Organisers of the 2026 Commonwealth Games have significantly cut the number of sports, including diving, hockey, and table tennis. Athletes like Anabelle Smith and Melissa Tapper, along with federations such as Hockey Australia, express disappointment but also some understanding of the logistical challenges.
FIFA has significantly increased the prize money for the 2026 World Cup, nearly doubling the total pool to $871 million for the expanded 48-team tournament. The winners will receive $51 million, and runners-up $34 million, with funds distributed to national federations.
The IOC has requested international sports federations to stop vetting Russian athletes for neutral status for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. This follows a recommendation to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their national identities, despite Belarus's military alliance with Russia in the Ukraine invasion.
Donald Trump claimed he influenced FIFA's decision to lift Folarin Balogun's red card ban before USA's World Cup loss to Belgium. This incident, along with high ticket prices and visa issues, has fueled fan dissatisfaction with FIFA and its president, Gianni Infantino.
Nike's World Cup kits debuted with an unsightly shoulder seam bulge. A source confirmed Nike is not changing the design but advising federations to wash and steam the jerseys to fix the issue, a rare miss for the sportswear giant.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature a record $871 million prize pool for national federations and $355 million for clubs, reflecting its expanded scale across the US, Canada, and Mexico. Funds are distributed based on team performance, qualification, and preparation grants, with clubs compensated for player release.
As the World Cup nears, national teams are using creative social media videos, enlisting celebrities, politicians, and even royalty for squad announcements, moving beyond traditional press conferences.
North Korea's Naegohyang Women's FC defeated Japan's Tokyo Verdy Beleza 1-0 to win the AFC Women's Champions League in Suwon, South Korea. The victory qualifies them for the Fifa Women's Champions Cup.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents will reportedly not operate inside or around stadiums during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, easing concerns surrounding immigration enforcement at matches hosted in the United States. The decision follows months of criticism from supporters, lawmakers and international federations, amid fears that immigration raids could overshadow football’s biggest tournament across North America.
Federations have concerns over men’s World Cup modelFA works with Uefa to freeze ticket prices for Euro 2028The Football Association and US Soccer Federation have joined forces to lobby Fifa to alter its proposed organisational model for the 2031 and 2035 Women’s World Cups.Both federations are understood to be seeking more local control after concerns that have arisen over the organisation of this summer’s men’s World Cup, particularly regarding the cost of tickets and financial disputes with some US state and city authorities. Continue reading...
India and Russia's athletics federations are exploring a long-term cooperation including joint training camps, grassroots development and mutual participation in competitions. Russian officials recently visited India and met AFI counterparts, though no specific programme has been agreed yet. Russian athletes remain excluded from international competitions due to the ongoing Ukraine war.
FIFA announced more than $100 million in additional funding for teams ahead of the 2026 World Cup, increasing minimum payments, prize money, and support for preparation to help offset higher costs of hosting the three-nation tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup faces an unprecedented tax issue as 30 of 48 participating nations lack double taxation agreements with the United States, potentially costing them significantly more to participate. Only 18 teams from countries with DTAs—including European nations, Canada, Mexico, Australia, Egypt, Morocco and South Africa—will benefit from tax protections. Teams like Brazil, lacking DTA coverage, face federal taxes of up to 37% plus state taxes varying by venue, while smaller nations like Curaçao and Cape Verde could face larger tax liabilities than wealthy European federations despite lower earnings.
