Author: Rohan Chowdhury

The world’s oldest national football tournament, the FA Cup, is perhaps the most fascinating competition in the sport – the very epitome of a “level playing field.” Contested by nearly 750 clubs every year (747 in the current season), from preliminary qualifying rounds to the grand finale, the tournament, which began in 1871, remains one of football’s most prestigious prizes. Over the decades, the FA Cup has delivered countless underdog stories, where lower-division teams have stunned established giants. The first six qualifying rounds are played by National League sides (levels 5–10), and as the competition progresses, the survivors are eventually…

The Jai Balaji Group Durgapur Marathon 2026 concluded with its highest-ever footfall on Sunday, January 11. Though the morning began with a chilly breeze, clear skies and sunshine soon followed, making the fourth edition of the run a grand success. The half-marathon (21K), introduced for the first time, received an encouraging response. Alongside the 21K, the familiar 10K, 5K, Saree Run (2K), and Kids Run drew the largest participation. With nearly 3,500 runners, it marked the highest turnout for any run event in Durgapur in the last three years. The momentum mirrors the JBG Kolkata Marathon held a few months…

Finally, on Tuesday, January 6, the Indian football fraternity received its New Year’s gift in the form of certainty around the Indian Super League (ISL) 2025–26 season. The 14-team league, to be played on a single-leg home-and-away basis, will begin on February 14 and run for four months. After months of uncertainty, this decision by the Union Sports Ministry came as a sigh of relief for the entire fraternity. Yet, one overarching question remains: when will India finally have a promotion–relegation-based league? For a country of this size, with so much money involved in the tournament, this six-month-long mishap drew…

Carlos Delgado, the Odisha FC defender who is currently in Spain for the New Year, speaks exclusively to RevSportz about the uncertainty surrounding Indian football, the stalled Indian Super League (ISL) season, and the growing concern among players, clubs, and the global football ecosystem. Rohan Chowdhury: Carlos, welcome to RevSportz. You’re currently in Spain, away from Odisha FC, enjoying the New Year – but amid a lot of uncertainty. How did you spend New Year and how are you looking into the grim situation Indian football is currently in? Carlos Delgado: First of all, Happy New Year to everyone. I…

A RevSportz Exclusive The world knows Sheetal Devi for her extraordinary achievements. Perhaps, it has started noticing Payal Nag as well. Sheetal is the world’s first woman armless archer to win medals in top events. She made global headlines by finishing on the podium at the Para Asian Games in Hangzhou and then at the Paris Paralympics. Later, she became the first miracle to win the World Championship individual gold in compound. Payal made jaws drop after she defeated her idol, Sheetal, at the national championships. It was a massive moment in the history of para games. Payal is the…

Over time, sport has been used in politics in multiple dimensions, to perhaps convey a strong message, to showcase a protest, or to fuel a revolution and more. For instance, Mohun Bagan’s IFA Shield triumph over East Yorkshire Regiment in 1911 or the Black Power Salute by Tommie Smith and John Carlos in the 1968 Mexico City Olympics — sports have always been more than just the game. Some 86 years ago, on this day, January 1, 1940, when World War 2 was at its peak, something strange yet powerful happened in Edinburgh, Scotland. Today, it might seem to be…

The Eastern Zonal Tournament for Differently Abled Cricket concluded on Friday, December 26, at the BKC College Ground in Kolkata, with Odisha emerging as champions after edging out Bihar by six runs in a thrilling final. The two-day tournament featured four teams — Odisha, Bihar, Bengal and Jharkhand. Organised by the West Bengal Cricket Association for Differently Abled (WBCADA) under the affiliation of the Differently Abled Cricket Council of India (DCCI), the competition was played in the T12 format (twelve overs per side) for Physical Disability (PD) category athletes. Following a single-leg round-robin stage, the top two teams advanced to…

Bengal’s Mehuli Ghosh has been named among the nominees for the Arjuna Award 2026. In an exclusive conversation with RevSportz, the 10m air rifle shooter expressed her gratitude for the recognition, calling it a step closer to a long-cherished dream. Mehuli also spoke about her preparations for the upcoming season, lessons from recent setbacks, her renewed focus on the road to the LA 2028 Olympics and much more. Rohan Chowdhury: Mehuli, welcome to RevSportz. How has life been, and how do you look back at the 2025 season and the Arjuna Award nomination? Mehuli Ghosh: Thank you. I’m really happy…

A RevSportz Exclusive Fifteen-year-old Sandrata Roy is quietly emerging as one of West Bengal’s brightest shooting prospects. Hailing from Shyamnagar, Sandrata announced her arrival on the national stage by clinching gold in the Junior Mixed Team 10m Air Rifle event at the 68th National Rifle & Pistol Shooting Championships in Bhopal. Born and raised in West Bengal, Sandrata’s introduction to shooting came through her father, a former defence personnel. “One of my father’s colleagues suggested that I try shooting,” she recalls. “Even before that, I was fascinated by the balloon-shooting games at local fairs. I really enjoyed them, and my…

It was an Adidas event. Lionel Messi is an Adidas athlete, and that is how it all came together. Over the past week, Indian football has revolved around Messi and the GOAT Tour of India. After a chaotic Kolkata leg, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi did relatively better justice to the fans. The Argentine star, along with his teammates Rodrigo de Paul and Luis Suárez, also visited the Ambanis for a private gathering, with social media flooded with snippets from the evening. However, a day later, an Adidas shoot produced a heartwarming moment as Messi and De Paul, both Adidas athletes,…