Author: WebDesk

FIFPRO Asia/Oceania has released a statement expressing its deep concern over the growing uncertainty in Indian professional football and has called for an immediate resolution. The global players’ body highlighted how the indefinite suspension of the 2025/26 Indian Super League (ISL) season is having a serious impact on the careers and livelihoods of professional players. The ongoing dispute over the league’s organisation and governance has left players without a clear roadmap for the upcoming season. According to FIFPRO, players have been subjected to one-sided and unlawful suspensions of their employment contracts, which is a direct violation of their labour rights…

Argentine football legend Lionel Messi is set to embark on a historic four-city tour of India in December, marking his first visit to the country since 2011. The tour, officially confirmed by promoter Satadru Dutta, will begin in Kolkata on December 12 before moving to Ahmedabad, Mumbai and concluding in New Delhi on December 15 with a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Messi will land in Kolkata on December 12 for the longest leg of his trip, which includes a meet-and-greet session, a food and tea festival showcasing Argentine mate and Indian Assam tea, and the unveiling of his…

Mohun Bagan Super Giant has taken a firm stance with a clear focus on their AFC Champions League 2 campaign. The club has decided not to release its players for the upcoming national team camp. Just a day earlier, on August 17, the Mariners were eliminated from the Durand Cup 2025 after suffering a 2-1 defeat against arch-rivals East Bengal in the Kolkata derby quarterfinal. With the ISL calendar still uncertain, the AFC stage remains their top priority, and this decision reflects the club’s intent to keep the squad fully focused and fit for the competition. Mohun Bagan are in…

Newly appointed India men’s senior national team head coach Khalid Jamil on Friday announced a 35-member probable squad for the preparatory camp ahead of the CAFA Nations Cup 2025, notably excluding veteran striker Sunil Chhetri. The camp begins in Bengaluru on August 16, with 22 players already reporting. The remaining 13 will join after completing their Durand Cup commitments. India, placed in Group B, are scheduled to face hosts Tajikistan on August 29, IR Iran on September 1, and Afghanistan on September 4 in Hisor. The third-place play-off and final will be held on September 8 in Hisor and Tashkent…

The stage is set for the iconic Kolkata Derby as East Bengal take on Mohun Bagan Super Giant in the Durand Cup quarter-final on August 17, 2025. But ahead of the high-voltage clash, East Bengal have suffered a major setback. Their new midfielder, Mohammed Rashid has flown back to Palestine following the death of his father. The 30-year-old rushed back home on August 15 after receiving the tragic news. Rashid had made an impressive start at the club and was expected to play a key role in the derby. He even scored a brilliant goal in the previous match against…

Newly-appointed senior India men’s national team head coach Khalid Jamil, on Friday, August 15, 2025, announced 35 probables for the Blue Tigers’ preparatory camp for the CAFA Nations Cup 2025. The team will begin training in Bengaluru on August 16, with 22 players having reported to the camp so far. The 13 other players are expected to join the national team camp after completing their Durand Cup 2025 engagements with their respective clubs. India, drafted into Group B of the CAFA Nations Cup, will travel to Hisor, Tajikistan, where they will face the hosts (August 29), IR Iran (September 1),…

Mohun Bagan Super Giant and FC Goa, the two Indian clubs in the AFC Champions League Two 2025-26 group stage, now know who they will face after the draw took place at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Friday, August 15, 2025. Mohun Bagan, winners of the 2024-25 Indian Super League Shield, have been put in Group C along with Sepahan SC from Iran, Al Hussein SC from Jordan, and Ahal FC from Turkmenistan. FC Goa, who lifted the 2025 Kalinga Super Cup, are in Group D with Al Nassr Club of Saudi Arabia, Al Zawra’a SC of…

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Wednesday gave its formal nod to the country’s bid for the 2030 Commonwealth Games during a Special General Meeting (SGM) in New Delhi. An Expression of Interest has already been submitted, naming Ahmedabad as the proposed host city. The final bid documents, however, must be sent in before the August 31 deadline. With Canada withdrawing from contention, India’s prospects of securing the hosting rights have improved significantly. A delegation from Commonwealth Sport, led by Director of Games Darren Hall, recently toured Ahmedabad to review facilities and meet with Gujarat government officials. A larger team…

The Lok Sabha on Monday approved the long-pending National Sports Governance Bill, which Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya hailed as the “biggest reform in Indian sports since independence,” even as opposition parties staged protests over the revision of electoral rolls in Bihar. The House also passed the National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, 2025, after resuming its sitting at 2 pm following an early adjournment due to opposition disruptions. Calling the sports governance bill a watershed moment, Mandaviya told the House (as per PTI): “It will ensure accountability, justice, and best governance in sports federations… It will have massive significance in India’s sports…

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) is pleased to announce a reward of USD 25,000 for the U20 Women’s National Team following their outstanding performance, which secured India’s qualification for the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup for the first time in two decades. The last time India qualified for the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup was back in 2006. The India U20 women produced some fine performances, remaining undefeated in their Group D qualification campaign, where they played Indonesia (0-0), and Turkmenistan (7-0), before defeating hosts Myanmar (1-0) in front of a capacity crowd at the Thuwunna Stadium in Yangon,…