Sports
Tyson Fury’s comeback fight to take place at Tottenham’s stadium
Oct 9, 2021; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Deontay Wilder (red/black trunks) is knocked out by Tyson Fury (black/gold trunks) during their WBC/Lineal heavyweight championship boxing match at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images Tyson Fury’s return to the boxing ring will take place at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The former heavyweight champion’s April 11 bout against Arslanbek Makhmudov was announced last month, but the venue wasn’t revealed until this week.
Fury, a 37-year-old Manchester, England, native, hasn’t fought since losing back-to-back matches in 2024. He lost his title belts in a split decision against Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk that May in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, then dropped a rematch to Usyk in a unanimous decision at the same venue seven months later.
Those were the first two career defeats for Fury (34-2-1).
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was the site of Fury’s last title defense, on Dec. 3, 2022, against fellow Briton Derek Chisora. Fury won his next fight, vs. former UFC heavyweight champ Francis Ngannou, in Riyadh on Oct. 28, 2023, before taking the two defeats the following year.
Makhmudov (21-2) will be fighting in England for the second straight time. The 36-year-old Russian defeated David Allen by unanimous decision in Sheffield last October.
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, in addition to being home of a Premier League soccer team, plays host to two NFL games per season.
The Fury-Makhmudov fight will be shown on Netflix.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Ilia Malinin overwhelmed by ‘thoughts and memories’ in Olympic free skate
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U.S. men’s figure skater Ilia Malinin revealed his mind became flooded with “thoughts and memories” before his performance in the men’s free skate final at the Winter Olympics Friday.
Malinin, a top contender to win gold for the U.S., surprisingly fell twice during his routine. He fell all the way to eighth place and missed out on the podium.
“I just had so many thoughts and memories flood right before I got into my starting pose, and almost, I think, it maybe overwhelmed me a little bit. I’ve been through a lot in my life, a lot of bad and good experiences,” Malinin told NBC Washington in a reporter scrum after the competition.
“So, I just feel like it’s the pressure of especially being that Olympic gold medal hopeful. It was just something I can’t control now.”
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Ilia Malinin of the United States competes during the men’s free skate program in figure skating at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Feb. 13, 2026. (Ashley Landis/AP Photo)
Malinin emphasized the impact of the “pressure of the Olympics” in his first ever Olympic games.
“The pressure of the Olympics, it’s really something different, and I think not a lot of people understand that. They only understand that from the inside and going into this competition, especially today, I felt really confident, really good,” he said. “But it really just went by so fast I did not have time to process.”
Malinin took solace in knowing he will return to the U.S. with the team gold medal he helped contribute to earlier in the week as he tries to mentally process what happened on Friday.
“I think that’s definitely a positive for me. And it honestly maybe gives me thoughts that I need to understand why that happened in the individual event. I think going into this competition I made sure that I was able to prepare myself for at least four programs or four performances,” Malinin said.
“So, honestly, I haven’t had time to fully understand what went on.”
WHO IS ILIA MALININ? ‘QUAD GOD’ MIGHT ALREADY BE ONE OF THE GREATEST FIGURE SKATERS OF ALL TIME

Ilia Malinin of the United States reacts after competing in the men’s singles skating at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan, Italy, Feb. 13, 2026. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Malinin dominated the short program earlier this week, entering the day leading by more than five points with a score of 108.16.
But his final performance was his worst.
When his routine started Friday, Malinin connected on a quad-flip to start but then settled for a single axel. He then had a double loop instead of a quad loop.
He then fell on a quad Lutz attempt and then fell on another jump shortly after. He scored a 156.33, a far cry from the world record of 238.24 he set in December and the 200-mark he routinely hits in the free skate.
Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan won the gold with a total score of 291.58, a personal best. His 198.94 score in Friday’s free skate was also the highest of his career.
Yuma Kagiyama of Japan got the silver, and Shun Sato, Kagiyama’s teammate, came away with the bronze.
Malinin, who posts total scores in the 300s regularly, settled for just 264.49. His personal best is 333.81.
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Ilia Malinin of the United States reacts after competing in men’s singles skating at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan, Italy, Feb. 13, 2026. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Malinin congratulated his Kazakhstani competitor right after the event concluded.
While on the bench, Malinin said if he had been in Beijing four years ago, he would not have skated as poorly as he did. Malinin was 17 when he was left off the roster in favor of veterans. That was a tell-tale sign of a mental battle, which Malinin confirmed almost immediately after he left the ice.
Malinin’s finish sparked widespread disappointment among Team USA and ice skating fans in general across social media.
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Sports
Vikings Rumors Gain Steam on a J.J. McCarthy Trade, Derek Carr, a New CB
The Super Bowl is in the rearview, and truth be told, the Minnesota Vikings are glad because the general population can move on from the skewering unleashed over the Sam Darnold fallout. But there’s a whole new batch of rumors, as the offseason approaches Week No. 7.
Three Vikings rumor threads are circulating: McCarthy trade buzz, Carr’s status, and a Flores-linked cornerback target.
Per the weekend routine, we’ve got all the Vikings-themed rumor hot and ready.
Three Threads Driving the Vikings Rumor Mill
It’s the Purple Rumor Mill for Saturday, February 14th — Valentine’s Day.
Rumor: The Vikings could trade J.J. McCarthy to the Arizona Cardinals in a deal for Kyler Murray.
At the top of his quarterback carousel predictions list, Bleacher Report‘s Moton floated McCarthy and Kirk Cousins to Arizona, writing, “The Arizona Cardinals could turn over their quarterback room under new head coach Mike LaFleur. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the team is ‘likely’ to move on from Kyler Murray before his guaranteed money raises the cost to keep him.”
“The Cardinals should call the Minnesota Vikings about a signal-caller swap to dump Murray’s contract and take on J.J. McCarthy’s rookie deal. The third-year quarterback’s contract would cost only about $6 million against the cap. In addition, Arizona can add Kirk Cousins to replace Jacoby Brissett, who may not fit into the new coaching staff’s plans.”
McCarthy would link up with Arizona’s new offensive coordinator, Nathaniel Hackett, who previously coordinated MVP-caliber units in Green Bay with Aaron Rodgers.
Moton continued, “Because of the perceived gap between Fernando Mendoza and the other quarterback prospects in the 2026 draft class, the Cardinals are unlikely to add a signal-caller with the No. 3 pick. Instead, they can develop McCarthy, who’s only 23, and have him battle Cousins for the lead job.”
“If Arizona doesn’t think the former is ready to play, the latter can run the offense as the unquestioned starter for at least a year. In this scenario, LaFleur would have an experienced quarterback under center while working on a high-upside developmental player who showed flashes in the previous season.”
That setup would basically create Vikings of the AFC West, which will turn Vikings fans’ heads.
Rumor: Derek Carr, considering unretirement, is an option for Minnesota.
Carr has surfaced in the quarterback carousel this offseason after a season-long retirement. NFL.com reported Monday, “As quarterback injuries mounted this season and into the playoffs, teams conducted due diligence on Carr, trying to gather information as to whether the former Saints franchise passer would consider coming out of retirement, sources tell The Insiders.”
“The Bengals, for instance, contacted Carr after Joe Burrow went down with his turf toe injury. That work continues, and an offseason of quarterback uncertainty — with limited options in free agency, trades and the draft — makes Carr a possible solution in the right situation.”
Carr started 10 games for the 2024 Saints, posted a 15-touchdown to 5-interception split, and New Orleans went 5-5 in those outings.
NFL.com added, “The Saints still hold Carr’s rights, though Tyler Shough’s impressive rookie season, the amicable end to Carr’s time in New Orleans and the way the sides worked through any salary-cap issues add up to his tolled contract being an unlikely hurdle in the process.”
“The Saints could ask for compensation in a trade, though the price surely wouldn’t be an unreasonable ask for a player who has no future in New Orleans.”
There aren’t many good teams that need quarterbacks this offseason, rocketing Carr’s name into the Vikings’ orbit if the unretirement comes to fruition.
Rumor: Brian Flores and Co. could sign Kansas City Chiefs CB Jaylen Watson in free agency.
Ryan Wilson jumped on CBS Sports airwaves this week and mapped out preferred landing spots for several of the league’s top free agents.
On Watson, he said, “I love the idea of Brian Flores getting his hands on Jaylen Watson in Minnesota. There will be competition, and that will only drive his price up.”
Kansas City selected Watson in the 7th Round of the 2022 draft, and he’s developed into one of the better late-round wins from that class. Cap space, however, remains tight in Kansas City, which could complicate efforts to secure him on a second contract.
Watson would fit in nicely with the Vikings, though many expect the club to use the 1st Round of the draft on a corner rather than free agency.
Here’s Watson’s Pro Football Focus resume:
2025: 74.1
2024: 69.6
2023: 68.5
2022: 61.2
Sportrac expects Watson’s next contract to pay him around $13 million per season. It’s unclear if Minnesota can afford that. Stay tuned.
Sports
Arsenal vs Chelsea EFL Cup semi-final 2nd leg live time and streaming | Football News
Arsenal and Chelsea will face off at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday for the second leg of their EFL Cup semi-final, with the Gunners holding a narrow 3-2 lead from the first leg at Stamford Bridge. Arsenal have been in exceptional form during the 2025-26 season, sitting atop the Premier League and progressing in the Champions League, FA Cup, and EFL Cup.
After a dramatic penalty win over Crystal Palace in the quarter-finals, Arsenal edged past Chelsea in the first leg, with goals from Viktor Gyokeres and Martin Zubimendi, despite a strong fightback from Chelsea’s Alejandro Garnacho.
Chelsea, under new manager Liam Rosenior, have found their rhythm, winning five consecutive matches, including a thrilling 3-2 comeback victory over West Ham. However, they will need to overturn a tough record at the Emirates, where they’ve failed to beat Arsenal in their last 10 meetings, including three consecutive defeats at the stadium.
Arsenal are aiming to defend their slender lead and book a place in the final, while Chelsea seek to bounce back and make a dramatic comeback.
Arsenal Team news
Arsenal will be without Max Dowman, who is sidelined due to an ankle injury, while Bukayo Saka remains a doubt. Mikel Merino may miss the rest of the season with a foot issue.
In Saka’s absence, Noni Madueke is likely to retain his spot on the right wing, partnering with Martin Ødegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, and Viktor Gyökeres in attack.
In midfield, Zubimendi and Declan Rice are expected to continue their roles at the base, and the defense could remain unchanged following the 4-0 victory over Leeds.
On the Chelsea side, Levi Colwill, Tosin Adarabioyo, Dario Essugo, Romeo Lavia, and Jamie Gittens are unlikely to feature due to injuries.
Chelsea Team news
Levi Colwill, Tosin Adarabioyo, Dario Essugo, Romeo Lavia, and Jamie Gittens are all unlikely to be available due to various injury concerns.
On the other hand, Wesley Fofana, Marc Cucurella, Joao Pedro, and Reece James, who made significant contributions off the bench in Chelsea’s comeback win over West Ham, are expected to start in this match.
As a result, Malo Gusto, Benoit Badiashile, Jorrel Hato, and Alejandro Garnacho may find themselves on the bench.
Arsenal vs Chelsea EFL Cup semi-final Probable starting 11
Arsenal starting 11: Arrizabalaga; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie; Zubimendi, Rice; Madueke, Odegaard, Martinelli; Gyokeres
Chelsea starting 11: Sanchez; James, Chalobah, Fofana, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Neto, Palmer, Pedro; Delap
EFL Cup semi-final 2nd leg: Arsenal vs Chelsea live telecast and streaming details
When will the EFL Cup semi-final match between Arsenal and Chelsea be played?
The EFL Cup semi-final match between Arsenal and Chelsea will be played on February 4 (according to IST).
What time will the EFL Cup semi-final match between Arsenal and Chelsea begin on February 4?
The EFL Cup semi-final match between Arsenal and Chelsea will start at 1:30 AM IST.
What will be the venue for the EFL Cup semi-final match between Arsenal and Chelsea?
The EFL Cup semi-final match between Arsenal and Chelsea will be hosted at the Emirates Stadium.
Where will the live telecast of the EFL Cup semi-final match between Arsenal and Chelsea be available in India?
The live telecast of the EFL Cup semi-final match between Arsenal and Chelsea will not be available in India.
Where will the live streaming of the EFL Cup semi-final match between Arsenal and Chelsea be available in India?
The live streaming of the EFL Cup semi-final match between Arsenal and Chelsea will be available on the FanCode app and website in India.
Sports
Arbitration court denies Vladyslav Heraskevych’s Olympic tribute helmet appeal
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Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych’s push to legally wear a customized helmet as he competed in races at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics ran into perhaps its most daunting obstacle Friday.
Heraskevych took his plea to don the helmet that paid tribute to Ukrainian war victims to the winter sliding sport’s highest court.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled against Heraskevych’s appeal, effectively ending his final opportunity to compete for a medal at this year’s Games.
Heraskevych was disqualified from a skeleton race over the helmet, which displayed the faces of more than 20 Ukrainian coaches and athletes who have been killed since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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Ukraine’s Vladyslav Heraskevych arrives at the finish during a men’s skeleton training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Bobsled and Skeleton Federation also concluded that Heraskevych’s intention to wear the helmet was in direct violation of Olympic rules. The IOC cited rules against making political statements on the field of play.
IOC President Kirsty Coventry met with Heraskevych before Thursday’s men’s skeleton event to try to change his mind about wearing the helmet, ultimately to no avail.
“We didn’t find common ground in this regard,” Heraskevych said.
Heraskevych’s attorney, Yevhen Pronin, reacted to the court ruling in step with the IOC, arguing his client did not actually commit misconduct.
“The court sided with the IOC and upheld the decision that an athlete could be disqualified from the Olympic Games without actual misconduct, without a technical or safety threat and before the start,” Pronin said.

Vladyslav Heraskevych of Ukraine during training wearing a helmet in tribute to athletes who have died in Russia’s attack on Ukraine Feb. 11, 2026. (Reuters/Athit Perawongmetha)
CAS, the sole arbitrator hearing the case, said it “found these limitations reasonable and proportionate,” especially since Heraskevych could show his helmet away from the racing surface, such as in interview areas and on social media. Heraskevych also wore the helmet in training runs.
The appeal was largely moot anyway. He was disqualified from the competition less than an hour before its start on Thursday, and whatever CAS said on Friday wouldn’t have changed that.
“Looks like this train has left,” Heraskevych said after Friday’s hearing.
AMERICAN OLYMPIAN AUSTIN FLORIAN GOES VIRAL FOR INCREDIBLE HELMET DESIGN
He left Cortina d’Ampezzo’s Olympic Village on Thursday night with no plans to return, then headed to Milan and arrived in Munich on Friday night — helmet in hand — for a dinner with Ukrainian officials at a security conference. He is expected to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy this weekend as well.

Ukraine’s Vladyslav Heraskevych arrives at the finish during a men’s skeleton training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Heraskevych admitted he was surprised by the strong reaction.
s”I never expected it to be such a big scandal,” he said.
He also said he found his accreditation for the Games being taken away, then returned shortly afterward Thursday in what seemed like a goodwill gesture, puzzling.
“A mockery,” he said.
CAS did agree that Heraskevych should keep his accreditation.
Tributes from other athletes competing in Milan Cortina were permitted without penalty, including American figure skater Maxim Naumov displaying a photo of his late parents who were killed in a plane crash last year.
Italian snowboarder Roland Fischnaller had a small Russian flag image on the back of his helmet during the Games, and Israeli skeleton athlete Jared Firestone wore a kippah bearing the names of 11 athletes and coaches killed while representing that country during the 1972 Munich Olympics.
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The IOC said those cases were not in violation of any rules.
Naumov showed his photo in the kiss-and-cry area and not while he was actually on the ice. Fischnaller’s helmet was a tribute to all the past Olympic sites he competed at, with Sochi included. And Firestone’s kippah “was covered by a beanie,” IOC spokesman Mark Adams said.
The IOC offered Heraskevych a chance to compete with a different helmet and bring the tribute through the interview area after his runs. He also could have worn a black armband.
“I think it’s the wrong side of history for the IOC,” Heraskevych said.
Fox News’ Ryan Gaydos and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Sports
World title fight ‘set for April’ for Gervonta Davis’ old belt
Last month, Gervonta Davis was stripped of his WBA lightweight world title and a date for a clash for the now vacant belt has been confirmed, with one of boxing’s most exciting prospects involved in the bout.
Davis was winless since June 2024 prior to being stripped, with his lone outing since being a debatable draw against Lamont Roach Jr last March, that almost cost him his undefeated record.
Since then, a number of external issues have been behind the inactivity of ‘Tank’, who was issued with an arrest warrant issues based on charges of battery, false imprisonment and attempted kidnapping.
As a result, the WBA have decided to demote Davis to champion-in-recess, meaning that their lightweight title is now vacant, but that Davis will be well poised to challenge the new champion upon his return.
On Instagram, the WBA’s number one contender, 23-year-old Floyd Schofield, has revealed that he will be fighting for the vacant title in April.
“We been through the fire to get to this point in our life.
“We have so much more to do and so much more life to live. Stay tuned and continue to watch the growth of both me and my son.
“Tune in April for our @wbaboxingofficial World Title fight. Thank you to all our sponsors, fans and friends.”
It is believed that ‘Kid Austin’ will collide with Canada’s Lucas Bahdi, despite the latter being ordered for an IBF final eliminator against Albert Bell earlier this week, with Saturday, April 11, the anticipated fight date.
Sports
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Sports
Canada-Sweden Olympic curling match erupts over cheating allegations
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Tempers flared at an Olympic curling match between Canada and Sweden Friday with a profane insult being hurled after allegations of cheating were made.
Canada beat Sweden 8-6, and Canadian third Marc Kennedy and Sweden’s Oskar Eriksson got into it after Eriksson accused Kennedy of an illegal procedure called double-touching stones after releasing them at the hog line.
Kennedy shouted, “I haven’t done it once. You can f— off,” at Eriksson.
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Canada’s Ben Hebert, Brad Jacobs and Brett Gallant compete in the men’s curling round-robin against Sweden during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium in Cortina d’Ampezzo Feb. 13, 2026. (Tiziana Fabi/AFP)
Eriksson replied, “I’ll show you a video after the game. I’ll show you a video where it’s two meters over the hog line.”
Both sides appealed to the officials, but no results were changed.
Swedish team leader Fredrik Lindberg said in a statement, “At this point, the Swedish Olympic Committee will not seek an investigation regarding the events during Friday’s game,” according to The National Review.
POWER OUTAGE HALTS MILAN CORTINA OLYMPICS CURLING COMPETITION MOMENTS AFTER MATCHES BEGIN

Sweden’s Rasmus Wranaa, left, reacts next to Canada’s Ben Hebert during the men’s curling round-robin during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium in Cortina d’Ampezzo Feb. 13, 2026. (Tiziana Fabi/AFP)
Kennedy responded to the allegations after the match.
“I have a ton of respect for Oskar Eriksson,” he said. “He’s one of the best players to ever play. I just told him … I would never accuse you of cheating. I’ve been on tour for 25 years. He pulled a hog line official on us to make sure we weren’t double-touching. The hog line official was there for six ends, never said a thing and he’s still talking about it in the ninth end.
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The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium on Feb. 4, 2026, in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
“I don’t like being accused of cheating, so I told him what I thought of it.”
According to World Curling policy, a moving stone cannot be touched beyond the hog line, but it is not a violation if a thrower double-touches the rock before the line.
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Sports
Rory McIlroy with work to do as Akshay Bhatia & Ryo Hisatsune lead
Akshay Bhatia shot an eight-under-par 64 to share the second-round lead with Ryo Hisatsune at 15 under at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
Defending champion Rory McIlroy birdied the final hole to sign for a 67 but sits six strokes off the pace heading into the weekend.
The Northern Irishman made five birdies and an eagle but was left to rue bogeys on the 10th and 14th, although his four on the par-five 18th proved a more than satisfactory conclusion to the five-time major winner’s day.
American Bhatia had earlier produced one of the rounds of the day at Spyglass Hill, while Hisatsune recovered from dropping shots either side of the turn to pick up four shots in his final five holes.
Rickie Fowler was equally as impressive as he moved into a tie for second alongside Sam Burns, at 14 under as he chases his first win since July 2023.
Austria Sepp Straka is currently the best placed European player at 12 under, with England’s Matt Fitzpatrick two shots further back along with the likes of Keegan Bradley, Jordan Spieth and Xander Schauffele.
Englishman Tommy Fleetwood followed his 67 on Thursday with a 68 to sit at nine under with McIlroy, with Ireland’s Shane Lowry one shot further back.
A charging Scottie Scheffler brought himself back into picture with three birdies and an eagle on a five-hole stretch after the turn to reach the clubhouse at six under across the first two days.
England’s Justin Rose and Harry Hall are at five under with Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre, with each player in the field having played one round at Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill.
All the third and fourth-round action will take place solely at Pebble Beach, with there also being no 36-hole cut at the $20m (£14.7m) PGA Tour signature event.
Sports
ISL Season Preview: Better late than never? Indian football resets for a truncated season | Football News
New Delhi: “Why don’t you write something positive?” said an irate Indian football official to this reporter. It was the plea of a frustrated representative who had done plenty at the grassroots level but was trying to please multiple stakeholders in the administrative chaos that is Indian football.Picture this. Only two days before the Indian Super League, the country’s top football division, was set to get underway on February 14, members of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) Executive Committee were voting on whether to keep it a 14-team league or expand it to 15 by including Churchill Brothers.
That plea from Churchill Brothers was unanimously rejected, keeping Inter Kashi in the top division after a legal quagmire that remains unresolved. The league will therefore remain a 14-team competition with a single round-robin format, featuring 91 matches across the 2025–26 season.Yes, the 2025–26 season is finally getting underway in February 2026, five months later than originally planned. The February 14 start date was reached only after the intervention of the Sports Ministry, which wanted the delay to not affect the country’s ambitious bid to host the 2036 Olympics.All this transpired because Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), the Reliance-backed company that launched and ran the ISL since 2014, saw its Master Rights Agreement (MRA) with the AIFF end in December 2025.The AIFF, stalled by court visits and constitutional updates, neither contemplated its options leading up to this deadline nor moved to renew the association.In the interim, uncertainty prevailed over if, or when, the season would get underway. While administrators twiddled their thumbs, foreign players departed to keep their careers going. Clubs were forced to let them go to recover some costs and to respect the players’ wishes.When the season finally received a start date, organisers struggled to get stadiums in playable condition. Odisha FC will only begin training for the new season on February 17 and, with no home venue confirmed, their opening fixture against Punjab FC on February 16 has been postponed. Kerala Blasters, who at one point considered shutting shop, had no clarity on which city they could feasibly play in.After extensive back-and-forth, the AIFF readied an interim fixture list, which was officially announced just a week before the league’s start. With FanCode on board as the digital broadcaster, the linear television announcement with Sony Sports Network will only take place on the day the season begins.
Not just doom and gloom
Now for the positives amid the gloom. All stakeholders, including clubs, players, fans, sponsors and even the AIFF, deserve credit for ensuring the season was not lost. They showed maturity for the greater good.Most players have agreed to take pay cuts to keep the ball rolling, quite literally. The same applies to club owners and CEOs who have agreed to invest in a truncated season, aware that revenues will not match previous years, but have returned for the greater good.Even the AIFF, which has faced heavy criticism and could serve as a case study in administrative mismanagement, can argue that its hands were tied by legal disputes and warring factions. The fact that it eventually managed, through multiple mediators, to get everyone moving in the same direction is commendable.
More drama in store?
Unsurprisingly, the drama and court visits may not be over. As the AIFF circulated the League Rules on the eve of the season’s start, it made clear that relegation will be implemented as per the latest Constitution.This comes barely two weeks after clubs wrote to the Sports Ministry seeking Force Majeure for the season, effectively requesting a pause on relegation.Subsequently, the club that goes down could take the legal route later if the issue is not addressed for now.
Poll
Should Indian football expand to a 15-team league?
QUICK REFRESHER
Clubs: FC Goa, Mohun Bagan Super Giant, Odisha FC, East Bengal, Jamshedpur FC, SC Delhi, Punjab FC, Mumbai City FC, Bengaluru FC, Kerala Blasters, Inter Kashi, Mohammedan SC, NorthEast United, Chennaiyin FC1st match: Mohun Bagan Super Giant vs Kerala Blasters on February 14 at 5 pm2nd match: FC Goa vs Inter Kashi on February 14 at 7:30 pmPrize money for winner: Rs 1.25 crorePrize money for runner-up: Rs 75 lakhPrize pool for 2025–26 season: Rs 2 croreLive streaming: FanCodeLive on TV: Sony Sports Network
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