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August 2, 2026
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Vaughan backs Stokes to stay on as England captain

Vaughan backs Stokes to stay on as England captain

Former England captain Michael Vaughan (right) seen with cricket pundit Jonathan Agnew. Michael Vaughan has backed Ben Stokes to retain the England captaincy despite being investigated for breaking the team's curfew. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced they were looking into Stokes' involvement in a nightclub incident on Monday morning following England's win in the first Test against New Zealand at Lord's. England team-mate Gus Atkinson and Saracens rugby player Totoa Auvaa were also involved. Media reports on Tuesday suggested Stokes may resign as Test skipper.The second Test against New Zealand at the Oval gets under way in a week's time.But former England captain Vaughan said Stokes had sufficient "credit in the bank" to avoid being sacked."Yes, Ben Stokes broke a curfew," Vaughan wrote in the Daily Telegraph."Yes, he made a mistake. But is that a sacking offence as England's Test captain? I do not think so. 'STOKES HAS A LOT OF CREDIT IN THE BANK'"Stokes has a lot of credit in the bank for all he has done for England as captain and all-rounder. There is no way that those making the big decisions at the England and Wales Cricket Board have the same credit in the bank."I do not see how you can tell Stokes he is not captain anymore just for going over the curfew by a couple of hours after a win."He added: "A short suspension would be fine, but this is not a big enough incident over which to lose the captaincy."It is the latest controversy concerning the England team after the tour of Australia where the side faced allegations of a drinking culture during a 4-1 Ashes series loss.A physical confrontation with Auvaa is understood to have led to a member of ECB security staff being struck.If Stokes is stripped of the captaincy, vice-captain Harry Brook - already the skipper of England's white-ball teams - could lead the hosts next week.Brook was fined and censured for late-night drinking and clashing with a nightclub bouncer before captaining England in a one-day international in Wellington in October -- an incident that led to the midnight curfew.  Related Story

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England captain Stokes dropped for second Test after curfew breach

England captain Stokes dropped for second Test after curfew breach

England's Gus Atkinson (left) and England's captain Ben Stokes leave the field for lunch on the second day of the four-day Test match against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on May 23, 2025. Stokes

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Ahead of World Cup kickoff, pope says life is ‘played as a team’

Ahead of World Cup kickoff, pope says life is ‘played as a team’

Addressing World Cup fans ahead of the start of the tournament, Pope Leo on Wednesday said life, like football, should be "played as a team.""Football also helps us remember something very important: life is not

Sports
Spanish soccer legend Iniesta launches academy in Dubai

Spanish soccer legend Iniesta launches academy in Dubai

DUBAI: Spain and Barcelona midfield genius Andres Iniesta has tied up with local partner Abdulrahman Almeqbali in cooperation with the Dubai Sports Council (DSC) to launch his ambitious Iniesta Academy in the UAE.This was announced

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Largest FIFA World Cup in history to kick off on Thursday…

Largest FIFA World Cup in history to kick off on Thursday…

The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off on Thursday in Mexico City, marking the start of the largest edition of the tournament since its inception in 1930.Hosted jointly by the United States, Canada and Mexico,

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Lego Group teams up with Ronaldo, Mbappé, Messi, and Vini…

Lego Group teams up with Ronaldo, Mbappé, Messi, and Vini…

The recent partnership between the Lego Group with Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi, and Vini Jr. ahead of world’s most exciting sports event FIFA World Cup 2026 brought bundle of surprises for brick-lovers in

Sports
‘Having eight Arab teams at the World Cup is a true honour for regional football’

‘Having eight Arab teams at the World Cup is a true honour for regional football’

The FIFA World Cup 2026 will represent a key milestone forArab football, with Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia all set to compete, marking the largest Arab presence in the tournament's history. Co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico from 11 June to 19 July, this edition will feature an expanded 48-team format for the first time.For former Qatar national team goalkeeper Ahmed Khalil, the qualification of eight Arab teams to the FIFA World Cup 2026 stands as a testament to the remarkable progress of football across the region.In an interview with the Local Organising Committee for Football Events, Khalil said: "Having eight Arab teams at theWorld Cup is a true honour for regional football. But I hope it doesn't stay a matter of participation alone. I want to see every one of these teams go into their groups and succeed.”Khalil, who played for many years with the Qatar national team, believes the achievement reflects more than a single qualifying campaign: "The standard of play has risen, the administrative structures have matured and financial support has grown considerably. Eight teams reaching this stage is evidence of a system working as a whole: officials, federations and technical staff alike."  Khalil pointed to Qatar's hosting of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 as the decisive turning point for regional football, a tournament that proved the region could deliver the sport's biggest event and saw Morocco become the first Arab and African side to reach the semi-finals. He added: "Qatar showcased this region’s ability to host the world at the very highest of standards, its rich football culture and flourishing talent. The progress these teams have made since 2022 is no coincidence. It is a direct result of that experience.” On Qatar’s prospects at the tournament, Khalil expressed confidence that Al Annabi will perform in a way that reflects their status as Asian champions, noting that teamwork, determination and national pride carry as much weight as technical ability at this level of the game. Looking further ahead, he urged the region to build on this momentum, expressing hope that participation in 2026 would help establish Arab teams as serious contenders on the world stage and create wider opportunities for generations to come. Alongside Al Annabi's participation, Qatar's contribution to the FIFA World Cup 2026 extends through a deployment programme established under a knowledge and expertise transfer Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) and FIFA. Under the agreement, a dedicated team of SC experts has been seconded to several host cities across the United States and Canada to share the human capital, expertise and institutional knowledge gained from hosting Qatar 2022 and subsequent mega-events.Later this year, Qatar will welcome the world once more as host of the FIFA U-17 World Cup, from 19 November to 13 December, the second of five consecutive editions to be staged in Doha.

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FIFA boss Infantino faces questions on eve of World Cup

FIFA boss Infantino faces questions on eve of World Cup

MEXICO CITY: FIFA President Gianni Infantino is set to face the media on the eve of the World Cup on Wednesday, as off-field distractions dogged the build-up to the tournament.Infantino is likely to face tough

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Somali World Cup referee denied entry to US arrives home …

Somali World Cup referee denied entry to US arrives home …

A World Cup referee from Somalia who was denied entry to the United States arrived Wednesday in Somalia's capital of Mogadishu, where he was received by a crowd of supporters and officials.Omar Artan was set

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FIFA boss Infantino says case of Somali referee ‘unfortunate’

FIFA boss Infantino says case of Somali referee ‘unfortunate’

MEXICO CITY: FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Wednesday described as “unfortunate” the case of Somali World Cup referee Omar Artan, who was refused entry to the United States.“It is unfortunate as well what happened to...