FIFA has levied significant sanctions against six national football federations, including Lionel Messi's Argentina, due to racist abuse incidents during World Cup qualifiers in June. Albania received the heaviest fine, facing charges related to disturbing a national anthem and inappropriate messaging. These fresh set of sanctions highlight FIFA's focus on kicking out racism from the sport.
Related news
Uruguay, Colombia, and Paraguay have clinched their spots in the 2026 World Cup, joining Argentina, Brazil, and Ecuador. Uruguay and Colombia celebrated dominant 3-0 victories, while Paraguay secured their qualification with a draw. Argentina also triumphed over Venezuela, and Brazil defeated Chile with goals from Estevao, Lucas Paqueta, and Bruno Guimaraes.
Taiwanese Olympic boxing champion Lin Yu-ting will not compete in the upcoming world championships in Liverpool due to uncertainty surrounding World Boxing's mandatory sex testing policy. Despite submitting test results, Taiwan's boxing association received no response, leading to concerns about Lin's eligibility and prompting her withdrawal from the competition. This decision follows previous controversies and scrutiny regarding Lin's gender.
The US Open final is set for a thrilling showdown between Aryna Sabalenka and Amanda Anisimova, with a $5 million prize at stake. Anisimova's strong return game poses a significant challenge to Sabalenka's serve, highlighted by her impressive record against top players like Naomi Osaka.
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty secured a bronze medal at the BWF World Championships after a hard-fought semi-final loss to China's Chen Bo Yang and Liu Yi. Despite a promising start and winning the second game, the Indian duo couldn't maintain their momentum in the decisive third game. The Chinese pair's relentless pace and fewer errors led them to victory.
Shikhar Dhawan faced questioning by the Enforcement Directorate regarding his alleged connection to the 1xBet betting app in a money laundering investigation. The probe, already involving Suresh Raina and Rana Daggubati, examines promotional activities and their potential role in expanding the platform's reach in India, where real-money betting is largely prohibited.
400m hurdles star Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is far from done with her pet event as she focuses on 400m flat for world championships.
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will compete in the US Open final. The match is for the number one ranking. Donald Trump will attend the title clash. Sinner is the fourth man to reach all four major finals in a season. This is their 15th meeting and third major final this season. Alcaraz is focusing on consistency.
Luis Suarez has been suspended for six Leagues Cup matches for spitting at a Seattle Sounders official after Inter Miami's final defeat. The incident followed Suarez's confrontation with a Sounders player, leading to a larger altercation. Sergio Busquets and Tomas Aviles also received bans, while Suarez apologized for his actions, acknowledging his history of disciplinary issues.
Aryna Sabalenka triumphed over Amanda Anisimova at the US Open, securing her second consecutive title with a score of 6-3, 7-6 (3). This victory marks Sabalenka's fourth Grand Slam title, all achieved on hard courts, and solidifies her position as the World No. 1. She becomes the first woman since Serena Williams to defend the US Open title.
Erik Ten Hag's tenure as Bayer Leverkusen manager ended abruptly after just two Bundesliga games, following a loss and a draw. The club cited ineffective team-building as the reason for his dismissal, despite heavy investment in new players. This setback comes under a little under a year after his departure from Manchester United last year.