Sports

Sri Lanka opened its medal account at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Thursday, with para athlete Palitha Bandara clinching silver in the men's Discus Throw F42-44/F61-64 final.

Bandara threw a personal best of 46.84 metres to secure second place in a closely fought competition.

Welsh athlete' Aled Davies claimed the gold medal, while Akeem Stewart of Trinidad and Tobago settled for bronze.

For the 37 year old Sri Lankan, the achievement carries added significance as it marks his second successive Commonwealth Games silver, following a similar result at the Birmingham 2022 edition of the Games.

Bandara's latest throw of 46.84m also represents a new personal best, underlining his continued progress in the event.

Mikel Oyarzabal scored twice as Spain proved too strong for Austria in a 3-0 win at the SoFi Stadium to take their place in the last-16 of the World Cup.

After seeing a goal from full-back Marc Cucurella ruled out for a foul at a corner, the European champions went ahead in the 36th minute through Oyarzabal's sweeping finish.

Spain – looking to secure a first win in a World Cup knock-out match since lifting the trophy in 2010 – eventually made their dominance count again when Tottenham defender Pedro Porro headed in a second just after the hour.

Oyarzabal scored his second goal with a minute left of normal time as Luis de la Fuente’s side set up a date with either Portugal or Croatia for a spot in the quarter-finals.

Spain had made a bright start in Inglewood, Los Angeles as Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal fired in an early shot from the edge of the penalty area which was straight at Austria goalkeeper Alexander Schlager.

Austria – who had secured their place in the last-32 as runners-up in Group J behind Argentina with a late goal to snatch a 3-3 draw with Algeria – then created their first opportunity when a floated cross from Marcel Sabitzer picked out Michael Gregoritsch at the far post, but the Augsburg front man could not get enough contact on his header.

Spain thought they had taken the lead on the half-hour when Cucurella lashed the ball in following a corner, but the goal was somewhat controversially ruled out for a foul on Schlager as the floated corner went through a packed six-yard box.

Austria keeper Schlager then showed good reactions to get down to push away an angled effort from Oyarzabal after another lively run from Yamal.

Spain eventually made their pressure count in the 36th minute when Real Sociedad forward Oyarzabal swept in a low cross from Cucurella for an 11th goal in his last ten international appearances.

In first-half stoppage time, Alex Baena saw his 25-yard curling free-kick tipped on to the crossbar and Yamal's follow-up shot from the rebound was then saved at point-blank range by Schlager.

Austria boss Ralf Rangnick made a double substitution to his midfield for the second half, sending on Florian Grillitsch and Carney Chukwuemeka, a former England youth international who had spells at Aston Villa and Chelsea.

It was Spain, though, who looked to pick up from where they had left off, with Oyarzabal heading over from a corner before Rodri’s low shot was deflected just wide.

After Austria substitute Sasa Kalajdzic, who had only just come on, sent a looping header over, Spain doubled their lead in the 66th minute when Porro arrived in the penalty area to finish off a sweeping move as he nodded in Baena’s cross for his first international goal.

Austria looked to rally as Stefan Posch headed wide, but Oyarzabal made sure there would be no late drama when he knocked in a low cross from Cucurella in the 89th minute.

Spain boss Luis de la Fuente – whose side have grown into the tournament after opening Group H with a goalless draw against debutants Cape Verde – feels there is more to come from his team.

"We knew it would be an important match, especially in this knockout stage. We had the previous games in mind and, in every aspect, we were almost perfect," De la Fuente said, quoted on the FIFA website.

“But there are still a few little things to improve. We can always do better. Every match is going to be more difficult than the last. We need to keep this mentality.”

Rangnick accepted his side had just come up short against a superior Spain side.

"We are naturally disappointed that our journey ends here," the Austria boss told reporters, as quoted by Der Standard. "But overall, the team achieved its main goal at the World Cup. We advanced from an extremely difficult group.

"We knew that there was a high probability of advancing as runners-up and then facing Spain, that was an enormous challenge.

But I believe that this team would have been on par with almost any other opponent and would have had a good chance of advancing even further."

(Adaderana.lk)

The dust has barely settled on the expanded 48-team FIFA World Cup 2026, yet further development of the competition’s future has already been mooted, as well as struck by a fierce backlash.

The shine on the trophy, now held by Spain after their defeat of Argentina in the final, still glitters brightly, but there were tarnishes to this year’s event.

Now, the game’s global governing body, FIFA, and its president, Gianni Infantino, face yet more criticism after a plan was released to sell stakes in future World Cups and other events to private investors.

From European football’s governing body, UEFA, to the United Kingdom’s new prime minister, Andy Burnham, FIFA’s plan has been slammed. There has even been a suggestion of a boycott by UEFA.

Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at what the latest proposals on FIFA’s desk mean.

What are Gianni Infantino and FIFA’s new World Cup plans?

FIFA announced plans on Tuesday to sell stakes in future World Cups and other events to private investors in a bid to maximise revenue for the sport.

The proposal is to create a $20bn subsidiary to run the World Cup and other events.

FIFA says it would retain the majority share of a newly created FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) scheme, meaning it would still preside over football governance, competitions, match calendars and regulatory and sporting decisions.

Minority stakes, however, would be sold to external investors to raise up to $4.2bn as part of the new proposal.

Why do Infantino and FIFA want to sell stakes in the World Cup?

Debate raged for months in the build-up to World Cup 2026 that FIFA’s ticket pricing was pushing fans out of “the people’s game”, as it has long been regarded.

FIFA’s defence was that the World Cup is their main source of income to support the game around the globe – from the sport’s grassroots to the administration of the major international events.

This latest proposal is FIFA’s attempt to stretch that revenue potential even further.

How would the new plan for the FIFA World Cup work?

Billions of dollars are already raised by FIFA tournaments, largely from broadcasting rights, sponsorship and other commercial deals.

This new commercial subsidiary, the FFE, would extend beyond traditional means of raising funds and would be akin to the franchise model that many sports have now turned to.

The Indian Premier League (IPL), a T20 cricket tournament, was one of the first competitions to fully exploit the potential of franchise models, selling stakes in teams in a newly formed competition.

On Wednesday, the IPL – only formed in 2008 – announced its value had soared more than 11% this year to 20.6bn.

Teams in that competition are owned by majority investors, who therefore hold significant sway in how it is run.

Other models, including The Hundred of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) – an attempt to rival the IPL – have sold minority ownership of the teams.

ECB, as a result, retains control of the competition, and this is what FIFA is proposing for the share of the World Cup and its events that it intends to sell privately.

Nonetheless, a share is a share and new investors, be it in cricket’s The Hundred or in the FIFA World Cup, will expect at the very least to be heard when it comes to decision-making.

This is where concerns are being raised about the proposals.

Who are the potential investors in the World Cup and other FIFA events?

Thrive Eternal, a United States venture capital firm, has been put forward to lead the proposed investor group, FIFA said.

The vehicle was founded by Joshua Kushner, the brother of US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

Any potential investors would thereafter buy into the FIFA events via Thrive Eternal.

What benefits are FIFA claiming if the World Cup and events plan succeeds?

FIFA has said all net benefits will be reinvested in football, and that all countries should benefit from the ever-increasing profitability of the sport.

“Football is the world’s most popular sport,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement.

“Parts of the game have turned that popularity into remarkable commercial value – and we celebrate that success and want it to continue, because it lifts the whole game.

“Our job is to make sure the rest of football grows with it: FIFA exists to support sustainable, inclusive development in every corner of the world.”

‘It is not FIFA’s to sell’: UEFA and UK PM reaction to Infantino’s World Cup plan?

FIFA has already clashed with domestic and continental governing bodies during World Cup 2026. The European powerhouse, UEFA, was the first to speak out against the new proposals.

“This crosses a line that football’s governing institutions should never cross,” UEFA said.

“UEFA takes it extremely seriously. So should every National Football Association. So should every stakeholder who cares about the future of the game.

“The soul and governance of football are not assets to trade – especially with zero transparency as to who gains financially. None of us are the owners of football. It is not FIFA’s to sell.”

Andy Burnham, who only replaced Keir Starmer as the United Kingdom’s prime minister last week, wrote on X: “Let me say this very directly. Football does not belong to investors. It belongs to the people who fill the stands and who stand on the touchline week in, week out, rain or shine.

“The World Cup is not a product. It is the greatest competition in world sport, and it was never anyone’s to sell. Dress the deal up however you like. Once you have sold a piece of it, you have sold out.

“Football belongs to the fans. It always has, and it always will,” he added.

The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) said on Wednesday that it ⁠had not been informed of FIFA’s proposed sale of equity to outside investors and was “deeply concerned” over a lack of due process.

What will happen next for FIFA’s World Cup plans, and will UEFA boycott?

Any change will need to be voted through by FIFA’s 211-country membership.

Of that number, 55 nations fall within UEFA’s governance.

The European body will hold an emergency meeting later this week to discuss the proposals.

Were FIFA to implement such a plan, one possible response UEFA could take would include a boycott of FIFA competitions.

Although at just above a quarter of FIFA membership, Europe has produced the winner of six of the last eight World Cups.

Argentina and Brazil are the only teams to prevent a clean sweep by the Europeans in that time, and, indeed, are the only nations outside Europe to win the World Cup since fellow South Americans Uruguay won their second and last title in 1950.

What were the main criticisms of FIFA World Cup 2026?

The main criticism going into the 2026 World Cup, held in the US, Canada and Mexico, was pricing. From tickets to transport links, it was felt that football fans on median salaries around the world were being priced out of the game.

During the World Cup, the decision to suspend a red card shown to USA striker Folarin Balogun “undermined the game’s integrity and credibility,” according to UEFA.

US President Donald Trump said he called Infantino about the ban that Balogun faced – the forward lined up for USA in their next match against Belgium.

FIFA also faced a backlash over hydration breaks that were introduced midway through each half of those matches. Critics said the breaks functioned primarily as commercial opportunities for broadcasters and disrupted the traditional flow of football matches at the tournament.

(Al Jazeera)

Sri Lanka's rapidly growing combat sports industry has reached a significant milestone, with Karma Fight League (KFL) and Ruhunu Hospital formalising a multi-event partnership, beginning with KFL's 8th event on 18 July at SLECC (Sri Lanka Exhibition and Convention Centre, Colombo).

The agreement, signed at an official ceremony attended by representatives from both organisations including Dr. Hasara Kulatunga, Assistant Medical Director and Specialist in Family Medicine at Ruhunu Hospital, marks the first time a private hospital of this standing has entered a structured, long-term partnership with a combat sports organisation in Sri Lanka.

Ruhunu Hospital brings considerable institutional weight to the table. Established in 1995 and operating out of Karapitiya, Galle, the hospital is the largest private healthcare facility in the Southern Province, with over 150 specialist consultants, four operating theatres, and a nine-unit ICU facility.

The institution is currently executing a national expansion strategy anchored around preventative healthcare, and its alignment with a high-performance sport reflects that strategic direction.

For KFL, founded in 2023, the partnership represents a maturation of the league's commercial and operational framework.

Sanctioned by the International Sport Kickboxing Association (ISKA) and featuring competitors across the region, KFL has established itself as South Asia's largest K-1 fight night organisation, with plans to expand into MMA and other combat sports formats.

Ruhunu Hospital joins as title sponsor of KFL 008, and the formal integration of a medical institution of Ruhunu Hospital's calibre into its event infrastructure elevates athlete welfare standards and strengthens the broader combat sports ecosystem in Sri Lanka, signalling to the corporate market that the sport is experiencing significant growth in viewership and commercial interest.

Dr. Hasara Kulatunga, speaking at the signing, underscored the hospital's philosophy behind the agreement: "As Ruhunu Hospital expands its national footprint, we are proud to support platforms that champion human potential. This partnership reflects our vision of advancing health, performance, and community impact across Sri Lanka."

The partnership will officially commence at KFL 008, where the organisation expects its largest audience to date.

The event is headlined by Sonam Zomba, India's reigning MFN Champion and the number one ranked pound-for-pound female fighter in South Asia, who faces a Pakistani opponent in an anticipated matchup that the region is watching closely.

The fight night reflects KFL's growing regional ambitions and its ability to attract international competitive talent at the highest level.

KFL 008 will be broadcast live on KFL's official YouTube channel.

To experience it live at SLECC, tickets are available from LKR 3,000 at KFL's official website: tickets.karmafightleague.com.

Sri Lions Sri Lanka has threatened to withdraw from the upcoming 2026-2027 Inter-Club A Division rugby tournament unless Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) tenders a public apology for allegedly damaging the club's brand image and commercial reputation.

Club President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Kelum Sujith Perera delivered the ultimatum during a press conference following the organisation's fifth Annual General Meeting at the JAT Holdings Auditorium in Thalawathugoda on Saturday (25).

The dispute stems from a public release broadcast on two electronic media outlets, which claimed the club had defaulted on player salaries and contractual fees during the previous season.

Furthermore, the governing body imposed a mandatory Rs. 4.5 million deposit on Sri Lions as a prerequisite for participating in future domestic competitions.

Rejecting the allegations, Dr. Perera disclosed that the club spent Rs. 4.2 million on player contracts during its inaugural season while receiving minimal logistical support from the governing body.

The club confirmed it has already released 12 contracted players due to the ongoing dispute, including key backrower Mohamed Nizran, who is currently pursued by rival clubs.

The club management stated it will pursue legal action to seek financial compensation for defamation if the national rugby body refuses to issue a public retracting statement through the same media channels.

Dr. Perera also criticized reported plans by the governing body to reduce the A Division league from nine teams to seven, noting that developing the sport requires expanding the tournament to 14 teams and taking matches to regional outstations.

Should negotiations fail, Sri Lions plans to re-allocate its sports investment portfolio towards domestic netball, hockey, and football, while bringing the administrative impasse to the attention of the Sports Minister.

Brazil superstar Neymar was handed a dramatic recall to the country’s World Cup squad on Monday, returning to the national team after a near three-year absence.

The inclusion of Neymar, Brazil’s all-time leading goalscorer with 79 goals in 128 appearances, was the biggest surprise in the 26-man squad named by coach Carlo Ancelotti.

Ancelotti announced Neymar’s selection at a gala ceremony in Rio de Janeiro, with loud cheers ringing out as the veteran attacker’s call-up was confirmed.
Speculation has raged for months over whether the 34-year-old former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain attacker would force his way back into the national team set-up.

The forward, a veteran of the 2014, 2018 and 2022 World Cups, had not played for Brazil since suffering knee injury during a World Cup qualifying game against Uruguay in 2023.

A mixture of injuries and poor form had left him outside the national team set-up, with Ancelotti citing concerns over his fitness after leaving him out of Brazil’s squad for March friendlies against France and Croatia.

However Neymar, who rejoined boyhood club Santos in January after an injury-ravaged stint in Saudi Arabia, has now earned Ancelotti’s stamp of approval for the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

‘‘We monitored Neymar throughout the year and observed that, in recent times, he has been playing consistently and his physical condition has improved,’‘ Ancelotti said. ‘‘We believe he is an important player.’‘

Injuries have restricted Neymar to just 15 appearances in 31 matches since his return to Santos in 2026.

Brazil, who are chasing a record sixth World Cup crown, open their World Cup campaign against Morocco on June 13 before playing Haiti and Scotland in Group C.

Neymar joins a potent line-up of attackers that includes Barcelona striker Raphinha and Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior.

Ancelotti meanwhile said he believed the World Cup would be won by the most ‘‘resilient’‘ team.

‘‘The World Cup won’t be won by a perfect team - because a perfect team doesn’t exist,’‘ he said. ‘‘It will be won by the most resilient team."

Source: AP

World Cup finalists Argentina could face a FIFA fine after players celebrated their semi-final win over England with a banner declaring the Falkland Islands belonged to Argentina.

After the final whistle in the 2-1 win, several players held up a banner that read: "Las Malvinas son Argentinas", which translates to "The Falklands are Argentine".

Under FIFA rules, "banners, flags, flyers, apparel and other paraphernalia that are of a political, offensive, and/or discriminatory nature" are prohibited inside stadiums.

The sovereignty of the Falkland Islands, which are a British territory in the south Atlantic Ocean about 480km east of Argentina, remains a longstanding source of tension between Argentina and the United Kingdom.

The two countries fought a brief war after Argentina invaded the islands in 1982. The conflict claimed the lives of 649 Argentine and 255 UK soldiers.

The UK won the war and retained control of the territory, with the majority of residents wishing to remain part of the UK.

Argentina continues to claim the territory as its own, arguing it inherited the islands from Spain after gaining independence in 1816, and that the UK seized them in 1833 through an illegal colonial act.

It's unclear how the banner came onto the pitch, but several Argentine players, including Lisandro Martínez and Giovani Lo Celso, held the banner during post-game celebrations.

FIFA did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

After the match, Argentine vice president Victoria Villarruel posted a tribute to the team on X, alongside a video that appeared to show Argentine soldiers during the Falklands War.

In 2014, FIFA fined the Argentine Football Association about $36,000 after Argentine players held up a similar sign following a friendly win against Slovenia.

Argentina and England have one of football's fiercest rivalries.

The most infamous match was at the 1986 World Cup, just four years after the war, when Diego Maradona scored the controversial "Hand of God" goal by punching the ball into the net with his left fist. Despite England's protests, the goal stood.

Maradona followed it up minutes later with the "goal of the century", helping Argentina to a 2-1 victory. They went on to win the World Cup.

There were plenty of fiery moments during Thursday's semi-final, with 19 fouls in the opening half.

English forward Jude Bellingham also clipped the back of the head of Argentina's Valentin Barco as the two sides exchanged words after the match.

(SBS)

Colombian pop star Shakira has unveiled her official song for the 2026 World Cup.

The 49-year-old, behind hits such as Whenever, Wherever and Hips Don’t Lie, teased Dai Dai on Thursday as the anthem for this summer’s tournament in the US, Mexico and Canada.

Shakira posted a one-minute video on Instagram from Brazil’s Maracana stadium to tease the track that is out on 14 May and also features Nigerian singer Burna Boy.

It marks Shakira’s second official World Cup anthem after Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) for the 2010 tournament in South Africa.

She also had the second theme song for the 2014 tournament with La La La (Brazil 2014) which she performed at the closing ceremony in Rio de Janeiro.

Shakira, who has two sons from a former relationship with ex-Spain and Barcelona defender Gerard Pique, also sang Hips Don’t Lie at the 2006 closing ceremony in Germany.

Her country, Colombia, are playing at the 48-team tournament that runs from 11 June to 19 July.

Source: BBC

The historic Bradby Shield encounter enters its 80th edition as Royal College and Trinity College prepare to face each other in a series that concludes on July 25 at Pallekele.

The opening leg of this long standing schoolboy rugby rivalry takes place at the Royal College Sports Complex in Colombo.

This milestone series carries extraordinary weight because the two institutions are meeting an unprecedented four times in a single year.

Trinity College enters the clash as an undefeated juggernaut seeking a historic domestic treble under the leadership of their captain and fullback Shan Althaf.

Trinity College recently secured the 2026 Schools Rugby League title with a perfect nine and zero record including a final victory over St. Peter’s College by 20 points to 7.

They also ended a 15 year knockout drought in April by defeating Royal College 58 to 26 to claim the Presidents Trophy at the Sugathadasa Stadium before adding a 48 to 15 win in the league Super Round.

In contrast, Royal College enters the encounter determined to protect the shield they reclaimed last year with a gritty 18 to 13 aggregate victory.

The Colombo school has a history of defying league form to safeguard the trophy.

Royal College will depend on their captain and number eight Disas Pathirana along with flankers Senuja Ranasinghe and Althaf Aman.

Tactical duties will fall to fly half Mohomed Simak who intends to utilise the pace of winger Dinuka Perera. Trinity College will counter with an explosive lineup featuring scrum half Udan Wijekoon, number eight Achintha Jayasena, fly half Abdul Malik, and defensive coordinator Nisith Kumarasinghe.

The traditional rivalry officially commenced in 1945 when the principal of Royal College, Edward Lawrence Bradby, presented a silver adorned wooden shield to the principal of Trinity College, C. E. Simithraaratchy.

Although the teams first met on the rugby field on July 31 in 1920, the shield established the current two leg aggregate format.

Trinity College holds a minor historical advantage in the series with 40 wins compared to 37 victories for Royal College, whilst two series concluded in draws.

Historical disruptions have occasionally altered the tournament, including the total cancellation of the series in 2020 and 2021 due to a global pandemic.

Furthermore, the second leg of the 1971 series was cancelled because of the JVP insurrection, which allowed Royal College to retain the shield after winning the opening match.

The highest aggregate record remains with the 2002 Royal College team led by Zulki Hamid, who defeated their rivals 83 to 0

Former Afghanistan fast bowler Shapoor Zadran has died in India after battling an illness. He had been undergoing treatment at a hospital in India for some time.

"With profound grief and deep sorrow, the Afghanistan Cricket Board mourns the passing of former Afghanistan fast bowler Shapoor Zadran," Afghanistan Cricket Board posted.

Zadran was among the pioneering fast bowlers of Afghanistan cricket and played a significant role in the national team's rise on the international stage. He represented Afghanistan in both One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is), earning a reputation for his pace and aggressive bowling.

He was part of the generation that helped Afghanistan qualify for and compete in major global tournaments, including the ICC Cricket World Cup and the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, contributing to the team's emergence as a competitive international side.

(Source - Times of India)