Argentina has emerged as the leading nation in coaching representation at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. A total of six Argentine coaches will guide different national teams, the highest number from any country. Among them are Lionel Scaloni for Argentina, Mauricio Pochettino for the United States, Marcelo Bielsa for Uruguay, Gustavo Alvaro for Paraguay, Sebastián Beccacece for Ecuador, and Néstor Lorenzo for Colombia.

France follows with five coaches, including Didier Deschamps, Rudy Garcia, Sabri Lamouchi, Sébastien Desabre, and Sébastien Migne. Spain ranks third with four coaches, while Italy and Germany each have three. Notably, Brazil, the five-time world champion, will not have a Brazilian coach this time; instead, Italian Carlo Ancelotti will lead their campaign.

According to the report, 22 teams will compete under domestic coaches, highlighting a mix of national and foreign leadership across the tournament’s dugouts.

Iran’s national football team has decided to move its 2026 World Cup base camp from the United States to Mexico just weeks before the tournament begins. The decision, approved by FIFA, was made due to visa-related complications and travel convenience. Iran Football Federation president Mehdi Taj confirmed that the new base camp will be in Tijuana, a Mexican city near the U.S. border, where team accommodations are already prepared.

In a video message published by Fars News Agency, Taj explained that visa difficulties prompted the request to shift the camp. With FIFA’s approval, the team will now train directly in Mexico and benefit from easier travel using Iran Air flights. Iran’s three group-stage matches will still take place in the United States—against New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles on June 15 and 21, and against Egypt in Seattle on June 26.

Taj noted that the new location will also reduce travel time to Los Angeles for the first two matches. The team is currently holding a training camp in Antalya, Turkey, while some players have applied for U.S. visas at the American embassy in Ankara.

Real Madrid closed their La Liga season with a 4-2 victory over Athletic Bilbao at the Santiago Bernabéu, marking an emotional night filled with both celebration and farewells. The match, held on May 24, 2026, saw goals from Gonzalo García, Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappé, and Brahim Díaz for the home side, while Gorka Guruzeta and Urko Izeta scored for Bilbao.

Beyond the scoreline, the evening was defined by the departures of two long-serving players, Dani Carvajal and David Alaba. Both received standing ovations and a guard of honor from teammates as they were substituted in their final appearances for the club. Coaches Álvaro Arbeloa and Ernesto Valverde also stood on the touchline for the last time, adding to the night’s sentiment.

Despite the win, Real Madrid finished the season as runners-up behind Barcelona. The victory, however, provided fans and players with a memorable conclusion to the campaign, blending triumph with heartfelt goodbyes.

Barcelona ended their La Liga season as champions but suffered a 3-1 defeat to Valencia in their final match, which also marked Robert Lewandowski’s farewell appearance for the club. The Polish striker opened the scoring after an hour of play, calmly finishing inside the box to give Barcelona the lead.

Valencia quickly turned the game around within five minutes. Javi Guerra equalized with a fine finish, and Luis Rioja put the hosts ahead 2-1 following an attack created by Jesus Vazquez. Barcelona tried to recover but failed to find another goal. A potential penalty for Valencia was overturned after VAR confirmed the foul occurred outside the box.

In stoppage time, Guido Rodriguez sealed Valencia’s victory with a long-range strike. Despite the win, Valencia missed out on European qualification as Getafe and Rayo Vallecano both won their respective matches. For Barcelona, the season closed with a loss and an emotional farewell for Lewandowski.

Argentina’s national airline, Aerolíneas Argentinas, has prepared a specially designed Airbus aircraft named ‘Number Ten’ to accompany Lionel Messi and the national football team in their 2026 World Cup campaign in North America. The aircraft, now receiving final touches at Buenos Aires’ Ezeiza International Airport, is painted in Argentina’s blue and white colors and features the iconic number 10 on its tail, symbolizing both Diego Maradona and Messi.

According to hangar shift manager Pablo da Grava, every part of the aircraft was created with the dream of winning a fourth World Cup in mind. The engines carry the captain’s armband symbol ‘C’ and three stars representing Argentina’s three previous titles. The design aims to embody national pride and emotion while serving as a good-luck charm for the team.

The team previously traveled on a similar aircraft during their victorious 2022 Qatar World Cup campaign, and both players and staff hope the new plane will bring the same fortune as they prepare for another global challenge.

England coach Thomas Tuchel has announced his squad for the upcoming World Cup, leaving out several high-profile players. Midfielder Phil Foden, winger Cole Palmer, defender Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Harry Maguire were all excluded from the team. In their place, Tuchel included forwards Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney, who have both enjoyed strong seasons. Watkins recently won the Europa League title, while Toney scored 32 goals in 32 matches in the Saudi Pro League.

Tuchel also left out midfielders Morgan Gibbs-White and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, despite their strong Premier League performances. Veteran Jordan Henderson was recalled to replace Adam Wharton. Tuchel explained that it was emotionally difficult to inform the omitted players, saying he personally called those who had previously trained with the squad to express gratitude for their efforts.

England will begin their World Cup campaign against Croatia on June 17 in Dallas, followed by matches against Ghana on June 23 and Panama on June 27.

Star footballer Hamza Chowdhury dominated the Cool-BSPA Sports Awards 2025, organized by the Bangladesh Sports Press Association (BSPA) on Friday at a five-star hotel in Dhaka. He received the top honor of Sports Person of the Year, surpassing female footballer Rituparna Chakma and hockey player Amirul Islam. Hamza also won the Popular Choice Award and the Best Footballer Award, marking a rare triple victory. In a video message, he expressed pride and gratitude to his family, coaches, teammates, and fans for their support throughout the year.

The event was presided over by BSPA President Rezwan Uz Zaman Rajib, with State Minister for Youth and Sports Aminul Haque attending as chief guest to present the awards. Square Toiletries Limited’s CEO Malik Mohammad Said attended as guest of honor, representing the event’s sponsor brand Cool, which has supported the awards for 11 consecutive years. BSPA honored 15 athletes, organizers, and institutions across 16 categories, continuing a tradition that began in 1964.

BSPA President Rajib noted that while Bangladesh’s sports journalism meets global standards, there remains room for improvement, and the association aims to establish a Sports Journalist Institute.

A new world record was set on Mount Everest as 274 climbers successfully reached the summit within 24 hours. Nepalese authorities confirmed the achievement on Thursday, May 21, 2026, citing favorable weather conditions that allowed a large number of climbers to ascend simultaneously via the southern route. Officials from the Expedition Operators Association of Nepal said such a high number of summits in one day had never been seen before.

Everest is typically climbed through two main routes: the southern route from Nepal and the northern route from Tibet, China. In 2019, 223 climbers summited via Nepal and 113 via China in a single day. This year, with China’s route closed, most climbers concentrated on the Nepal side. The season began slowly due to a large ice block hanging dangerously over the main route, but conditions later improved, allowing expeditions to resume.

Authorities said the climbing season will continue through the end of May, with about 494 foreign climbers and an equal number of Sherpa guides aiming to reach the 8,848.86-meter peak.

Cristiano Ronaldo has once again been named the world’s highest-paid athlete, topping Forbes’ latest list for the fourth consecutive year and sixth time overall. The 41-year-old Portuguese footballer, currently playing for Saudi club Al-Nassr, earned a total of $300 million over the past year. Of this, $225 million came from on-field income, while $65 million was generated through endorsements, sponsorships, and other commercial ventures.

The new Forbes ranking also saw Mexican boxer Canelo Álvarez rise to second place, surpassing Lionel Messi despite a less successful year in the ring, including losing his super middleweight title to Terence Crawford. Álvarez earned $170 million in 2025. Messi, captain of Inter Miami, ranked third with $140 million, evenly split between on-field and off-field earnings.

Other notable names in the top ten include LeBron James, Shohei Ohtani, Stephen Curry, Jon Rahm, Karim Benzema, Kevin Durant, and Lewis Hamilton, underscoring Ronaldo’s enduring global popularity and brand value.

Norway has announced its 26-member squad for the upcoming World Cup, marking the country's return to the tournament after 28 years. In a rare move, King Harald V of Norway personally revealed the team through a social media video message, a role traditionally performed by the coach. The announcement included a surprise call-up for 23-year-old goalkeeper Sander Tangvik, who replaced injured Mathias Dyngeland.

Midfielder Martin Ødegaard has been named captain of the team, which also features star striker Erling Haaland, along with Oscar Bobb and Jørgen Strand Larsen. Norway’s World Cup campaign will begin on June 17 in Boston against Iraq, followed by matches against Senegal in New Jersey on June 23 and France on June 26.

The announcement reflects Norway’s renewed ambition on the global football stage, with a balanced squad combining Premier League experience and emerging domestic talent.

Bangladeshi International Master (IM) Mohammad Fahad Rahman, a student of Sonargaon University’s Fashion Design Department, has achieved his second Grandmaster (GM) norm. He secured the milestone through an outstanding performance at the Fubi Academy Norm Chess Tournament held in Istanbul, Turkey. Competing in a round-robin format, Fahad scored seven points out of nine games, remaining undefeated and emerging as the tournament champion.

Fahad had previously earned his first GM norm at the Hanoi Grandmasters Chess Tournament in Vietnam in March 2024. His latest success follows years of consistent participation in both domestic and international events. In a prior tournament, he narrowly missed achieving a norm in the final round, but this time he maintained composure and confidence to secure victory. A crucial win in the eighth round against Iranian International Master Pour Agha Bala Amirreza, rated 2453, paved the way for his success.

Sonargaon University expressed deep pride in Fahad’s achievement, stating that his success will inspire other students and strengthen Bangladesh’s presence in the international chess arena.

Al-Nassr clinched the Saudi Pro League title after defeating Damac 4–1 at Al-Awwal Park on May 22, 2026. Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice, marking his first major trophy since joining Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr. The Riyadh-based club ended a long wait for the league crown, last winning it in 2019. Sadio Mané opened the scoring in the 33rd minute, followed by Kingsley Coman’s strike early in the second half. Damac briefly narrowed the gap through a penalty by Morlaye Sylla, but Ronaldo sealed the victory with two goals in the 63rd minute and late in the match.

The win brought Al-Nassr to 86 points from 34 matches, with 28 wins and two draws, edging out Al-Hilal, who finished with 84 points despite winning their final game. Ronaldo’s brace took his league tally to 28 goals this season and 973 in his professional career. The triumph ended years of frustration for both the club and the Portuguese star, who finally lifted a major domestic trophy in Saudi Arabia.

The victory also capped a season of redemption for Al-Nassr after earlier setbacks, including a missed opportunity in the AFC Champions League Two final.

Brazilian forward Neymar Jr. has sustained a minor calf injury just days after being named in Brazil’s 2026 World Cup squad. According to Santos club doctor Rodrigo Zogaib, Neymar has swelling in his right leg and will need to rest and remain under observation for several days. The injury, though not serious, has kept him out of regular training and the recent Copa Libertadores match against San Lorenzo, which ended in a 2-2 draw.

Santos is prioritizing Neymar’s full recovery before he joins the national team camp, which begins on May 27 at Granja Comary. The club aims to ensure he regains full fitness before leaving for international duty. Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti reportedly reviewed Neymar’s medical reports and spoke directly with the player before confirming his inclusion in the 26-man squad.

While there is no major alarm in the Brazil camp, Neymar faces a race against time to be fully fit before Brazil’s World Cup opener against Morocco on June 13.

Bangladesh completed a historic 2–0 Test series whitewash against Pakistan after winning the second match in Sylhet by 79 runs. Chasing 437, Pakistan were bowled out for 358 despite Mohammad Rizwan’s 94. Spinner Taijul Islam took six wickets to seal Bangladesh’s first-ever home Test series whitewash over Pakistan, following a similar result in Pakistan in 2024.

Former Pakistan players reacted strongly on social media. Wasim Akram expressed disappointment but credited Bangladesh for playing complete cricket and praised their improved pitches and pace attack. Azhar Ali highlighted Bangladesh’s long-term development process and urged Pakistan to improve in all departments. Commentator Ramiz Raja commended Najmul Hossain Shanto’s leadership and Bangladesh’s shift from defensive spin tactics to more competitive conditions, while warning that Pakistan’s weaknesses are deepening. Mohammad Hafeez pointed to structural issues in Pakistan cricket and called for administrative reforms.

The reactions underscored growing concern over Pakistan’s decline and recognition of Bangladesh’s transformation into a more balanced Test side.

Mohammedan Sporting Club took a 2-1 lead over Bashundhara Kings in the first half of the Federation Cup final, held a day later than scheduled at Kings Arena. The match, filled with intensity and excitement, drew strong attention from football fans. Uzbek midfielder Mozafarov opened the scoring for Mohammedan with a free kick in the fifth minute, but Bashundhara Kings quickly equalized through a penalty converted by Dorielton Gomez.

Kings had a chance to go ahead when Rakib found the net, but the goal was ruled offside. Mohammedan then earned a penalty after midfielder Shafiqul Hossain was fouled by defender Tapu Barman, but Mozafarov’s shot was saved by goalkeeper Mehedi Hasan Srabon. In the 33rd minute, Saurav Dewan restored Mohammedan’s lead, finishing from Jahid Hasan’s pass inside the box. The first half ended with Mohammedan leading 2-1.

The final’s dramatic exchanges and missed opportunities set the stage for a tense second half as both teams chase the Federation Cup title.