Spain coach Luis de la Fuente has confirmed that teenage star Lamine Yamal will not start the team's FIFA World Cup 2026 opener against Cape Verde despite recovering from a hamstring injury. The Barcelona winger, who has not played since April, is fit enough to feature but is expected to play only limited minutes from the bench. Fellow wingers Nico Williams and Victor Munoz are also available only as substitutes. De la Fuente backed his squad, calling it the best in the world as Spain begin their Group H campaign, with Saudi Arabia and Uruguay also awaiting them. (PC: NDTV)

A wheelchair-bound Japan supporter has won global admiration after being seen collecting rubbish in the stands following Japan's FIFA World Cup Group F match against the Netherlands. The fan joined fellow Japanese supporters in cleaning the stadium, continuing a tradition that has become a symbol of the country's sportsmanship. The heartwarming moment came after an exciting 2-2 draw, where Virgil van Dijk and Crysencio Summerville scored for the Netherlands, while Keito Nakamura and Daichi Kamada struck for Japan, with Kamada netting a dramatic late equaliser. The viral gesture was widely praised as an example of respect, responsibility and civic pride.

FIFA will pay Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan his full World Cup fee despite him being denied entry into the United States and missing the tournament. Artan, who was set to become the first Somali referee to officiate at a FIFA World Cup, was stopped at Miami airport and declared "inadmissible due to vetting concerns" by US authorities. The 34-year-old was later sent back to Somalia, where he received a hero's welcome. FIFA said immigration decisions are made by host nations, but confirmed that Artan will still receive his full tournament payment. (PC: India Today)

Sweden produced an emphatic performance to thrash Tunisia 5-1 in their Group F clash at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Midfielder Yasin Ayari starred with a superb brace as the Swedes overwhelmed their opponents with attacking flair and clinical finishing. The dominant victory strengthened Sweden's position in the group and boosted their hopes of reaching the knockout stages. Tunisia managed to score once but struggled to contain Sweden's relentless pressure throughout the match. The impressive display underlined Sweden's credentials as serious contenders and set up an intriguing showdown with the Netherlands in their next fixture. (PC: The Hindu)

Substitute Amad Diallo scored a stunning 90th-minute winner to give Ivory Coast a 1-0 victory over Ecuador in Philadelphia and end the South Americans' 19-match unbeaten streak. The Manchester United winger, surprisingly left out of the starting line-up, made the decisive impact after a brilliant run by Wilfried Singo. Ecuador struck the woodwork three times through John Yeboah, Alan Minda and Enner Valencia but failed to score. Ivory Coast also hit the bar through Elye Wahi. The dramatic win boosts the Elephants' hopes of reaching the World Cup knockout stage for the first time. (PC: X)

Japan fought back twice to secure a dramatic 2-2 draw against the Netherlands in their Group F opener at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Arlington, Texas. Dutch captain Virgil van Dijk broke the deadlock in the 51st minute, but Keito Nakamura equalised six minutes later. Crysencio Summerville restored the Netherlands' lead in the 64th minute before Daichi Kamada headed home in the 89th minute to rescue a point for Japan. The thrilling contest showcased Japan's resilience and denied the Dutch a winning start to their World Cup campaign.

India began their Women's T20 World Cup campaign with a commanding 64-run victory over Pakistan at Edgbaston on Sunday. After being put under early pressure, Smriti Mandhana steadied the innings with a fluent 68, while captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Richa Ghosh made important contributions to help India post 170/6.   Pakistan started the chase positively but collapsed against India's spin attack. Deepti Sharma produced a match-winning spell of 5/10, while Shree Charani also chipped in with crucial wickets as Pakistan were bowled out for 106 in 17 overs.   The victory gave India a perfect start to the tournament and strengthened their net run rate, with a record Women's T20 World Cup group-stage crowd of 18,814 watching the high-profile clash. (PC: X/ICC)

Germany made a flying start to their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign with a crushing 7-1 victory over Curacao in Houston on Sunday. Kai Havertz scored twice, while Felix Nmecha, Nico Schlotterbeck, Jamal Musiala, Nathaniel Brown and Deniz Undav also got on the scoresheet as six German players found the net.   Curacao briefly equalised through Livano Comenencia, who scored his country's first-ever World Cup goal, but Germany quickly regained control and dominated the contest.   The emphatic win sends Germany to the top of Group E with a huge goal difference advantage.  

Former Germany striker and World Cup record goalscorer Miroslav Klose has backed Lionel Messi to break his all-time FIFA World Cup scoring record. Klose holds the record with 16 goals, while Messi has 13 and France captain Kylian Mbappe has 12.   Klose said the expanded 48-team World Cup gives players more chances to score and believes his record could fall in this tournament. "Messi is welcome to do it. I'm a huge Messi fan," he said.   The German legend also praised Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni. Messi is set to lead Argentina's title defence, starting with a match against Algeria. (PC: AFP)

Indian athletes enjoyed a successful day on the international stage. Archer Dhiraj Bommadevara won two gold medals at the Archery World Cup in Antalya, Turkey. He first teamed up with Kumkum Mohod to defeat South Korea and win the recurve mixed team title. Hours later, he claimed his first individual World Cup gold by beating South Korea's Lee Wooseok in the final.   Meanwhile, athlete Parul Chaudhary set a new national record in the women's 5000m event at Meeting Nikaia in France. She finished second with a time of 15:04.26, improving her previous national best and securing qualification for the 2026 Asian Games.