The final whistle brought mixed emotions to a packed BC Place on Wednesday night.

The Swiss were jubilant after securing top spot in Group B with a hard-earned 2-1 win, while the Canadians took the field knowing they had fallen short on the night. Yet as the initial disappointment wore off, the moment began to lose significance.

Canada reaches the knockout stage for the first time in its history FIFA World Cup.

FIFA World Cup 2026, SUI vs CAN: highlight

The hosts missed out on winning the group after second-half goals from Ruben Vargas and Johan Manzambi gave Switzerland a win in Vancouver, but Jesse Marsh’s side still finished as runners-up and will continue their tournament journey in Los Angeles.

It was not the result the home crowd had hoped for, but it was still a night that marked an important moment for Canadian football.

stressed first part

The stakes were huge in the final group-stage encounter. A draw would have been enough for Canada to top Group B, while Switzerland needed a win to overtake the hosts.

Yet the tension of the occasion dominated the football for most of the opening 45 minutes.

Chances were slim, momentum was difficult to find and neither side seemed willing to take unnecessary risks. The loudest moment of the half came not from a shot on goal but from a clash between Swiss captain Granit Xhaka and Canadian striker Syl Larin, in which both players received yellow cards after tempers flared following a quick free kick.

The statistics tell the story of an intriguing contest. Between them, both teams managed only three attempts on target before halftime.

Swiss took charge

After the restart everything changed.

Switzerland emerged with purpose and regained control almost immediately. Just one minute into the second half, 20-year-old Johan Manzambi moved into space and passed the ball to Vargas on the edge of the area. The Swiss winger took a touch to steady himself before drilling a low finish beyond the goalkeeper at the near post.

The goal stunned the home support and shifted the momentum firmly in Switzerland’s favor.

Eleven minutes later, the Swiss attacked again.

Briel Embolo, who had been a constant physical presence throughout the evening, stopped his marker inside the penalty area before laying the ball into the path of Manzambi. The youngster did the rest, firing a powerful finish into the net to double Switzerland’s advantage and put the group leaders in complete control.

At that stage, Canada seemed to lack answers.

late canadian push

But one of the hallmarks of Marsh’s team throughout this tournament has been its refusal to finish quietly.

With time running out, the Canadian coach turned to his bench in search of inspiration and got an immediate response. In the 76th minute, substitute Promise David made his announcement in spectacular fashion. Facing Nathan Saliba’s perfectly weighted pass with his first touch since entering the match, David guided a composed finish into the corner.

BC Place imploded.

The noise that followed felt less like a group-stage match and more like a knockout game. Fans rose to their feet, waving flags and pushing their team forward and chants of “Let’s Go Canada” echoed around the stadium.

Switzerland was at a standstill for a while.

Canada moved the bodies forward and looked for an equalizer that could restore top spot. However, Swiss goalkeeper Gregor Kobel made several crucial saves in the frantic finale, securing both the win and Switzerland’s place at the summit of Group B.

history is still in the making

Even in defeat, it was a reminder of how far Canadian soccer has come.

Midfielder Ismail Kone, who was sidelined against Qatar with a broken leg, was in the dugout to support his teammates. In the eighth minute, supporters waved signs of his number eight in a touching display of solidarity. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney was also among the participants in this match of national importance.

When matters calmed down, Switzerland finished the group stage with seven points and earned the reward of remaining in Vancouver for their last-32 tie.

Canada, meanwhile, will head south to Los Angeles.

Defeat is painful. Missing out on the top spot hurt even more.

But it’s impossible to ignore the bigger picture.

A country that had never reached the World Cup knockout stage before has now forged a new path on home soil. The dream is still alive and history has already been made for Canada.

FIFA World Cup | fifa world cup schedule | fifa world cup points table | football news

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New Delhi: India’s all-rounder Deepti Sharma Cricket is on the verge of rewriting history as it prepares to take the field against Bangladesh in India’s fourth Group A match of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 on Thursday.The 28-year-old off-spinner is currently tied with former India fast bowler Jhulan Goswami As the leading wicket-takers in women’s international cricket, both have taken 355 wickets. A single wicket against Bangladesh will put Deepti at the top of the all-time list, surpassing Goswami.

One wicket away from history: Deepti’s record chase

Deepti has already had a great campaign in the tournament. He started with a brilliant five-wicket haul against Pakistan and laid the foundation for India’s early dominance. She then took figures of 1/26 against the Netherlands, a spell that helped her equal Jhulan’s long-standing record.However, he did not get any wickets in India’s previous match against South Africa, where the Proteas lost. Harmanpreet KaurThe team lost by six wickets. Despite that setback, Deepti remains the most reliable bowling option for India in a crucial match.His numbers across all formats underline his dominance. With 167 wickets in 147 matches, Deepti is already India’s leading wicket-taker in T20 Internationals and the leading wicket-taker globally in this format. In ODIs, she has 166 wickets in 124 matches, second only to Jhulan Goswami’s 255 wickets for India. In Tests, he has taken 22 wickets in just six matches.Behind Deepti and Jhulan on the all-time list are England’s Katherine Sciver-Brunt (335), Australia’s Ellyse Perry (332), Sophie Ecclestone (327) and South Africa’s Shabnim Ismail (318), highlighting the elite company she is set to overcome.

India’s middle order’s concerns before clash with Bangladesh

While Deepti’s milestone dominates the attention, India are heading into the match with tactical concerns. starts strong Smriti Mandhana And Shafali Verma has consistently provided India with early momentum, but the middle order has struggled to convert platforms into match-winning totals.Failure to capitalize in the middle overs has left frequent finishers Richa Ghosh and Deepti Sharma with little to do in limited time. India’s defeat to South Africa also exposed fielding shortcomings as they reduced the opposition to 25 for 2.Meanwhile, Bangladesh come with confidence after wins over Pakistan and Netherlands, based on a disciplined team performance rather than individual talent.For India, a win will seal their place in the semi-finals and set up a high-profile clash against Australia. Another upset for Bangladesh will shake up Group A.

India’s bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games entered a new phase on Wednesday when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) approved changes to its host selection process, setting a timeline under which the final host will be chosen in mid-2029.

At the 146th session of the IOC in Lausanne, Members approved the introduction of a new “Strategic Dialogue” phase between the existing Continuing Dialogue and Targeted Dialogue phases. The move aims to make the selection process more transparent, while requiring potential hosts to provide strong financial and operational assurances earlier in the bidding cycle.

For India, which formally entered the race for the 2036 Games after submitting its letter of intent in 2024This decision provides more clarity on the path forward but also adds another layer of scrutiny before the host is selected.

Under the revised process, countries currently engaged in continuing negotiations with the IOC will be evaluated next year before a short list of interested parties is drawn up in March 2027. Those selected will then move to the strategic negotiation stage, where they must submit answers to the future host questionnaire and provide key financial guarantees.

Future Host Commission President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic said the additional step was introduced following feedback from both IOC members and potential host countries.

“Potential hosts wanted more clarity. All stakeholders wanted more transparency,” he said, outlining the updated framework.

important years ahead

The strategic dialogue stage is expected to become an important checkpoint in the run-up to the 2036 Olympics. Candidate cities will be assessed on financial commitments, cost-control measures, governance structures and their ability to deliver places and infrastructure within the stipulated timelines.

The IOC will also conduct site visits before deciding which bids will advance to the final stage of the process.

India is widely considered one of the leading contenders for the 2036 Games, with Ahmedabad emerging as the centerpiece of its proposal. However, the country’s bid is expected to face stiff competition, particularly from Qatar, while Türkiye and South Africa are also exploring campaigns for the Games.

The final targeted dialogue phase will begin in 2028, with preferred hosts required to submit a full set of legal and financial guarantees before a final decision can be made by the IOC.

Hosting will be decided in 2029

According to the timeline presented at the IOC session, the Future Host Commission will submit its recommendations after the completion of the targeted negotiation process. The IOC Executive Board will then identify preferred hosts, whose names will be put forward for election at the IOC Session in mid-2029.

This is what the decision effectively means India’s Olympic ambitions The decision will be taken over the next three years before a final decision is made.

The host selection process was halted last year after IOC President Kirsty Coventry called for wider consultation with member states and potential hosts. The inclusion of a strategic dialogue stage is intended to address those concerns, while also ensuring that only bids with strong financial backing and realistic delivery plans advance to the final stage.

For India, the approval of the new structure marks the beginning of what could be the most important step towards hosting the Olympic Games for the first time.

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England’s Ben Stokes (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)

New Delhi: England captain Ben Stokes has admitted that he apologized to his teammates after returning for the series-deciding third Test. new zealand cricket team. Stokes and fast bowler Gus Atkinson missed the second Test after being investigated for breaking the team’s midnight curfew following England’s victory in the opening match. Although they were cleared of any violent conduct, both received written warnings for violating team rules.Speaking ahead of the third Test at Trent Bridge, Stokes said it was his first task to address the team after rejoining the team.“As a captain it was one of the first things I had to do,” Stokes told reporters.The England captain admitted that the nightclub controversy affected more than just him. He said that it became an important moment for many young players making their Test debut during the second match.He said, “It affected Joe, it affected the team, it affected people outside the playing environment. There’s no doubt it affected the players who were making their debuts. It should have been all about them, but unfortunately circumstances beyond their control took precedence over their big day of making their debut for England in Test cricket.”In Stokes’ absence, England, led by Joe Root, lost the second Test by 253 runs and New Zealand leveled the series 1–1.Stokes said leadership means admitting mistakes and apologizing when needed.“It would be foolish and naive of me not to acknowledge that and not pay attention to it. That’s all well and good when everything is going well and going well, but you also need to take responsibility for things. If you are the one who needs to take that responsibility, then you need to be big enough and man enough to take it on your shoulders, look everyone in the eye and apologize. That’s what I did,” he said.The 34-year-old player also dismissed reports of differences with England coach Brendon McCullum.“You don’t plan to do something like this together in a professional environment. In the early stages, Brendan and I were talking pretty much every day.“Maybe in the future we can look back on this and move forward, it has made us stronger. This rift, this growing apart, we have certainly not fallen apart.”With the series tied at 1–1, Stokes said that both he and Atkinson were now solely focused on helping England win the final Test.“The main thing about me coming back, Gus coming back is that we focus on the main objective, which is cricket this week.“The series is tied 1-1, we have one game left and the importance of the outcome of this game is something we need to focus on,” he concluded.

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s struggles with the bat in the Women’s T20 World Cup have once again made headlines and former teammate Shikha Pandey believes the skipper’s solution may be simpler than it seems.

Ahead of India’s win against Bangladesh, Shikha urged Harmanpreet to stop worrying about wickets falling around her and return to the aggressive style that has defined her career.

After this India is finding itself under pressure Their defeat to South Africa in ManchesterQuestions are being raised on the form of many senior batsmen. Harmanpreet’s strike rate in the middle overs has emerged as a particular concern, with the captain often appearing torn between rebuilding the innings and accelerating the scoring.

Speaking on JioStar’s game plan, Shikha said the India captain is at his best when he trusts his instincts rather than trying to carry the burden of the innings.

“Harman should stop thinking about fallen wickets and not try to rebuild,” Shikha said. “When Harmanpreet Kaur is on song, she is a completely different player.”

The former India fast bowler said that once Harmanpreet settles down at the crease, few players in women’s cricket are able to match her range against spin bowling.

“Once she gets settled, we will see those straight drives and those shots at deep mid-wicket. She is excellent against the spinners, so if she gets settled, it will be great for India,” he added.

Should India reshuffle the batting order?

Shikha also suggested that India might consider a slight reshuffle in the batting order to help their captain. He proposed to promote Harmanpreet to number 4, while demoting Jemimah Rodrigues one place.

Jemimah’s recent form was also included in the discussion regarding India’s batting. Former India batsman Veda Krishnamurthy supported the youngster to remain at No. 3, arguing that clarity of role is often as important as technique.

“For Jemima, I would still like to see her bat at number three. Just give her a role because it makes it a lot easier to prepare that way,” Veda said.

As India has entered the decisive phase of the tournament, Harmanpreet’s form remains the center of their hopes. The captain has rescued India from tough situations time and again over the years, but for that to happen again, Shikha believes that she will first have to free herself from the responsibility of constantly rebuilding and rediscover the fearless batsman who has won countless matches for India.

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Axar Patel and Rishabh Pant (BCCI/IPL Photo)

New Delhi: Rishabh PantThe return to Delhi Capitals has been one of the biggest moves ahead of the new IPL 2027 season, and the DC captain Akshar Patel It has already been made clear that the wicketkeeper-batsman will have complete freedom upon rejoining the franchise.Pant returned to Delhi Capitals in a high-profile trade completed on Tuesday. The move forced Pant, as a spinner, to return to his former franchise for Rs 15 crore. -Kuldeep Yadav Moved to Lucknow Super Giants. Pant joined LSG for a record Rs 27 crore ahead of IPL 2025, but he endured two disappointing seasons with the franchise.In a video shared by Delhi Capitals, Axar talked about his relationship with Pant and insisted that there will be no added pressure on the former DC skipper.“All I know is that as a captain, he will get complete freedom from me. Our relationship has never been that of a captain and a player. When he was here, he was my captain too and he was leading me during our time. There will never be a feeling between us that I am the captain and whatever I say has to be done. We always work with mutual understanding.Akshar said that both the players understand each other’s roles and responsibilities, having spent many years together in the franchise.“He also knows that he is a senior player. I also know that I am a senior player. There has always been this mutual understanding between us about what he can and cannot do in any given situation. (He knows that he is a senior player, and I knew that I was also a senior player. We have always had a mutual understanding about what he can do and what he cannot do in a particular situation),” he said.Pant is returning to the team where he played 111 matches between 2016 and 2024. He also captained Delhi Capitals from 2021 to 2024 and remains one of the most popular players of the franchise.Akshar believes that Delhi is Pant’s home and said that neither he nor the franchise expects anything extra from the star batsman.“And as a friend and captain, I would just like to tell him that there is no extra pressure on him. Neither from my side nor from the franchise’s side. This is his home. He has played here before and has played for many years.” Delhi is his home (and as a friend and captain, I would just like to tell him that there is no extra pressure on him. Not from my side and not from the franchise’s side either. This is his home. He has played here before and has spent many years with this team.) Delhi is his home),” he said.Pant had a tough time with Lucknow Super Giants. Under his captaincy, LSG finished seventh in IPL 2025 before finishing bottom of the table in IPL 2026. With the bat, Pant scored 269 runs in 2025 and followed it up with 312 runs and a half-century in 2026.Despite this, Axar endorsed Pant’s quality and reminded him that class never disappears.“So I don’t need to say much. All I know is that he will get complete freedom from me as captain. Just enjoy yourself. Enjoy your natural character and style. Form and other things are temporary, but class is permanent. And you are a player of that category. You have complete freedom from our side. Just play your game and enjoy. That’s where my message to him will be (so I don’t really need to tell him much). I just know that as captain he will have complete freedom from me. Just enjoy yourself. Enjoy playing in the way that comes naturally to you. Form and everything else is temporary, but class is permanent. And you are that kind of player. You have complete freedom from our side. Just play your game and enjoy. This will be my message to them),” Akshar said.

Daniel Munoz avoided Colombia’s embarrassment with a second-half winner as the South Americans won 1-0 over DR Congo and booked their place in the round of 32 at the FIFA World Cup in Guadalajara on Tuesday.

After dominating possession and creating several chances, Colombia looked set for a disappointing night against a strong DR Congo side inspired by goalkeeper Lionel Mapasi. But Munoz finally broke the deadlock in the 76th minute to send Nestor Lorenzo’s side into the knockout rounds with a game remaining.

Colombia vs DR Congo, FIFA World Cup 2026: Highlights

The result took Colombia to six points from two group matches, ensuring qualification regardless of results elsewhere. Portugal, who defeated Uzbekistan 5-0 earlier in the day, also advanced, setting up a battle between the two sides for top spot in the group.

For DR Congo, defeat was a brutal outcome after an organized and disciplined demonstration. They remain on one point but have a real chance of progressing if they beat Uzbekistan in their final group-stage match.

Colombia arrived in Guadalajara full of confidence after a 3-1 win over Uzbekistan in the opening match and immediately threw themselves into the contest. James Rodriguez orchestrated attacks from midfield, Luis Diaz provided a constant threat down the flanks and Jhon Arias repeatedly found space in dangerous areas.

Yet, despite all its control, Colombia found itself repeatedly outgunned by the Mapasi.

The DR Congo goalkeeper made several excellent saves to keep the score level. He reacted sharply to block James’ effort from inside the box, stood firm against Diaz and then frustrated Arias as Colombia’s pressure increased. With each save, Congolese players grew in confidence while Colombia grew more anxious heading into the game.

DR Congo rarely threatened for sustained periods, but remained dangerous on the counter-attack. They played strong defense, effectively closing down passing lanes and forcing Columbia to look for open spaces that never came.

As the match progressed, Colombia’s dominance began to look like a waste.

The breakthrough finally came when Juan Quintero unlocked the defense with a clever pass into the path of Munoz. Timing his run perfectly, the defender burst into the penalty area and fired a low effort towards the near post. A slight deflection allowed the ball to escape Mapasi and into the net, overcoming notable resistance from the goalkeeper.

The goal brought more relief than celebration among the Colombian players, who knew they had been made to work harder than expected.

DR Congo attempted to respond late, but Colombia easily managed the closing stages and preserved their slight advantage to make it back-to-back wins in the tournament.

While Munoz delivered the decisive moment, much of the post-match discussion is likely to focus on Mapasi’s performance. The goalkeeper made eight saves and was the primary reason the competition survived for so long.

The win continues Colombia’s impressive World Cup trend. They have now advanced beyond the group stage in each of their last three tournament appearances, also reaching the knockout rounds in 2014 and 2018.

Munoz also etched his name in Colombian World Cup history. He became only the second Colombian defender to score multiple goals in a World Cup, joining Yerry Mina, who scored three goals during the 2018 tournament in Russia.

Qualification may now be secure, but Colombia will know there are tough tests ahead. Against Portugal, they are likely to get fewer chances than against DR Congo and will need to be far more clinical if they are to establish themselves as genuine contenders in the knockout stage.

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Rishabh Pant (BCCI/IPL Photo)

New Delhi: Rishabh Pant He had a simple message for the Lucknow Super Giants after his return to Delhi Capitals was confirmed on Tuesday. The wicketkeeper-batsman re-shared LSG’s farewell post on Instagram Stories and wrote just three words: “Thank you team.“The message came soon after Pant’s high-profile trade back to Delhi Capitals in exchange for spinner Kuldeep Yadav.Pant’s departure from LSG ends his disappointing two-year stint with the franchise. The left-handed batsman had joined Lucknow ahead of IPL 2025 for a record-breaking Rs 27 crore, making him the most expensive player in IPL history at that time.However, things did not go according to plan. As captain, Pant struggled to turn LSG into contenders and his performances with the bat also fell short of expectations.LSG finished seventh in IPL 2025 with six wins and eight losses. The next season was even more difficult as the Pant-led side finished bottom of the 10-team table with only four wins from 14 matches.Pant scored 269 runs in 14 matches during IPL 2025. In IPL 2026, he scored 312 runs and registered just one half-century.

The move will see Pant’s salary cut by Rs 12 crore as he will return to Delhi Capitals for Rs 15 crore. He will be reuniting with the franchise where he spent eight seasons between 2016 and 2024.Pant played 111 matches for Delhi before entering the IPL 2025 mega auction and also captained the team from 2021 to 2024, leading them in 43 matches.Interestingly, when LSG signed Pant, owner Sanjiv Goenka had described the deal as a long-term investment. But after two tough seasons, the franchise decided to part ways with the star wicketkeeper-batsman.As part of the trade, left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav moved from Delhi Capitals to Lucknow Super Giants at his current salary of Rs 13.50 crore.Kuldeep has been a key player for Delhi since joining the franchise in 2022. He took 72 wickets in 65 matches. However, he did not have a good IPL 2026 season, taking only 10 wickets in 14 matches while conceding runs at an economy rate of 10.30.

Ellyse Perry produced a match-winning all-round performance as Australia defeated Pakistan by 113 runs and moved one step closer to the semi-finals of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026. The dominant win in Leeds left the tournament favorites on the brink of qualification from Group A ahead of their final league match against India. After being invited to bat, Australia made a strong score of 199/7, with Perry making a brilliant inning of 71 runs.

australia vs pak highlights

Pakistan never managed to recover during the chase as Australia’s bowlers demolished the innings, bowling them out for just 86 runs. Perry also made his mark with the ball, claiming 2/9 in a brilliant spell that included two wickets in his opening over.

The 113-run win became Australia’s second-biggest win in the history of the Women’s T20 World Cup, just behind England’s 114-run win over Pakistan in the previous edition. Australia have now won all four of their group matches and have a good net run rate ahead of their blockbuster clash against India at Lord’s.

Perry Anchor Australia

Australia’s innings had a bad start when Beth Mooney was out without opening the account. Sadia Iqbal edged an outside edge and Gul Firozha completed a brilliant diving catch at slip to send it back to the wicketkeeper.

The initial shock brought the experienced Perry to the crease early and he immediately changed the pace. Consecutive boundaries through the off side and midwicket indicated Australia’s aggressive intent.

Georgia Vol matched Perry’s aggression and the pair quickly rebuilt the innings. Perry also scooped Diana Baig over the wicketkeeper, as the two made a half-century partnership in five overs.

Perry continued his dominance and defeated Ramin Shamim, while Voll kept the scoreboard moving. Thanks to Woll’s powerful straight drive, Australia crossed the 100-run mark in the 10th over.

Pakistan finally broke the situation when Nashara Sundhu dismissed Woll for 39 after being caught by Iram Javed. The fielding team attacked again almost immediately, as Ash Gardner fell for a duck and dismissed Diana Baig in the deep.

Although Perry completed a composed half-century, Australia lost momentum for a while. Georgia Wareham were dismissed for five after Ramin was dismissed by Gul Firozha, leaving the score at 107/4.

Annabel Sutherland then reinvigorated the visitors with a quickfire 27 off just 18 balls and added 44 valuable runs with Perry before Fatima Sana took an excellent running catch to dismiss her.

Perry’s impressive innings eventually ended on 71 when she was caught by Muneeba Ali behind the stumps off a short ball from Fatima Sana. Captain Sophie Molineux was also out cheaply off the bowling of Sadia Iqbal, but Nicola Carey scored an unbeaten 26 off just 13 balls to take Australia to 199/7.

Pakistan collapsed due to the dominance of Australia’s bowlers

Pakistan got off to a lively start through Muniba Ali, who hit a boundary off Kim Garth. However, Gul Firozha was run out due to a mix-up while attempting to run after a wide, giving Australia an early breakthrough.

Saira Jabeen followed soon after, finding Ash Gardner in the deep, but Muneeba continued the attack despite Beth Mooney requiring treatment after some heavy diving behind the stumps.

Australia missed an opportunity when Mooney dropped Muneeba and the opener took advantage of it by hitting a four and a six off Garth. Pakistan’s momentum was disrupted again when Ayesha Zafar was run out without scoring due to another miscalculation between the wickets.

Iram Javed hit back briefly and hit three consecutive fours off Gardner to help Pakistan reach 50/3 at the end of the powerplay.

Georgia Wareham then turned the situation around with immediate success, dismissing Iram for 14 when the batsman cut the ball onto his stumps during a wicket-maiden over.

Muniba tried to keep Pakistan in the contest, but after scoring 32 runs in 25 balls, he was out straight to Gardner on Perry’s first ball.

Fatima Sana responded with a few fours against Perry, but Aliya Riaz was soon behind after Mooney. Pakistan’s running errors continued to haunt them, with Ramin Shamim becoming the third batsman to be run out in the innings.

Sophie Molineux removed Nashra Sundhu to leave Pakistan in further trouble, while Fatima’s aggressive run of 17 ended when she missed Annabel Sutherland.

Sutherland ended the contest by having Sadia Iqbal caught behind, capping a brilliant Australian performance that maintained their unbeaten record and cemented their position as one of the favorites for the title.

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