La Liga president Javier Tebas has called on FIFA president Gianni Infantino to step down, accusing world football’s governing body of “destroying the football industry” by expanding international competitions at the expense of domestic leagues and clubs.

Tebas, who has repeatedly criticized FIFA over fixture congestion and plans to expand the World Cup, said Infantino’s tenure should end.

“In my opinion, yes, I think his time is up,” Tebas told Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport when asked if Infantino should resign.

Infantino, who has been FIFA president since 2016, announced in April that he would seek a fourth term. Elections for the 2027-31 cycle are scheduled to be held in Morocco on March 18 next year.

However, Tebas acknowledged that Infantino enjoys strong support among the national federations, making it difficult for anyone to challenge him.

“He shouldn’t stay, but the current situation means he won’t go,” Tebas said.

“There’s no opposition candidate; no one wants to run to lose. That’s the system, and it’s a system that’s flawed from the ground up.”

“I hear a lot of people against Infantino, who don’t agree with what he’s doing. They say so, but then do nothing.”

Balogun ban under investigation

Tebas also criticized FIFA’s decision to postpone the suspension of one match United States striker Folarin Balogun has been sent off after being shown a red card at the World Cup. This decision came after the intervention of US President Donald Trump. In the round of 16, Belgium defeated the United States 4–1.

Tebas said, “It is a very serious matter to have the American player banned. They were fortunate that Belgium excluded the United States, because otherwise it could have resulted in a case that could have cost Infantino his job.”

“Because Belgium won, they managed to hush up the matter. But these things are just the tip of the iceberg.”

His comments come at a time of rising tensions between FIFA and UEFA. UEFA president Aleksandar Ceferin skips Sunday’s World Cup final Following disagreements over disciplinary procedures, refereeing logistics and match officiating, according to a Reuters source.

Tebas opposes World Cup expansion

Tebas also attacked proposals to expand the Men’s World Cup to 64 teams for the centenary edition in 2030, following CONMEBOL president Alejandro Domínguez’s renewed calls for a larger tournament. Infantino had previously said the proposal could be considered in the future.

The La Liga chief said a big World Cup would come at the expense of domestic competitions, which he believes are the foundation of the game.

“There is no point in increasing the number of national teams,” Tebas said.

“The football industry is not just the World Cup, which is the most important event. But everything cannot revolve around the World Cup. It is the national competitions that sustain the game.

“They are destroying the football industry, which creates thousands of jobs, for an event that lasts 40 days and only a minority of players participate in it.”

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Tilak Verma responded to the criticism (Image: ANI)

India’s T20I vice-captain Tilak Verma Hitting back at criticism over his strike rate during the recent T20 tours of Ireland and England, he insisted he always bats according to the needs of the team rather than individual achievements.The left-handed batsman faced scrutiny after scoring 178 runs at a strike rate of 131.85 in seven T20Is across two tours. While he recorded two half-centuries of 55 against Ireland in the second T20I and 53 against England in the fifth and final T20I, questions were raised about his approach in the middle overs.However, ahead of India’s T20I series against Zimbabwe, Tilak made it clear that he is capable of attacking from the very first ball but chooses his approach depending on the match situation and the needs of the team.

‘I can hit with the first ball, but I play according to the situation’

Explaining his batting philosophy, Tilak said that he needs to take responsibility to adapt to different batting situations and overseas conditions rather than chasing aggressive strike rates.During the pre-match press conference, Tilak told reporters, “In this game, you have to bat in different positions, and especially in those conditions, it is not easy. Also, I have always said that whatever the team needs, I do that. If I have to do something for the team, I will do that. If I have to hit with the first ball, I can do that too.”The 23-year-old pointed out that India’s top order collapsed repeatedly on the Ireland and England tours, forcing the middle order to rebuild the innings rather than playing freely.“From Ireland to England, we were losing four or five wickets inside the powerplay or within the first 10 overs in many matches. There is no point in going in and trying to increase speed immediately in that situation. He is always on my mind. I know I can hit the first ball, but I am playing for the country and that comes with responsibilities.”

‘Team planning comes before personal statistics’

Tilak further revealed that as India’s vice-captain, he is assigned specific responsibilities by the team management and he prefers to execute those plans rather than focusing on individual statistics.Tilak said, “Everything depends on what the team needs at that time. Sometimes I have to bat till the end and sometimes the team’s plans change as per the match situation. As the vice-captain, the management gives me certain responsibilities after careful planning and I want to fulfill those responsibilities. So I play as per the team’s plans.”

Strike rate of 131 in UK Tour

Tilak Verma finished the 2026 UK and Ireland tour with an overall T20I strike rate of 131.85, scoring 178 runs off 135 balls. While his tour included highly explosive cameos, such as a blistering strike rate of 212.00 (53 off 25 balls) in the final T20I in Southampton.

The BCCI has made a significant change in the playing conditions ahead of the 2026-27 domestic season, and now, the bowler will be suspended for the remainder of the match for intentionally bowling a front-foot no-ball or non-landing delivery.

As per the current rules, for such balls the bowler was suspended only for that particular innings.

The BCCI has recently circulated the changes proposed by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) among all state associations.

“A bowler suspended for intentionally bowling a no ball on the front foot cannot bowl for the entire match,” the BCCI circular, accessed by PTI, read. But the on-field umpire will decide to change the game situation (41.8).

Another important rule change pertains to the conclusion of the day, and now, the last over must be completed even if a wicket falls in that over.

At present, the stumps will be removed if a wicket falls in the middle of the last over of the day.

But the MCC and BCCI felt that rule 12.5.2 needed to be amended as it “prevents teams from sending in a new batsman at the end of the day.”

Similarly, teams would henceforth not be allowed to declare or forfeit the last innings of a match (Rule 15.2), as the governing bodies thought “this was used for hypothetical results and was bad for the game.”

Now, the head coach of a team will be allowed to enter the field during the drinks break during domestic ODI matches, as the ICC has also proposed a rule change regarding international cricket.

The proposed changes also provide some relief to wicketkeepers as their gloves must only be behind the stumps at the time of delivery (Law 27.3).

Earlier, keepers had to ensure that their gloves remained behind the wicket after the bowler started his run-up.

In some earlier instances, the ball was called a no-ball as per the law or the stumping was cancelled.

State associations have started informing umpires and match referees about the new rule changes ahead of the domestic season starting with the Duleep Trophy next month.

“There will be some awareness programs for officials, besides the relevant parts of the circular will be made available to them. We have enough time to do all this as the domestic session is about a month away,” an official told PTI.

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Indian cricketer Sanju Samson

sanju samson How is it revealed? Rohit SharmaHis reassuring words during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 initially failed to convince him after he was dropped from India’s playing XI in the latter stages of the tournament. However, the wicketkeeper-batsman eventually regained his confidence and responded with one of the decisive innings of India’s campaign against the West Indies.After Samson’s disappointing performance in the five-match T20 series against New Zealand ahead of the World Cup, Rohit made it clear that the Kerala batsman still has a key role to play in India’s campaign.“Don’t be sad brother. It’s a long tournament, the opportunity may come any time.” (“Don’t be disappointed brother. It’s a long tournament. You will get a chance. The chance can come any time”) Rohit had said while hugging Samson.

‘At that time I did not trust Rohit’

Reflecting on that difficult period, Samson admitted that he was too disappointed to believe his captain’s words at that time.Samson told GeoStar, “To be honest, I didn’t believe him at that time. Sorry. He may have spoken from his heart or from his experience, but that day I was not able to see what he was seeing. You could see it on my face; I was a little sad that day.”The Kerala batsman said disappointment persisted even after the start of India’s World Cup campaign, making it difficult for him to move forward immediately.“Our World Cup campaign started two days after the New Zealand series and it took me at least a week to recover from that. I don’t like to dwell on things, so if I’m not feeling 100 per cent it shows on my face. I went through that phase for four or five days before I got myself back on track,” he said.

‘I started to discover myself again’

Samson said the setback ultimately turned into an opportunity for self-reflection, which helped him reconnect with his purpose as a cricketer.“You know you’ve failed, so what’s next? You’re at the bottom, so from there you can only go up. I started working on myself mentally. I started asking myself questions like why do I play cricket? What’s my purpose? It was like I was reinventing myself when the World Cup was going on. And then everything came back,” Samson said.

Sanju Samson’s redemption

Sanju Samson scripted one of the biggest redemption stories in T20 World Cup history, finishing as the Player of the Tournament as India won the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup on home soil. After initially being left out of the playing eleven due to poor form, Samson returned to the team and ended the tournament as India’s leading run-scorer and third-highest run-scorer overall, scoring 321 runs in just five matches at an impressive average of 80.25 and a tremendous strike rate of 199.37. He also hit a tournament-record 24 sixes, the most by any batsman in a single T20 World Cup edition.

The Australian Open will impose daily limits on its popular low-cost ground passes for the first time in tournament history due to crowds and long queues at parts of the 2026 edition in Melbourne. Organizer Tennis Australia announced on Tuesday that the allocation of A$49 ($34) tickets will be limited during the opening week of the 2027 tournament as demand continues to rise for the season’s first Grand Slam.

The decision comes after the Australian Open broke attendance records this year, attracting 1,368,043 spectators over its three-week event and cementing its position as the most attended Grand Slam in tennis. The figure represents a sharp increase compared to the 1,218,831 fans attending the 2025 edition and the 1,110,657 spectators in 2024.

Also read: Tennis body makes one-time eligibility test mandatory for female players

Ground passes, which allow fans to move freely around Melbourne Park and watch matches on the outdoor courts, have long been considered the tournament’s best value ticket. Holders also have access to popular venues such as John Cain Arena, which has earned the nickname “The People’s Court” due to its accessibility for fans purchasing the cheapest tickets.

“This decision reflects the growing popularity of AO and will help ensure fans can make the most of everything the complex has to offer,” Tennis Australia said in a statement.

Record crowds at Melbourne park highlight challenges

The need for tighter controls became clear during the early days of the 2026 tournament, when thousands of spectators became frustrated with long queues and confusion over ticket sales. Reuters reported that a record 73,235 people entered Melbourne Park for the first day’s session alone, surpassing the previous mark of 68,883 set in 2019.

Crowd problems also affected access to many outdoor courts, with fans complaining of packed walkways and difficulties securing seats for marquee matches. The problems highlighted the challenge facing organizers as the tournament’s popularity continues to grow in Australia and internationally.

The 2026 Australian Open concluded with Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz winning the men’s singles title and Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina winning the women’s crown. With demand expected to be even stronger next year, Tennis Australia hopes the ticket cap will strike a balance between affordability and an improved fan experience at Melbourne Park.

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India’s Washington Sundar. (Photo by AP/PTI)

New Delhi: Men’s senior selection committee chaired by Ajit AgarkarHe is likely to select the squad for the upcoming two-Test tour of Sri Lanka starting on August 15 in Galle. Informal discussions were held on the sidelines of the white-ball tour of England and a formal meeting will be called soon for the important series. It is learned that the selectors are waiting for clarity on Washington Sundar, who was injured during the three-match ODI series. The all-rounder was forced to miss the series decider at Lord’s and is likely to check into the BCCI Center of Excellence (COE) for necessary clearances.The official statement from the Indian Cricket Board mentioned a right hamstring injury. TimesofIndia.com has learned that the pain subsided when he reached London, but he was asked to undergo scans, which were later shared with experts for opinion. It is further understood that even if it is just a strain or a Grade 1 injury, it could take at least two weeks for the 26-year-old to regain full match fitness. Since the Indian team is likely to leave for Sri Lanka as early as August 4 to begin preparations, it remains to be seen how the selectors will handle the situation in Washington. The Shubman Gill-led team will also be involved in a four-day practice match before the Galle Test.There are sure to be changes in the squad for the one-off Test against Afghanistan last month, as players like Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja are expected to return. It remains to be seen whether Harsh Dubey retains his place if Washington is unable to regain fitness, or whether the selectors opt for an off-spinner like Saransh Jain to maintain variety in the spin-attack. Manav Suthar and Kuldeep Yadav are likely to retain their places, while the pace attack is expected to include Mohammed Siraj, Gurnoor Brar and Prasidh Krishna. Jadeja was not selected for the match against Afghanistan after the IPL, but Agarkar said the experienced all-rounder remains the “No. 1 spinner in the format”. With regard to batting, the usual names will continue and a decision is likely to be taken on the two all-rounders Nitish Kumar Reddy and Sundar. Will the selectors pick the seam-bowling all-rounder currently undergoing rehabilitation at the CoE, or will they look towards a specialist? These few calls from what promises to be an otherwise expected team will be interesting.India have struggled in Test matches under head coach Gautam Gambhir, having been defeated by New Zealand and South Africa on home soil. They need a strong series in Sri Lanka to keep their chances of World Test Championship final qualification alive. After the Sri Lanka tour, India will play New Zealand in New Zealand, before hosting Australia for five Test matches on home soil.

Lionel Messi has broken his silence following Argentina’s heartbreaking defeat to Spain in the FIFA World Cup final and admitted the pain of losing the title was “extreme”, while also expressing pride in his team’s journey to a second consecutive final.

Argentina’s bid to defend its World Cup title ends Spain beat the holders 1–0 after extra time at the New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday. Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal in the 106th minute to give La Roja their second FIFA World Cup title and extend their unbeaten run to a European-record 38 matches.

A day after the defeat, Messi reflected on the defeat on Instagram, saying that results would take time but he stressed that the team’s achievements should not be overlooked.

Spain vs Argentina, FIFA World Cup Final: highlighted

“There is a lot of pain, and this wound will take time to heal. But I also hold on to all the good things… the matches we overcame, the ones we gave our all, the matches that will always remain in our memories, the support of the entire country, which, along with the hard work and effort of this group, made us once again one of the best in the world. Today it is difficult to fully appreciate what we achieved, but this group reached two World Cup finals in a row,” Messi wrote.

Messi congratulated Spain

The Argentina captain thanked the supporters for supporting the team throughout the tournament and congratulated Spain on winning the trophy.

He added, “Thank you from the bottom of my heart for every congratulations and every message. Once again, we managed to unite as a country and live together, sharing the immense pride of being Argentines. I would also like to congratulate Spain on winning the championship.”

Argentina arrived in the United States as defending champions following their memorable victory four years ago and once again emerged as one of the tournament’s standout teams. Under Messi’s leadership, La Albiceleste repeatedly found a way through adversity in the knockout stage, defeating Egypt in the Round of 16 after coming from two goals down and then making another dramatic comeback against England in the semi-finals.

Those wins cemented Argentina’s reputation for performing well under pressure, with Messi once again delivering in the biggest moments. However, Luis de la Fuente’s Spain ended their title defense with a disciplined and brilliant performance in the final.

Spain denied Argentina the space they had exploited throughout the tournament and kept Messi out of dangerous areas for almost the entire match. Ferran Torres eventually settled the contest in extra time after coming off the bench and sealed Spain’s first World Cup title since 2010.

Messi, who finished the tournament with eight goals and four assists, was unable to make the decisive impact that had defined Argentina’s campaign. The captain had either scored or assisted in each of the knockout matches in the last two World Cups, but Spain’s organized defensive display ensured he remained largely quiet.

The statistics underlined Argentina’s struggles. The defending champions became the first team not to register a single shot during 90 minutes of a World Cup final. Their first effort, on or off target, came only in the 116th minute, by which time they were already 1–0 down and reduced to 10 men after midfielder Enzo Fernandez was sent off.

Argentina’s dependence on Messi was also clearly visible in the final. Throughout the tournament, the 39-year-old had repeatedly saved his team with important goals and assists, but Spain prevented him from dictating the game and reduced Argentina’s attacking threat.

Spain, meanwhile, got fresh energy from the bench. Match-winner Ferran Torres and fellow substitute Nico Williams added pace and directness in the closing stages, helping La Roja eventually break down Argentina’s resistance.

Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said after the win, “I think the match should have been decided much earlier. Emiliano Martínez’s defense prevented us from winning early.”

“But it is a World Cup final and you have to work hard even against 10 players and we were ready for anything.”

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Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli (Image: AP)

Former Indian off spinner Ravichandran Ashwin Confidence in removing senior stars Rohit Sharma And Virat Kohli As long as they want to continue playing citing their extraordinary achievements and immense fan following, it is almost impossible.Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been the pillars of Indian cricket for over 15 years, and as long as they continue to perform well, it will not be easy to drop them from the national team. While opportunities must be created for the next generation, former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes that both of them enjoy a level of security that bowlers rarely get.Ashwin argued that star batsmen like Rohit and Virat hold unique influence because of their achievements and massive fan following, while bowlers like Mohammed Shami And Mohammad Siraj Despite their contribution, the risk of being removed is high.Siraj last represented India in a Test against Afghanistan in New Chandigarh on June 6, 2026, while Shami’s most recent international appearance was in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 against New Zealand in Dubai.Speaking on his YouTube channel ‘Aish Ki Baat’, Ashwin said that dropping Rohit is not as easy as dropping any other player, especially after the recent performance of the experienced opener. He also highlighted the long-standing inequality in Indian cricket, where star batsmen often receive more support and recognition than bowlers.

‘No one can touch Virat or Rohit’

“If Virat or Rohit want to continue playing, no one will be able to touch them because they both have incredible credentials. Rohit has over 12,000 international runs, and both have performed well for India consistently. They are batsmen, and they have huge fan bases. People come to the stadium to watch them. If you take either of them out, the noise will be deafening,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel, Ash Ki Baat.

Ashwin raised his voice for the bowlers

Ashwin compared it to the treatment meted out to the bowlers.He said, “If Shami is not picked, or Siraj is not picked, or Bhuvneshwar is not picked, then maybe 10 people will ask the question, then 100, 1,000 or maximum 10,000. But it will not cause that much uproar. That’s the difference. If bowlers also start getting this kind of support, they will also become unstoppable. But the reality is that it is almost impossible to take out Virat or Rohit.”

India great Sathiyan Gnanasekaran steadied the imperious Delhi TTC ship with his captain’s performance, registering crucial wins in men’s singles and mixed doubles as the former champions defeated Ahmedabad APL Pipers 9-6 in the Butterfly Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) Season 7 on Monday, powered by ChatGPTT.

There were early setbacks between Delhi and Ahmedabad, clashing at the Dr. Syama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium, the home ground of Butterfly UTT this season, but Sathiyan partnered with Maria Xiao to restore Delhi’s lead in the mixed doubles. The Delhi captain then took complete control of the contest with an impressive straight-game win over Paiyas Jain, laying the foundation for the franchise’s third win of the campaign.

Under the aegis of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) and promoted by Neeraj Bajaj and Vita Dani, Butterfly UTT Season 7 features 42 players from across the globe, including 14 Olympians, while continuing to strengthen the Indian table tennis ecosystem through elite competitions and year-round development initiatives.

Delhi provided the first blow when Youssef Abdelaziz sealed victory on golden point by defeating Adrian Rosenfoss in a thrilling three-game encounter. Ahmedabad’s standout foreign player Sofia Polkanova restored parity with another golden point win over Maria Xiao, continuing her impressive Season 7 campaign. The momentum then shifted Delhi’s way as Sathiyan and Xiao returned to winning ways in the mixed doubles by defeating Payas Jain and Polkanova to give the former champions the lead.

Captain Sathiyan performed brilliantly, with the tie being a fine one. Finding himself on the wrong side in the recent encounters against Paas Jain, the Indian legend responded strongly to register a spectacular win in straight games and put Delhi in complete control. Ahmedabad skipper Manika Batra finished the evening with another impressive singles win over Sutirtha Mukherjee, but Delhi had already done enough to secure a crucial 9-6 win and strengthen their playoff hopes.

Sathiyan was named both the ChatGPT Match IQ Player and Indian Player of the Tie, while Polkanova claimed the Foreign Player of the Tie award. Polkanova also won the Bisleri Shot of Tie honour.

All matches of Butterfly UTT Season 7 will be telecast live on Star Sports Khel (Hindi), Star Sports Tamil 2 HD and Star Sports Tamil 3 HD and live streamed on JioHotstar in Hindi, Tamil and English.

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Mumbai: In line with the recent rule changes recommended by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the Lord’s-based bcci has made changes to its playing conditions for the 2026–27 domestic season, according to which the final over of the day must be completed regardless of the fall of any wicket during the over.According to a note on playing conditions for the upcoming season sent by the BCCI to state associations (TOI has a copy), the BCCI has said that as per MCC rules, the final over of the day must be completed regardless of the fall of wickets. According to clause 12.5.2, “The last over of the day’s play shall now be completed, even if no wicket falls during this period.”MCC’s reason for the change noted, “Significant changes for multi-day cricket. Prevents batting teams from avoiding sending in a new batsman at the end of the day.” This playing condition, of course, pertains to the multi-day (red-ball) format.The BCCI’s 15-page note, called Summary of Changes in Playing Conditions to State Associations – 2026-27, mentioned, “Whatever changes come into force in the 2026 edition (fourth edition of the 2017 Code of Laws), all gender language (he/she, she/him, etc.), other relevant changes as discussed in the BCCI are being incorporated while drafting this year’s playing conditions.”One significant change introduced by the MCC’s changed rules is that a bowler who delivers a deliberate front-foot no-ball and a deliberate non-landing delivery will now be barred from bowling for the rest of the match, rather than just the innings.The proposed rule change to playing conditions (41.8) is: “A bowler suspended for intentionally bowling a no ball on the front foot may not bowl the ball throughout the match.” According to a clarification from the MCC: “The penalty for a deliberate front foot no ball now applies to the entire match, not just an innings.”As per the changed rule, declarations and forfeitures are no longer allowed in the last innings of the match. The MCC’s argument is that, “It was used only to fabricate results and was considered bad for the game.”Other rule changes:– During one-day matches, the head coach will be allowed to enter the field during the drinks interval.– Leaving a race without intent to cheat is not a deliberate short race. Batsmen can turn back and give up runs even after crossing.– If the catch is not made due to obstruction then the fielding captain decides which batsman to face next.– The ball is ‘finally settled’ if it is in the hands of a fielder or someone stationary on the field. The ball no longer needs to be near the bowler or keeper for it to be ‘dead’. This gives more reasonable leeway to the umpires.– For clarity, a guideline for leg side wide in ODI and T20 games.– All fielders must be within bounds when the ball is bowled. This establishes the idea that play takes place within bounds and closes an avenue for leg-side sanctions.– The wicketkeeper should remain behind the wicket ‘immediately after delivery’ rather than ‘the moment the ball is in play’. The keeper will no longer be penalized for wearing gloves in front during the run-up.– Umpires must prevent and report further use of illegal equipment. The changed rule makes it clear that it is the responsibility of the umpires to prevent repeated use of illegal equipment.