Research shows domestic abuse increases significantly when England play football, with charities and prosecutors warning that major tournaments like the World Cup can heighten fear and violence for many women and girls.
West Bengal's new government has replaced Mamata Banerjee's 'Khela Hobey Divas' on August 16 with 'Ayushman Divas', celebrating the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari cited the date's historical significance related to the 'Great Calcutta killings' of 1946.
A supercomputer has ranked Argentina fourth among the remaining eight teams in the FIFA World Cup, with only a 15.93% chance of winning. France leads the rankings, followed by Spain and England.
Wimbledon maintains its strict policy against showing football matches on its grounds, even during major tournaments, leading to staff and attendees discreetly following England's Euro 2024 game. This tradition highlights the championship's unique stance amidst national sporting obsessions.
Midway through the World Cup, highlights include Emma Hayes' response to trolls, Gary Lineker's ITV cameo, Japanese fans' stadium cleanup, and quirky moments like Merlin the duck and soggy team huddles.
Cabo Verde secured their first-ever World Cup goal and a 2-2 draw against Uruguay, with Hélio Varela capitalizing on a goalkeeper error. The match, held in Miami, sparked a viral Weibo thread in China, drawing over 150 million views and 47,000 discussions, highlighting the team's surprising performance against two former World Cup champions.
Despite China's men's team not participating, a World Cup betting frenzy has gripped mainland China, with sales of Football Lottery tickets reaching $950 million last week. Shops report a surge in business, with customers, many young, studying odds and placing bets on various match outcomes.
Iran's World Cup coach Amir Ghalenoei criticized the US hosting of the tournament, citing visa denials and logistical hurdles as negatively impacting the spirit of football. Striker Mehdi Taremi echoed these sentiments, lamenting the restrictive travel policies.
In Saiden, Meghalaya, India, millions of niangtaser cicadas emerge every four years, a phenomenon that villagers synchronize with the FIFA World Cup. This natural spectacle, deeply woven into the village's culture and economy, faces threats from deforestation and overharvesting.
A new report, FIFA Climate Blind Spot by the New Weather Institute, warns the 2026 World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico could be the most polluting football tournament, with emissions potentially rising to 15 million tonnes CO₂e due to expanded format and cross-continent travel.
A women's seven-a-side football tournament in London celebrated fun and flair, contrasting with the modern game's seriousness. Despite some criticism, the event boosted investment, fan engagement, and player enjoyment, with Chelsea winning.
Ugreen launched the FineTrack 2, a soccer ball-shaped tracker compatible with Apple's Find My network. It boasts a 5-7 year battery life but has a non-replaceable battery. A smaller FineTrack Mini 2 was also announced.
A social media feud has erupted between Twitch streamer Marlon Lundgren Garcia (Marlon3lg) and boxing star Jake Paul after Marlon's livestream from the Celsius Football Tournament captured Paul’s fiancée Jutta Leerdam criticizing excessive vlogging during the event. Marlon responded by stating he’s also an Olympic gold medalist, prompting Jake Paul to defend his girlfriend on X, calling her a "real person that doesn't give a flying f**k about your stream." Marlon has since fired back, questioning Paul's relevance and accusing him of unnecessary ego-driven escalation.
The comments follow reports that U.S. special envoy Paolo Zampolli asked FIFA to replace Iran with Italy at this summer's football tournament.
