Fifa events if the plan was voted through.
On Tuesday, Jordan FA president Prince Ali bin Hussein accused Infantino of “blackmail” and, under immense pressure, with his job seemingly on the line, the Swiss-Italian called an emergency meeting with the Fifa management board in Morocco.
Gianni Infantino has retained the support of Fifa (PA Wire)
A letter released by Fifa on Wednesday evening was signed by both Infantino and Fifa secretary general Mattias Grafstrom, even though the latter is understood to have written an email to staff on Tuesday in which he described Infantino’s proposal as “sad and reproachable”.
It showed a far more united front than that email would suggest and saw the president admits that mistakes were made in the process of setting out his sell-off plans – his first public apology for the scheme.
“We acknowledge mistakes were made in the process of the proposed establishment of FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE),” read part of the letter.
Advertisement
“It was certainly not the intention for the FIFA Council and FIFA Member Associations to feel excluded from the process and it should have been handled differently. We acknowledge that errors were also made after the proposal was leaked to media.
“We sincerely apologise for these errors and commit to them not happening again. With this in mind, we will conduct a necessary review, and a report will be presented to the FIFA Council at its next scheduled meeting.”
Infantino did say mistakes were made in the process of the World Cup sell-off plan (PA Wire)
However, any suggestion that Infantino might resign, or otherwise be forced out of his job by senior figures at the governing body, were also nipped in the bud with a clear show of support for the embattled president.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the FIFA Secretary General and the Management Board in attendance reaffirm their full support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino, as the only official elected by the 211 FIFA Member Associations,” read part of the statement.
“It was discussed and agreed at the meeting that the processes, communications and interactions between the FIFA President, the FIFA Secretary General and the Management Board that support the delivery of this vision can and should always be continuously improved in terms of their effectiveness and efficiency.
Advertisement
“We are fully confident that the outcomes of today’s meeting will strengthen FIFA’s governance, help restore confidence in the organisation and enable us to prepare for the major events and challenges ahead in a united and transparent manner while continuing our mission to develop the game around the world.”
The statement also went on to say that any attacks on Fifa’s integrity or good governance will not be accepted and seemed to suggest that now the sell-off plan has been abandoned, the whole situation should be quietly forgotten.
Infantino also said attacks on Fifa’s integrity would not be tolerated (PA)
”The proposal, which would have been subject to the approval of the FIFA Member Associations and the FIFA Council, is now off the table,” read another part of the statement. “With the project withdrawn, FIFA will no longer tolerate any attacks on its integrity, good governance and due process and will take all necessary measures to protect and safeguard its name and reputation.
“There are always lessons to be learned, and we will continue to improve our processes in light of this experience. In this instance, however, it is important to stress that, although mistakes were made, everything that was done, was done in full compliance with the FIFA regulatory framework.”
Infantino still faces a barrage of criticism from outside Fifa however, with a number of countries having withdrawn support for his presidency ahead of the election in March 2027.
Advertisement
Real Madrid and Portugal legend Luis Figo, who works as an adviser for Uefa, hit out at Infantino on Wednesday and implored him to resign, saying: “I could write 10,000 words on the problems at Fifa. But the solution needs only three: Infantino must go.”
Canadian prime minister Mark Carney also said he no longer has confidence Infantino, explaining he felt the Fifa president committed a “fatal” governance failure by not consulting senior advisers. “Certainly I don’t have confidence in Mr Infantino,” said Carney, who had appeared alongside Infantino at several events during the 2026 World Cup co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States.
Appearing in 108 of his team’s 115 games – 94 per cent – so far in this trying 2026 is by no means a poor number. But it needs to be contextualized against the franchise player’s history – from 2020 through 2025, he appeared in 852 of the Blue Jays’ 870 regular-season games, with 156 being his previous low – and there must be some link between the physical issues that have caused him to miss more games than ever and his stunning lack of production.
Guerrero looked very uncomfortable running out a groundball in the eighth inning of Tuesday night’s 7-2 win, slowing as he hit the bag and then bending over in discomfort before hobbling off.
Manager John Schneider acknowledged Wednesday that his first baseman “has had some hamstring tightness and other stuff,” but explained sitting him by saying “with 17 in a row, today’s kind of just a day off, just watching him (Tuesday) and just giving him a blow against a really good starting pitcher (in Hunter Brown), trying to get as many lefties in there as we can.”
Guerrero’s previous missed games this year were all directly tied to acute ailments.
Advertisement
He missed games May 25 and 26 after a 92.1 m.p.h. sinker from Mitch Keller struck the inside of his right elbow.
Lower back tightness cost him games June 13, 14 and 30 while he sat July 29 due to some right hamstring tightness suffered the previous nights. With the Blue Jays not only in the middle of 17 games in 17 days, but also on the back half of 30 outings in 31 days, there are precious few days for him, or others, to do any sort of healing.
Asked if another day off Thursday afternoon in Chicago, when the Blue Jays play a makeup game against the Cubs, might make some sense for Guerrero, Schneider hedged, replying that “like everyone, but especially him, he wants to be out there, he wants to be contributing more than he is. I’ll talk to him (Wednesday) as the day goes and when we get into Chicago.”
Guerrero’s determination to stay on the field is important from a wider perspective, as his actions in many ways set the standard. By showing up, good or bad, no matter that he’s struggling through easily the worst season of his career, it establishes that as the norm for others.
Advertisement
But players of his ilk also sometimes need to be saved from themselves and the way he moved Tuesday, on the heels of his back and hamstring issues, make it at least reasonable for him to miss a few days to put him on steadier footing, especially given the extra work he’s doing to pull out of his funk at the plate.
The balance there “is a delicate one,” said Schneider. “We’re talking about one of the most important guys on our team. I always feel good with him in the lineup, his presence and what he can do, what he has done for a long time. I’ll just continue to talk to him and see what he thinks is best for him. He’s got a pretty good feel for what’s best for him and what’s the best for the team. But this is a big boy league, you know what I mean? If you’re feeling good enough to go and you can go help us, we want you to do that. But I’ll continue to talk to him and see how he’s doing.”
Without him Wednesday, before a crowd of 27,751, Jameson Taillon navigated through four innings in his Blue Jays debut, allowing three runs in the third on a Jose Altuve home run, a Christian Walker RBIU double and run-scoring Lamonte Wade Jr. single, but otherwise held the game in check.
The Blue Jays erased that 3-0 deficit in the sixth when Myles Straw broke up Brown’s no-hit bid with double and scored on Kazuma Okamoto’s RBI single, which was followed by Jesus Sanchez’s two-run homer.
Advertisement
Critically, Spencer Miles worked out of a second-and-third, none-out jam in the bottom half to keep the game tied and it stayed there until the 10th, when Ernie Clement hammered Bennett Sousa’s first pitch 391 feet to left field.
It was just the third time since the all-star break the Blue Jays have had multiple homers in the same game.
With the bullpen thinned out by both the lack of recent off-days and Tuesday’s two-inning outing by Trey Yesavage, who was placed on the injured list with left knee inflammation, closer Louis Varland was needed in the ninth, which left Cliff Lee, recalled with Laz Estrada, to handle the 10th.
Yordan Alvarez opened the inning by ripping a ball down the right-field line to cut the Blue Jays lead down to one but Nathan Lukes made a strong relay to Andres Gimenez, who put a quick tag on the MVP-candidate slugger to steal an out.
Advertisement
Altuve followed with a drive to the left-field wall for the second out before Daulton Varsho flew out to centre for the final out, a wild ending that left the Blue Jays 54-61.
Canada’s top tennis player will miss his home open.
Felix Auger-Aliassime has withdrawn from the National Bank Open presented by Rogers due to a back injury suffered during training, it was announced Wednesday by the Montreal tournament.
The No. 2-seeded men’s singles player at the tourney was scheduled to face France’s Titouan Droguet in the second round of the NBO in Montreal, Auger-Aliassime’s hometown.
Auger-Aliassime, currently ranked fourth on the ATP ladder, is coming off a quarterfinal appearance at Wimbledon, nearly pulling off a shock upset of Novak Djokovic to tie his best-ever finish at the grand slam.
Advertisement
The 25-year-old has struggled in his home open, losing in the second round last year and in the first round the two years prior. He hasn’t made it past Round 2 since 2023, when he was eliminated in the quarterfinals.
Auger-Aliassime, overall, has had a solid 2026 season, punctuated by his standing on the ATP ladder, but he hasn’t won a tourney since the Open Occitanie back in February.
Because he was a seeded player heading into the NBO, Auger-Aliassime earned an automatic berth to the second round this year.
Aug 2, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels pitcher Sam Bachman (40) reacts after exiting the game due to injury in the eighth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jon Endow-Imagn Images
The Los Angeles Angels placed right-handed reliever Sam Bachman on the 15-day injured list on Wednesday due to right forearm radial nerve inflammation.
The move was retroactive to Monday. In a corresponding move, the Angeles recalled left-hander Tayler Saucedo from Triple-A Salt Lake.
Bachman pitched on Sunday, facing only two batters to start the eighth inning before the 26-year-old was replaced by Ryan Zeferjahn in a 3-0 home win over the Milwaukee Brewers. Bachman, who recorded one out before walking a batter on four pitches, said afterward he was dealing with arm fatigue.
He is 1-2 with one save, a 4.14 ERA, 27 walks and 46 strikeouts in 45 2/3 innings over 41 relief appearances this season.
Advertisement
For his career, Bachman is 4-7 with two saves, a 4.45 ERA, 48 walks and 78 strikeouts in 83 innings over 75 relief appearances in parts of three seasons since 2023.
The Angeles selected Bachman in the first round (ninth overall) of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Miami Ohio.
Saucedo, 33, is 0-0 with a 5.40 ERA, no walks and six strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings over six relief appearances this season, his first with the Angels. He was 2-2 with one save, a 6.10 ERA, 25 walks and 41 strikeouts in 38 1/3 innings in 34 games (one start) for Salt Lake.
Saucedo has a career record of 5-2 with four saves, a 4.39 ERA, 58 walks and 118 strikeouts in 131 1/3 innings over 154 relief appearances for the Toronto Blue Jays (2021-22), Seattle Mariners (2023-25) and Angels.
Infantino has come under increasing pressure, even from within FIFA, over his handling of the proposal, and calls for him to step down have grown since he abandoned it last Saturday.
One of those believed to be at the meeting is FIFA’s secretary-general Mattias Grafstrom, whose internal email to staff criticising the plan was leaked on Tuesday.
Infantino, a 56-year-old Swiss lawyer – who is holding the meeting in FIFA’s Africa regional office in Sale close to Rabat – was in Morocco to celebrate last week’s Feast of the Enthronement.
Morocco is to co-host the 2030 World Cup and Moroccan Football chief Fouzi Lekjaa is one of the few to have publicly supported Infantino since the humiliating climbdown.
Lekjaa last Saturday had praised his “wise” move to scrap the plan in the interests of “unity and cohesion”.
He reiterated his backing for Infantino for “all the initiatives aimed at the development of world football” during his 10 years in charge.
Advertisement
Infantino had been basking in the warm afterglow of a highly successful World Cup – the largest ever with 48 teams and co-hosted by three countries, Canada, Mexico and the US.
His wish to serve a fourth and final term looked likely to be rubber-stamped in Rabat next March – no other candidate had come forward to challenge him.
However, Tuesday last week all that faded.
FIFA, world football’s governing body, floated the plan, saying it could raise up to $4.2 billion based on a valuation of $20 billion for a new commercial subsidiary, called the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), which it proposed would run events such as the World Cup and Club World Cup.
It said that, if approved, the project could provide each of FIFA’s 211 member associations with a one-off payment of $20 million in early 2027, and increase their funding allocation for the 2027-2030 cycle from $8 million to $20 million.
‘Sad and reproachable’
Instead of acting as a sweetener it produced a furious backlash, with European football’s governing body UEFA resorting on Thursday to the nuclear option of boycotting the sport‘s jewel in the crown, the World Cup.
By Saturday Infantino held his hands up and withdrew the plan.
Advertisement
“Our purpose has always been – and will always be – to unite and improve,” said Infantino.
If he had hoped for that to be sufficient to shore up his authority he was to be swiftly disabused.
UEFA termed the proposal a “shabby, back room, opaque deal” hatched by Infantino.
“The current FIFA leadership has not only lost UEFA’s confidence but also that of many other members of the football family,” UEFA said in a statement.
Advertisement
North and Central American football’s governing body CONCACAF went further still and called for “a comprehensive reckoning with this presidency” while slamming Infantino’s “poor governance and leadership”.
Grafstrom’s leaked email only added fuel to the fire.
He described the fiasco surrounding the proposal as “a sad and reproachable series of events”.
He added: “Individuals, unstable moments and unfortunate episodes come and go. The institution, its mission and its responsibility towards world football continue.”
Converge guard Juan Gomez de Liano challenges the defense of San Miguel Beer center June Mar Fajardo in the PBA Governors’ Cup.–PBA IMAGES
MANILA, Philippines–Juan Gomez de Liano didn’t sugarcoat Converge’s woes in the 2026 PBA Governors’ Cup that continued with Wednesday’s loss to San Miguel Beer.
“I think we just kind of like fold towards the end of the game,” Gomez de Liano said.
Converge has been primed as one of the contenders with its talent-laden roster that includes rookie Gomez de Liano, and it seemed like it was when the conference began with wins over Titan Ultra, Terrafirma and Macau.
But the FiberXers lost their first meeting with the Beermen, triggering the ongoing dry spell that was followed by setbacks at the hands of the TNT Tropang 5G and NLEX Road Warriors.
Gomez de Liano and Converge are hoping to figure things out as quickly as possible, especially now that they are fourth in Group A, with Terrafirma (2-4), Titan Ultra (2-5) and Macau (2-5) not far behind in the standings.
Advertisement
Article continues after this advertisement
The top four teams after the group stage qualify for the crossover quarterfinals.
Up next for Converge are Terrafirma on Aug. 11 and NLEX on Aug. 14 before the league takes a long break for the Fiba World Cup Qualifiers and the Asian Games campaigns of Gilas Pilipinas, two games that will see whether the FiberXers can get their acts straight.
“I think for us, we just have to like know roles and accept it, then work towards the role that we want to play,” said Gomez de Liano. “We have a lot of great players that can do a lot and do damage, but then that’s the thing if you have a stacked lineup.
Advertisement
Article continues after this advertisement
“You have to kind of figure out what your role is, what your purpose is in the team and kind of just work towards that. Chemistry-wise, I don’t think we lack chemistry. I think we just kind of fall short towards the end.”
Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Pakistan’s Olympic javelin champion Arshad Nadeem has blamed the cold Glasgow weather for his disappointing performance at the Commonwealth Games. The defending champion finished ninth after failing to make the final three rounds, saying the low temperature made his body stiff and affected his usually smooth run-up.Nadeem managed 77.41 metres with his second throw after opening with a foul. His third attempt was 75.39m, leaving him outside the top eight.“The weather was extremely cold and I personally felt that it affected my body. As you have seen in many of my previous competitions, my run-up is usually very smooth, but this time it wasn’t… because my body had become stiff due to the cold conditions. My fitness was good and my health was fine, but ultimately whatever Allah wills is what happens,” he told reporters on Wednesday.Despite the result, Nadeem said he remains determined to make a strong comeback and urged fans to continue supporting him.“Please don’t lose heart and don’t stop supporting me either. Whatever I have achieved has only been possible because Allah blessed me with the opportunity to do it. The respect and recognition Pakistan has received around the world have come through years of hard work. I worked tirelessly while staying in Pakistan,” he added.“God willing, I will prepare with full dedication for the upcoming competitions and once again raise Pakistan’s flag on the international stage.”Nadeem also responded to criticism on social media, saying he understood the disappointment among Pakistani fans.“I have heard many things on social media, but I want everyone to remember that I am Pakistan’s son, and I always will be,” he maintained.
Lausanne Diamond League next
Nadeem’s next challenge will be the Lausanne Diamond League in Switzerland on August 21. He will face a strong field that includes India’s Neeraj Chopra, Commonwealth champion Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage, Keshorn Walcott, Anderson Peters and Thomas Rohler.Nadeem will hope to regain his form before the Asian Games later this year.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – AUGUST 05: Manager Eva Olid of Manchester United Women poses after joining the club at Carrington Training Ground on August 05, 2026 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Manchester United/Manchester United via Getty Images)
Manchester United Women have named Eva Olid as their new head coach, handing the Spaniard the biggest job of her coaching career after her remarkable success with Hearts Women in Scotland.
The 40-year-old arrives at Old Trafford on a deal running until June 2028. She will replace Marc Skinner and begin a new chapter for the club ahead of the 2026/27 Women’s Super League season.
Olid earned widespread praise during her time at Hearts, in which she guided the club from Scotland’s second tier to its first-ever Scottish Women’s Premier League title. That achievement made her one of the brightest young coaches in women’s football.
Advertisement
Reacting to her appointment, an emotional Olid described joining Manchester United as a lifelong ambition.
“It is a dream come true to become head coach of Manchester United.”
She also revealed what convinced her to take the job.
Advertisement
“From my first conversations with the club, I could see the passion and ambition to continue building a successful women’s team. The infrastructure, the talented squad and the exciting young players coming through the academy make this a fantastic opportunity.”
Manchester United said Olid’s ability to develop players and build successful teams made her the best candidate for the role as the club looks to compete for major honours both at home and in Europe.
FILE – FIFA President Gianni Infantino looks on during the women’s Premier League match between Al Ahli FC and Al Ittihad FC at the Al- Ahli Club stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, Dec 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez, File)
Gianni Infantino’s efforts to contain the growing crisis surrounding his FIFA presidency have reportedly taken another dramatic turn, with claims that he offered Morocco the right to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup final in exchange for political backing as pressure over his leadership continues to mount.The claim was first reported by The Times, which said Infantino allegedly made the offer as he sought public backing from member associations ahead of next year’s FIFA presidential election. Morocco is set to co-host the 2030 World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal, although FIFA has yet to decide where the final will be staged.
Report claims Morocco was offered the final
According toThe Times, Infantino has sought to strengthen support for his expected re-election campaign by privately assuring Morocco that it would stage the 2030 World Cup final.Morocco will co-host the centenary tournament alongside Spain and Portugal, while Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay will each host one commemorative opening fixture. However, FIFA has not yet selected the venue for the final.The report claims Morocco hopes to stage the match at the under-construction Hassan II Stadium near Casablanca after reports that Infantino has privately assured Moroccan officials they would host the 2030 FIFA World Cup final. Once completed, the 115,000-seat venue would become the largest football stadium in the world. Spain, meanwhile, is also pushing to host the final, with the renovated Santiago Bernabéu widely viewed as its preferred venue.
FIFA rejects the allegations
FIFA has strongly denied the report, insisting that no commitment has been made over the location of the 2030 World Cup final.A FIFA spokesperson said: “It is false and misleading to claim the FIFA President has made any promise in relation to hosting the FIFA World Cup 2030 final. A decision will be made by FIFA in due course.”Even if such assurances had been made privately, any future decision on the final venue would still require FIFA approval and could ultimately be revisited under a different administration.
Advertisement
Pressure continues to build on Infantino
The latest report comes just days after Infantino abandoned the controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal following widespread opposition from football’s governing bodies and member associations.The project would have created a commercial entity to manage FIFA competitions, including plans to sell a minority stake in the World Cup to private investors. The proposal triggered fierce criticism from UEFA, the English FA, CONCACAF and several national associations before FIFA confirmed it would not proceed.Since then, UEFA has formally warned FIFA of potential legal action over the failed proposal, while calls for governance reforms and leadership changes have continued to grow.
Morocco remains one of FIFA president’s closest allies
Morocco has been one of Infantino’s strongest supporters since he became FIFA president in 2016.The FIFA chief has spent recent days in Rabat, where he reportedly convened an emergency meeting with senior officials at FIFA’s Africa regional headquarters as the fallout from the failed FFE proposal continued. Rabat also hosts FIFA’s regional office and is scheduled to stage the FIFA Congress in 2027.According to The Times, Infantino has been seeking public declarations of support from member associations as he attempts to stabilise his position ahead of next year’s presidential election.Recent reporting by Adam Crafton of The Athletic indicated that while several European associations have withdrawn their backing, countries including Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Lebanon and Kuwait continue to support Infantino’s bid for another term, with Morocco and Egypt also remaining among his key allies.With FIFA denying the latest allegations and no official decision yet taken on the 2030 final venue, the contest over both the World Cup’s biggest match and the organisation’s future leadership is set to remain firmly in the spotlight.
Bwf World Championships: BWF World C’ships draw: Ayush Shetty gets blockbuster start vs top-ranked Shi Yuqi; PV Sindhu in same half as An Se Young | Badminton News
NEW DELHI: At 21, Ayush Shetty has already added multiple feathers to his cap. He won a bronze medal in the boys’ singles event at the 2023 World Junior Championships. Earlier this year, he became the first Indian men’s singles shuttler to win a silver medal at the Asian Championships.The Karkala, Karnataka-born shuttler was denied the gold medal by Shi Yuqi. The 30-year-old Chinese world No. 1 secured a comfortable 21-8, 21-10 victory in the final in Ningbo, China.That defeat extended Shetty’s winless record against Yuqi to 0-3, with the other losses coming at the 2026 Malaysia Open and the 2025 Indonesia Masters.Shetty, who was also part of India’s bronze medal-winning team at the 2026 Thomas Cup, will have an opportunity to avenge those defeats when he faces Yuqi in the first round of the BWF World Championships in New Delhi, which begin on August 17.It will be a daunting challenge against the defending world champion and the top seed in the men’s singles draw.“I think it is a tough draw. But I would say it is an equal draw in some sense because I think Shi Yuqi in the first round is better than him in the later rounds. And Lakshya (Sen) beat him at the All England (Open) in the first round in a very similar setting. With his big smash, I think Ayush is definitely going to be quite a threat. And I am hopeful that he pulls that out to win,” said chief national coach of the Indian team, Pulella Gopichand.As the draw for the World Championships was conducted on Wednesday, Lakshya Sen found himself paired against Collins Valentine Filimon of Austria, and five-time medallist PV Sindhu will go up against Sophia Noble of Ireland.If Sen wins his first and second rounds, he could face the 2023 champion, Kunlavut Vitidsarn, in the third.“I think that quarter (of the half) seems to be a lot tougher. There’s Christo Popov and Alex Lanier. So that is a little tough. But the men’s singles is a lot tougher. There are quite a few names in the men’s singles who are tough.“And all of them have won tournaments at some point of time. But depending on their form, I think that is what is going to decide. But Lakshya has the capability. And it is going to be some exciting badminton for sure,” continued Gopichand.
Sindhu eyes unprecedented sixth medal
Two-time Olympic medallist and ninth seed PV Sindhu won the gold medal in 2019, having previously claimed two silver medals and two bronze medals at the World Championships.If she is one for superstitions, being an unheralded seed has worked in her favour. All her medals have come when she has not been the top seed at the prestigious event.Placed in the top half of the draw, she could face third seed Wang Zhi Yi in the Round of 16, sixth seed Putri Kusuma Wardani in the quarter-finals, before a potential blockbuster semi-final against top seed An Se Young.But Sindhu and her coaching team would rather keep a match-by-match approach than shift focus to what lies ahead.Fifth seeds Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty in men’s doubles, and 15th seeds Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto in mixed doubles, received first-round byes. As per the 64-pair doubles draw, all seeded pairs receive a bye in the opening round of the competition.India have two pairs in the women’s doubles field, with unseeded Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand leading the expectations.The World Championships have returned to India after a 17-year gap. The last time India hosted the World Championships was at the Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad in 2009.
India first-round matches at the 2026 BWF World Championships:
Men’s singles
Advertisement
Ayush Shetty vs Shi Yuqi (China)
Lakshya Sen vs Collins Valentine Filimon (Austria)
You must be logged in to post a comment Login