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The All India Football Federation assured the national team coach Igor Stimac ‘all necessary support’ for the final two group games of the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers in June. The Indian men’s football team has fallen four spots in the latest FIFA world rankings to 121 after suffering a shock 1-2 loss against Afghanistan in the second round of the World Cup 2026 qualifiers.
Read below to learn more about the latest happenings in the sporting world.
Football
AIFF backs India coach Igor Stimac till June
The All India Football Federation assured the national team coach Igor Stimac ‘all necessary support’ for the final two group games of the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers in June. A senior AIFF official said, “Prior to the start of this campaign if India had a chance to finish second and qualify for the third round with just two games left to be played, anyone would have taken it.” He added, “Making a change now isn't a deal. We have to focus on the next two games and see what happens.” Stimac told the committee, “A year ago, I said that we would try and qualify for the third round and currently we are second in the group and two teams qualify. We will discuss the issue further after the match against Kuwait on June 6.”
Enzo Fernandez taunts former teammate Mason Mount in Chelsea’s clash against Manchester United
Chelsea star Enzo Fernandez was seen taunting former teammate Mason Mount in the game against Manchester United. The recent clash between Mount’s former team and current team put him in the limelight, and the former teammates taunted him. In a video doing rounds on X, Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez could be seen as the United player after the final whistle. As seen in the clip, just after his post-match celebrations, Fernandez turned towards Mount and smacked the Chelsea badge on his chest. Not only this, but he was also heard saying something to the midfielder, which couldn’t be heard.
South African footballer Luke Fleurs shot dead in car hijack
Luke Fleurs, the South African footballer, got killed in a car hijacking in Johannesburg, on the night of Wednesday, April 3. According to the police in Gauteng, the 24-year-old was shot dead by unknown gunmen, while he was waiting to be attended to, at a petrol station in the Honeydew suburb in the South African city. As per the spokesperson of the Gauteng police, Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masando, the suspects pointed a firearm at Luke Fleurs. They brought him out of his vehicle before taking a shot once on his upper body. Following that, a gunman fled the scene with his vehicle, and now, the police are investigating a murder and car hijacking case.
India fall to 121st spot in FIFA world rankings after Afghanistan defeat
The Indian men’s football team has fallen four spots in the latest FIFA world rankings to 121 after suffering a shock 1-2 loss against Afghanistan in the second round of the World Cup 2026 qualifiers. Notably, the AIFF President, Kalyan Chaubey, formed a committee to look into the performances of the national team after their demoralising home defeat last month. Before losing in Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, Guwahati, India were held to a goalless draw by Afghanistan in their return fixture in the second round of the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers. During the AFC Asian Cup in January, India also lost their three games without scoring a single goal, falling 15 spots to 117th in the FIFA world rankings shortly afterward.
Major football results
English Premier League
Liverpool 3-1 Sheff Utd
Chelsea 4-3 Man United
India I League
Rajasthan United FC 3-6 Delhi FC
Armenia-Premier League
West Armenia 2-5 FC Noah
Tennis
Rafael Nadal withdraws from Monte Carlo Masters
Rafael Nadal withdrew from Monte Carlo Masters, where he was expected to make his ATP Tour comeback. He announced on social media, “Unfortunately I have to tell you that I am not going to be playing in Monte Carlo. My body simply won’t allow me. Even if I am working hard and making the maximum effort every day with all the will to play and compete again at tournaments that have been very important for me, the truth is that I can’t play today. You have no idea how hard this is for me to not be able to play these events. The only thing I can do is to accept the situation and try to look at the immediate future keeping the excitement and will to play in order to give me a chance for things to get better.”
WTA Finals to be held in Saudi Arabia from 2024-2026
The WTA Finals are set to be held in Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh from 2024-2026. The finale will feature the top eight singles players and doubles team, from November 2 to November 9. Saudi sports minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal Al-Saud told Reuters, “The season-ending WTA Finals will be held in Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh from 2024-2026, the women’s tennis body said on Thursday, ending months of speculation and marking the Gulf country’s latest foray into the sport. The WTA selected Riyadh following a comprehensive evaluation process over several months, which has included assessment of multiple bids from different regions and engagement with players.”
Novak Djokovic considering Andy Murray’s mom as coach: Reports
The world number 1 tennis player Novak Djokovic is reportedly considering Andy Murray’s mom, Judy Murray as his new coach. Djokovic recently parted ways with his long-time coach Goran Ivanisevic after an infavourable start to the year. According to Marca, “It's no secret that Judy Murray has a wealth of experience and knowledge in coaching, and her son Andy has been a fierce rival of Djokovic for many years. Novak is reportedly considering seeking help from Judy as he looks to make a change in his coaching setup."
People forget that we are also human beings: Sania Mirza highlights mental health challenges of athletes
Former Indian tennis player Sania Mirza weighed in on the importance of good mental health and highlighted the challenges athletes face. Mirza recently appeared for an interview on ANI, where she spoke about the kind of challenges athletes face emotionally and mentally. She said, “You have the biggest athletes of the world coming out and pressure is real, mental health is real and depression is real.” Mirza added, “Sometimes people forget that athletes are also normal human beings, who have the same feelings, who feel sad, upset, happy, excited and depressed. I think it is very important that the human side has been revealed in many ways as athletes.”
